Think you're a good listener? Try this: Can you remember the exact words your last prospect used to describe their biggest problem? If not, you weren't listening—you were waiting to talk. In this episode, Art reveals the Two P's framework (Purpose and Pause) that will transform how you show up on sales calls. Learn the 2-second technique that gets prospects to reveal what they really mean, not just what they're supposed to say.

Resource mentioned: Art's coaching and training app: http://Studio.com/Art

You know what to do. So why aren't you doing it?

In this episode Art reveals why sales success isn't about knowing more—it's about BECOMING more. And why most sales training fails to create actual transformation.

You'll discover:

• Why you revert to "permission begging" even when you know better
• The difference between conditioning and intention (and why conditioning always wins)
• Why webinars, books, and workshops don't create lasting change
• What musicians and athletes understand about mastery that most salespeople miss
• How to practice until you can't get it wrong

Plus: Art is breaking every rule of internet marketing with today's launch announcement. No countdown timer. No discounts. No bonus stacks. Just daily coaching that actually works.

If you've ever ended a week thinking "I know what I should have done... so why didn't I?"—this episode is for you.

Resources mentioned:

• Smart Calling Prospecting and Sales App: http://Studio.com/Art

Art takes listeners aboard a cruise ship for a unique mastermind session with four incredibly successful business people... friends of his who built and sold multimillion-dollar companies. This rare group conversation features:

• Tim Murphy - Built Presidential Pools from startup to 35,000+ pools and the largest pool builder in the US, selling twice over 35 years
• Tim Barone - Grew a handicapped van conversion company from $5M to $350M in revenue over 25 years
• Louis Basile - Founded and built Wildflower Bread Company into 16 locations over 28 years before selling in 2024
• Darren Welborn - Started an engineering firm at 27, grew it to 500+ employees across six states, and sold at age 44

Each shares their sales philosophies and what set them apart from competitors. 

Common themes emerge around the power of referrals, creating exceptional customer experiences, building strong company cultures, and the critical importance of employee retention and training.

The group also discusses real-world examples of turning customer problems into opportunities and why "settling the claim" should be every company's philosophy.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series, with Part 2, episode 315, focusing on the mindset and thinking patterns that separated these entrepreneurs from the pack.

Art shares a number of proven tips to help you keep your attitude, and actions, operating at the highest level, even when things get tough.

Everyone negotiates almost every day. Knowing some basic strategies and tactics can help you to get more of what you want, lose less, and still help the other person.

Art shares a number of negotiation tips you can use right now.

As Art found out on a sales call he received, the tired, old, scripted "Feel-Felt-Found" technique is still being taught and used.

While the psychology behind it is sound, when it is used verbatim it usually sounds salesy and goofy.

Art shares a way to use a version of it, conversationally, and effectively, that you can easily modify.

Most people don't want to be viewed as that "salesy" salesperson.

And most people don't want to be subjected, as a buyer or prospect, to that person either.

Andy Paul, author of the new book, "Sell, Without Selling Out," is an expert in how to sell at the human level.

He shares the four Sell In pillars that are the indispensable instruments of selling:

Connection, Curiosity, Understanding, Generosity.

If we react properly to what the prospect is trying to tell us, they will give us the exact words to use to help them buy.

And it is NOT pitching. It is recognizing "problem trigger" words and phrasing, and then prompting them to continue telling you more.

You'll hear examples of these words, and how to respond to get the information you'll use in your persuasive recommendation.

The reality is that a lot of the math we go through in high school and college is never used by most people.

What IS used more often is sales math.

You'll hear examples of how to use numbers in your messaging to be more persuasive and help more people buy. 

Like it or not, the reality is that we are all judged every time we speak.

The good news is that you control how you speak, sound, and what you say.

Here are some suggestions so that your delivery and message are judged favorably.

A situation most people who prospect by phone have experienced is the immediate, "I'm not interested," or, "We're all good," followed by a hang up.

So, what should you do in this situation.

It is NOT to call back immediately.

Art shares the mental, and tactical steps to take in order to not feel rejected, and to still have a chance with this seemingly uninterested prospect.

Most every salesperson who prospects has been asked, or will be asked, "Are you a salesperson?" by the decision maker's assistant.

How you answer determines if you will be screened out, or be put through.

You'll hear suggestions from other sales pros as to how they answer, and Art shares his recommended way of answering.

In a time where people are more connected to electronics, devices, and social media than ever, we are actually less connected to fellow humans.

Today Art tells a personal story of an interaction that really hit home and impacted him, and how we all can improve our connections, and impact.

Even top-performing sales pros feel it. Fear. Resistance. That creeping hesitation before hitting "send" or dialing the next number. In this honest, no-fluff episode, we're talking straight about fear in sales—where it hides, how it disguises itself, and most importantly, how to stop letting it drive the bus.

You'll learn:

• Why fear isn't your enemy—and how to turn it into motivation

• How disguised fear shows up as procrastination, perfectionism, or "just one more tweak"

• A powerful reframe to become rejection-proof (hint: it's not about getting a yes)

• Why "feeling ready" is a trap—and how imposter syndrome really works

• The one tool fear absolutely hates (and how to use it every day)

Whether you're brand new or a seasoned sales pro, this episode will give you practical, mindset-shifting tools to stop fear from calling the shots—and start showing up like the pro you already are.

You can have what you want, IF you ask yourself the right questions, and act on the answers.

Here are questions to help you do just that.

(Get a transcript of these at http://TheArtofSales.com so you can print them out and write your answers.)

This will certainly make some people mad--and they are the ones who need to hear it the most: YOU, and your habits, decisions, and actions up to this point in your life have determined where you are right now.

The great news, is that you also can decide to make things better. Right now. 

Art shares some common sense advice and facts that can help you make next year--or any part of your future--the best ever.

No one want to be subjected to, or sound like the typical stereotype of a salesperson.

To avoid that, what we do BEFORE making a recommendation is key.

You'll hear a simple, unique approach to help get someone in a frame of mind where they first sell themself on wanting to change their situation.

When we get a tough question, and answer it without first knowing why the person asked it, we could dig a hole for ourselves. Salespeople do all of the time.

The best option is to find out why they asked, so we can then determine exactly how to answer. You'll hear examples of exactly what to say in these situations.

Often salespeople speak with people in an organization who might not be able to give the final yes, but they do play a role in the sales process.

As tempted as we might be to go over them (as is the case when we are buyers in our personal life, as Art explains) there is a more effective way to do it. You'll hear how, along with specific messaging to use.

Most salespeople have experienced the prospect who seemed hot at one point, but then went cold.

Art answers a number of common questions about this situation, and gives examples of what to do to avoid it, and also revive those leads.

This week Art went into his golden vault of sales tips and methods and pulled out lots of brief nuggets that will help motivate you, get you through more often, and selling more.

Too many salespeople send samples/demos/links to content/proposals, and then wonder why they are not successful on their follow up calls.

The reason usually is because of what they did NOT ask before agreeing to send something out.

You'll hear what that is in this episode, along with examples you can adapt and use to turn more of your follow ups into sales.

Most voice mails from salespeople are ignored and deleted. Usually as a result of the mistakes the salesperson makes with the message.

You'll hear these common mistakes to avoid, and what TO DO and say to get more prospects interested and replying to you.

Lots of opportunities are lost every day because one small detail is absent from conversations: agreeing on a time when something will actually happen.

In this brief episode you'll hear the simple way to do this, so you will help people take action.

Think you're not in sales? Think again.

In this episode, Art breaks down why everyone sells—whether or not it's in your job title. You'll discover the three big reasons people fear selling, how to reframe what sales really is (hint: it's helping), and the five mindset and action shifts that let you sell naturally, confidently, and without ever feeling pushy.

If you've ever influenced, advised, persuaded, or guided anyone… you've sold.
Now let's make sure you're doing it the right way.

To be relevant in today's noise-filled sales world, we need to customize and personalize our messaging so it is all about the prospect and customer.

Some say that is being creepy. It could be, when used the wrong way.

You'll hear the right way, along with examples, to make your messaging stand out, and engage prospects and customers.

Art reviews the opening statement of a sales rep who made a number of mistakes in his opening. This rep was calling on leads from a sales rep who had left the company.

And you'll hear what the rep should have said to have been successful on the call.

There's a saying in golf that when a golfer doesn't have the skill or confidence to aim and trust a putt by hitting to the higher side of cup's elevation, that they "missed on the amateur side."

A similar correlation can be made in sales situations when the sales rep doesn't dig deep enough with their questions and takes the easy way out.

Hear what you should do instead to turn more conversations into sales.

In today's sales and marketing environment, in order to have any chance of success we must be able to cut through all of the noise, get attention, and stand out from the competition.

Today's guest, Lee Salz, shows us exactly how to do that.

Art shares an experience where he was the customer at a small clothing boutique in Positano, Italy.

The salesperson only needed a couple of words, used several times, to win a very nice sale.

You can use these two words as well with similar results.

The key to cutting through all of the noise and clutter you are competing with every day is to make your message relevant. That means customizing, personalizing, and tailoring it for your prospect.

One of the best ways to get the intel to do that is a process called Social Engineering where you speak with people other than your decision maker.

You'll hear the exact process to create your own script and begin using it right away.

It's a simple psychological principle that we all believe more of our own thoughts than what someone tells us we should think.

And more people should employ that principle in their sales.

Here is a simple type of question to help you do just that, especially in situations where you hear resistance.

Regardless of whatever you have experienced to this point in your life, or your net worth, education, or social status, one thing independent of all of that is one's desire.

If you want something with enough passion, other things become minor.

I learned this early in life, with high school basketball. I'll share my story, and hopefully it will resonate with you and what you desire.

Olympic athletes have achieved their levels through lots of hard work and practice.

There are lots of similarities with sales pros.

Further, there's one specific area that sets apart the very top performers from the good performers. You'll hear exactly what that is, and how you can reach that level too.

Many sales reps blow it after they finally get a meeting with a prospect, and then just begin pitching their product. Which usually results in an objection.

Here is what to say instead to get them talking about exactly what they want and need, and how you can adapt it for your prospects.

Is name-dropping a powerful credibility booster or a fast track to sounding desperate? In this eye-opening episode, Art reveals the shocking truth about strategic name-dropping that most sales professionals get completely wrong.

Discover why mentioning the right name can boost your email open rates by an astonishing 468%, while the wrong reference can instantly kill your deal. Art shares his embarrassing early-career mistake that taught him the "3 R's" framework for name-dropping that actually works.

You'll learn:

• When name-dropping creates instant credibility (and when it backfires)
• The psychology behind why prospects are drawn to certain references
• A simple test to determine which names to use with specific prospects
• Real-world examples of name-dropping wins and epic fails

Plus, Art challenges you with a practical exercise that will transform your approach to establishing credibility in any sales situation.

Whether you're a seasoned sales pro or just starting out, this episode gives you an unfair advantage in a world where first impressions make or break deals.

Here's a very simple, but powerful questioning formula you can adapt within seconds to help your prospects sell themselves, and explain why they should buy from you.

You only need to fill in two blanks.

Art received a question from a listener about a lack of success with his prospecting opening. He shared what he was saying and asking, and Art gave a detailed recommendation about what he should say instead to get better results.

You can model this, adapt it, and use it to get a good response too.

We need to plan our sales messaging for sure, but much of our calls rely on reacting and responding. But many salespeople find it challenging to get off script, be spontaneous, and think on their feet. 

Master improv instructor, Gina Trimarco discusses how to leverage the same techniques that actors and comedians use to improvise in the moment while on stage and still appear brilliant (and on script) to the audience. 

Many salespeople send out lots of horrible sales emails that quickly get deleted. And that's If they even get opened. Most are way too long.

Here's a technique that uses simply one sentence. And it has gotten results. See how you might be able to use it.

There are a number of mistakes at the start of calls and voice mails that actually cause resistance.

You'll hear a number of the common ones, along to what TO DO to create interest and bring value so prospects and customers want to speak with you.

It's not that tough to radically increase your performance and production. When you focus on doing the right things, you can see massive results.

Art shares three questions that will help you do just that right now.

It's long been taught that we need to find the pain and solve it. Well, that's half right. According to guest expert Dan Seidman, gain is just as big of a motivator.

The key is how to identify it, and then what to do with it. Dan shows us how, with examples in this episode.

Using "how" questions is powerful in many parts of the sales process.

Art shares 76 "how" questions that you can use or adapt in your own sales situations.

Negative assumptions in sales typically become reality. From whether it be the quality of a lead, or if someone is qualified to buy, if we assume negatively, we usually make it come true.

Sometimes erroneously, which could cause us to lose sales.

See what we should think and do instead to make our assumptions positive.

In negotiating and sales, it often pays to create a scenario either much higher or lower than the one that you'll ultimately settle for.

In this episode, you'll see many examples of how to do this to get what you want, including how Robin Williams did it as Mrs. Doubtfire.

Ever had a prospect who knows they have a problem but just hasn't pulled the trigger on fixing it? In this episode, I share two simple but powerful questions that uncover what's been holding them back—and more importantly, what's finally pushing them to take action now.

We'll break down the psychology behind these questions, how a paver salesman used them on me to close a deal I had been putting off for years, and how you can apply them to your own sales conversations to create urgency without pressure.

Plus, I'll share five variations of each question so you can make them sound natural in any situation. Use this strategy, and you'll have prospects convincing themselves why they need to move forward today.

Hit play now and start turning hesitation into action!

When you get an inquiry from a prospect, and they just seem too eager to get information from you right now, giving the impression they are ready to buy quickly, don't be fooled.

Here's what you should do to be certain you have a real buyer.

One way to get better at anything is to avoid the mistakes that cause failure. That is definitely true with sales and prospecting call openings and voice mails.

Art shares five of the most common call mistakes that cause prospects and customers to delete voice mails, and respond with objections to salespeople.

Here's one of the most fundamental--but often not followed--rules of sales: people buy what they value, NOT what you think is important.

Art shares an example from the grocery store, and a simple exercise to come up with questions to use so that you are sure to sell value every time.