Changing The Sales Game – Details, episodes & analysis

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." – John F. Kennedy. Recently, I have been working with several banks across the US. In Step 2 of my sales process, I teach how to authentically and organically build rapport with clients and prospects and at networking events. I created a template and am working on another AI tool (more to come on that in the future) that I share with the people in the class to create a dynamic Value Statement to use in various venues and situations.  

At the top of the worksheet, I ask everyone to write some fun facts about themselves and then fun facts about their organization.  Most people find this exercise challenging to share fun facts about themselves and ultimately create a VS that is predominately about the organization because we are taught how to play small and how not to brag or appear arrogant.  

The reality is that a strong Value Statement should reflect the cool and unique things about you.  People do business with people they know, like, and trust, yet we give that power by bragging about our organization.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/aDIZsbkzEzE

About Connie Whitman: Known for her high-energy, passionate, heart-centered, and enthusiastic approach to sales, teaching, and coaching, Connie Whitman has been the CEO of Changing the Sales Game for 20+ years, helping business owners, leaders, and sales teams build powerhouse organizations.

Connie is a four-time #1 International Best-Selling author, including her book ESP (Easy Sales Process): 7-Steps to Sales Success, speaker, and podcast host.  Her inspired teaching, transformational tools, and content ensure business owners and salespeople grow their revenue streams through enhanced communication skills. 

She is thrilled to share inspiring content on her international podcasts "Changing the Sales Game" and "Enlightenment of Change."

Stalk me online! LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube. New episodes are posted every week. Listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems your business may have.

"Good marketers see consumers as complete human beings with all the dimensions real people have." – Jonah Sachs

Check Out These Highlights:

In this episode, my friend and bestselling author Lori Turner-Wilson breaks down why authority is built around people—not faceless brands—and how bankers can leverage a distributed authority strategy to generate higher-quality leads without chasing. Learn how niche focus, insight-driven teaching, and a cornerstone-plus-cobblestone content engine can transform trust, deal velocity, and predictable growth across your bank.

About Lori Turner-Wilson:

Lori is the founder of RedRover and is a trailblazer in business marketing. With 30+ years of experience, she has led transformative marketing strategies that drive measurable results for hundreds of companies. Under her leadership, RedRover became one of the only full-service B2B firms in the U.S. to guarantee marketing ROI, earning the moniker: "The Results-Guaranteed Agency." Her innovative approach continues to reshape the industry, empowering businesses with strategies that deliver real, guaranteed outcomes.

How to Get in Touch with Lori Turner-Wilson:

Website: marketingresultsguaranteed.com

Email:  lori@redrovercompany.com

Gift: www.marketingresultsguaranteed.com/podcast

Use Code: Podcast 

Previous Podcast Appearances: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/changing-the-sales-game/id1543243616?i=1000736284245

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/changing-the-sales-game/id1543243616?i=1000711035912

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/changing-the-sales-game/id1543243616?i=1000722731054

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes are posted every week - listen as Connie delves into new sales and business topics, or addresses problems you may have in your business.

"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur." ― Red Adair

Check Out These Highlights: 

Hiring and recruiting for salespeople can sometimes seem like a revolving door within organizations. I love this quote because if we don't take the time to hire the right person for sales roles, we may be losing market share, whether we realize it or not. So, what's the answer to help us hire and develop the right people for our organization's sales teams? 

Glad you asked.  Today…

About Ryan Hohman:

Ryan is the CEO and founder of Sales Recruiting University, based in Salt Lake City. A former top commission salesperson turned recruiting leader, he built SRU into a 50+ person firm that places over 1,000 commission-based representatives monthly for more than 1,500 companies. Ryan pioneered an A-to-Z recruiting and onboarding system—including group interviews, custom sales universities, and AI-driven role-play—that reduced hiring workload and boosted retention for fast-growing sales teams.

How to Get In Touch with Ryan Hohman:

Website: https://salesrecruitinguniversity.com/

Email:  ryan@salesrecruitingu.com

Gift: https://www.s20salesteam.com/

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes are posted every week - listen as Connie delves into new sales and business topics, or addresses problems you may have in your business.

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – @iSocailFanz, "You have to stop treating your social media like a billboard.  Turn one-way broadcasting into a two-way conversation.  NO ONE has ever had a relationship with a billboard."

YouTube: https://youtu.be/oInZCVGWfk8

Check Out These Highlights:  

Since COVID, I have spent a lot more money and time on my social media and email campaigns to help create a dynamic digital footprint for my business and spotlight my sales expertise. 

A learning curve exists if you have never dabbled in the various SM platforms.  So where do we start or how do we continue in this ever-changing world of global business where a digital presence isn't a good thing to have; it's a must-have.

About Ely Delaney:  

Ely is the creator of the Follow Up Rockstar System, helping entrepreneurs build a 24/7 automated system and go from surviving to thriving in any economy. He's an Amazon bestseller with his books "Marketing Tidbits" and "Networking Tidbits," and his program "Networking Like A Rockstar" has over 1373 students globally.

How to Get in Touch With

Email: ely@elydelaney.com

Website:  https://connectwithely.com/

Free Gift:  https://convertmoreclientsnow.com/connie

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/ 

All-Star Community:  https://changingthesalesgame.mykajabi.com/All-Star-Community

Infinite List Community:  https://mneeley.ontraport.com/t?orid=12172&opid=53

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Fergal Glynn, "A bad habit appearing at many companies is to put reps in the unenviable position of trying to hit their quota by feverishly working through as many opportunities as they can. But this isn't necessarily the ideal solution. Data-driven sales teams are finding that it is usually more effective to spend more time on qualification earlier in a sales cycle in an effort to only deliver the best opportunities to highly paid account executives." I know this quote is lengthy, but the message is clear. I have been teaching many Business Development classes for my various clients.

When I say that Business Development is 90% preparation, they all laugh.  By the end of the course, the light bulbs go off.  Planning and strategizing before you even begin outreach is paramount to saving time, money, and effort for every salesperson, team, or business owner.

We think it's a waste of time.  For 40 years, I have strategized, reviewed, and self-evaluated my skill development and planned every sales call before speaking with a prospect or client.  It works!

YouTube: https://youtu.be/d2GbL807QJ8

About Gabe Lullo: 

Gabe is back for the second time, and his expertise in sales, marketing, recruiting, and management began when he started his own business after graduation from the University of Hartford.  

He operated his own sales, training, and marketing firm for over a decade. He excelled in training sales and marketing professionals, and additionally, Gabe has had a successful career in executive recruiting.  

He has been instrumental in expanding the company's search and placement for IT, Software Development, Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, and Executive leaders. Gabe's most recent success has been with us here at Alleyoop. For many years, he has been working to build and grow the company by focusing on our culture, environment, customer success, and sales.

How to Get in Touch With Gabe Lullo: 

Podcast Episode 150 link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/changing-the-sales-game/id1543243616?i=1000632252787

Email: glullo@alleyoop.io

Website:  https://alleyoop.io/

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/ 

All-Star Community:  https://changingthesalesgame.mykajabi.com/All-Star-Community

Infinite List Community:  https://mneeley.ontraport.com/t?orid=12172&opid=53

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.

My motivational quote is by - Daniel Lubetzky, "Empathy is one of our greatest tools of business that is most underused." OMG, when I found this quote, I knew it was the winner for today's topic. For the past 40 years, Empathy and understanding have been a core piece of how I developed my career and, for the past 22 years, my business.    

Empathy isn't about being weak. On the contrary, it's where strength and integrity come from.  Especially in sales, I see the need to be empathetic before we can show how brilliant we are or the solutions we provide. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/f05zrQjflO0

About Grant Lira:  Grant is a successful entrepreneur, international speaker, and co-founder of The Empathy Firm. His unique approach to sales prioritizes empathy and understanding over traditional tactics. At 24, he co-created The Michelangelo System, an AI-driven podcast content repurposing system. Balancing entrepreneurship and military service, Grant is also a Cavalry Scout in the Army National Guard.

How to Get in Touch With Grant Lira:  

Email: grant@empathyfirm.com

Website:  https://empathyfirm.com/

Free Gift:  Email Grant with the Subject line – Changing The Sales Game

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/ 

All-Star Community:  https://changingthesalesgame.mykajabi.com/All-Star-Community

Infinite List Community:  https://mneeley.ontraport.com/t?orid=12172&opid=53

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Napoleon Hill, "If you can't do great things, do small things in a great way." Okay, I am a Napoleon Hill geek and love his quotes.  The one I've chosen for today's show is no different. 

For the past 40 years, I have lived my personal and professional life working on or creating micro habits that I could learn, execute, master, build upon, and then rinse and repeat with the next skill I needed to grow to get me to the next level of success.

I have found that building small things upon each other is when magic happens.  Developing expertise in anything is impossible without ongoing practice and effort—a simple concept. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/QIhBrphjbYc

About Joel Stevenson:  

Joel is the General Manager of Direct Brands at Vendasta, which acquired Yesware in 2022, where Joel was CEO. Prior to Yesware, Joel built Wayfair's B2B business from scratch to $400MM in annual revenue. He also ran Wayfair's UK business and oversaw the FP&A function as Wayfair transitioned into a publicly traded company. 

Before Wayfair, Joel worked as a consultant at ZS Associates and spent the early part of his career in various sales roles. Joel has an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management and a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Illinois. He has a goal of being #1 for humor endorsements on  LinkedIn.

How to Get in Touch With Joel Stevenson:  

Email: jstevenson@yesware.com

Website:  https://www.yesware.com/

Free Link to Yesware:  https://yesware7054.grsm.io/pb7etw45xfja

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/ 

All-Star Community:  https://changingthesalesgame.mykajabi.com/All-Star-Community

Infinite List Community:  https://mneeley.ontraport.com/t?orid=12172&opid=53

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.

My motivational quote for today is by – Red Adair, "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur." You know that old saying, penny wise, dollar foolish?  I see it when organizations hire to fill a job and are not necessarily the perfect fit for long-term growth and employment.

The revolving door is the circumstance we often find ourselves in. So, is there a better way to hire the right people who will exceed your wildest dreams?

YouTube: https://youtu.be/ldLRqAf3jD0

About Gabe Lullo:  

Gabe's expertise in sales, marketing, recruiting, and management began when he started his own business after graduation from the University of Hartford. 

He owned and operated his own sales, training, and marketing firm for over a decade. He excelled in training sales and marketing professionals, and additionally, Gabe has had a successful career in executive recruiting. 

He has been instrumental in expanding the company's search and placement for IT, Software Development, Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, and Executive leaders. Gabe's most recent success has been with us here at Alleyoop. For many years, he has been working to build and grow the company by focusing on our culture, environment, customer success, and sales.

How to Get in Touch With Gabe Lullo:  

Email: glullo@alleyoop.io

Website:  https://alleyoop.io/

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/ 

All-Star Community:  https://changingthesalesgame.mykajabi.com/All-Star-Community

Infinite List Community:  https://mneeley.ontraport.com/t?orid=12172&opid=53

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Timothy M. Houston  , "Referrals are the privilege of the opportunity given to you by someone else to potentially do business with someone who wants, needs or desires the products or services you offer." OMG, when I found this quote, I knew it was the winner for today's topic. 

For the past 35 years, I have lived off referrals, and my business has continued to grow by building lifelong, like-minded referral partners. Please take a moment and think about the time and effort it takes to create new, raw business opportunities.  There is a concoction of habits that go into business development depending on your industry, skill level, experience, etc.

For me, a massive piece of my concoction of habits is giving and generating referrals daily.  I habitually send out at least 5-10 introduction emails every week.  Yes, every week.  I'm not special; I know many people and have honed my business development habits and skills by being a great connector.  The old saying, the more you give, the more you get," is a true statement and has served me well in the past 40 years.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/e10PdfEaF0Q

About Bob Bruder:

Bob, who, like me, is a heart-centered leader in his industry.  

Bob is a passionate Regional Director for CoolVu Glass and Surface Solutions, with strong expertise in the window film industry. With 40+ years of experience, he has proven the ability to guide many small business owners to grow successful businesses. His love for business and industry fuels his commitment to providing guidance and support to new Franchisees.

How to Get in Touch With Bob Bruder:

Email: b.bruder@coolvu.com

Website:  https:// CoolVu.com

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/ 

All-Star Community:  https://changingthesalesgame.mykajabi.com/All-Star-Community

Infinite List Community:  https://mneeley.ontraport.com/t?orid=12172&opid=53

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Jim Rohn, "One customer, well taken care of, could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising." After finding this quote for today's show, I began to reflect on the money I see many companies spend on advertising versus the value put on deliverables after new sales are made. 

Too often, I see everyone striving to bring in new business; they need to remember to follow up and show up after new pieces of business close.  Essentially, business goes out the back door as we work and focus on the front door. 

We need a balance of constant new business development activity and nurturing and delivering great solutions to our existing clients. 

I have been blessed to live off referrals for most of my sales career.  It's not magic or luck.  I over-deliver, grow my relationships by playing to the long game, not looking for transactional business, and remain relevant and valuable to ALL my past and present clients.  

About Jeff Blackman: 

Jeff is a Hall of Fame speaker, bestselling author, award-winning success coach, broadcast personality, and lawyer. He heads Blackman & Associates—a results-producing business-growth firm in the Chicagoland area. 

Jeff's clients call him a "business-growth specialist." As a radio/TV talk show host, Jeff's guests have been Oprah Winfrey, Jerry Seinfeld, astronaut Jim Lovell, and Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Marie Jenner (born William Bruce Jenner). 

Jeff's six bestselling books include Peak Your Profits!® Stop Whining! Start Selling!, and his latest bestseller, published in December 2022—BULLSEYE! Hitting Your Targets at Home and Work. 

Jeff's audio business-growth system: Opportunity $elling® - Six Profit-Producing Steps to Multiply Your Earnings and the RESULT$ audio. Jeff also hosts two video learning called Profitable Customer Service and How to Set and Really Achieve Your Goals.

He's also a happy husband, devoted father, ecstatic new grandfather, veteran softball player, avid biker, and a loyal or nutty Chicago Cubs fan! Jeff Blackman helps you create profits through people!®

How to Get in Touch With Jeff Blackman: 

Email: jb@jeffblackman.com

Website:   https://www.jeffblackman.com/

Free offer: Send an email to sheryl@jeffblackman.com - with the Subject Heading: Connie Rocks: Sweet 16

Stalk me online!

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman

Download Free Communication Style Assessment: https://whitmanassoc.com/csa/ 

All-Star Community:  https://changingthesalesgame.mykajabi.com/All-Star-Community

Infinite List Community:  https://mneeley.ontraport.com/t?orid=12172&opid=53

Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube.  New episodes post every week - listen to Connie dive into new sales and business topics or problems you may have in your business.