Force Management

As the year winds down, many sales professionals hear the dreaded phrase: “Not right now.” But what does that really mean? Is it truly a timing issue, or something deeper? In this episode, Rachel Clapp Miller sits down with Antonella O’Day to unpack the real reasons behind this common objection and share actionable strategies to keep deals warm without being pushy.Antonella explains why “not right now” often signals more than just budget freezes and timing challenges. She outlines four key scenarios that could be at play—from lack of urgency to missing internal consensus—and offers practical questions to diagnose the situation. Plus, learn how to maintain momentum, deliver value during delays, and use cadence as a powerful lever to build trust and stay top of mind.If you’ve ever wondered how to turn a polite “no” into a future “yes,” this episode is packed with insights you can put into practice today.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why “not right now” is rarely just about timingFour common scenarios behind

As the year winds down and Q4 ramps up, sales professionals face the pressure of closing strong. In this episode, Rachel sits down with John Boney to discuss how sellers can maintain focus, prioritize effectively, and execute with clarity and discipline during the final stretch of the year.Whether you're managing stretch deals, navigating procurement hurdles, or trying to re-engage quiet accounts, this episode offers practical advice to help you finish the year with momentum—and set the stage for a successful Q1.Key Takeaways:Intentional Urgency: Learn how to drive urgency without sounding pushy by aligning with customer outcomes rather than internal sales timelines.Pipeline Segmentation: Break down your deals into three buckets—winnable, stretch, and next-year opportunities—to focus your efforts where they matter most.Avoid Common Pitfalls: Discover the top mistakes reps make in Q4, including leading with discounts and ignoring procurement/legal timelines.Reactivating Quiet Accounts: Use proof points, indust

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan, who explains the importance of owning your success and shares tips on how to put yourself in a position to succeed as a sales rep.Plus, as promised, here is the definition of a floppy disk for our younger listeners: a thin plastic disk coated with magnetic material on which data for a computer can be stored (Merriam-Webster).If you have any ideas for future episodes, send them to Rachel at rclapp@forcemanagement.com.Here are some additional resourcesHow to Ensure You're Selling for a Great Company (forcemanagement.com)How to Make Sure You're Working for Great Companies | PodcastBuilding an Accountable Culture | PodcastCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. Preparing for your deal is critical. Preparing others for your sales call has equal impacts on your success. If you want someone to join you on a call (product engineer, manager, etc.), you have to be able to provide them with fluency about the deal and clarity on their role in the conversation. John Kaplan covers what information you need to share and how help ensure those joining you are best prepared.Here are some additional resourcesHow to Ask for Help on Your Deals5 Things to Do Before Your Next Sales ConversationKey Things to Do After Every Sales CallCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. Discover the mantra you can use to successfully navigate opportunities that require you to move up and down in organizations. Hear John Kaplan’s tips for continually building a business case that maps the technical capabilities of your solution to the required capabilities for different decision makers in an organization. He explains what the mantra is, how you can build it through customer conversations, and leverage it to get champions to sell on your behalf.Here are some additional resourcesAlign with the Buying Process: The Power of the MantraWhy You’re Struggling With Metrics in the Sales ConversationNavigating the Decision Process With Multiple Buyers [Podcast]Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. As a seller, you need to communicate effectively with people throughout an organization - both on the economic and technical levels. That means adjusting your sales conversation to what’s relevant to the individual in front of you. In this episode, John Kaplan shares insights that will allow you to swiftly adapt to any type of sales conversation. He gives advice to help you:Prepare for conversations at the executive table.Manage meetings wherein both technical and business buyers are present.Overcome Seller Deficit Disorder.Use the Mantra framework to narrate a story that every decision-maker involved in your deal can get behind.Here are some additional resources:Subscribe to Ascender: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonAscender Sales Topics - Positioning Yourself against the Competitionhttps://youtu.be/YayJtT22TEgAscender Course: Getting to the Economic Buyerhttps://bit.ly/3U6dObHCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast a

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with Brian Walsh. If you’re selling a new technology, it may be difficult to align to a pain point. How do you align to pain the customer doesn’t even know they have? Many AI startups have this challenge. How do you get the customer to see a new way of doing old things? In this episode, Brian Walsh breaks down ways you can think about your sales conversation so you’re able to drive urgency, even when you’re selling in a new category. He also runs through how to set up a test project, in order to build credibility with the customer. Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Becoming elite as a sales organization demands a culture of accountability. A great sales planning process combined with a voracious qualification process builds an ecosystem of accountability across large-scale sales organizations. John Kaplan shares what these companies implement to foster a culture of accountability, detailing key steps for leaders and reps to take. Here are some additional resources:Set A Results-Driven Sales Planning MindsetDevelop a Sales Franchise MindsetHow to Improve Qualification in Your Sales OrganizationCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

In today’s episode, John Boney joins Rachel to share his best advice on time management as a sales rep. He highlights the importance of operating with a mindset of ownership over your territory, discusses the calendar management habits of elite sellers, explains how to balance current deals with pipeline generation, and urges reps to sell proactively rather than reactively. He also advises managers on adding value to teams while avoiding micromanagement.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Actionable Account Planning | Ascender CourseEffective Opportunity Coaching Sessions | Ascender CourseFive Things to Help You Uncover New Business Opportunities | Ascender ArticleSales Managers: Test Your Reps’ Ability to Compete in Deals | Ascender ArticleAre You Owning Your Success As a Salesperson? | Ascender VideoThe Franchise Mindset | PodcastBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | PodcastHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeopl

Enjoy this replay of a great episode with John Kaplan. One common scenario that all sellers are likely to face, especially when joining a new company, is inheriting others’ accounts. In some cases, you’ll follow someone who did a stellar job, and other times, you’ll have to pick up the pieces of someone not as successful. Both circumstances pose their own set of unique challenges. John Kaplan shares insights about how to approach joining a new account. He gives advice about:The first steps to take after inheriting an account.The need to be audible-ready to speak to the people already in the account you’re inheriting.How to begin developing the relationships you need within the account.What to do when faced with skepticism or hostility from the customer upon your entrance into the account.Here are some additional resources:Subscribe to Ascender: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonHow to Ensure You're Audible-Ready in Your B2B Sales Conversationshttps://bit.ly/3G3mhIrSelling to Hesitant Customers | P

Enjoy this episode, which was originally aired in August 2022, with John Kaplan. Solution requirements are a critical component of every deal you sell. These are things that must be in place in order for a buyer to achieve their desired outcomes, and they exist with or without your solution. In today’s episode, John Kaplan explains the importance of recognizing your customer’s solution requirements and what to do with that knowledge. You will learn how to:Bridge the customer’s current state to their desired future state.Position your value in a way that influences the customer’s requirements.Ask great discovery questions that show your customer how your solution is needed to solve their business issues.Here are some additional resources:How to Stack Customer Requirements in Your Favorhttps://bit.ly/3AMo4z3The Missing Link Between Your Differentiation and Your Buyershttps://bit.ly/3dVvQ0HCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

In this episode, John Kaplan joins Rachel to talk about bouncing back from losses as a seller. For reps, he sheds light on the key factors to reflect upon after losing, the importance of maintaining transparency with management in order to get appropriate feedback, the decisive benefits of early qualification, and applying the lessons learned from a loss to succeed in similar accounts. John also addresses managers, highlighting the need to foster an environment that promotes continuous learning and empowers sellers to take risks.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Win/Loss Review | Ascender CourseKey Questions for Managers to Ask in Deal Reviews | Ascender ArticleAscender’s Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticleClose the Excuse Department | Ascender VideoTake Ownership of Your Success | Ascender VideoAsking for Help | Ascender VideoPrepping for Your Deal Reviews | PodcastAttaching to the Biggest Business Problem | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely

Today, John Kaplan joins Rachel to explore the many elements involved in building a healthy pipeline, and doing so in a purposeful manner. He talks about prioritizing strategy during pipeline generation as opposed to merely chasing a number, pinpointing an Ideal Customer Profile, articulating your value by tying technical requirements to business outcomes, and the art and skill of getting the customer to stand in their moment of pain.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Ascender’s Prospecting Elite Selling™ CertificationPlan to Make Your Plan | Ascender CourseThe Franchise Mindset | Ascender ArticleFour Questions to Ask About Your Most Critical Accounts | Ascender ArticleWhen to Use Customer Case Studies in the Sales Process | Ascender ArticleOvercoming Seller Deficit Disorder | Ascender VideoBuilding Your Pipeline | Ascender VideoWhen AI Isn’t Enough: Getting an Opportunity | PodcastFive Areas Where You Need Consistency | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for s

For today’s episode, Tim Caito joins Rachel to share his insights on what reps can do to consistently elevate their sales conversations and get higher in organizations. Tim talks about recognizing the giveaways that you are too low in a company, prioritizing influence over org charts, keeping track of shifting priorities over the course of a deal, preparing in advance for successful sales calls, and gaining return access by tailoring your message to the relevant concerns of the buyer.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Selling to the C-Suite | Ascender CourseGetting to the Economic Buyer | Ascender CourseBuilding Champions for Life | Ascender CourseAligning to Win | Ascender ArticleOur Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticlePreparing for Sales Conversations | Ascender VideoPreparing for Sales Negotiation Conversations | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfe

In this episode, Antonella O’Day joins Rachel to discuss best practices on managing the transition of prospects from initial interest to buying intent. Over the course of the conversation, Antonella touches on the need for sellers to approach early sales calls with a mindset of curiosity, shares strategies for testing a prospect’s intent in order to qualify deals early on, advises reps to make use of mutual action plans (MAPs) to build consensus and trust, and supplies questions to help reps gauge progress.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Creating a Compelling Business Case | Ascender CourseMoving Buyers to Action | Ascender ArticleHow to Convince Your Customer to Take Action in Your Sales Process | Ascender ArticleHelping Customers Persuade Themselves | Ascender VideoHow Do I Get My Customer to See the Importance of My Differentiation? | Ascender VideoHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastAligning with Corporate Initiatives | PodcastDeveloping Mutual Action Plans | PodcastVi

In this episode, John Boney and Rachel speak about the need for sales leaders to coach based on value. They explore ways in which leaders can endeavor to make every conversation with reps an opportunity to drive growth, not just hit a number. You’ll learn how to ask questions that uncover your reps’ motivations and struggles, differentiate solving and coaching, and lead in a way that builds trust and empowers your reps to take ownership of their challenges.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Coaching Model Essentials | Ascender CourseEffective Opportunity Coaching Sessions | Ascender CourseCoaching the Coaches – Front-Line Sales Managers | Ascender CourseThree Ways Managers Can Drive Value-Based Selling Practices | Ascender ArticleHow to Coach Value-Based Sales Messaging Aligned with C-Suite Priorities | Ascender ArticleRemember These Key Steps to a Value-Based Sales Conversation | Ascender ArticleKeeping the Focus on Value | PodcastHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastVisit As

In this episode, Rachel and John dive into a critical moment every seller faces: recognizing when it's time to pause, reassess, and reset a deal. They explore how to identify red flags, reframe conversations, and re-engage buyers without losing credibility.Visit these other episodes for more on this topic.Go High, Go Low – Adjusting Your Sales ConversationLearn how to shift your conversation up or down the org chart when your deal is stalling or misaligned.Confidence and ConvictionThis episode explores how to re-engage with confidence when you need to reset a deal.Influencing Your Customers’ Solution RequirementsA key skill when backing up a deal—this episode dives into how to shape decision criteria around your differentiation.Competing Initiatives: Moving Your Deal ForwardWhen your deal is stuck behind other priorities, this episode helps you reassess and reposition.The Outcome ConversationFocuses on aligning with buyer outcomes—critical when reframing a stalled opportunity.

In today’s special episode for those selling to government agencies, John Boney joins Rachel to discuss how to respond and adapt to changing federal priorities in the current landscape. He explores the concept of “value drivers” and explains how reps can uncover them with effective, mission-oriented questions. John also talks about the need to align with the client’s procurement process, focus on ROI for the agency in question, build a stakeholder map that allows you to adapt your narrative for the value lens of every stakeholder, and manage the often-overlooked post-award delivery phase.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Deepen Your Discovery | Ascender CourseChanging Your Approach with Procurement | Ascender CourseRemember These Key Steps to a Value-Based Sales Conversation | Ascender ArticleFour Questions to Ask About Your Most Critical Accounts | Ascender ArticleKeeping the Focus on Value | PodcastHow to Uncover Buyer Needs | PodcastAligning Sales Strategies with DOGE Pri

Today, Brian Walsh joins Rachel to talk about the mindset sellers need to have when their company launches a new product. He walks through key considerations for reps to weigh during the enablement process, such as figuring out what problems the product solves and the outcomes it can drive, determining your ideal customer profile, staying honest to avoid overpromising, and discussing technical features while maintaining value-based discipline.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!5 Attributes of Effective Presentations | Ascender CourseOpening Statements | Ascender CourseStorytelling in the Sales Process | Ascender CourseUnlocking Prospect Insights with AI Prompts | Ascender ArticleThe Single Selling Motion | PodcastBeing an Effective Sales Coach | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sale

In today’s episode, John Kaplan joins Rachel to talk about the steps necessary to be an elite seller. He goes through and explains the habits and behaviors consistently exhibited by the most elite reps, including disciplined and intentional execution, preparing insightful questions to aid discovery, shifting the conversation from their own solution to the customer’s business pain, and influencing the Decision Criteria with differentiation backed up by value.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Aligning Sales Planning and Execution Disciplines | Ascender CourseObjection Handling | Ascender CourseAttaching to the Biggest Business Problem | Ascender CourseSelling to the C-Suite | Ascender CourseHow to Ask Questions that Highlight Your Solution’s Differentiation | Ascender ArticleCreating Urgency with Your Customer | Ascender VideoAligning with Corporate Initiatives | PodcastPreparing for Sales Conversations | PodcastThree Tactics for Handling Objections | PodcastVisit Ascender, a