Force Management

Every buyer has a unique personality, which requires a nuanced approach to every sales conversation. Today, Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos joins us to highlight the value of discerning different buyer personas and adapting the way you sell accordingly. He discusses:How a familiarity with different types of buyer personalities helps sales professionals.Common patterns in buyer personalities.How DISC assessments can be beneficial to reps.Adapting to the buyer’s personality during conversation.The specific motivations of different personality types.Check out Pouli’s book, How to Be a Well Being: Unofficial Rules to Live Every Day.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Getting to the Economic Buyer | Ascender CourseNavigating the Political Landscape | Ascender CourseBuilding Rapport Through Virtual Channels | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Discovery | Ascender ArticleSelling in a New Category | PodcastFinding Your Motivation as a Seller | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform design

In today’s quick discussion, John Kaplan sheds light on a challenging decision for many reps: walking away from a deal. As ever, John shares the no-nonsense approach to sales qualification that has brought value to so many. This episode’s talking points include:The importance of voracious qualification.Signs that you should consider leaving an account.Common gaps in deals that require sellers to take action.Generating a significant enough pipeline to prevent the need to cling to a lost cause.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Prospecting Certification | Ascender Course SeriesImprove Sales Qualification: Know When to Walk Away | Ascender ArticleThe Sales Conversations You Need for Great Qualification | Ascender ArticleAscender’s Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticleBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | PodcastBeing Confident in Your Selling Process | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audi

Finding a true Champion remains one of the biggest stumbling blocks for sales reps, as evidenced by the number of requests we continue to receive on the topic. Today’s special guest, Force Management facilitator Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos, has observed a great deal over the years about how sellers typically go about pursuing Champions, and he would like to share his insights with you. In this episode, Pouli clarifies a number of misconceptions commonly held by reps related to Champions, and he offers advice to help set you on the right track. Points of discussion include:Why reps often think they have a Champion when they do not.Indicators that you have a true Champion, and questions to help you determine whether someone is a Champion.How to move forward in your relationships with those you have come to realize are not truly Champions.The concept of “Champions Amnesty.”Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Building Champions for Life | Ascender CourseValidating Champions | Ascende

A comprehensive knowledge of sales fundamentals means nothing if you fail to apply it consistently. Today, John Kaplan discusses five areas that demand consistent application of reps looking to be elite. They are:Pipeline generation.Building relationships.Discovery.Qualification.Avoiding excuses.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!John’s LinkedIn Post About Commitment and ConsistencyBuilding Rapport Through Virtual Channels | Ascender CourseExecuting Your Discovery Strategy | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Discovery | Ascender ArticleThe Sales Conversations You Need for Great Qualification | Ascender ArticleMerchants of Change: The Excuse Department is Closed | Ascender VideoBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | 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 sales career.Check

If you’re trying to exceed your quota this year, you need to make sure you’re spending as much time as possible on high-value sales activities. Elite salespeople execute in a way that helps them efficiently qualify and advance deals. In this episode, Antonella O’Day runs through three key ways you can save time as a rep. Visit 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 of a similar nature every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

How do you approach an account into which competitors are already firmly ingrained? How do you break a continuous cycle of rejection in favor of your competition? John Kaplan tackles these ever-pertinent questions in this episode. Today’s talking points include:John’s personal experience in surmounting competitors embedded in deals.Why ingrained competition is not a deal-killer.Approaching the buyer with an honest and patient discovery process.Offering the customer a strategic discount.Building Champions in a competitive account to give you the edge.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Navigating the Competitive Landscape | Ascender CourseExpand Your Understanding of the Competition | Ascender CourseBuilding Champions for Life | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Discovery | Ascender ArticlePlan to Make the Plan | PodcastPlan to Make the Plan |  ArticleVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast

Regardless of the length of your implementation window in an opportunity, you must show your value. Brian Walsh joins us today for a quick discussion about how to successfully demonstrate value. He discusses:Developing a roadmap with short-term metrics.Helping the customer to see the business-wide benefits of your solution.Setting expectations that are high but realistic.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!The Currency of Value | Ascender ArticleArticulating Value and Differentiation After the Sale | PodcastProviding Value in Discovery | 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 sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast on Apple Pod

Join Force Management's Ascender team for our webinar THIS FRIDAY as we cover "Common Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Articulate Value". Hosted by Diana Sheley, Force Management's Director, Facilitation & Consulting, we'll cover common challenges and ways to course correct when it comes to: Understanding and Articulating DifferentiationHow to Stack Rank the Required CapabilitiesKeeping the Focus on ValueAligning your Proof Points to Your BuyerThe session will be recorded. Click Here to Register

In this episode, we talk through the value of creating Mutual Action Plans with your customer, including: When you should use MAPsWhat a good MAP should do for both the seller and the buyerHow you get buy-in from the customer to create oneHow do you use them throughout the sales process and into your negotiations? Here are some additional resources:Ascender Course: Developing Mutual Action PlansOther Assets with Tim CaitoMaking QBRs Valuable | PodcastAnchors and Give-Gets | PodcastThe Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations | PodcastShifting the Negotiation Away From Price | PodcastNegotiating Value – Presenting Multiple Options | PodcastHow to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution | 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 sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe

Whether you’re making a career change or just joining the sales game, save this episode. Good selling is good selling, no matter your experience or age. John Kaplan joins us to share best practices for green reps who sell to people with more experience. He shares lessons he wishes he learned earlier in his sales career. Here are some additional resources:Selling to More Experienced ProfessionalsOvercoming the Seller Deficit DisorderGetting Comfortable with Uncomfortable ConversationsCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Sales is a game of inches, and great discovery gives you an edge over the competition. A well-executed discovery process helps not only you, but also your customer. In today’s episode, John Kaplan shares his best insights on leading mutually beneficial sales conversations. Topics under discussion include:The importance of two-sided discovery.On-ramps to customer conversations.The three buckets that salespeople must fill in every customer conversation.The need to meet customers where they are.Keeping abreast of your standing with the customer and observing their level of engagement in conversations.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Discovery Process | Ascender CourseDeepen Your Discovery | Ascender CourseThe Currency of Value | Ascender ArticleArticulating Value and Differentiation After the Sale | PodcastOwn the Next Step in Your Sales Meetings | PodcastClosing the Sales Conversation | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you

Getting your initiative to stand out in a sea of competing priorities is no small task, but it can be achieved with a proper understanding of the client’s most urgent business needs. Today, Antonella O’Day joins us once more to share strategies that will help you rise above the noise and assert your solution as a must for the customer. She goes over:Ways to continually assess the priority of your initiative as a deal progresses.Questions to ask your customer that will give you a sense of the standing of your deal among the customer’s other priorities.Maintaining relationships with key individuals in an account to achieve broader buy-in.Remaining on the lookout for red flags indicative of an unvalued solution.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Achieving a Collective Yes | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Champions | Ascender ArticleRise Above the Noise | Ascender VideoHandling Competing Initiatives | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople wh

In this episode, we discuss keeping your value top of mind for the client throughout the entire customer engagement process. Joining us once again for today’s conversation is Tim Caito. He covers:The basics that need to be in place so you can create and capture value after the initial deal.How to stay tethered to the account and multi-thread yourself during the customer success phase.How to approach conversations in implementation and ongoing use to make sure value is top of mind.The importance of a quarterly value review.Here are some additional resources:Negotiation Mindset | Ascender CourseMaking QBRs Valuable | PodcastAnchors and Give-Gets | PodcastThe Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations | PodcastShifting the Negotiation Away From Price | PodcastNegotiating Value – Presenting Multiple Options | PodcastHow to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender i

In many cases, your biggest competitors are not those trying to solve the same problem, but those geared toward the customer’s other initiatives. In today’s episode, John Kaplan explains how to set your own solution above competitors focused on competing priorities. Topics under discussion include:Aligning your solution with the customer’s challenges.Using your discovery process to answer key questions about the customer.Leveraging MEDDICC to account for competing initiatives.Going against “do nothing.”Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Navigating the Competitive Landscape | Ascender CourseExpand Your Understanding of the Competition | Ascender CourseDealing with the Competition | Ascender VideoRise Above the Noise | Ascender VideoThe Coat of Pain | Ascender VideoMaking Your Competitor Nervous | Ascender ArticleVisit 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 conte

A great discovery session requires great questions. In this episode, John Kaplan shares his insights on asking pertinent discovery questions. He discusses:Preparing for a discovery session with an agenda.Earning the right to ask deep discovery questions.Asking questions that allow you to align your differentiation with the buyer.Tips for wrapping up a sales call.Here are some additional resources:A list of the questions John shared in the podcast: https://bit.ly/42AXxAZGet MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!https://rb.gy/skge08Deepen Your Discovery | Ascender Coursehttps://rb.gy/k1ygvpEarning the Right | Ascender Videohttps://rb.gy/bk2tcwTwo Questions That Will Improve Your Sales Conversation | Ascender Articlehttps://rb.gy/58dyg1Ascender’s Best Content on Decision Criteriahttps://rb.gy/daait9Visit 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 sa

You will inevitably face some form of competition in every deal. In today’s episode, Patrick “Paddy Mac” McLoughlin shares various tips on figuring out who your competitors are and positioning your solution as a top priority in the customer’s mind. Topics under discussion include:Gaining intel about a competitor’s activities within an account.Developing trust with a client over time.Questions to help you define your differentiation.Talking to the customer about renewals.Addressing solution requirements that a competitor is better equipped to fulfill.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Navigating the Competitive Landscape | Ascender CourseExpand Your Understanding of the Competition | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Decision CriteriaMaking Sure the Customer Understands Your Differentiation | Ascender VideoStacking Customer Requirements in Your Favor w/ Marty Mercer | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Au

In this podcast, we take a lot of the chatter we’ve heard about MEDDICC and break down our point-of-view about the methodology. John Kaplan sets straight some misconceptions and misapplications about the popular qualification framework. He discusses:MEDDICC’s common misuse as a compliance tool.How to properly incorporate MEDDICC as a manager.Using MEDDICC throughout the entire customer engagement process.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Avoiding MEDDICC Traps | Ascender LiveKey Things to Remember About MEDDICC | Ascender ArticleMaximizing MEDDICC Results | Force Management eBookVisit 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 sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Aud

All salespeople know of the frustration that comes with seeming abandonment by the customer. In today’s episode, Force Management Facilitator Diana Sheley joins us to share the action steps needed to recapture the customer’s interest. She talks about:The most common reasons why customers go dark.The importance of finding the customer’s business pain.Speaking to the right people in the organization.Keeping track of the customer’s shifting priorities.Here are some additional resources:Expand Your Understanding of the Competition | Ascender Coursehttps://rb.gy/pckpr1Moving Buyers to Action | Ascender Articlehttps://rb.gy/353bvjWhen Leadership Changes in Your Prospect Account | Podcasthttps://rb.gy/hjuvepVisit 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 sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: h

Though training companies tend to lump negotiation skills into one bucket, sales negotiation has its own nuances that make it unique. Today, Tim Caito joins us to explain the elements that differentiate sales negotiation. He discusses:Why negotiation is a process, not an event.Managing a successful ongoing relationship with the customer.The need to negotiate with the individual with the ability to finalize an agreement.Broadening the value of your solution.Here are some additional resources:Negotiation Mindset | Ascender Coursehttps://rb.gy/0phz28Anchors and Give-Gets | Podcasthttps://rb.gy/jydio9The Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations | Podcasthttps://rb.gy/7aysitShifting the Negotiation Away From Price | Podcasthttps://rb.gy/i8qtvlNegotiating Value – Presenting Multiple Options | Podcasthttps://rb.gy/66boscHow to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution | Podcasthttps://rb.gy/gu9n8yVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sa

Are you an individual contributor and want to move into a manager role? This podcast is a must-listen. John Kaplan runs through:things you need to make sure you’re aware of before you make the jumphow best to communicate your wish to be a managerwhat you need to be prepared for when you get the roleDon’t miss this episode! Visit 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 sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.