Jody Johnson’s Post

Really good post I pulled off Reddit from a sales person, but much to be mindful of here: There are no shortcuts. To get to a role where "it's not work if you enjoy what you do" requires you to work the jobs you don't like to do to get there. Corporate America has no loyalty. You might have a good relationship with some people in the organization but when dollars and cents get involved you're just another FTE or number. Complacency is your enemy. People do business with people they like. All the sales books you read are good when you're starting out but once you're working with millions of dollars on the negotiating table, its you they're buying from. Office politics is crucial to your success. It can help you get more leads, process your orders faster, get you promotions and make you a lot more money or give you more flexibility with your time. Be nice to everyone if even they can't do anything for you. Take notes. Lots and lots of notes. When the sales cycles get long on large contracts, people come and go on both sides of the table. It helps to have important details documented. Disqualify opportunities quickly. You learn not to waste time on a wild goose chase so be comfortable in saying no to a possible engagement early on and people will respect you for it. Never take your foot off the pedal. If you close a big deal, take a day to celebrate but then keep pressing. Momentum is everything in sales. It also helps prevent your pay from going up and down each month. Use technology to your advantage. Automate things that you can, use your calendar to track your time, put notes in your CRM. Find out how to use filters and think of creative ways to find opportunities that are low hanging fruit. Become a good story teller. Remember that you’re helping someone find a solution to a problem. Share stories of how you’ve helped other customers and don’t spend too much time being technical unless it’s a technical conversation. It’s ok to cross into the grey area. Sometimes you need to push your organization to make exceptions to win a deal. Take time off. Nothing bothers me more when someone tells me they’re such a great employee because they only took 2 days off this year. Taking time off, traveling, spending time with loved ones gives you the fuel you need to stay motivated. Follow through on commitments. If you’re running behind on getting something back to a client (internal or external), email or call them and let them know there’s a delay but you haven’t forgotten about them. This goes a long way in building credibility. Don’t burn bridges. I actually wound up back in tech sales because a former employee of mine wound up becoming a recruiter and found that opportunity for me. We were never best friends and she was always a pain in my ass but we respected each other at work. You will run into people over and over again. Be humble.

If you’re struggling with making the sales you really want in your business - You’re not alone. 🧠 You’ve done the mindset work 📈You’ve got the strategy in place And yet you still can’t seem to reach that level of sales success you really want. You’re starting to feel like nothing will work … I thought for years that something was wrong with me - I’d done so much work around selling and the strategy of sales and even looked into all the personality types so that I could connect better with people . But still I never seemed to go above a certain level- Until I discovered that I was sabotaging my own sales through the power of my subconscious mind. My subconscious mind continually created ways of keeping me small as it thought that was a way to keep me safe… Continually left me procrastinating, doubting, and feeling overwhelmed, anxious and stressed Although these feelings weren’t good feelings My subconscious mind recognised them. And so it felt safer for me to stay the same rather than make the change- because it didn’t know how that change would feel, it kept playing out the same patterns. BUT as soon as I realised I needed to make a change at a deeper level- not just consciously I started to work on myself via my subconscious mind and that made all the difference to how sales showed up in my life. And how my business grew! And that’s why I have created “Sky Rocket Your Sales Success- without the sabotage” So that you can uncover the negative beliefs, blocks and barriers that are keeping you “safe”, underachieving and under earning Allowing you to release your sales sabotage so that you easily create more impact and income within your business. The next round starts January 15th for 8 weeks. £299 with 3 month payment plan available. (price increases to £499 December 22nd) Join now and save £200 PLUS when you join now you’ll be added to the Facebook community to build those connections and receive 30 days extra support pre program taking you seamlessly through the Christmas break. Pop me a message to see how this could help you bring more sales success to your business.

If you're in SaaS sales, you might not recognize this women to the left. Her name is Erica Feidner She's known as the Piano Matchmaker And every serious salesperson should study her. Inc. called her one of the top 10 salespeople of all time. She was Steinway & Sons's top salesperson for a decade and plays a different game than anyone else. Here are 5 lessons she says has helped her sell over $40M in pianos: 1. REDEFINE YOUR ROLE: Erica refers to herself as a "piano matchmaker" rather than a salesperson. Her: "My passion in life is to pair people to pianos in a way that reflects their lifestyle and their personality." That means YOUR solution may not be the right fit for your prospect (and that's okay) It took me years to realize not every interested prospect is a fit. Instead of being a salesperson, be a [solution] matchmaker. 2. PRIORITIZE CLIENT EXPERIENCE OVER THE SALE: The best salespeople know that buyers don't want to be sold, they want to be helped. They know that if a prospect feels good with you early on, you're closer to making a deal. Erica: "What I try to bring to the floor is a wonderful experience for clients and finding exactly the right piano that is in line with their needs and financial comfort zone." If your prospect's highest priority is price, consider showing them a range of your rates first. Every sales call should be customized. 3. DON'T RUSH TO MAKE THE SALE: If the perfect piano isn't available, Erica tells clients to wait until she finds the right one, even at the risk of them purchasing elsewhere. Her: "If I feel that the piano isn't perfect, I'll tell them to go home and I'll call them when I find the right one." But, this is exactly how she builds trust and credibility. I closed a Series D company last year to do onsite sales training for their AEs. I told the head of sales I'd rather we slow down just to make sure I'm the right fit. We spent an extra 2 days doing more due diligence. I earned his trust and closed the deal. 4. READ THE ROOM: Use conversational cues and body language to understand what the client's sentiment is. Erica: "I listen to the tone of their voice, the speed of their voice, eye contact or not." This is why turning on webcam first on Zooms is table stakes. Example: If your prospect raises their eyebrows in surprise during your sales demo, that's an indicator that they're impressed. "Sam, seems like this is striking a chord with you?" 5. ADAPT BY PERSONA: Customize your communication style to fit the client's background and preferences. Erica: "For instance, engineers might need detailed technical information, while musicians might prioritize sound quality. Once I figured that out, I can speak in a language that they understand best." For example: In my experience, meet with your prospect before a demo to understand who's showing up and what they care about. I used to make the mistake of winging it and showing up half prepared. Half prepared = not prepared.

Founder-Led Sales Work Great—Until They Don’t When we first get started, most of us don't have much choice but to sell. And surprisingly, many of us are quite good at it! Being founders often means we are multitalented. But don't let this stoke your ego too much. We tend to be smart, know our industries, are typically charismatic, and most importantly, we make it work! So, when it comes to our sales demos, we bring everything, including the kitchen sink, but most importantly, we make it work. The challenge arises when you look to scale; surprise, surprise, others are not us and can’t sell like us. So what happens? You hire a salesperson and "train" them on our process, but again, they are not us and can’t sell like us. If you are lucky, you hire an entrepreneurial salesperson who, like you, can make it work. But this is a flip of the coin. If you're fortunate, your sales rep will figure it out quickly, but the truth is that most don't. Not because they are bad at sales, but because it's as heavy a lift for them as it was for you in the beginning. This is a dangerous transition that no one tells you about and is a significant reason why 40% of B2B businesses fail by the end of their third year. I have been lucky enough to be part of five of these transitions over the past 15 years and have seen this first-hand. I have been the initial Sales Leader for five successful startups over nearly two decades. In most cases, I was given almost no direction, training, or even a clear understanding of what we actually sell and how to sell it. And let me tell you, it sucks! Luckily for me, I learned to quickly navigate through the founder sales black box and come out victorious on the other side. I will say, though, it didn’t come without some hard lessons that are now part of my sales methodology. —— Hi, I’m Noé, and I help founders transition away from Founder-Led Sales and establish their first sales hires. If you have any questions about transitioning from Founder-Led Sales, please DM me to start a conversation about how this could look for your business.

🚀 Excited Sales Launch! 🚀 💥 Hey LinkedIn fam, grab your seatbelts because we're about to take off on the sales rocket ship! 💥 🌟 Sales, the adrenaline-fueled heartbeat of any business - it's the art of persuasion, the dance of negotiation, and the ultimate thrill of sealing the deal. As a profession, it's the perfect blend of strategy, charisma, and grit that separates the winners from the pack. So, let's dive right into the fascinating world of sales, shall we? 🌟 😁 Witty Observations: 🔹 Some say salespeople have the gift of gab, but let's be honest, it's more like the gift of 'blabber-magnetic'! We have a rare ability to talk your ear off about products and services you never knew you needed, but suddenly can't imagine living without. 🔹 Sales may be the only job where you can go from 'no' to 'yes' faster than a toddler in a candy store. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, with adrenaline-filled highs and mind-numbing lows, but boy, do we love it. 🔹 In sales, getting a 'no' is just a 'not yet'. It's not a rejection, it's a challenge. It's an opportunity to learn, adapt, and come back stronger. Remember, every 'no' is just one step closer to a big, resounding 'YES!' 😄 Funny Anecdotes: 🔹 Sales can sometimes feel like a comedy show, where you're the lead performer. You've got the pitch, the product, and the PowerPoint ready to go, but the moment you start talking, technology decides to play hide-and-seek, leaving you scrambling for a plot twist. Ah, good times! 🔹 Sales meetings are like a potluck dinner - you never know what you're going to get. From the confident over-sharer who could sell a toothpick to a lumberjack, to the silent observer who looks like they're more interested in the office plant than your cutting-edge solution. But hey, variety is the spice of life, right? 🔹 Sales can teach you more about rejection than any reality show ever could. Remember, when you hear 'no', it's not personal, it's not even about you. It's like asking someone if they want ice cream, and they say no because they just brushed their teeth. Timing is everything, my friends! 🔥 Closing Thoughts: 🌟 Sales isn't just about making a profit; it's about building trust, solving problems, and creating lasting relationships. We're the matchmakers who connect customers with the perfect solutions and help businesses thrive. So, let's embrace the challenges, celebrate the wins, and never stop pushing for greatness! 💪 Share your sales stories, tips, and tricks in the comments below because this is your space to shine. Remember, in the world of sales, we rise together! 👊✨ #SalesLife #SalesHustle #ThePowerOfPersuasion

Hello Sales Rockstars - As you get closer to finishing this week and the financial year, here are a few thoughts about how to succeed in sales. 1) Balance results and relationships. Focusing solely on results (selling) will often lead to pressure and other unproductive behaviors of blaming others, your fate, or circumstances. To succeed in sales, focus on balancing results and relationships. 2) Accept that rejections are a huge part of the process and maintain a positive mindset. When you face rejections, it is easy to complain and withdraw from sales activities. Don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call because your day started with a rejection call. Don't let that happen. Maintain a positive mindset and focus on progressing each day. 3) Make the customer feel they are buying and are in control. They must never feel that you are selling them something. No one, including you, wants someone to sell you something. You want them to feel that they are making the choice and they are in control. Act as a trusted advisor and help them make the decision and let them feel important. When you do, you will see your sales skyrocket. 4) Focus on making progress in the sales cycle. When you think that you have to sell in the first meeting/ first phone call, you take pressure and it translates into your energy. Remember, your energy speaks more than your pitch. When your focus is to make progress, your energy is entirely different. Progress into the next steps always. A call progresses into a meeting, a meeting progresses into understanding the customer's needs and proposal, and the rest of the steps. 5) Simplify. Sales is simple. It's not easy but it's simple. You don't want to make it complex. All you need is the right mindset, right mechanics, and right motivation and you will win in sales. If any one of these 3 is missing, you will face challenges. Work on all these and you will be unstoppable. If you like what you read, do follow for more and share this with others too. Follow Simpli5sales.com where we help you hire, train and grow your sales talent. #sales #selling #mindset

Do you know this man? This is Mark Kosoglow AKA Professor Kosoglow. AKA "Sales Dad" You might know him as the guy who went from 1st sales hire at Outreach to VP Sales that led them to $250M+ ARR. Or the guy who was CRO at Catalyst and helped lead them to an acquisition. Or maybe you see him create some of the best and most tactical sales content on the internet. Well, here's a quick story about Mark that he told on stage at event I co-hosted this year. When he took the job at Outreach as their first sales hire, he had already been "in the game" for a while. He had a 15+ year successful sales career in other industries - and a ton of wild stories to back it up. He had a house, a family, kids to take care of. And his first role at Outreach... 100% commission. Say WHAT?! They were so early stage and Mark believed in himself (and the product) enough to go ALL IN. I know salespeople that wouldn't sneeze at an OTE below $200k after a couple years of success. And guess what: it paid off. He worked his ass off, built the company into an empire and became a SaaS sales legend. This is why I love Mark. He's all in. He's high energy. He has incredible self belief. And he builds the SKILLS he needs to be a massive success in anything he does. And being around him makes me think I can do anything. And that self-belief is contagious. It affects everything I do. It makes me more energetic. More confident. Have a bigger vision. The whole "you are who you surround yourself" thing is really true - at least for me. Think you could learn something from him?   Here's the deal... After some hee'ing and hawing and an epic arm wrestle battle that took 53 minutes, I FINALLY got Mark to agree to come teach at our TA Sales 7 Figure Prospecting Bootcamp. Yes. Professor Kosoglow will be there. He'll be doing a 60-minute private session to help you with all of your pipeline building questions. He usually either charges thousands and thousands of dollars for a consulting gig - or is truly just too busy to do sessions like these for reps. So... here's your chance. We kick off our next cohort in 11 days. Once we kick off, the doors are closed. And honestly, I'm not sure I'll win my next arm wrestling match with Mark so I can't promise he'll be back again with us... You can learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g3RvpJpK

“I’m not good in sales.” “I’m not a sales person for sure.” “I’m not commercial.” Why we keep ourselves in the hamster wheel. Why we make a ton more money for our employers and get peanuts for ourselves. Why we bite our tongue even we have seen the writing on the wall… This job is simply not cutting it. Many people don’t realize the one thing about achieving financial freedom. 1. You either leverage something or you exploit something. “I don’t get it. What do you mean?” You start with a small product or a service. Then you build spinoffs, collaborations, flywheels and ecosystems off of it. You end up with multiple income streams. You are on your way to financial freedom. Or you see an untapped opportunity that nobody sees. You focus and create an irresistible exchange with the market. You end up building a solid relationship with a captive audience. That is long-term recurring revenue. You are on your way to financial freedom. Whether you leverage or exploit, you need to know how to sell. 2. If you hate selling, go broaden your role models (or muses) in sales. Taylor Swift. Oprah Winfrey. Reese Witherspoon. Kylie Kardashian. These are my muses. They command wealth ALL ALONG the way. There are no one-trick ponies. One event, one photo op, one song, one interview leads to another opportunity. Things snowball. Followers, fame, and income streams grow. To sell, you have to believe. Whether it’s your talent, your capability, your mission, your philosophy, your faith, or your worldview. What’s ONE talent or capability of yours that you believe in today? 3. “So I have one talent I believe in. Now what?” Go dance. "Say what?!!!" This is what I gleaned from the very wise and very funny Jan van Setten in his “Leadership in Commercial and Marketing” talk yesterday. When in the most awkward conversations, ask questions. Asking questions is like dancing. Inviting your skeptical potential client to move from their amygdala to their frontal cortex. Inviting them to disarm judgement and biases. Instead? Moving them into thought, contemplation, and into a CONVERSATION. How cool is that?!!! Today, you can pick one talent or capability of yours that you believe in. And go ask questions. Dance with others to see how you can leverage or exploit it. And start owning your own financial freedom. P.S. A BIG shoutout to Station88HOI for the brilliant event held at the Koning Willem II Stadion soccer stadium yesterday. Excellent job guys!!! #sales #careerchange #solopreneurship #betonmyselfseries #day27

#Trendpost I decided to join the 'Of Course' trend. Let's go "I work in sales; of course, when I cold-call you and you ask if I'm trying to sell you something, I'd not openly admit that. But ideally, whether offering a solution or not, I'm selling something to you.". "I work in sales; of course, a few minutes into a meeting and my prospect is yet to join; after following up, I feel a burst of emotions and a little anxiety." "I work in sales; of course, I am going to act like there's no problem if you ask me to reschedule at a later time, especially when we have a few days left until the end of the month and the quota isn't 100 yet.". "I work in sales; of course, I've learned patience and tolerance with people; lots of objections, NOs, and consistent follow-ups with prospects will teach you this.". "I work in sales; of course, most people don't like salespeople; I just feel they don't like the guts, but we still have to do what we have to do.". "I work in sales; of course, I get lots of NOs daily, but each one comes with a subtle hurt, even though it's an everyday occurrence. We just find the courage to shrug it off and move on.". "I work in sales; of course, it is not so easy to separate your emotions from your work. Imagine you lose that big deal; your mood is likely to be messed up throughout the week.". "I work in sales; of course, I've learned to reduce my expectations. Prospects saying they're interested doesn't mean they will not ghost on you (I've been here a couple of times 😂)". "I work in sales, and I still don't have the perfect answer for prospects who ask me how I got their mobile numbers. They're not interested in whatever you're offering but just want to know how you got their mobile numbers." Anyone who's been through this kind of solution, what's your best response? What's your "I work in sales" experience?