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	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	Dream BIG: What Every Sellers Must Do To Shatter Their Dreams \| Jason VanDevere - 2012	19 Jun 2026	00:30:49
Don’t dream small as a seller. Always think bigger than what feels comfortable. My guest, Jason VanDevere, author of the bestselling book Dream Driven and founder of the Goal Crazy platform, shares an incredible story about his car dealership business and how a 90-day plan can completely shift results. He also breaks down five principles that challenge you to remove limitations and start moving toward bigger goals with intention. Meet Jason VanDevere Jason VanDevere is the author of the bestselling book Dream Driven and the founder of the Goal Crazy platform, which helps entrepreneurs set goals, manage their time, and actually follow through on what matters most. After leaving his family’s successful car dealership business, Jason went on to build a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio and create the Goal Crazy Planner, now used by tens of thousands of people to stay focused and hit their goals. He lives in Akron, Ohio with his wife and four children, and also shares insights as the host of the Goal Crazy Podcast. The Power and Process of Dreaming Without Limits How do you know which dreams actually matter? Jason shares that when he left his family’s successful car dealership, many people saw it as a mistake. But he trusted his system and his vision enough to move forward anyway. For him, dreams are the space where your heart gets to express what it really wants without limitations. Goals are more structured and specific, but when your goals are connected to your deeper dreams, they carry real meaning and purpose. Why Do We Limit Our Dreams Most people don’t struggle with goals, they struggle with dreaming. We spend so much time focused on bills, responsibilities, and staying afloat that we slowly shrink what we believe is possible. Survival mode becomes the default. That’s why Jason intentionally creates space for dreaming. He’ll turn on music, step away from distractions, and spend about ten minutes visualizing the life he actually wants to build. Setting Breakthrough Goals That Stretch You After getting clear on your long-term dreams, the next step is choosing a yearly goal that currently feels slightly out of reach. Not impossible, but uncomfortable enough that it requires you to level up. The goal should be exciting, but also demanding. It should push you to learn new skills, face fears, and step outside what feels familiar. Jason draws from Tony Robbins’ philosophy here, emphasizing that the real value is not just hitting the goal, but becoming the person who is capable of achieving it. If it already feels easy or fully within reach, it is not a breakthrough goal. It is just another task on a checklist. The purpose of this approach is growth. You are constantly stretching, evolving, and aligning your actions with a bigger vision of what you are capable of becoming. “A problem with goal setting is that many people skip the dreaming step. You can still set goals without dreams, but they lack direction and meaning. Without that, people end up in survival mode, just working to stay afloat. When goals are tied to real dreams, they become meaningful and bring purpose back into your life.” — Jason VanDevere Resources Connect with Jason VanDevere on LinkedIn and visit GoalCrazy.com to explore his planners, resources, and coaching opportunities. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	The Return of Trade Show and Human-to-Human Interaction \| Yiannis Gavrielides - 2011	15 Jun 2026	00:27:56
We’re tapping into a Renaissance era in sales. AI is changing how sellers operate, but human connection is still what builds trust and closes deals. My guest, Yiannis Gavrielides, Co-founder and CEO of Covve, shares how trade shows remain one of the strongest ways to build real relationships in a digital-first world. Meet Yiannis Gavrielides Yiannis Gavrielides is the co-founder and CEO of Covve, a lead capture and relationship intelligence platform helping sales teams and professionals turn every meeting into a real pipeline. Covve is used by over 2 million people across 130+ countries, from solo founders to global companies like Delta and Prudential. A serial founder across technology, media, and hospitality, Yiannis built Covve on one core belief: in an AI-first world where emails, decks, and even calls can be automated, trust is still the one thing technology cannot replace. Before Covve, he worked in consulting and banking in London. Today, he focuses on helping sales teams turn human connection into their most defensible competitive advantage. Basics of Building Trust in Sales We’re living in an era where everything is being automated, from emails to scheduling to large parts of the sales process. But even in a digital-first world, very few people can walk into a room and naturally connect with everyone by the end of an event. Shout out to my good friend Jared for being able to do this. Connection is everything in sales. Instead of focusing on selling right away, the real shift is learning how to stay curious about people. Yiannis shares insights from anthropologist Professor Robin Dunbar. When we meet someone new, we immediately start looking for shared signals. Things like accent, humor, interests, or communication style. These small cues help us decide, often subconsciously, whether a connection is forming. That first layer of recognition is what builds trust. Re-Booking Meetings for Success Successful trade show follow-up starts before the event even happens. The key is identifying the right people you want to meet and setting meetings in advance whenever possible. Use LinkedIn and AI tools to research key attendees so you can connect over shared industry insights instead of leading with a sales pitch. The goal is simple. Build relationships first, and let business conversations follow naturally. Finding the Right Trade Shows & Preparation Start by clearly defining your ideal customer profile so you know exactly who you are targeting, including companies, roles, and regions. From there, use tools like 10times and Evensi, along with AI, to research and organize trade shows. This helps you evaluate events based on timing, size, and relevance to your audience. Bigger is not always better. The most effective events are the ones where your ideal buyers are actually present in meaningful numbers. The real advantage comes from preparation. The most successful sellers are already identifying attendees and starting conversations before they ever arrive at the show. “When we show up as human and treat the other person like a human being with curiosity and genuine interest, we start finding what we have in common. That’s what builds trust, and that trust can then grow into something more meaningful and useful.” — Yiannis Gavrielides Resources Get 20% off Covve business plans with code TSE26 The Networker: free newsletter and podcast on relationship building Connect with Yiannis Gavrielides on LinkedIn. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Customer Success Series: Turn Customers Into Evangelist \| Donald C. Kelly - 2010	12 Jun 2026	00:14:19
In the final part of this customer success and retention series, I share how businesses can move beyond simple transactions and turn satisfied customers into true brand evangelists. The focus is on creating experiences that people remember and naturally want to talk about. The Power of Memorable Experiences Brand evangelists are not created by accident. They are built through intentional experiences that feel thoughtful and immersive. Some of the best examples of this come from companies like Disney, where every detail is designed to fully immerse guests in the experience. Chick-fil-A, where every interaction is grounded in gratitude and positivity. And the Ritz Carlton, where employees are empowered to solve problems quickly and go above and beyond for guests. Small Gestures, Big Impact You do not need massive systems to create loyal customers. Often, it is the small things that make the biggest difference. Simple actions like handwritten notes, birthday messages, or personalized videos can go a long way. Taking time to actively listen and truly acknowledge customers also helps them feel seen and valued. Even recognizing milestones like one-year anniversaries or highlighting loyal customers can strengthen the relationship. The Four Levels of Buying Customers typically move through four stages in their relationship with a brand. It starts with a buyer, then a repeat buyer, followed by a loyal customer. The highest level is an evangelist, someone who not only stays with your brand but actively refers others and speaks positively about your business in places like podcasts, social media, and conversations. “Usually it's not taking a huge fix to be able to switch and get people to become evangelists. It's just the little things. And I can tell you those little things are what make a difference.” - Donald C. Kelly. Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Customer Success Series: The 5 Pillars of Customer Success \| Donald C. Kelly - 2009	08 Jun 2026	00:17:15
It costs 5x more to attract new customers than to retain existing ones, which is why client retention matters so much. For part two of this series, I am going over the five pillars of customer success. Pillar 1: Exceptional Onboarding Strong customer success starts the moment a client says yes. Onboarding should feel seamless, intentional, and personal, using things like welcome emails, videos, and thoughtful check-ins to make customers feel valued right away. This stage is also where buyer’s remorse can show up, so a strong onboarding process helps reinforce that they made the right decision. Even small personal touches like a handwritten note or a public shout-out can create a deeper connection early on. Pillar 2: Consistent Communication Retention depends heavily on staying visible. Customers should not feel forgotten after the sale, which is why consistent communication matters. This can be done through newsletters, social media updates, or ongoing educational content that helps them get more value from what they purchased. Over time, this kind of communication builds familiarity and creates a sense of belonging with your brand. Pillar 3: Deliver Unexpected Value One of the most powerful retention tools is giving customers more than they expect. Small, thoughtful gestures can leave a lasting impression and strengthen loyalty. This might look like surprise gifts, unexpected discounts, or sharing insights that would normally be behind a paywall. Exclusive content, private access, or special events can also make customers feel like they are part of something unique. Pillar 4: Focus on Customer Success Customer success is not just about satisfaction. It is about results. Instead of simply asking if customers are happy, the focus should be on whether they are actually achieving their goals. When they are struggling, it becomes the responsibility of the business to step in with guidance, support, and hands-on help to get them back on track. Pillar 5: Referral and Advocacy System Many customers are willing to give referrals, but very few businesses actually ask for them in a structured way. Building a system around referrals means making it easy, natural, and consistent. This includes asking at the right moments, encouraging testimonials, and recognizing customers who refer others. Over time, this turns satisfied customers into active advocates for your brand. “91% of customers say they would be willing to give a referral, but only 11% of salespeople actually ask. That gap represents a major misalignment in the sales process.” — Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Customer Success Series: Leaky Bucket \| Donald C. Kelly - 2008	05 Jun 2026	00:19:13
Retention of a client will take you much further than constantly being on the hunt for a new one. I’m sharing a three-part series on client retention for sellers who struggle with keeping clients for the long term. This first part focuses on how to move away from the “leaky bucket” approach and start using strategies that actually help you retain and grow your customer base. Why Customers Leave Many people assume customers leave because of price or missing features, but it often goes much deeper than that. A big reason customers walk away is because they feel forgotten after the initial sale. The relationship starts strong, but once the “honeymoon phase” is over, communication drops off. Others leave because they stop seeing ongoing value. If they no longer feel like they are getting something meaningful from the relationship, their interest fades over time. Inconsistency also plays a major role. When service starts strong but becomes unreliable, trust breaks down quickly. And sometimes, it is as simple as attention. If a competitor is showing up more consistently and staying top of mind, customers will naturally drift in that direction. Shifting to a Lifetime Value Mindset To improve retention, sellers need to move away from a one-time transaction mindset and focus more on Customer Lifetime Value. Instead of thinking about a single sale, it is about what that relationship can grow into over time. A small purchase can turn into long-term value when trust and consistency are built into the relationship. The key shift is learning to see customers as ongoing relationships, not one-time transactions. Strategies for Success Strong retention comes from staying present and intentional. One approach is using tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator to keep track of customers, note changes in their careers or life events, and use those moments as natural ways to reconnect. Another is staying proactive instead of reactive. That can look like weekly tips, helpful content, or even simple handwritten notes that remind customers they are still valued beyond the initial sale. At the core, retention comes down to consistency, attention, and showing up even when nothing is wrong. “It’s cheaper to keep a current customer than get a new one.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Stop Quitting So Fast \| Donald C. Kelly - 2007	01 Jun 2026	00:23:36
So many sellers quit within their first few months in sales. Honestly, I think many of them give up too soon. Sales isn't easy, but success often comes down to staying committed when things aren't going your way. I'm sharing why determination matters, how to push through rejection, and why the sellers who keep going are often the ones who eventually succeed. Why Determination Matters in Sales Early in my college years, I found myself stranded in California with a friend during a business trip. We had no transportation, limited options, and needed to get back to our hotel. Instead of giving up, we stayed focused on finding a solution. Because we were determined to make it back, we noticed opportunities that we might have otherwise overlooked. That experience reinforced a lesson I've carried with me ever since: when your reason for succeeding is strong enough, you'll find a way through obstacles that might stop other people. Stop Letting Fear Hold You Back One challenge many sales professionals face is the fear of rejection. Too often, sellers hesitate to follow up because they worry about being annoying or reaching out too many times. But if you genuinely believe your solution can help someone solve an important problem, then it's your responsibility to start the conversation. Most buyers won't remember how many times you called or emailed. They'll remember the value you helped them create. Use AI to Prospect Smarter Persistence is important, but that doesn't mean wasting time on the wrong opportunities. Today's sellers have access to AI tools that can help identify companies experiencing specific challenges and uncover prospects who are more likely to engage. Instead of blasting generic messages to thousands of people, you can narrow your focus and spend time with the accounts that matter most. The goal is simple: become more relevant and intentional with your outreach. Take a Multi-Channel Approach Prospecting works best when you meet buyers where they are. That's why I encourage sellers to combine phone calls, emails, and LinkedIn outreach. Some prospects may respond to email, while others prefer social engagement or a direct conversation. Using multiple channels increases your chances of reaching the right decision-maker at the right time. Get Back to the Fundamentals At the end of the day, sales success still comes down to the basics. Believe in your solution. Build a targeted list. Stay focused on the people you can help. Most importantly, remain relentless when obstacles appear. The sellers who succeed are often the ones who keep moving forward long after everyone else has decided to quit. “If you have a reason strong enough, no obstacle can stop you.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Ready to transform your prospecting strategy? Check out Episode 1996 to learn a powerful new method for using Claude to achieve a refined focus. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Sales Is No Longer A Numbers Game \| Tom Stearns & Peter Cleary - 2006	29 May 2026	00:40:29
Sales has changed dramatically in the age of AI, but success still comes down to having the right strategy. That's why I sat down with Tom Stearns and Peter Cleary, co-authors of Graphic Sales: How to Build a Prospecting Playbook. They shared how sales teams can move beyond vanity metrics and build a data-driven prospecting process that helps reps focus on the right opportunities and generate better results. Meet Tom Stearns and Peter Cleary Tom Stearns and Peter Cleary are the co-authors of Graphic Sales: How to Build a Prospecting Playbook, a book designed to help sales professionals build more effective prospecting strategies through visual storytelling and practical frameworks. Tom is a consultant who has worked with companies across dozens of industries, helping sales teams improve performance through data-driven prospecting. His work focuses on building prospecting playbooks, analyzing sales metrics, and helping organizations identify the behaviors that lead to consistent results. Peter previously served as a Director and Senior Director of Engineering. He believes great salespeople focus on solving business problems and that success comes through collaboration and teamwork. Together, Tom and Peter combine sales strategy, data analysis, and real-world business experience to help organizations create more focused and effective prospecting processes. Building a Strong Ideal Customer Profile One of the biggest lessons from this discussion is the importance of knowing exactly who you should be selling to. The best way to build an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is by studying your most successful customers. Look at the clients who stay the longest, get the best results, and genuinely enjoy working with your company. From there, you can identify the traits that predict success and use those insights to guide your prospecting efforts. We also talked about creating a "hell no list." While many organizations focus on ideal customers, it's just as important to recognize the types of accounts that consistently create challenges, consume resources, or simply aren't a good fit. Why Every Sales Team Needs a Playbook A sales playbook provides structure and consistency for an organization. It helps teams document what works, align around proven processes, and create repeatable success. More importantly, a playbook should never be treated as a static document. Markets change. Buyers change. Strategies evolve. The most effective sales teams regularly review and update their playbooks to reflect what's happening in the real world. Become a Student of the Market For individual sales reps, one message stood out throughout the conversation: pay attention to the data. Successful sellers study their market, analyze which conversations move forward, and look for patterns in their results. They don't abandon a strategy because of a bad week or a few difficult prospects. Instead, they remain consistent while gathering enough information to determine whether adjustments are truly needed. Winning in the Modern Sales Environment Sales has always been about helping people solve problems, but today's environment requires a more disciplined approach. The sellers who thrive are the ones who combine curiosity, consistency, and data-driven decision-making. When you understand your ideal customer, follow a proven process, and continually learn from the market, you put yourself in a much stronger position to succeed. "Don't think of it as a project; think of it as a discipline." — Tom Stearns "If you try to do it alone, you'll probably fail. Sales is a team effort, and success requires a lot of open communication and collaboration." — Peter Cleary Resources Buy the guests' new book, Graphic Sales: How to Build a Prospecting Playbook, which is available globally through online retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit the website stearns.io to read the first chapter of their book for free. Reach out to Tom Stearns and Peter Cleary on LinkedIn to stay updated on their latest sales insights. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Helping Customers Understand The Business Problem You Solve \| Jeff Koser - 2005	25 May 2026	00:28:31
One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is focusing too quickly on their product instead of understanding the deeper problem their customer is trying to solve. That’s why I wanted to bring back this conversation with Jeff Koser, founder and CEO of Zebrafy. Even though this episode originally aired during the pandemic, the principles still apply today, especially when it comes to standing out in crowded markets and building trust with buyers. Why Surface-Level Selling Doesn’t Work Jeff explained that too many sales reps stop at surface-level conversations. Customers do not buy because your product has more features. They buy because they believe you understand the real business problem they are facing and can help them solve it. That requires deeper research, better questions, and understanding the customer’s world before pitching a solution. The Importance of “Voice of the Customer” One idea that really stood out to me was Jeff’s concept of “voice of the customer.” Instead of only relying on your company messaging, Jeff encourages sellers to learn directly from customers by understanding: the problems customers believe were solved the value created after solving those problems and the measurable business impact the solution delivered That insight helps sellers communicate in a way that feels more relevant and customer-focused. Why Respectful Outreach Matters Jeff also shared why thoughtful outreach matters more than ever. Buyers are overwhelmed with emails, automated messaging, and generic pitches. Sellers who take the time to personalize their communication and genuinely understand customer priorities immediately separate themselves from the competition. At the end of the day, the best sales conversations happen when customers feel understood, not sold to. “We have to recognize that what we’re selling may not be everyone’s priority right now, which is why every sales conversation should give people a respectful and simple out.” - Jeff Koser Resources Connect with Jeff Koser’s website to learn more about customer-focused selling strategies, and grab a copy of Voice of the Zebra by Jeff and Chad Koser for additional insights on identifying and reaching your ideal prospects. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Sales Isn't Fun Anymore \| Donald C. Kelly - 2004	22 May 2026	00:18:00
Lately, I’ve been hearing more sellers say the same thing: “I’m losing my joy in sales.” Honestly, I get it. Selling today feels different than it did a few years ago. Cold outreach is harder, inboxes are crowded, buyers are more cautious, and deals take longer to close. When the wins slow down, it can start feeling like you’re just grinding through the motions instead of enjoying the work. But I truly believe you can get that excitement back. Start With Your Why One of the biggest things that helped me was reconnecting with my purpose. At different stages of life, your “why” changes. Early on, mine was helping my family avoid financial struggles we experienced growing up. Today, it’s creating experiences with my wife and kids and building something meaningful through the work I do. Your why might be freedom, travel, financial goals, family, or building your own business someday. Whatever it is, you need something bigger than quotas pushing you forward. Make Sales Fun Again Another thing that helps is creating milestones you can work toward. Maybe it’s reaching a certain income level, landing a leadership role, joining a startup, or eventually building your own company. When you give yourself goals beyond just surviving the quarter, sales become more exciting again. The People and Industry Matter Too The environment around you matters more than people realize. Working with great people and selling in industries that are growing and transforming can completely change your energy. Spaces like AI and emerging technologies are creating opportunities that feel exciting again because you’re learning, growing, and helping shape something new. At the end of the day, you have more control over your future than you think. Sometimes finding joy again starts with deciding you’re ready for something better. “You have control of your future. Don’t give that up to anyone else.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources If you’re feeling stuck or burned out in sales, read Man's Search for Meaning to help reconnect with purpose, fulfillment, and the deeper “why” behind your work. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Why So Many Talented Women Never Make It to Leadership \| Erika Chestnut - 2003	18 May 2026	00:31:33
Many women in sales struggle with feeling like they’re not fully qualified for leadership roles, even when they’re already doing the work. That self-doubt can make it harder to pursue promotions and career growth. To help break this down, I invited leadership coach and tech executive Erika Chestnut to share the challenges women face when advancing their careers and how sales leaders can better support them. Meet Erika Chestnut Erika Chestnut is a transformational leader with more than 25 years of experience in the tech industry. She is passionate about helping individuals and teams rethink leadership, communication, and workplace culture to create stronger performance and long-term success. Through coaching, leadership development, and strategic guidance, Erika equips professionals with practical tools to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and lead more effectively. The Confidence Gap Holding Women Back Erika shares how often women underestimate their readiness for leadership opportunities. She explains that many women feel like they need to accomplish every requirement before applying for a promotion, while others are comfortable taking the leap much earlier. Erika also shares an exercise she uses with clients where they compare their current responsibilities to the role above them. In most cases, women are already doing 50% to 75% of the next position without realizing it. Many women feel pressure to constantly prove themselves through performance while still struggling to advocate for their own advancement. Erika explains how this mindset can keep high performers stuck, even when they are already operating at the next level in their careers. Why Leaders Need to Better Understand Communication Styles Communication styles also play a major role in career growth. Erika explains how many leaders unintentionally overlook talented women because they communicate differently from more outspoken employees. She also shares how some employees naturally focus on details while leaders are often focused on outcomes. When communication styles do not align, high performers can easily be misunderstood or overlooked. Treat Your Career Like A Business Erika shares advice on how women can become more intentional about career growth by treating their career like a business. Set goals, build relationships with mentors and stakeholders, and develop a strategy for long-term advancement instead of waiting to be noticed. “Success doesn’t come by copying somebody else. Success comes when you know who you are.” — Erika Chestnut Resources Connect with Erika Chestnut on LinkedIn or visit her website to learn more about leadership development, career strategy, and building confidence as you grow into your next role. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	How To Help Enterprise Sellers Speak The Language of their Clients \| Kevin Cope - 2002	15 May 2026	00:29:30
Nowadays, there’s no such thing as easy selling. You need to know more than just product features and benefits. You also need to understand how businesses make money and how different decisions impact success. The problem is that many salespeople still lack strong business acumen. That’s why I brought in Kevin Cope, CEO of Acumen Learning and author of Business Acumen for Sales Success. He shares how salespeople can strengthen their business knowledge and become more valuable business advisors during the sales process. Meet Kevin Cope Kevin is the CEO of Acumen Learning, an organization that helps companies improve business acumen across their teams. Over the past 24 years, Acumen Learning has worked with many of the world’s largest organizations to help employees better understand how businesses grow, make money, and create long-term value. Why Business Acumen Matters in Sales Too many sellers lead conversations with features and benefits instead of understanding the real business challenges buyers are facing. Kevin explains that strong salespeople think like business leaders. That shift changes how you prepare for meetings, ask questions, and position your solution. Instead of simply selling a product, you begin helping customers solve problems tied to revenue growth, profitability, efficiency, and cash flow. The Five Business Drivers Every Seller Should Understand Kevin introduces his five business drivers framework: cash, profit, assets, growth, and people. These drivers help sellers understand how organizations measure success and make decisions. Once you understand what matters most to the business, it becomes easier to connect your solution to real outcomes instead of generic product messaging. How Top Sellers Prepare Differently One way to improve business acumen is by spending a few minutes reviewing a company’s financials and earnings calls before a meeting. Kevin explains how top sellers use that information to identify challenges, understand priorities, and position themselves as trusted advisors instead of transactional sales reps. “Business acumen is understanding how a company makes money and making good decisions around that money-making process.” — Kevin Cope Resources Connect with Kevin Cope on LinkedIn and check out Business Acumen for Sales Success to learn how stronger business acumen can help you build trust, speak the language of business, and close more meaningful deals. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	The Biggest Reason Why Your Sales Pipeline Is Not Converting As It Should \| Gearoid Cox - 2001	11 May 2026	00:28:34
AI can help you move faster, but it can also help you make mistakes faster. Too many sellers rely on automation while skipping the fundamentals that actually help deals close. One of the biggest problems? Poor qualification. I sat down with Gearoid Cox, CEO of SalesPipeline, to share advice on how sellers can build healthier pipelines, qualify deals more effectively, and stop wasting time on opportunities that are never going to close. Meet Gearoid Cox Gearoid is the Founder and CEO of SalesPipeline, a revenue growth partner that helps SMBs build and run effective sales operations. With nearly 15 years of experience across startups and Fortune 500 companies, he has led teams of more than 100 people. He saw that many SMBs lacked the structure, talent, and systems needed to scale their sales efforts, so he built SalesPipeline to solve that problem by hiring, training, and managing high-performing sales and marketing teams. Originally from Ireland and now based in Tbilisi, Gearoid specializes in building high-performing sales systems that drive revenue growth. Why Qualification Starts Earlier Than Most Sellers Think Qualification doesn’t always begin on the discovery call. It often starts with the outreach itself. Gearoid explains why sellers need to stop chasing volume for the sake of activity and focus more on understanding the actual problems buyers are facing. Instead of trying to book as many meetings as possible, the goal should be booking meetings with people who are genuinely qualified and have a real reason to buy. How Bad Pipeline Data Hurts Sales Teams When dead deals stay in the CRM too long, it creates a false picture of what’s really happening inside the business. Sales leaders struggle to forecast accurately, reps waste time chasing stalled opportunities, and teams lose focus on deals that actually matter. Gearoid shares why sellers need to become more ruthless with pipeline management and honest about which deals are truly moving forward. The Best Sellers Think Like Consultants The strongest salespeople are not simply trying to move prospects through stages. They take time to understand the buyer’s situation, the pressure they’re under, and the risks they’re trying to avoid. That shift changes everything. Instead of sounding transactional, sellers become trusted advisors who actually understand the customer’s world. “People don’t need to hear that your product is perfect. They need to know what happens if something goes wrong.” — Gearoid Cox Resources Connect with Gearoid Cox on LinkedIn and learn how SalesPipeline helps businesses build stronger sales systems, improve qualification, and create healthier pipelines that actually convert. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	What 2,000 Sales Conversations Taught Me \| Donald C. Kelly - 2000	08 May 2026	00:37:21
We finally made it to the 2,000 episodes! After podcasting for 13 long years on sales conversations, it taught me a few things about the industry. Sales has changed a lot since I started this podcast in 2013, and one thing became clear over the years: the people who adapt the fastest are the ones who continue to win. Why Speed Matters More Than Ever Today’s buyers expect answers immediately. They don’t want to wait days for a follow-up email or a scheduled demo. I break down how the rise of AI, automation, and changing buyer behavior has made speed one of the biggest competitive advantages in sales today. I also share how organizations are improving conversions simply by responding to leads faster and using AI to personalize outreach at scale instead of relying on outdated “spray and pray” tactics. Discovery Wins Deals The best salespeople are not the best closers. They are the best at discovery. I explain why understanding operational challenges, emotional stakes, and organizational risks matters more than pushing features or rushing into demos. Discovery has become its own process, and the sellers who know how to diagnose real problems are the ones winning deals today. Why Relevance Beats Volume Cold outreach looks completely different than it did years ago. Buyers are overwhelmed with emails, which means generic messaging gets ignored fast. I talk about how AI can help sales teams create more relevant outreach, improve response rates, and focus on the people who actually have the problems they solve instead of blasting messages to everyone. The Future of Sales Is Human Even with AI transforming the industry, trust and human connection still matter. Buyers are researching online long before they ever talk to sales, which is why content, social selling, and in-person relationships are becoming more important than ever. “The best closers aren’t closers. They’re world class at discovering challenges and uncovering real problems.” — Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	The Biggest Reason Why Your Sales Pipeline Is Not Converting As It Should \| Wesleyne Whittaker - 1999	04 May 2026	00:30:44
Should your demo and discovery call happen in the same meeting? If you’re combining the two, it may be the reason your pipeline is not converting the way you want it to. Wesleyne Whittaker, sales professional and author of Sales Reset, joins me to challenge how most teams run demos and discovery and why it might be the reason deals are stalling. She also shares practical frameworks from her book Sales Reset to help you run more effective discovery calls. Meet Wesleyne Whittaker Wesleyne Whittaker is a sales strategist, coach, and author of Sales Reset. She’s known for helping sales professionals rethink how they approach conversations so they can stop going through the motions and start actually closing deals. What makes her approach stand out is how she blends mindset with real sales execution. She does not just talk about what to do. She shows you how to do it in a way that feels natural and effective. She works with sales teams across different industries, helping them run stronger discovery calls, ask better questions, and create demos that actually connect with buyers. At the core of her work is a simple idea. Sales is human to human. And when you focus on understanding people first, everything else starts to fall into place. Why Discovery Should Come First Wesleyne believes deals begin to close during the discovery call. If that conversation is weak, your pipeline will reflect it. Instead of jumping straight into a demo, she explains that discovery should focus on listening. You should be talking about 20 percent of the time while your prospect does the rest. That is how you uncover the real problems, not just surface level requests. What an Effective Discovery Looks Like A strong discovery call starts before the meeting even begins. Research the company, understand their environment, and come prepared with one key opening question. From there, let the conversation guide your follow ups. The goal is to identify three to five real challenges your solution can solve. When both sides are learning from each other, the conversation becomes valuable. How to Deliver a Demo That Converts Once you understand the problem, your demo becomes simple. Connect each challenge to a specific feature. Avoid showing everything. Focus only on what matters to that buyer. When your demo feels tailored instead of generic, it becomes easier for prospects to see the value. “Don’t do your discovery and demo in one meeting. It’s better to cut a 30-minute call into 20 minutes and say, ‘Let’s reconnect so I can tailor this for you,’ than try to cram everything in.” — Wesleyne Whittaker Resources Grab a copy of Sales Reset to learn how to run stronger discovery calls and close more deals, and don’t forget to connect with Wesleyne Whittaker on LinkedIn. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Missed Quota Series: Prospecting With A Net Rather Than A Spear! \| Donald C. Kelly - 1998	01 May 2026	00:16:08
40% of a seller’s time is spent on prospecting. That’s a big investment, especially when a lot of it does not lead anywhere. So how do you make sure that time actually turns into real opportunities? Let’s break down how to prospect in a way that leads to conversations and closed deals. Leverage Intent and Relevant Data A big part of prospecting comes down to timing. You want to reach out when buyers are already looking for a solution. That is where intent data comes in. Tools like ZoomInfo and 6sense can help you identify prospects who are actively researching solutions like endpoint protection. When you do reach out, make it relevant. Speak directly to their industry and back it up with a recent success story from a similar company. That is what helps build credibility early. Utilize Advanced LinkedIn Searching Instead of reaching out to everyone, focus on a smaller group of people who are more likely to respond. You can build a list of 30 to 40 individuals by narrowing your search. Look for people who are new in their roles or who have been active on LinkedIn in the past 30 days. You can also look at who they are connected to, especially if they follow industry influencers or are part of specific associations. That gives you a stronger starting point for outreach. Systematize Referrals Referrals are one of the most overlooked opportunities in sales. Most prospects are open to giving referrals, but very few salespeople actually ask for them. That is a missed opportunity. Start making it part of your process. When you are working with a client, ask if they know others who are dealing with similar challenges. A simple ask can open the door to warmer conversations. Target Niche Local Events Not every opportunity comes from online outreach. Smaller, more focused events can be a great way to connect with people directly. Think industry meetups or informal gatherings where conversations happen more naturally. These settings make it easier to build relationships and lead to introductions that feel more genuine. The Fortune Is in the Follow-Up Even when you get in front of the right people, it does not mean much if you do not follow up. A large percentage of event attendees have the authority to make buying decisions, yet most leads never receive any follow-up at all. That is where the real opportunity is. Following up within 12 to 24 hours and staying consistent with your outreach can be the difference between being remembered and being forgotten. “Nine out of ten prospects are willing to give a referral, but only about 11% of salespeople actually ask.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Do you need help on getting more referrals? Check out episode 1976. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Missed Quota Series: They Were ONLY Selling 11 Hours Per Week! \| Donald C. Kelly - 1997	27 Apr 2026	00:17:48
Salesforce found that reps spend just 11 hours per week actually selling. That means nearly 70% of their time is spent on everything else. So where is it going? Let’s break down what sellers are really doing and why it’s keeping them from hitting quota. Identifying Time-Bleeding Tasks Let me show you what’s really taking up their day. A lot of it comes down to necessary work that just takes way too long. Think about the time spent digging for information before a call. That can easily turn into 45 minutes of manual research for one prospect. Then there’s building proposals and assessments. Reps are sitting there formatting documents, choosing layouts, and putting together decks when that time could be spent in front of a customer. On top of that, you’ve got CRM updates, data entry, and internal meetings that keep pulling reps away from actual selling. It all adds up fast, and before you know it, the day is gone without much time spent with buyers. Leveraging AI and Process Optimization So how do you fix it? It starts with getting rid of the work that does not need to be done manually. AI is making that a lot easier. Instead of spending close to an hour researching a prospect, reps can pull together key insights in just minutes. CRM updates can be automated. Meeting notes can be summarized without lifting a finger. And when it comes to proposals and documents, this is where better systems come in. Instead of starting from scratch every time, teams can use templates or even hand off parts of the process so reps can stay focused on selling. The goal here is simple. Take as much off the rep’s plate as possible so they can spend more time doing the one thing that actually drives results. Actionable Steps for Leaders and Reps If you want to fix this, both leaders and reps have to take a hard look at how time is being used. Start by tracking it. Spend a week writing down exactly where your time goes. Prospecting, emails, research, meetings. When you see it on paper, it becomes a lot clearer where the gaps are. From there, leaders need to step in and protect selling time. That means cutting back on unnecessary meetings and making sure reps have systems that actually support them. And finally, simplify the tools. When everything is scattered across different platforms, it slows everyone down. Bringing those tools into one place makes it easier to work faster and stay organized. At the end of the day, this is about making sure your reps are spending more time in front of customers and less time stuck in the background work. “Time is ticking and time is money.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Missed Quota Series: The AI Gap is Real...You Debate "It's A Fad, While Your Competitor Is 6 Months Ahead of Your \| Donald C. Kelly - 1996	24 Apr 2026	00:14:04
Salesforce found that sellers who use AI are 3.7 times more likely to hit quota. So what are they doing differently? Let’s break down how AI is helping sellers work more effectively and why it’s becoming a core part of modern sales. Maximizing Efficiency in Prep and Prospecting AI is taking a lot of the busy work off a seller’s plate, especially when it comes to prep and prospecting. Instead of spending 45 minutes digging into a single prospect, sellers can now pull together key insights in just minutes using tools like ChatGPT or Claude. That kind of time savings adds up fast. And it changes how sellers spend their day. When you’re saving 30 minutes or more per prospect, that time can go back into higher-value activities like engaging on LinkedIn or actually reaching out to prospects. AI is also making personalization easier to scale. Sellers can quickly find relevant details about a prospect and use that information to craft more thoughtful, tailored outreach without starting from scratch every time. AI as a Sales Coach AI is not just helping with research. It’s starting to act like a built-in sales coach throughout the deal cycle. Sellers can use it to think through different scenarios before a call ever happens. By plugging in meeting notes or past conversations, AI can highlight potential risks and help them prepare more effectively for discovery. It’s also useful when it comes to handling objections. Instead of guessing how to respond, sellers can use AI to brainstorm different approaches, especially when they’re up against a specific competitor. And before a deal moves forward, AI can help pressure test it. Sellers can ask it to find gaps, weak points, or anything they may have missed so they can tighten their approach before presenting a solution. "You're shrinking the busy work so you can focus more on selling." - Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Missed Quota Series: Your Deal Didn't Die, Tariffs Put It on Ice \| Donald C. Kelly - 1995	20 Apr 2026	00:12:47
You’re feeling the impact of the tariffs, aren’t you? They keep your deals from moving forward. Luckily, I came up with three ways to move those tariff blocks out of the way and make everything move in your favor. 1. Show Them What It’s Costing to Wait When deals stall, it’s easy for companies to pause spending and focus on what feels urgent right now. But waiting comes with a cost. Instead of pushing harder, help them see what happens if nothing changes. What does it cost the business to delay? What risks are they taking on by doing nothing? When you lay that out clearly, the conversation shifts. It is no longer just about spending money. It becomes about avoiding a bigger loss. 2. Ask What Needs to Change, Not “When” Most sellers follow up with one question: “When can we move forward?” That question does not move the deal. A better approach is to ask, “What needs to happen for this to become a priority again?” Now you open up a real conversation. You start to understand what is actually blocking the deal, whether it is budget, timing, or internal pressure. Once you know that, you can position yourself to help move things forward. 3. Stay Present So You’re First When It Opens Back Up Sometimes there is nothing you can do at the moment. The deal is simply frozen. That does not mean you disappear. Stay in motion. Check in, share insights, and send relevant updates that keep you top of mind without being pushy. When things start moving again, the seller who stayed present is usually the one who gets the deal. “Delays don’t kill deals. Ignoring the cost of waiting does.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Missed Quota Series: You Won Your Champion and Still Lost the Deal Here's Why \| Donald C. Kelly - 1994	17 Apr 2026	00:16:16
Today, most deals involve 11 to 13 decision-makers. Nobody wants to be the one held responsible if things go wrong. So instead of one decision-maker, you’re dealing with a full committee. That’s one of the biggest reasons deals stall, and that’s what we’re getting into in this Missed Quota episode. Why Deals Stall Even When You Do Everything Right You’ve done your research. You ran a solid discovery. The demo went well. And then the deal just sits there. A lot of times, it’s because you didn’t know who was really involved in the decision. On top of that, buyers are spending less time talking to sellers. They’re doing their own research and only bringing you in for a small part of the process. That means if you’re not connected to the right people, you can lose the deal without even realizing it. Build a Champion Toolkit If you have a champion inside the company, you need to set them up to win when you’re not in the room. That means giving them the right information to speak to different stakeholders. Think about what the CFO cares about. Think about legal, procurement, and leadership. Give your champion the tools to answer those questions so they can confidently represent your solution. Map Out the Buying Committee Early Don’t wait until the deal slows down to figure out who’s involved. Work with your champion early to identify everyone who has a say in the decision. Then figure out what matters to each person. When you understand their priorities, you can tailor your approach instead of guessing. Multi-thread Your Way Into the Deal Your champion can’t carry the entire deal on their own. Ask for introductions to other stakeholders. Get in front of people like the CFO or anyone else influencing the decision. Speaking directly to their concerns, makes it easier for the deal to move forward and take pressure off your champion. “The first thing you need to recognize is that there are a lot more people involved in deals today than there used to be.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Missed Quota Series: The Dark Funnel - The #1 Reason Sellers Missed Quota In Q1 \| Donald C. Kelly - 1993	13 Apr 2026	00:19:17
A lot of sellers are working hard but still falling short in Q1. The challenge isn’t always activity. It’s timing. This is part two of the missed quota series, and I’m sharing why buyers are already far into their journey before you ever connect with them and how you can show up sooner. Why Q1 Feels So Difficult for Sellers Most sellers wonder why Q1 feels so tough, and a big part of it comes down to this. By the time you’re getting in front of a buyer, they’re already about 67% through their decision-making process. They’ve done their research, explored options, and in many cases already have a shortlist before you even show up. The Buyer’s Shift: The Dark Funnel This is what I call the dark funnel. It’s everything happening behind the scenes before a buyer ever talks to you. And here’s the reality. A lot of buyers prefer it that way. Gartner found that 61% of B2B buyers want a seller-free experience early on, and 43% of executives are discovering solutions through social media. If you’re not visible during that stage, you’re already behind. Content Is How You Show Up Early So how do you get ahead of that? You’ve got to start thinking like a content house. If you’re not consistently showing up with insights, you’re invisible while buyers are forming their opinions. This isn’t about posting just to stay active. It’s about sharing content that actually helps your ideal customer think through their challenges. What to Share to Stay Relevant If you’re in something like cybersecurity, think about the kind of content your buyers care about. Break down major breaches and what companies can learn from them. Explain new compliance changes in a way that’s easy to understand. Share real-world insights based on what you’re seeing in the field. This is the kind of content that builds trust before a conversation ever happens. Consistency Over Virality You don’t need to go viral to win. You need to be consistent. Aim for about three quality posts a week that speak directly to your ideal customer profile. Over time, that consistency is what keeps you top of mind. Make Your LinkedIn Profile Work for You And while you’re doing all of this, don’t overlook your LinkedIn profile. That’s often the first place buyers go when they come across your name. Make sure your headline clearly shows how you help clients. Use keywords they’re searching for, and back it up with real credibility in your experience section. "Sales professionals who master social selling, create 45% more opportunities and are 51% more likely to hit their quota." — Donald Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Missed Quota Series: 10 Data Backed Reasons Why Seller Missed Q1 Targets \| Donald C. Kelly - 1992	10 Apr 2026	00:34:11
A slow Q1 isn’t random. There are patterns behind why many sellers miss their targets early in the year. I’m walking through ten of those challenges and how you can turn things around. 1. Tariff Uncertainty Is Freezing Decisions A lot of companies are hitting pause right now because of tariff uncertainty. When businesses don’t know what’s coming next, they delay decisions. In fact, 82% of U.S. firms reported declining sales after tariffs took effect, which is leading to a lot more hesitation. 2. Buyers Are Cutting Costs Prospects are being more cautious than ever. Budgets are tighter, spending is under more scrutiny, and even existing contracts are getting reduced. Around 78% of business buyers say they’re being more careful with spending, and it’s starting to show in lower win rates. 3. The Global Economy Is Slowing Things Down There’s a broader slowdown happening, and it’s affecting how businesses spend. B2B spending is contracting, and global GDP growth is cooling, which is stretching out buying cycles across the board. 4. Sales Reps Aren’t Spending Enough Time Selling A big chunk of a rep’s day is going toward admin work, internal tasks, and switching between tools. On average, reps are only spending about 28% of their time actually selling, which makes hitting targets a lot tougher. 5. Buyers Are Doing Their Homework Without You By the time a sales rep gets involved, buyers have often already done most of their research. Around 67% of the buyer’s journey is completed independently, meaning prospects are forming opinions long before sales has a chance to step in. 6. Deals Are Getting Stuck in Committees More deals now involve multiple stakeholders, sometimes seven or more people. That naturally slows things down and makes it harder to build alignment and move decisions forward. 7. Prospecting Is Taking Too Long Reps are spending a huge portion of their time just trying to find the right people to talk to. Roughly 40% of their time goes into prospecting, and even after events or outreach, follow-up rates can still fall short. 8. Quotas Don’t Match Today’s Reality Many quotas were set based on a completely different market environment. Right now, average attainment is sitting around 43%, which shows just how far expectations are from reality and why burnout is becoming more common. 9. The AI Gap Is Turning Into a Performance Gap Teams that are using AI are moving faster and seeing better results. About 89% of revenue organizations are now using AI, and those teams are consistently hitting quota at higher rates than those who aren’t. 10. Turnover Is Slowing Everything Down Sales teams are dealing with high turnover, with around 25% of reps leaving each year. On top of that, new hires take time to ramp up, which can slow productivity if teams don’t have the right support in place. “Sales reps are burning out and leaving because they’re chasing quotas built for a market that no longer exists.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Three Ways To Increasing Velocity & Getting Cold Deals Unstuck \| Karen Kelly - 1991	06 Apr 2026	00:34:33
Getting deals unstuck can feel frustrating, especially when you reach the end of a quarter and nothing seems to be moving. Karen Kelly, one of the 100 most powerful women in sales 2025, breaks down how the way you show up in your sales process can be the difference between a deal that stalls and one that moves forward. Meet Karen Kelly Karen Kelly is a sales trainer, coach, and speaker who has spent over 20 years helping sales professionals improve how they show up and sell. Having experienced the challenges of sales firsthand, she understands what it feels like to navigate uncertainty, missed opportunities, and stalled deals. Her approach is centered on rehumanizing the sales process. Instead of relying on scripts and surface level tactics, she teaches how to build genuine conversations that create trust and move deals forward. Through her training, coaching, and workshops, Karen helps sales professionals shift their mindset, take intentional action, and build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their clients. Reframe Your Mindset The first step is to reframe. Before you even send an email or get on a call, ask yourself how you are showing up. Are you focused on helping or just trying to close Karen shared that language shapes reality. When you shift from “I have to” to “I get to,” everything changes. Your energy shifts, your confidence improves, and your conversations become more customer focused. Buyers can feel the difference. Reveal the Human Side Instead of hiding behind a perfect, polished version of yourself, bring authenticity into the conversation. Share experiences, lessons, and even past mistakes that shaped how you work today. When you open up, your prospects feel safe to do the same. That is when real conversations happen. Revisit the Fundamentals Go back to the basics of selling. Does your prospect actually recognize the problem? Do you have alignment and buy in? Are you following up consistently? Karen reminded us that many deals stall because we skip these simple steps. They may not be exciting, but they are what move deals forward. “Reveal is a big one. A lot of people are still giving the illusion of perfection, but it doesn’t exist.” - Karen Kelly Resources Connect with Karen Kelly on LinkedIn or visit her website to learn how she helps sales professionals drive real results. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	From Two Sales Per Year to Over 100 Qualified Appointments Per Month \| Eric Samson - 1990	03 Apr 2026	00:29:14
Sometimes selling comes at the most unexpected moments in life. As an entrepreneur you’re selling your business to customers and you need to go from zero to hundreds fast. Eric Samson, CEO & founder of Group8A, is here to share how he went from hoping deals would come in to building a system that brings in sales opportunities every single month. Meet Eric Samson We’ve all experienced consultants who promise big results but fall short. For small businesses, that can be costly. Eric Samson knows this firsthand. Before founding Group 8A, he ran several e-commerce businesses and saw how ineffective marketing agencies could hurt growth. That experience pushed him to build something different. He created Group 8A with a performance driven approach where the agency only grows when its clients do. Today, Group 8A is a leading digital marketing agency in New York City, helping e-commerce brands scale and increase conversions. From Hope to Predictability What would it look like if your sales pipeline didn’t rely on luck? That was the reality Eric faced. His business was built on strong operations and great service, but sales were inconsistent. Referrals came in occasionally, but there was no real system behind it. At one point, two deals a year felt like a win. Eric realized something had to change. Wishing for growth was not a strategy. Setting the Right Target The first shift came from setting a clear goal. Eric introduced what he calls a big, hairy, audacious goal. Instead of hoping for a few deals a year, the team aimed for two deals per month. It did not matter that the number seemed small to others. What mattered was that it pushed them beyond their current reality. Sometimes growth starts by simply choosing a target that feels just out of reach. Solving the Right Problem First One of the biggest mistakes Eric made was focusing on the wrong part of the sales process. He hired experts to help close deals before he even had consistent leads coming in. That changed when he broke the process down step by step. If there are no leads, nothing else matters. Once the team focused on generating conversations first, everything else started to fall into place. Building a Scalable System Eric and his team invested in outreach and found someone who knew how to generate appointments. From there, they optimized the process by separating high level work from simple tasks. The result. Over 100 sales appointments per month! “When you get outreach right, everything changes. When you get it wrong, you get nothing.” - Eric Samson Resources Connect with Eric Samson on LinkedIn or visit Group 8A to learn how his team helps e-commerce brands turn strategy into real results. If you want to think bigger and set goals that actually push your business forward, take some time to read Built to Last. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	How My Coaching Client Got Referrals From A Rejection \| Donald C. Kelly - 1989	30 Mar 2026	00:17:05
It’s early in the morning, and you’re getting ready to look for prospects on LinkedIn. Every conversation is a precious gem, but how can you shine while reaching out? I have a LinkedIn strategy that helped my coaching client. I’m telling you it works because he got five referrals from using it. Breaking Through the Noise on LinkedIn One of the biggest challenges right now is standing out on LinkedIn. A strategy I’ve been using with a coaching client helped him build momentum when his pipeline was low. He focused on a specific conference and engaged with people who liked or commented on the posts. From there, he sent personalized connection requests along with short videos or voice messages to show he was a real person. No pitch right away, just starting the conversation and building engagement. Turning a “No” into Referrals One conversation stood out. He connected with someone who had used his software before but didn’t need it anymore. Instead of moving on, he asked a simple question: who else do you know that could benefit from this? That one question turned into five referrals from a single “no.” Maximizing Every Opportunity Too many people walk away from conversations too early. Every interaction is a chance to move something forward. Sometimes that means asking for a referral, even if the answer isn’t yes. People you’ve worked with before can be some of your best advocates. And this approach isn’t limited to LinkedIn. You can use it in emails, calls, or anywhere you’re having conversations. “Your success isn’t on their mind, but when you ask, you shall receive.” — Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	The Rule of Seven For LinkedIn Sales Navigator \| Josh Shirley - 1988	27 Mar 2026	00:29:07
I’m a big believer in LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and that’s why I’m revisiting episode 1827. Josh Shirley from Sandler joined me to share how to use the tool effectively and get real results. Josh Shirley’s Background Josh Shirley is a sales professional with Sandler, a well-known sales training organization. He works with sales leaders who want a structured system that delivers predictable results. Sandler’s approach gives sales professionals the foundation they need to perform effectively from the start. Referrals: The Gold Standard of Leads Josh shares personal experiences about how structured approaches to request referrals can significantly enhance lead generation. Using the LinkedIn Rule of Seven Josh explains that for every seven LinkedIn connections, there’s typically one person willing and able to refer you. It’s a simple concept, but it can completely change how you approach outreach. There are a few ways to apply it depending on your goals. If you’re covering a broad territory, you can use one connection to open the door to many referrals. If you’re targeting a specific account, multiple connections can help you get closer to the right person. And in some cases, it’s as direct as asking one person for one specific introduction and repeating that process over time. Using LinkedIn Sales Navigator to Find Referrals Josh walks through how LinkedIn Sales Navigator makes it easier to find the right people to connect with. It helps you identify mutual connections who can introduce you and guide you toward the right prospects. With the right filters, you can narrow your search and make your outreach more focused and efficient. Getting Past the Fear of Asking A lot of salespeople hesitate when it comes to asking for referrals. There’s a fear of coming across as pushy or intrusive. Josh challenges that mindset and reminds us that most people are willing to help, you just have to ask. “Referrals are the most bankable form of leads you can get.” - Josh Shirley Resources If you want to connect with Josh Shirley, you can find him on LinkedIn. And if you’re looking for more insights like this, take a listen to the Sales Tales Podcast. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Donald, What Is Your GTM Motion Right Now? \| Donald C. Kelly - 1987	23 Mar 2026	00:21:35
I don’t believe in sharing sales advice unless I’m actively doing it myself. Right now, I’m building a podcasting agency, Blue Mango Studios, and putting these strategies into practice every day. I’m sharing what’s working as I go, so you can apply it to your own process. Lead with a Point of Reference One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is reaching out without context. Buyers don’t respond because there’s no reason to. Instead, find a point of reference. That could be a post they shared, a comment they made, or a recent role change. When you lead with something relevant, you immediately separate yourself from generic outreach. That small shift makes it easier to start a real conversation. Engagement Before Outreach Before sending a message, take a moment to engage. Like their content. Leave a meaningful comment. View their profile. These small actions build familiarity. When you do reach out, your name is no longer unfamiliar, which increases your chances of getting a response. Turn Conversations into Opportunities Once you have engagement, the next step is starting a conversation. That might happen through LinkedIn, email, or a call. The key is not to rush the pitch. Focus on understanding what matters to them and how your solution fits into that. Conversations lead to opportunities. Opportunities lead to appointments. Follow Up with Intention Most deals are not closed on the first interaction. It often takes multiple touchpoints to move things forward. That means consistent follow-up across multiple channels. Emails, calls, and continued engagement all play a role in staying visible and relevant. A Simple Motion That Works This approach is not complicated, but it is intentional. Break through the noise. Create engagement. Start conversations. Then follow up with purpose. That’s the motion driving results right now. And if you’re willing to apply it consistently, it can work for you too. “Break through the noise first. When you get engagement, you earn the right to start a conversation.” - Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	How to Win Big Selling in a Niche Industry \| Brian Uzcategui Brian - 1986	20 Mar 2026	00:31:48
In a niche industry, you don’t win by doing what everyone else is doing. Like David facing Goliath, you have to stand out by bringing something different to the table. My guest, Brian Uzcategui, Vice President of Sales for The Kinetic Co., is here to share how he is winning in the tissue industry and the concepts you can apply to your own work. Selling in a Niche Industry Selling in a niche industry is not easy. You only have so many competitors and only so many customers, which means every interaction matters. Your reputation travels fast, and you cannot afford to burn bridges. In industries like Brian’s, everyone knows each other. Prices are not the differentiator. Relationships are. If you are not building trust and adding value, you will not last long. Relationships Are Everything When your market is small, your network becomes your greatest asset. Brian shared that success comes from treating every customer like they matter because they do. This is a people game. You are not just selling a product. You are building long-term partnerships. One bad interaction can cost you more than just one deal. Do Not Wing It Preparation is what separates average sellers from top performers. In this industry, you may only get a few opportunities each year to meet with a customer. When you show up, you need to be ready. Know their history, understand their needs, and come in with clear value. You are not getting extra time. You have to make your time count. Bring Something New Every Time One of the most powerful concepts Brian shared is simple. Always bring something new. It could be a small training, a new idea, or a way to make your customer’s job easier. When you consistently add value, your customers look forward to seeing you. You become more than a salesperson. You become a resource. “Be the leader people want to serve. A service mindset goes a long way.” - Brian Uzcategui Resources Connect with Brian Uzcategui on LinkedIn. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	The Real Reason Your Close Rate Is So Low! \| Donald C. Kelly - 1985	16 Mar 2026	00:15:06
Many sellers ask the same question: how can I increase my close rate? Often the challenge is not the product or the prospect but hesitation at the moment when it is time to ask for the business. I’m sharing a few ideas that can help you confidently ask for the close and move deals forward faster. Stop Waiting Too Long One common mistake is waiting too long to ask for the close. Sellers may say something like “let me know what you think” instead of clearly asking if it makes sense to move forward. A more effective approach is to be direct. For example, you might ask whether the prospect prefers to start implementation next Monday or Tuesday. When you have already completed a strong discovery and demonstrated a clear solution, this type of question feels natural and keeps momentum moving forward. Make Sure the Buyer Sees the Solution Another issue occurs when the seller tries to close before the buyer fully agrees that the solution solves their problem. Even the best demo will not matter if the buyer does not clearly see how it addresses their specific challenge. Before presenting a proposal, confirm that the prospect believes the solution will solve their problem. When both sides are aligned, the closing conversation becomes much easier. Keep the Close Natural Closing should not feel like a dramatic event. When you clearly understand the problem and present a solution the buyer believes in, the next step becomes a simple and natural conversation. “When the buyer sees the problem clearly and believes in the solution, the next step becomes easy.” — Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	How To Get More Replies From Your Cold Outreach \| Donald C. Kelly - 1984	13 Mar 2026	00:17:07
Most sellers think their outreach struggles come from poor timing or weak messaging. In reality, the bigger issue is that many outreach attempts focus on surface level problems instead of the real challenge prospects are facing. A few small changes can make your outreach far more relevant and much more likely to get a response. Stop Selling the Surface Problem A common example is when sellers lead with a generic benefit like saving time or increasing revenue. Those things sound good, but almost every competitor is saying the exact same thing. The real opportunity is identifying the deeper issue that is actually causing frustration for your prospect. For example, an HR leader may not simply want a better hiring tool. Their real challenge could be finding quality candidates who truly fit their organization. When your outreach taps into that deeper problem, your message immediately becomes more relevant and harder to ignore. How to Find the Real Problem The key is doing the research before you send the message. One simple way to start is by using tools like ChatGPT to understand the common challenges your ideal customers face. You can also learn a lot by speaking with existing clients and asking what their biggest frustrations are. Often the first answer reveals the true problem that needs solving. Why This Changes Your Results When your outreach focuses on the real problem instead of a generic pitch, everything becomes more effective. Your subject lines become more intriguing. Your emails feel more relevant. And prospects are much more likely to respond because the message speaks directly to what they are dealing with right now. In the end, better outreach starts with one simple shift. Focus less on your solution and more on the real problem your prospect is trying to solve. “If the problem you’re presenting isn’t strong enough, your message will get ignored.” — Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	The Fortune Is in the Follow-Up \| Donald C. Kelly - 1983	09 Mar 2026	00:17:07
You probably thought following up on a deal would be easy, but many sellers struggle with it. I’m sharing a simple way to make the process easier and stop assuming that no response means something negative. The Data Behind Effective Follow-Up Let me share a few statistics that might change the way you think about follow-up. About 85 percent of sales require five or more follow-ups, yet 44 percent of sales reps stop after just one follow-up. On top of that, only 2 percent of sales happen during the very first contact. What does this mean for you? It means persistence matters. If you are giving up after the first attempt, you could be walking away from deals that simply needed a few more conversations. Why Many Reps Avoid Following Up Now the question becomes why do so many sellers avoid following up in the first place? In many cases it comes down to psychology. Some sellers worry about being annoying. Others fear rejection. Sometimes pride gets in the way and we think the buyer should be the one reaching back out to us. Another issue is the lack of a system. When you do not have a clear follow-up process, it becomes easy to forget to reconnect with prospects or to rely on hope instead of a plan. What Strong Follow-Up Looks Like When you do follow up, avoid sending messages that simply say “just checking in.” That approach does not add value. Instead, focus on sharing something useful. You might provide a helpful insight, remind them about the next step you discussed, or share information that supports the conversation. I also recommend planning the next follow-up before you end a meeting. When the next step is already scheduled, it becomes much easier to keep the deal moving forward. “No response isn’t a no. It’s often an invitation for professionalism.” — Donald C. Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	What To Do When Champion Will Not Include Other Key Decision Makers \| Donald C. Kelly - 1982	06 Mar 2026	00:23:43
During a deal, you might spend weeks speaking with one person only to realize the real decision makers were never involved. So how do you get your champion to bring the stakeholders into the conversation? I’m bringing back an old concept that can help prevent this situation from happening again. When Your Champion Won’t Bring Others Into the Deal During a deal, you might spend weeks speaking with one person only to realize the real decision makers were never involved. It can feel frustrating, especially when you know that IT, finance, or leadership will eventually need to approve the purchase. So how do you get your champion to include the stakeholders who actually sign off on the deal? One approach is to start thinking about the buying process earlier and making sure the right people are involved from the beginning. Start With Multithreading One of the best sales strategies is multithreading. This simply means building relationships with multiple people inside an account instead of relying on a single contact. When selling a solution, there are often several people who influence the decision. There may be an end user who will work with the product daily, a manager who oversees the team, and an executive who approves the final purchase. Mapping out these roles early can help prevent deals from stalling later. I like using LinkedIn Sales Navigator to identify these stakeholders and make it easier to start conversations with them. Identify the Influencers Not everyone involved in a deal holds a formal decision making title, and that’s something I want you to keep in mind. I’ll give you a quick example. My wife once worked closely with the executive team at a company. Whenever the CEO was considering working with a vendor, he would often ask her opinion about the people he had interacted with. If a vendor was respectful and easy to work with, she would share that. But if someone treated her poorly because they didn’t think she had any influence, that feedback made its way back to leadership as well. The lesson here is simple. Everyone inside an organization can influence a deal in some way. Have an Honest Conversation With Your Champion If your champion continues to avoid bringing others into the process, it may be time to address it directly. Try sharing your concern. Let them know that in most successful projects there are several people involved, including technical teams and leadership. Then ask if there is a reason those stakeholders have not been included yet. Often the answer is straightforward. The champion may be busy, unsure how to involve others, or simply gathering more information before expanding the conversation. “Preemptively build those relationships so you don’t get stuck relying on one person to close the deal.” - Donald Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	How to Hit Your Number Without End-of-Quarter Panic \| Donald C. Kelly - 1981	02 Mar 2026	00:23:17
At the end of every quarter, many sellers feel shaken when they look at their quotas. You’re putting in the work, yet the results still aren’t where they should be. I’m sharing a few ideas from The 12 Week Year that can help you rethink the calendar quarter and develop habits that take some of the stress out of selling. The 12 Week Year Mindset Instead of thinking about your annual quota, start treating every 12 weeks like its own year. When you see the quarter that way, your focus shifts to what needs to happen right now instead of assuming you still have plenty of time. Putting the 12 Week Year into Action First, define your outcome. Set a clear goal for the next 12 weeks. For example, you might set a target of closing $300,000 in new business during that period. Next, break that outcome into the activities that lead to it. If your average deal size is $30,000 and your close rate is about 25 percent, you would need around 40 qualified opportunities to reach that goal. That might translate to about 80 discovery calls, 400 meaningful conversations, and roughly 1,200 outreach attempts. Then create a weekly scoreboard. Track the numbers that actually move deals forward. This could include outreach attempts, conversations, meetings, pipeline created, and deals that are advancing. When you track these numbers each week, it removes the guesswork and keeps you focused on the right activities. Finally, build strong daily habits. Set non-negotiable time blocks that help you hit those activity numbers. For example, dedicate at least 90 minutes each day to pipeline creation. A good reminder here is that you do not rise to your goals. You fall to your daily structure. The Role of Sales Managers Sales managers play a big part in making this system work, but it is not about micromanaging. The focus should be on managing the activities that lead to results. That means making sure reps are consistently completing the daily and weekly tasks that drive deals forward. Tools like a team leaderboard, like the one in Prospectpro.io, can make it easy to see who is on track and who needs support. Every manager should be able to answer this question: Do your reps know exactly what they need to do each week to stay on pace? When managers keep the focus on activities and check in regularly, the system becomes real, not just a plan on paper. "Sales are not won in the last 14 days of the quarter. They are in the first 14 days." – Donald Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Your Quota Problem Is a Thinking Problem \| Benoy Tamang - 1980	27 Feb 2026	00:30:48
Negative thinking can hold you back from success. I sat down with Benoy Tamang, an entrepreneur who has started and exited seven companies, to talk about mindset. How a leader or even an individual sales rep thinks can make all the difference in results. The Underdog’s Advocate Benoy is passionate about helping startups, shaped by his own experiences with adversity, including racism his father faced in the British army. He sees startup founders as underdogs who sacrifice health, finances, and relationships to chase a dream. Now, he coaches tech CEOs with venture funding who are ready to grow. Through his work, he gets to learn, serve, and create alongside these founders. Overcoming Self-Doubt and Fear Self-doubt is a huge obstacle for sales professionals and leaders. Many people feel “less in their own mind” and carry fears like “I am not good enough” or “my future is at risk.” Benoy believes everyone is capable of creating their own future. His advice is to let go of a tight grip on control, take a loose grip, and stay in the flow. The Whole Person in Sales Leaders need to care about the whole person, not just the employee. Benoy encourages teams to get full physicals because undiagnosed health issues, whether mental or physical, can affect performance. How someone thinks about themselves follows them everywhere, including work. Modeling Vulnerability as a Leader Holding reps accountable is important, but leaders also need to provide clarity, training, clear job descriptions, compensation transparency, and the right tools. Benoy stresses modeling vulnerability, rewarding it, and sharing mistakes. This helps create a safe environment where team members feel comfortable asking for help, even in competitive settings. “Show them how to win, not just tell them how to win.” - Benoy Tamang Resources You can find more information about Benoy Tamang, his book, and his podcast, Fearless Founders Club, at techceocoach.com. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	How To Sell With Integrity In The World of AI \| Mark Hunter - 1979	23 Feb 2026	00:29:21
People crave genuine connection, and that can feel harder to create in today’s AI-driven world. But when you sell with integrity, buyers trust you more and move forward with confidence. Joining me in this episode is Mark Hunter, longtime friend, professional seller, and author, to talk about his new book Integrity First Selling and his passion for authentic, trust-based sales. Why Integrity Still Matters in Sales Yes, AI tools are handy but nothing can replace genuine human connection. Buyers want to know that you care enough about their problem to actually fix it. Mark defines integrity in sales as honoring commitments and refusing to sell what clients don’t need. He emphasizes that great selling is rooted in serving people, not just closing deals. Lessons Learned the Hard Way Mark shares stories from his early sales career, including being fired after chasing short-term wins over long-term relationships. He reflects on a deal that ultimately harmed both the client and his company’s reputation, showing the real cost of compromising integrity. His experience reinforces that quick wins are never worth lasting damage to trust. The Power of Referrals and Relationships A key theme is how integrity naturally leads to referrals and repeat business. Mark encourages sales professionals to give value, speak honestly even when it’s difficult, and recommend other options when they are not the right fit. He stresses that leaders and sellers alike must model integrity and commit to the long game. “Just speak the truth 100% of the time and you're going to sleep a lot better.” - Mark Hunter Resources Find "Integrity First Selling" on Amazon or visit thesaleshunter.com for more resources. Check out my past episode 426 with Mark to hear his advice on high profit prospecting. Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	How Can I Shorten My Sales Cycle And Close Deals Faster? \| Donald C. Kelly - 1978	20 Feb 2026	00:24:14
You’ve been working on closing a deal for the last six months, but you thought you would have closed it three months ago. Why didn’t you reach your deadline sooner? I’m going to tell you why in this episode and show you how you can shorten your sales cycles. Why Are Your Sales Cycles Longer? I’ve found there are several reasons sellers experience longer sales cycles: Fear of making mistakes Job security concerns Reliance on decision-making committees But remember, you’re a consultant. Your job is to guide buyers to understand why your product is the solution to their problems. Don’t be an order taker. Lead with confidence to help move deals forward faster. Introduce a Mutual Action Plan Early The first step I share to shorten your sales cycles is creating a mutual action plan. You go over clear expectations and timelines with the prospect to let them know what their buying journey will look like. Multi-Threading There are way more people involved in closing a deal than you think. At first you may be talking to Sally, then Billy, then Jen. Keeping up with so many stakeholders can get confusing fast. If you don’t have a clear way to track relationships, tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator can help you organize an account map and piece together your conversations across contacts. Understand Individual Stakeholder Value Yes, you’re trying to close the deal faster, but don’t rush through the sales cycle. Instead, identify what matters most to each stakeholder involved in the buying decision. Ask questions to uncover specific priorities and pain points for every committee member, not just your main prospect. De-Risk the Purchase With so much noise being thrown at buyers, they often don’t feel safe making decisions or find it difficult to move forward. Provide multiple purchasing options, bring in testimonials, and address concerns directly to help stakeholders feel more confident. “Every conversation you have with the team, bring it back to the value. Because the value is going to be different for each individual.” — Donald Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	I'm Running Out of Time & My Pipeline Is Weak \| Donald C. Kelly - 1977	16 Feb 2026	00:17:52
show notes
	How to Get Quality Referrals To Skyrocket Your Sales \| Donald C. Kelly - 1976	13 Feb 2026	00:17:11
I know referrals work. You just have to get them from the right people. In this episode, I am sharing three ways to get high quality referrals that will help you build your sales pipeline. Ask Your Happy Customers The most common way to generate referrals is by reaching out to customers who are thrilled with your service and asking for an introduction to their network. Here is the surprising part. While 90 percent of customers say they are willing to refer others, only 11 percent of salespeople actually ask. If you are not asking, you are leaving opportunities on the table. Request Referrals from Non Buyers Do not overlook the conversations that do not end in a sale. Even when someone tells you no, that does not mean the relationship is over. It is still perfectly reasonable to ask if they know someone who is dealing with the challenges your product solves. When you position it around helping others, the request feels natural and value focused. Leverage LinkedIn Connections You can also take a more proactive approach by using tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Look at your customers’ first degree connections and identify people who match your ideal client profile. Then ask for a specific introduction. This method takes more effort, but when you are intentional about who you want to meet, the results can be powerful. "Your goal is to get them to be able to be your evangelists." — Donald Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Are Sales Frameworks Ruining Real Conversations? \| Donald C. Kelly - 1975	09 Feb 2026	00:18:44
Recently, a seller sent me a voice note asking why his framework is failing him every single time. I am sure other sellers are facing this same issue, and in this episode, I am going to share how to fix it. Sales is not a black and white solution. It is filled with ambiguity. My advice will help you navigate those gray areas with more confidence. Beyond the Framework I start by challenging the idea that just following a sales framework guarantees success. Every sales scenario has unpredictable human factors, so sticking strictly to a process is not enough. You have to be ready to adapt and read the situation in real time. The Power of Reviewing the Tape One of my biggest recommendations is to listen back to your recorded calls, either on your own or with someone you trust. This gives you a more objective perspective on what is working and what is not. I also suggest using tools like ChatGPT to analyze transcripts or get external feedback. It is a great way to spot patterns you might miss. Taking and Maintaining Control Before every call, set an agenda and make sure both you and the prospect are aligned on the outcomes. If you give up that control, the prospect will take the lead and that usually leads to ambiguity or stalled deals. Staying in control does not mean being pushy. It means guiding the conversation toward results. Always Secure a Next Step Never leave a meeting without scheduling the next step. I have lost deals in the past because I did not do this, and it kills momentum fast. Make it a habit to lock in what comes next before the call ends. Courage to Ask the Tough Questions Going through the motions is not enough. Developing the art of sales means reading between the lines and asking the uncomfortable questions. That is what separates great sellers from everyone else. You have to be willing to challenge your prospects in a way that adds value and drives clarity. "There's a lot of gray areas in sales, especially when you're dealing with humans who tend to be unpredictable." - Donald Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Your Sales Team Sucks At Using AI, Here's How To Fix It \| Eve Kedar - 1974	06 Feb 2026	00:32:53
There is a specific way to use AI technology to get the results you want. To show us how to do this, Dr. Eve Kedar, a community builder, enablement strategist, and educator, joins me for this episode. Drawing on her experience supporting over 18,000 AI enthusiasts, Eve shares strategies to help sales teams use AI without amplifying the overwhelm that can come with new technology. Meet Eve Kedar Eve Kedar is a sales enablement strategist, author, and advisor with over 15 years of experience helping sales organizations move from scattered training to scalable systems that actually drive results. She’s the author of Build a Kicka$$ SalesTeam and Build a Kicka$$ Online Community, and works with SaaS and tech leaders to improve ramp time, execution, and alignment. Eve brings a practical lens to AI adoption, focusing on cognitive diversity, real workflows, and helping sales teams use AI as a thinking partner, not a replacement. Empowering Sellers Through Cognitive Diversity We begin by talking about how effective AI integration starts with recognizing the unique strengths each seller brings to the table. Eve explains that instead of forcing uniformity, leaders should support and amplify those differences with the right tools. She shares stories of helping one seller who is highly data driven and another who is a natural storyteller use AI prompts tailored to their individual styles. The goal is not to replace human skills, but to enable them. Practical Steps for AI Adoption We also break down simple, actionable steps sales leaders can take right away. For example, setting up a team chatbot such as ChatGPT that is loaded with your company’s sales processes can give both new and experienced reps targeted guidance. This helps them become more independent while also personalizing their development. Eve reminds us that leaders do not need to master every AI tool. What matters most is encouraging curiosity, exploration, and the sharing of best practices. Maintaining Humanity, Curiosity, and Creativity Another major theme in our conversation is balancing productivity with preserving the human touch. Eve suggests gamifying prompt writing, celebrating creativity, and encouraging bold curiosity so teams do not become overly reliant on automation. While entry level roles may evolve as AI takes over repetitive tasks, sellers will be expected to think more deeply and build stronger relationships than ever before. Community and Collaboration We also discuss the importance of leveraging AI communities, both internally and externally. Creating space for open dialogue and experimentation allows teams to learn from one another, spark new ideas, and reduce the overwhelm that often comes with adopting new technology. "Cognitive diversity is a great thing on a sales team. Don’t suppress it with AI tools. Use the tools to help them, you know, amplify their diversity. But leverage the results. The outcomes are still what’s important." - Eve Kedar Resources Find Eve Kedar on LinkedIn and check out her thriving AI community for more insights and resources on AI adoption in sales. Get Eve’s books on Amazon: Build a Kicka$$ SalesTeam, Build a Kicka$$ Online Community Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Prospects Are Liars! \| Donald C. Kelly - 1973	02 Feb 2026	00:18:03
Do buyers lie? The short answer is yes and I’m going to tell you why in this episode. I’m also going to tell you how to get the truth of their issues out and close the deal. Why Do Buyers Lie? Buyers don’t always lie intentionally. However, there’re three main reasons why they do: They feel uncomfortable saying “no.” They’re not interested but don’t want to hurt your feelings. They want to “think about it,” often as a way to avoid further discussion. Key Strategies for Sellers If you find them lying to you, try these strategies to get the truth out of them: Seek honest answers by asking tougher, more direct questions. Never assume a prospect’s motives, instead get to the real issue. Practice probing with family or friends to build confidence. Avoid desperation and maintain control throughout the process. Don’t wait. Address hesitations immediately rather than letting deals linger. “Why in the world do we hoard horrible deals? Is because internally we believe that there's still hope. But I'm telling you not to do that. Cut them and go to the next one. Don't be afraid of losing something.” - Donald Kelly Resources Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Is AI Killing The SDR Role? \| Kristie Jones, Dr. BJ Allen & Donald C. Kelly - 1972	30 Jan 2026	00:32:57
SDRs and BDRs are having to become more strategic and more technical to close deals. You would think that in a world of AI, their jobs would become easier or even be replaced. But buyers are more informed, and they know when a seller is not putting much effort into personalization. Joining me in this episode are two sales professors, BJ Allen and Kristie Jones, to discuss how we can better prepare sellers for these changing roles. The Evolution of Sales Roles The role of SDRs and BDRs is changing as buyers become more independent and better informed through AI and easy access to information. Sales is no longer just about cold calling and emailing. Today’s sellers need stronger critical thinking skills, deeper product and industry knowledge, and the ability to add value much earlier in the buying process. AI’s Impact on Sales Processes AI is reshaping sales, from prospect research to reviewing discovery calls. This shift is pushing teams to be more intentional about their processes and committed to continuous learning. Kristie encourages both students and sales teams to experiment with new technology, even when it does not work perfectly, because that is where growth happens. Soft Skills Take Center Stage While technical skills are becoming more important, we agree that soft skills still separate good sellers from great ones. Kristie highlights the importance of building trust, negotiating effectively, and handling objections. As more routine tasks are automated, sellers who can connect with buyers, educate them, and solve real problems in a personalized way will stand out. Advice for Educators and Leaders The focus should be less on rigid outreach sequences and more on creative problem solving, personalization, and value-driven conversations. Try to prepare your students for modern sales roles by blending technical knowledge with strong communication skills throughout your curriculum. “Everything's changing about the seller, because everything's changing about the buyer.” - Kristie Jones Resources Find Kristie Jones on LinkedIn or visit kristiekjones.com. For more sales education resources, listen to “Sales 101: The B2B Sales Classroom.” Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	InMail: The Easiest LinkedIn Sales Navigator Strategy You’re Doing Wrong (And How to Fix It) \| Donald C. Kelly - 1971	26 Jan 2026	00:13:12
Yes there’s a ton of things you can do on LinkedIn Sales Navigator. However, if you’re still struggling to use it and find prospects, you need to focus on one tool at a time. In this episode, I’m going over how to use InMail the right way to get prospects. I’m telling you, it’s one of the easiest ways to book appointments, and I have data to prove it. How to Make Responsive InMail Campaigns I did a test with my podcasting agency, BlueMangos Studios, and the data is shocking. Out of 31 recipients, I saw a response rate of 20%. All I had to do was make the subject line for my InMail campaigns catchy and curiosity-driven. Then I made the body of the message direct and personal. Do you know why this worked so well? Because I focused on prospects who actually needed my services. It worked so well that I only had to spend about half an hour of work to see results within two days. Simplicity Drives Results When it comes to InMail, less really is more. I keep my messages short, direct, and tied to something that actually matters to the prospect. Instead of leading with a long explanation about my company or offer, I ask one simple question that connects to their role or a problem they are likely dealing with. Most people are checking LinkedIn on their phones, so your message has to be quick to read and easy to respond to. A simple yes or no is often enough to get the conversation started. That simplicity is what drives higher response rates and opens the door to appointments and meaningful follow up. “All of us have one of the easiest ways to maximize LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and we're not even doing it appropriately. Instead, we're spamming people.” - Donald Kelly Resources Sign up for free and download the Sales Evangelist Tracker to monitor your sales KPIs, measure performance, and stay accountable to your daily activity. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Three Type of Content Seller Must Post On LinkedIn \| Donald C. Kelly - 1970	23 Jan 2026	00:16:30
What should you be posting on LinkedIn, and what should you avoid? In this episode, I share three LinkedIn posts sellers can use right away. Posting the right content on LinkedIn can help you book more appointments and grow your pipeline. Why You Should Be Posting on LinkedIn If you are not posting on LinkedIn, you are missing a real opportunity to stand out. Only a small percentage of users create content, which means authentic posts are far more likely to get noticed. Instead of worrying about being judged or feeling like you need to be an expert, I want you to see LinkedIn as a place to engage your niche market and start real conversations. Three Types of LinkedIn Posts That Work Mistakes and Lessons Learned: One of the easiest ways to create content is by sharing mistakes and lessons from your own experience. Talking about what went wrong and what you learned makes your posts relatable and builds trust. When you are honest and a little vulnerable, people are more likely to engage and respond. Personal Insights: You do not have to talk about sales all the time. Sharing personal insights like hobbies, challenges, or goals helps people connect with you as a person. Whether it is working on your golf game or focusing on better health, these posts humanize you and often lead to stronger conversations with prospects. Industry Trends and Data: Posting about industry trends or data gives your audience something valuable to think about. Share insights you are seeing in the field or information from reports you trust. When you consistently bring useful information to your network, you position yourself as a resource and stay top of mind with potential buyers. "Thanks to the COVID era, people want to know you on a personal level. They want to see your personality online." - Donald Kelly Resources Sign up for free and download the Sales Evangelist Tracker to monitor your sales KPIs, measure performance, and stay accountable to your daily activity. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	10 Rookies Mistake You Must Avoid In 2026 \| Donald C. Kelly - 1969	19 Jan 2026	00:23:22
We’re a month into 2026, so there’s no time for rookie mistakes. In this episode, I’m breaking down 10 common mistakes sellers make and how to avoid them. Catching these early can help you set yourself up for success for the rest of the year. 1. Not Having Enough Deals in the Pipeline One of the biggest mistakes I see is not having enough opportunities in the pipeline. I recommend carrying three to five times your quota in active deals to protect yourself when prospects go quiet or deals fall apart. When you consistently add new opportunities, your sales engine keeps moving even when the market shifts. 2. Not Using LinkedIn Effectively Too many sellers are underutilizing LinkedIn as a prospecting and research tool. I encourage upgrading to Sales Navigator, multi-threading within accounts, and posting consistently. Staying visible helps you build familiarity and turn cold outreach into warmer conversations. 3. Waiting Too Long to Involve Stakeholders Relying on a single champion is risky. Most B2B deals involve multiple decision-makers, so it’s important to identify and engage stakeholders early. LinkedIn is a great way to map the organization and start those conversations sooner. 4. Skipping Daily Prospecting Pipeline growth does not happen by accident. Prospecting needs to be a daily habit. Blocking time each day and testing different outreach windows helps create consistency and avoids feast-or-famine cycles. 5. Lack of Planning and KPI Tracking Planning your week and your day is non-negotiable. I recommend blocking time for prospecting and meetings, then tracking KPIs like calls, conversations, appointments, and closed deals. Reviewing these metrics helps you see what is working and where you need to improve. 6. Ignoring AI Tools AI is changing the way we sell. Tools for note-taking, research, and CRM updates can save time and reduce admin work. Testing AI solutions now helps you stay competitive. 7. Not Asking for the Next Appointment Every meeting should end with a clear next step. I always leave a few minutes to schedule the follow-up so momentum does not stall. 8. Missing Red Flags Hesitation around pricing or commitment should not be ignored. Address concerns early by asking direct questions before deals slow down. 9. Not Going Deep Enough on Objections Surface objections are rarely the real issue. Dig deeper to uncover what is truly holding the buyer back. 10. Selling to the Wrong Pain Point Before pitching a solution, make sure you understand the prospect’s real problem. When the pain is clear and validated, demos and proposals land much more effectively. “Don’t sell to the wrong objection or try to solve the wrong problem. Commit to going deeper, uncover the real reason behind the objection, and address that directly. That is your job, and it’s one of the most important things you do in sales.” - Donald Kelly Resources Sign up for free and download the Sales Evangelist Tracker to monitor your sales KPIs, measure performance, and stay accountable to your daily activity. Join the LinkedIn Prospecting Course to improve how you use LinkedIn and book more consistent, high-quality sales appointments. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	LinkedIn: Once You've Connected With a Prospect, Here's What You Should Do Next \| Ahmad Munawar - 1968	16 Jan 2026	00:26:29
Sales enablement is meant to make selling easier, yet many teams struggle to see real results from it. In this rerun episode, Ahmad Munawar breaks down why most sales enablement efforts fall short and what leaders must do to turn enablement into a true revenue driver. We explore alignment, execution, and how enablement should support sellers in real conversations, not just live in documents and dashboards. Why Sales Enablement Misses the Mark (00:02:12 – 00:03:45) Ahmad explains that sales enablement often becomes content-heavy but action-light. Teams create playbooks, tools, and training without tying them directly to how sellers actually sell. Enablement fails when it is disconnected from daily selling behavior. The Gap Between Strategy and Execution (00:03:45 – 00:05:30) Many organizations design enablement strategies in isolation. Ahmad highlights how lack of alignment between leadership, marketing, and sales creates confusion and inconsistent execution in the field. Alignment is what turns strategy into results. What Sellers Actually Need From Enablement (00:05:30 – 00:07:15) Enablement should help sellers: Start better conversations Handle objections confidently Move deals forward faster Ahmad emphasizes that practical guidance always beats theoretical frameworks. Why Content Alone Does Not Change Behavior (00:07:15 – 00:08:55) Simply giving sellers more content does not improve performance. Ahmad explains that enablement must reinforce skills through repetition, coaching, and real-world application. Behavior change requires reinforcement, not information overload. Measuring Enablement Impact the Right Way (00:08:55 – 00:10:35) Instead of tracking content usage alone, Ahmad encourages teams to measure: Conversation quality Deal progression Rep confidence and consistency Enablement success should be visible in pipeline movement and close rates. How Leaders Can Support Enablement Adoption (00:10:35 – 00:12:20) Leadership buy-in is critical. Ahmad shares how managers play a key role by reinforcing enablement in one-on-ones, pipeline reviews, and coaching sessions. What leaders reinforce is what sellers adopt. Key Lesson: Enablement Must Serve the Seller, Not the System (00:12:20 – 00:14:05) Sales enablement works when it is built around how buyers buy and how sellers sell. When enablement supports real conversations and real challenges, revenue follows. “If enablement does not help a seller win the next conversation, it is not doing its job.” – Ahmad Munawar Resources Learn more about modern sales enablement and revenue alignment at: thesalesevangelist.com Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Here is how I closed a 6-figure deal with humor \| Kevin Hubschmann - 1967	12 Jan 2026	00:40:43
Sometimes all you need is the right personality to close a deal. When you hold back, play it safe, or fail to fully show up, prospects notice and engagement suffers. In this episode, my guest Kevin Hubschmann shares why suppressing your personality can cost you in the long run and how using comedian techniques can help you close a six-figure deal. Blending Humor and Professionalism in Sales · Kevin shares how he balanced his life as a standup comic and improv performer with his full-time sales role. · Like many reps, he struggled to merge his personality with his professional image. Once he stopped separating the two, he began building stronger connections and seeing better outcomes. The Six-Figure Meme · Kevin walks through the real story behind a six-figure deal that started with personality. · After sending nine standard, scripted emails with no response, he tried something different. · His tenth message included a relatable meme, and it finally got a reply. That moment highlights why being yourself and taking smart risks can cut through the noise. · Humor and authenticity help humanize sales and open conversations that traditional outreach often misses. Improv, Listening, and Leadership Support · We talk about how humor in sales is not about telling jokes. It is about listening, reading the room, and responding with empathy. · Kevin shares improv-based techniques like “yes, and,” listening exercises, and reframing ideas to create more engaging conversations and build trust with prospects. · We also discuss the role leadership plays in this process. Sales teams perform better when managers create a culture where reps feel safe showing their personality, trying new approaches, and learning from mistakes. Key Takeaway · Sales is about real human connection. When you combine your personality with professionalism, focus on active listening, and allow room for creativity, better conversations follow. Those conversations lead to stronger relationships and long-term success. “Be yourself, because yourself is what's going to get you loose. It's going to create new ideas. You're going to take more risks..." - Kevin Hubschmann Resources Do you want to learn more about Kevin’s laughing and development classes? Check out laugh.events and join his newsletter Laugh Rx Laugh Events. Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers 1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	8 Sales Predictions for 2026 \| Donald C. Kelly - 1966	09 Jan 2026	00:19:53
Most deals do not fall apart because prospects say no. They stall because momentum quietly disappears. In this episode, Donald C. Kelly breaks down why sales conversations often lose traction after a strong first call and what sellers must do to keep prospects engaged, aligned, and moving forward. We explore how clarity, commitment, and intentional follow-up prevent ghosting and stalled pipelines. Why Deals Lose Momentum After a Good First Call (00:02:18 – 00:03:45) Donald explains that many salespeople mistake a positive conversation for real commitment. Without clear next steps and buyer ownership, interest fades and urgency drops. Good conversations alone do not close deals. Structured momentum does. The Hidden Cost of Vague Next Steps (00:03:45 – 00:05:25) When follow-ups sound like “I’ll check back in,” prospects disengage. Donald highlights how ambiguity creates uncertainty and gives buyers permission to deprioritize the deal. Clarity builds confidence. Vagueness creates delay. How to Lock in Commitment During the Call (00:05:25 – 00:07:10) Donald shares how to confirm alignment before ending the conversation by summarizing: The problem The desired outcome The agreed-upon next step When prospects verbally agree, follow-through increases. Why Follow-Ups Fail (and How to Fix Them) (00:07:10 – 00:08:55) Most follow-ups fail because they add no value. Donald explains how each touchpoint should reinforce relevance, urgency, or insight instead of simply asking for time. Follow-ups should advance decisions, not chase them. Creating Mutual Accountability With Prospects (00:08:55 – 00:10:40) Deals move faster when both sides share responsibility. Donald discusses how setting expectations, timelines, and roles turns the process into a partnership rather than a pursuit. Mutual accountability reduces ghosting. How to Handle Prospects Who Go Silent (00:10:40 – 00:12:25) Instead of repeated check-ins, Donald recommends reframing silence as feedback. He shares how to re-engage prospects with clarity, honesty, and permission-based messaging. Desperation pushes buyers away. Confidence brings them back. Key Lesson: Momentum Is Created, Not Hoped For (00:12:25 – 00:14:05) Sales success is not about luck or persistence. It is about intentional process. When sellers guide prospects with structure and clarity, deals move forward naturally. “If there’s no clear next step, the deal is already slipping away.” – Donald C. Kelly Resources Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn and check out scribe.com. Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	3 Ways to Train and Ramp Your Team in Half the Time \| Jennifer Smith - 1965	05 Jan 2026	00:33:11
You can always expect challenges to arise when training a sales team, and when they do, things can go south quickly. Some reps simply don’t ramp as fast as others. How can you ramp your team in half the time? Let’s revisit episode 1610 with Jennifer Smith, co-founder and CEO of Scribe, to find out. Scale Yourself Scaling yourself is about identifying the core things you are good at and spending as much time on them as possible. Take the other tasks that fill your time and reduce them, automate them, or delegate them. Jennifer challenges you to track how many interruptions you have and how much time you spend on various tasks during an average day. Those minutes add up. Get People The Things They Need Get the right information to the right people at the right time so they can use their time effectively. Scale Your Best Rep Have your best reps, the people who have been there the longest and know what they are doing, record how they do what they do. Share this information with the rest of your reps so that they can learn from the information and knowledge that makes your best rep really good. If all the reps are able to share with each other what is working, everyone will learn together to create a rapid learning machine. “If you’re doing anything that doesn’t involve talking to a customer, ask yourself: could I scale this?” — Jennifer Smith Resources Connect with Jennifer on LinkedIn and check out scribe.com. Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	Sell Without Selling Out \| Andy Paul - 1964	02 Jan 2026	00:53:41
Relying on outdated selling methods will have buyers viewing you like a sleazy car salesperson. Today, how you sell matters more than ever. I’m revisiting episode 1533 with Andy Paul to remind you why having a human approach to selling matters. He shares how you can sell effectively without selling out. Great Selling Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All The push toward sales conformity is really for management, not the seller, because management wants predictability. However, the real world is more complicated. You learn, take those lessons, and apply them to life. You become the sum of your experience and knowledge. We all end up doing things differently, even if those approaches lead to the same result. Despite all the tools and technological advancements that benefit us, we aren’t getting better at selling. We have ready access to a world of information, creating a better and more efficient buying experience. However, our win rates are dropping. Where Seller Education Goes Wrong When asked, “What’s your job?” the answer often comes back, “To persuade someone to buy my product.” In reality, your job is to listen to the prospective buyer’s challenges and help them find resources to overcome those problems. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. The Catalyst by Jonah Berger explains that human beings resist being persuaded. Instead of persuasion, think about it from an influential perspective. Persuasion is coercive, while influence affects others without force. It’s a change in mindset. Four Pillars of Changing Sales Connection: Some people conflate a relationship with friendship. While you don’t need to be friends with buyers, you do make connections in every interaction you have. Curiosity: We understand the world through curiosity and asking questions. The commonly accepted sales process allows very little time for discovery, but in reality, discovery should happen in every conversation with a prospect or buyer. Understanding: Your job is to listen to the buyer. What’s the context? A salesperson’s effort to understand the buyer is an ongoing process that should never stop. Fully understanding the buyer allows you to determine how you can help them overcome challenges. Generosity: Humans are wired to give and collectively support one another. Generosity triggers reciprocity, and its purpose is to achieve what is essential for both parties. “Value exists only in the eyes of the buyer. Every interaction you have with a buyer should bring them closer to making a decision.” - Andy Paul. Resources Visit Andy’s website to learn more about him and order a copy of his book. You can also learn more about him on LinkedIn. Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.
	7 Steps to Making 7 Figures in Enterprise SaaS Sales \| Brandon Fluharty - 1963	29 Dec 2025	00:28:46
Is it still possible to reach seven figures in SaaS sales? You got into sales to build a comfortable life and enjoy a little extra. But after how last year turned out, that goal may feel far-fetched. To help you reset and refocus, I’m revisiting episode 1528 with Brandon Fluharty, sales coach and founder of Be Focused. Brandon breaks down his seven steps to start making seven figures in SaaS sales, starting with one critical shift in mindset. 1. Get In The Right Environment · Find your Goldilocks situation concerning your ideal workplace, whatever that may be. · What kind of internal infrastructure do you need to start making seven figures in SaaS? 2. Build A Transformation Mindset · Seven-figure earners sell a transformation that doesn’t just solve an issue; it prevents the problem from happening again. · In SaaS, you want to be the player touching multiple parts of the business. That requires a transformational mindset and is a key principle of Brandon’s framework. 3. Be Strategic About Your Target Account List · Sell to clients that give you purpose. Identify the reasons you prefer your ideal client and search for more that fit those criteria. · Doing so keeps you motivated during the dishearteningly long sales cycles common with enterprise companies. 4. Create A Standard No One Else Delivers · The Diamond Standard: picture a coal field in your competitive landscape and be the diamond for your clients. · It’s easier to perform to this standard when working with clients you’re genuinely interested in and passionate about. 5. Break Through Personal Limitations · The higher you climb, the more imposter syndrome you’ll feel. For example, Brandon initially thought his introversion limited his success. · As he advanced, he realized he could listen more than he talked and that perceived weakness became a strength. · Write down the traits you feel hold you back. Then ask yourself how you can repurpose them into strengths. 6. Rally Others Inside Your Organization · Nothing great is achieved alone. When you’re working toward seven- and eight-figure deals, you’ll need help. · Be a generalist with your skill set, but a specialist to start making seven figures in SaaS. 7. Develop A Personal Operating System · Move away from hustle culture and work smarter. · Balance Brandon’s Discipline, Flexibility, and Curiosity (DRC) and Plan, Rest, Effort, Performance (PREP) live life instead of hustling around the clock. (It’s a more humanistic approach.) “Be like a scientist and look back at your workday with curiosity.” — Brandon Fluharty. Resources Follow Brandon Fluharty on LinkedIn and subscribe to his bi-weekly newsletter for more content, information, and insights on tech sales. Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies. Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers 1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot. With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales. 2. This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn. Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse. 3. This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation. Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin. Credits As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey . We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

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