Force Management

You may have had to sell virtually before the pandemic, but now it’s perhaps the only way you can connect with a prospect. Now more than ever, you want to make sure you’re bringing your “A” game, accounting for the challenges remote selling brings (does video fatigue ring a bell?). Marty Mercer, Force Management Facilitator, joins us for the first time to share insights and tips for differentiating yourself from the competition in the remote environment.- How to adjust your own preparation cadence to ensure better success in the remote environment- Why people check out or leave virtual conversations early and how to avoid this challenge- How to immediately grab the attention of your virtual audience and manage the conversation in a positive and memorable wayCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.Here are some additional resources on virtual selling tips & tricksVirtual Selling is Here to Stay: Maximize Your ResultsJoining Remotely: 7 Tips

As part 2 to last week’s episode “Leveraging the technical mind”... we’re covering how to conduct demos in a way that is value-based and improves your ability to win.    All too often, companies push for a demo too early and this can take away from key value-based conversations and discovery that leads to higher margins at close.    John Kaplan joins us to explain why timing is everything. He shares the process their sales teams used at PTC to execute great discovery and ensure they had the right people in the room before moving forward with a demo. Tune in to hear how this process helped them improve their win rates dramatically.   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on demos:   Leveraging the Technical Mind [Podcast]  https://apple.co/3gPafnG Playing Back Your Sales Discovery Sessions [Podcast] https://apple.co/2E4HFQD Executing Great Discovery [Podcast] https://apple.co/2TC1kv5

Being able to align the technical capabilities of a solution with the business outcomes that solution can provide is a key attribute of elite sellers. Conversations around technical requirements and decision criteria can either propel a deal forward or cause big problems that are difficult to overcome.   John Kaplan covers the ways elite sellers leverage the technical mind. He’ll share:   - Where the technical and business worlds intersect   - How elite sellers leverage the technical mind to progress their deals at high values   - What needs to be in place for salespeople to connect features and functions to real business problems and solutions   - How Segment shifted their mindset   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on technical buyers   - Segment’s Webinar on Aligning Product With Sales https://bit.ly/2JAs0el - Maximize the Effectiveness of Proof Points [Podcast] https://apple.co/3iEMrTa

Frank Azzolino, Force Management Senior Partner, has sold for years. He’s been there - done that. He also is a great teacher.   He makes his first appearance on the show and talks about how he ensures he has an elite selling motion. His tips will help you make an immediate impact on your critical deals (in all stages of the sales process).   He covers it all, making this a must-listen episode for any salesperson or manager out there. Plus, he shares his favorite discovery question, and the one question he wishes he knew 30 years ago.    Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on building sales skills   - How to Test Your Champions [Podcast] https://apple.co/2BJNul4 - Remember These Phrases. Sell More Deals [Podcast] https://apple.co/33vC8vG - Improve Your Active Listening Skills Podcast [Podcast] https://apple.co/2Vi98D4

Are you considering a new opportunity? Do you feel good about the company you’re working for? Are you working for a company that’s set up for growth or are you on a sinking ship?   John Kaplan goes through key things to look for in your company that will determine the likelihood it will be successful.   Are there things in place that indicate future success (for you and the company), or an unavoidable iceberg ahead (aka. don’t hop on that ship…)   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on assessing company growth   - From Good to Great Webinar: critical factors of successful sales organizations https://bit.ly/3lXaU8E - What Every Elite Sales Organization Does https://bit.ly/3kYoRld - Is Your Company Staged for Growth? https://bit.ly/2UTZ03o

How well do you prepare to listen?   We know how important asking great questions is to uncovering business pain. However, having great questions will only get you so far, if you don’t know how to listen to the answers.    Patrick McLoughlin talks through the concept of active listening and the fundamentals elite sellers execute flawlessly. Skills like:   - How to prepare for the answers you’ll get from customers in a way that enables you to dig deeper or pivot decisively   - What you need to listen for if you want to map what you hear (negative consequences, before scenarios) to your solutions effectively   - How to follow up what you’ve uncovered to get your customer to feel heard & understood   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on Active Listening   Playing Back Your Sales Discovery Sessions [Podcast] https://apple.co/2E4HFQD Approaching Your Sales Conversations with Empathy [Podcast] https

We often find ourselves explaining how our sales messaging initiatives intersect with our sales qualification initiatives. When wondering what should come first, sales leaders often have to critically analyze their organization’s sales challenges and prioritize next steps accordingly. Easier said than done ...   Brian Walsh covers how you can assess gaps in your sales messaging and qualification processes to chart an efficient path to scalable, revenue growth. He covers:   - Key questions to consider when prioritizing the best initiative to drive sales impact   - An analysis of the PBOs and benefits from each initiative as they relate to top sales effectiveness concerns (forecasting, margins, etc.)   - How sales messaging and qualification initiatives work together to power predictable revenue growth   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on Sales Messaging & Qualification :    - How MEDDICC Helps

We say these phrases so often, we decided to make a whole podcast about them. Today, we explore what they really mean and why we encourage every salesperson to remember them. Put them on your mirror, write them down in your journal, Instagram them… we recite them over and over. Take a listen and use them to motivate you to sell more.   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources related to John’s top 4 phrases  :  Be Uncommon [Podcast] https://apple.co/3bX7IWo Why Your Deals Are Taking So Long [Podcast] https://apple.co/31V8z6c Executing Great Discovery [Podcast] https://apple.co/2TC1kv5

When it comes to launching strategic change initiatives, big or small, how can you ensure that they not only stick but don't become yet another compliance exercise?   In this podcast, Brian Walsh talks through how sales leaders and managers can make sure their strategic initiatives provide value for their sales organization, including:   - Key ways to get sales teams to put strategic changes to work in a way that drives repeatable execution and results   - How to articulate the value behind the specific business change to breed action from sales teams   - The three mindsets you’ll face from your salespeople when pushing for result-driven adoption   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on Compliance Exercises:    - How MEDDICC Helps Drive Predictable Revenue | Webinar https://bit.ly/2HjEcyJ - Don’t Let Your Sales Initiative Fail: Lead from the Front https://bit.ly/3m79oAo - How to Convert Skeptics at

If your pipeline deals are at risk because your buyers choose to “do nothing” rather than move forward, this is the podcast episode for you.    “Do Nothing” is often a key competitor as we maneuver through the sales process and there are key things salespeople can do to win against this option.   In this episode, John Kaplan breaks down three fundamentals elite salespeople use to sell and win against a “do nothing” buyer mindset.   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on selling against “do nothing”:    Predicting No Decisions | On-Demand Webinar https://bit.ly/2D0dxFa Five Things That Will Help You Uncover New Business Opportunities https://bit.ly/2IzNZBq What to Do When “Do Nothing” is Your Chief Competition in a Sales Opportunity https://bit.ly/355oShg

How do you work with procurement to ensure you close a great deal? How can you make that conversation easier on yourself and the professional buyers you’re working with?   Tim Caito, Force Management Senior Partner and resident negotiation expert, joins us to chat through what your sales teams can do to win more when they’re up against professional buyers. He’ll cover:   - How to help procurement minimize the risk of choosing your solutions   - How getting to procurement early can help differentiate your solutions and improve your ability to win   - The common mistakes and misconceptions reps have about procurement, and how to circumvent them   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on the Finding Success with Procurement:    - Five Essential Questions That Drive Success with Professional Buyers https://bit.ly/2Igj2Su - Change Your Conversation With Procurement [Webinar] https://bit.ly/3nN97V4 - Selli

Deals are won or lost in discovery.   The more your sales teams can carry out discovery in a way that builds prospect interest and opens doors to high-level business stakeholders, the more they’ll be able to hit their numbers repeatedly.   In this episode, Brian Walsh shares personal experiences and tips on the art of great discovery and how your sales teams can earn the right to ask the hard questions and move opportunities forward. He’ll cover:   - The three things your sales teams should have prepared before every sales discovery conversation   - Why preparing prospects before a call is critical to landing the ask, plus insights on how to do it   - Tips for expanding sales conversations in a way that opens up the opportunity to get in front of other stakeholders in the business    Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on executing great discovery:    - Play Back What You Heard in Discovery Podcast h

We’re diving into the one area of negotiation that many companies fail to pay attention to — the internal process behind every sales negotiation. In this episode, Force Management Senior Partner, Tim Caito explains how refining the internal process can enable your sales organization to increase deal velocity and achieve better outcomes. He’ll cover:   - Internal bottlenecks that hinder healthy pipelines, and how to course correct    - How to make negotiation and company-wide competency to ensure sales teams can move deals forward efficiently   - The essential questions you can use to evaluate your own, internal negotiation process   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on the Internal Negotiation Process:    - Sales Negotiation: Navigating departmental impact guide https://bit.ly/2S3oKZP - Building an Elite Sales Negotiation Process [Resource Page] https://bit.ly/3lmNeug - A Sales Leader’s Playbook

Sometimes inspiration can hit you at the most unexpected times. For Senior Director of Consulting and Facilitation Patrick McLoughlin, it was during a Command of the Message training when he noticed the difference between two basketballs in his office.    What are the key differences between mediocrity and greatness?    What separates the best salespeople from the rest?    Patrick shares his thoughts while running through Kobe Bryant’s ten rules for achieving greatness. It’s a great listen especially for sales reps and managers who are struggling in foggy sales environments.    Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on moving from mediocrity to greatness:    - Motivation Podcast https://apple.co/3iIuJyP - Remembering Jack Welch: Logos, Talent and a Disdain for Mediocrity https://bit.ly/2FFY52y - The Uncommon Story Podcast https://apple.co/3bX7IWo

Are you struggling with motivation?   Especially in our current environment, finding motivation in a foggy sales environment can be a constant battle.   We sat down with John Kaplan to discuss ways to improve productivity and keep yourself and/or your sales teams motivated by being uncommon in what you do.   Here are a few topics we’ll cover:   - What to do when the opportunities in your territory seem limited   - How managers can work with reps to continuously build healthy pipelines   - How to be uncommon and improve your (or your sales team’s) ability to compete    Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on motivation:    - Plan to Make the Plan Article https://bit.ly/3mlUvv9 - Get Busy: Advice for Salespeople Podcast  https://apple.co/2Rkilck - The Uncommon Story Podcast https://apple.co/3bX7IWo - How to Make Sure a Bad Quarter Doesn’t Repeat Itself Podcast https://apple.co/2Fk1kMM - Approaching

We’re taking a deep dive into the critical roles SDRs play and the value they can bring to your company.   Special guest, Patrick McLoughlin, Senior Director of Consulting and Facilitation at Force Management, covers how sales organizations can benefit from generating alignment between their SDR/BDR organization and their sales organization. He’ll cover:   - The biggest mistakes sales organizations make with SDR organizations   - How to get more value from your SDR organizations by providing training and  content that focuses them on what’s needed to execute   - How to equip SDRs to handle objections in a way that drives opportunities forward   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources on the SDR Process:    - Drive Revenue by Aligning Your SDR Team With Your Broader Sales Organization https://bit.ly/2GaN1Ky   - Why Your SDR Process isn’t Working On-Demand Webinar https://bit.ly/2ERgfxE   - For SDRs/BDRs

There’s no doubt that next year’s SKO will be different from years past. In this episode, we sat down to discuss how some of the sales leaders we work with are approaching their sales kickoffs. Many of them are shifting to sales initiatives. In this episode, we cover:    - 3 key, sales execution areas of focus for sales leaders who are looking to improve their sales team’s ability to compete    - How sales leaders are moving forward with virtual, sales training engagements and the outcomes they’re able to achieve as a result   - How to move forward with a virtual event that’s still just as engaging, relevant and valuable for your sales organization   - The mindset elite sales leaders are using to determine what’s best for their sales organization right now   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources focused on Shifting the SKO Aligning With the Buyer's Changing Needs Podcast https://apple.co/31spJrV Refr

In this episode, we’re taking a step back to cover the most frequently asked questions we get from our customers, the sellers we train, and our listeners. From warming up cold calls and building pipeline to asking trap setting discovery questions, and getting to the economic buyer, John Kaplan covers it all.   Here are a few key insights you’ll want to tune in to hear:   - How sellers can nail their differentiation in discovery and win against tough competition   - How to prepare for your sales calls to warm up cold opportunities   - How to use empathy in sales conversations when asking challenging (or seemingly negative) discovery questions   - How to leverage your champion to earn the approval of the economic buyer   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources focused on    - Getting into an Opportunity Podcast https://apple.co/34n8Y3o - Approaching Your Sales Conversations with Empathy Podcast https://ap

Proof points should tell a story of how your solutions effectively solved your customer’s problems and achieved measurable results.   Elite sellers know the story behind their proof points so they can better tie them to their live opportunities in a way that’s relevant and meaningful to their prospects. Elite sales organizations have a process for gathering these proof points so their sellers can use them to drive high-value deals forward.    In this podcast, John Kaplan walks us through:   - How to develop a process for gathering impactful proof points and who should own this role in your organization   - When and how to use proof points in the most effective way, including how to enable your champions to articulate the stories behind your proof points   - How to make proof points as relatable as possible to live opportunities and sales conversations   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources focused on p

Many sales leaders want to add MEDDICC into their sales organizations to improve sales qualification, mitigating losses and the number of deals in the pipeline that just aren’t progressing effectively.   Spoiler -  just adding the tool to your sales process won’t drive results. You as a sales leader, and your sales teams have to put in the work to make it work.   In this episode, Managing Director of Facilitation and Delivery, Brian Walsh talks through how to enable your sales teams to drive results using MEDDICC. He’ll cover:   - The three sales qualification questions MEDDICC can help companies solve   - How you can make MEDDICC successful, specifically for your organization   - How leaders, managers, sales reps impact the success of MEDDICC in different ways   - Personal experiences on how managers can help reps move deals forward in a way that drives results   Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.   Here are some additional resources f