Richard Blank’s Post

On this episode of The Smart IT Podcast, I welcomed Tess Hermes and Lauren Guilbeaux, founders of yes&sell, to the show. Their company provides Improv-based sales training. We tackled the frustration buyers often experience when salespeople fail to actively listen and adapt their approach based on the their feedback. They discussed the importance of human connection and improvisation skills when engaging with technical buyers like CIOs, CTOs, and other IT professionals. They shared their experiences and insights on using Improv techniques to help salespeople build better rapport, actively listen, adapt to the conversation flow, and connect on a deeper level with prospects. They emphasized the value of being present, validating the buyer's perspective, and collaborating rather than rigidly following a script. The discussion highlighted the need for sales training that goes beyond product knowledge and process, focusing on developing the "sales craft" of authentic human connection. They explained how Improv techniques can help salespeople be more present, adaptable, and collaborative in conversations, fostering better human connection. Improv training can help develop the often-overlooked "connection" aspect, enabling salespeople to be more emotionally intelligent and present in conversations. They highlighted the benefits of Improv in building confidence, emotional intelligence, and the ability to navigate complex conversations. Takeaways: ▪ Consider providing Improv training for salespeople to improve their ability to connect authentically with technical buyers. ▪ Evaluate current sales training programs to ensure they cover not just product knowledge and process, but also the "craft" of human connection and emotional intelligence. ▪ Encourage salespeople to practice active listening, adaptability, and collaboration during conversations with prospects, rather than rigidly following a script. ▪ Promote a culture of curiosity, presence, and validation within the sales organization, fostering an environment where salespeople can build genuine connections with buyers. Brilliant Beam Media Syya Yasotornrat #sales #improv #salestraining #adaptiveselling #humanconnection #emotionalintelligence #authenticconnection #communicationskills

Exciting news - I recently joined Tyler Ewles on his fantastic podcast, How The Greats Do It, to discuss my path from an inside sales lead to becoming Head Of Operations, America's at HappyOrNot. We dove into the evolution of sales, the indispensable role of customer feedback, and how keeping a finger on the pulse of customer satisfaction can revolutionize a business. Throughout the episode, we explored the significance of maintaining personal connections and authenticity in our digital age. Sales is more than just a transaction; it's about building relationships and truly understanding the customer's voice. I shared stories from the field and the philosophies that have guided me to success. Whether you're just starting out in sales or looking to refine your skills, this episode is for you. Join us as we uncover the strategies that make sales an art form and the human element an enduring asset. Link in the comments.

Why the orange hat? It helps me think about selling Its like a mix of the De Bono thinking hats to come up with practical solutions for sales (It also happens to be Brindis colour 🔶) The Six Thinking Hats is a method used to amplify creativity by making sure that a broad variety of viewpoints and thinking styles are represented. It was developed by Dr. Edward de Bono The six hats are: ⚪ White: the objective hat, which focuses on facts and logic 🔴 Red: the intuitive hat, focusing on emotion and instinct ⚫ Black: the cautious hat, used to predict negative outcomes 💛 Yellow: the optimistic hat, used to look for positive outcomes 🍏 Green: the creative hat, where ideas are abundant and criticism spare 🔵 Blue: the hat of control, used for managing the process And now we have another 🔶 Orange: the sales thinking hat I've used it write books I've used it record podcasts I've used it to create training I've used it to sell Its a useful bit of kit How would you use it? #sales #orange #thinking #hat

Sales Maven Nikki Rausch Shares How to Excel in Sales Authentically. Nikki Rausch, CEO of Sales Maven and a seasoned sales expert, brings a fresh perspective to the world of selling. By combining neurolinguistic programming with her sales prowess, Nikki helps entrepreneurs engage in more impactful and genuine sales conversations. Listen to today’s episode of Smashing the Plateau and get ready to transform your sales approach. Nikki and I dive into topics such as: ---Her inspiring journey transitioning from a tech career to a sales coaching role. ---How neurolinguistic programming enhances not just sales but all forms of communication. ---Practical tips for making sales feel natural and not pushy. ---The story of Nikki's business growth and the importance of adapting to change. ---The indispensable role of personal and business development in achieving success. ---Why fostering relationships and staying flexible are pivotal in sales. Ready to revolutionize your sales approach? #SalesMaven #AuthenticSales #BusinessDevelopment https://lnkd.in/espZtBNF

My partner, Dave Loomis, wrapped up another enlightening podcast session with Megan Spinos on the importance of workplace strategy and design. They dove deep into how our physical environment can significantly influence our performance, creativity, and collaboration. It's fascinating how much of an impact architecture and design can have on our productivity and well-being. #B2BMarketing #WorkplaceDesign

I wasn't ⛔ taught the importance of empathy 🤗 when I was in Business School. I wasn't ⛔ taught the importance of empathy 🤗 when I worked for an ad agency or for Fortune 100 companies. Thank goodness I didn't have to be taught the importance of empathy. I was raised to have empathy. 🤗 So it came naturally to me in building relationships in business too. 🤗 How about you? I am lucky because empathy🤗 is so important in business! Empathy 🤗 focuses on understanding and aligning with the customers' needs, rather than simply pushing a product or service. Fundamentally,🤗 empathy-driven sales is about stepping into the shoes of your customers - understanding their pain points, desires, and goals. It's about fostering a genuine connection that goes beyond the transactional relationship. Not only does this build trust and loyalty, but it also provides valuable insights for product development and service improvement. Empathy 🤗 makes it possible to demonstrate a deep understanding of our customers' challenges. By centering the conversation around the customer's needs and how their product meets them, entrepreneurs can not only make a compelling case for their software but also build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their customers. In essence, 🤗 empathy-driven sales isn't just a sales strategy. It's a comprehensive approach to business that puts the customer at the heart of everything we do. I was interviewed about this topic on the 'Journey to Mastery' Podcast. If you are interested, there's a 4.45 minute segment here https://lnkd.in/gcNe6aZ9 #salesandmarketing #saleseffectiveness #salesskills #customerexperience #customerengagement #sellingfromyourcomfortzone #alignment #empathy

People use the word "salesy" with a frown and spit out like an insult. I halfway take offense because, well, I feed my family by being a salesperson. 🤣 At the same time, people want to build businesses around sales training and enablement, and be experts on podcasts about sales. But who is in the trenches, full time? Here are 5 "salesy" things I do, and will keep doing until my mind is changed that they are not best practices. 1. Schedule a next step or a next meeting on the call 2. Get a yes, a no, or a mutually agreed upon decision as to what is happening next in an active sales cycle. 3. Proactively reach out or follow up until I hear back or I decide it's not worth my time anymore. 4. Set an "up front contract" or "end state" for each call I'm leading 5. Ask "tie-down" questions at multiple stages of a demo, to understand if the prospect is finding value in what I'm showing. If "salesy" means "someone who doesn't listen" then no, I don't aspire to be salesy and I want feedback if that's who I am. If salesy means "doing all you can to make it easy for a prospect to become a customer" then yes, I am salesy.

📚 These three books hold the keys to sales & business success. 1: Practice 2: Practice 3: Practice & if you don't need to practice anymore, Read the next three in the series. 1: Take massive action 2: Take massive action 3: Take massive action Books, Videos & Podcasts are terrific guides to help. They are designed to help you take action. 🎃 Scare yourself before lunch-time 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 🏁 𝙎𝙋𝙀𝙀𝘿 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 (& 𝙣𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sales Development As A Service We do your outbound for you, Train your sales team, or Build your outbound function with the latest outbound techniques. 👀 𝙁𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬, ➡️ 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩, 👨💻 𝘿𝙈 or ask to join our 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣 𝙂𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙉𝙕 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨-𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙨 for the latest takes, insights and tactics on B2B sales.

Winning is great. Losing can be better. WTH am I talking about? 👇🏽 It’s easy to learn from our wins. But are you doing loss reviews with your prospects? If not, your missing these priceless learnings: - Shifts in market trends - Issues with your pricing - Competitor strengths and weaknesses - Weaknesses in sales team relationships - Potential product or services weaknesses - What’s working and not in your sales process - Actual vs. perceived customers needs and pains Actions to get started: **Develop a Structured Process**: This should includes defining when and how these reviews will be conducted (e.g., through phone calls, surveys, or face-to-face meetings), who will be responsible for them, and the specific questions or areas to be covered. **Train Sales Teams**: Educate your sales team on the importance of loss reviews and how to set expectations during the sales cycle. **Create a Feedback Collection System**: Implement a system for collecting and analyzing the feedback received. This could be a part of your CRM or a separate tool. The key is to have a centralized place where all the data from loss reviews can be stored, analyzed, and easily accessed for insights. **Encourage an Open and Learning Culture**: Cultivate a company culture that values open feedback and continuous improvement. Encourage teams to share insights from loss reviews openly and use them as learning opportunities rather than as critiques of performance. **Act on the Insights**: Finally, and most importantly, take action based on the insights gathered. Whether it's making changes to the product, adjusting the sales strategy, or providing additional training to the team, it's crucial that the organization visibly acts on the feedback to improve and evolve. 📌 Learn more in this week's edition of The Founder's Journey Podcast. Link in profile. 📌 *** #LossReviewInsights #CustomerFeedback #SalesStrategy #BusinessImprovement #LeadershipGoals #MarketAnalysis #ContinuousLearning #SalesProcessOptimization #CustomerExperience #CompetitiveIntelligence

Winning is great. Losing can be better. WTH am I talking about? 👇🏽 It’s easy to learn from our wins. But are you doing loss reviews with your prospects? If not, your missing these priceless learnings: - Shifts in market trends - Issues with your pricing - Competitor strengths and weaknesses - Weaknesses in sales team relationships - Potential product or services weaknesses - What’s working and not in your sales process - Actual vs. perceived customers needs and pains Actions to get started: **Develop a Structured Process**: This should includes defining when and how these reviews will be conducted (e.g., through phone calls, surveys, or face-to-face meetings), who will be responsible for them, and the specific questions or areas to be covered. **Train Sales Teams**: Educate your sales team on the importance of loss reviews and how to set expectations during the sales cycle. **Create a Feedback Collection System**: Implement a system for collecting and analyzing the feedback received. This could be a part of your CRM or a separate tool. The key is to have a centralized place where all the data from loss reviews can be stored, analyzed, and easily accessed for insights. **Encourage an Open and Learning Culture**: Cultivate a company culture that values open feedback and continuous improvement. Encourage teams to share insights from loss reviews openly and use them as learning opportunities rather than as critiques of performance. **Act on the Insights**: Finally, and most importantly, take action based on the insights gathered. Whether it's making changes to the product, adjusting the sales strategy, or providing additional training to the team, it's crucial that the organization visibly acts on the feedback to improve and evolve. 📌 Learn more in this week's edition of The Founder's Journey Podcast. Link in profile. 📌 *** #LossReviewInsights #CustomerFeedback #SalesStrategy #BusinessImprovement #LeadershipGoals #MarketAnalysis #ContinuousLearning #SalesProcessOptimization #CustomerExperience #CompetitiveIntelligence