Brad Eather’s Post

I’ve worked with 100s of sales reps in my career. The secret to becoming a top-performing salesperson: Over the last 15 years, I’ve guided sales reps in the most competitive markets. I’ve also worked in sales for most of my career. During that time, I’ve identified 5 key elements to close deals successfully. I call it, Storytelling Mastery Formula. This powerful framework outlines the 5 essential components to leverage case studies and build credibility: → Relevance: to connect with the prospect’s needs → Realism: to present true, relatable stories → Results: to showcase tangible outcomes → Relatability: to make the story personal → Repetition: to reinforce the message ... As well as what happens when each is missing. • Lacking relevance = "Disconnection" • Unrealistic stories = "Skepticism" • No results shown = "Doubt" • Unrelatable = "Apathy" • No repetition = "Forgetfulness" And remember, your storytelling skills can always improve. You can enhance and develop in each of these areas. Here's how to do it: 1/ Relevance: Tailor your case studies to address specific pain points and needs of your prospect. 2/ Realism: Use real examples and avoid exaggeration to build trust and authenticity. 3/ Results: Highlight measurable outcomes and concrete benefits achieved by past clients. 4/ Relatability: Make the story relatable by including details that resonate with the prospect's own experiences. 5/ Repetition: Reiterate key points throughout your pitch to ensure they stick with the prospect. The best sales reps constantly refine their storytelling techniques. Start using this formula today. And watch your sales numbers soar. Your clients and your team will thank you! ++++++++++ If you like this kind of insight, make sure to follow me @ Matt McCollum 🤠 & If you're a field sales rep, go try my app! TerriTool - Find and route every business in your territory in seconds

Check out our new What is a Mutual Action Plan blog written by Elay Cohen. It's filled with resources and guides used by some of the most successful enterprise sales professionals on the plant. Here's a list of tips to building a successful Mutual Action Plan. 1. Introduce the Mutual Action Plan early and often It’s a good practice, once a champion is identified, to introduce the concept of a Mutual Action Plan. Introduce the mutual plan early in the sales process. A top performing sales professional will guide their prospective customers through a mutual action planning process. It works. If the champion agrees to co-creating a Mutual Action Plan, then that is great deal insight. If they don’t, then that’s good deal insight too. It could be this person isn’t really the champion or maybe the deal isn’t ready yet for that kind of buyer-seller collaboration. Salespeople should come from a consultative mindset. They should ultimately help their prospective customers solve their issues and implement a winning solution. 2. Work backwards from the customer’s ideal go-live date Building rapport with the buying team is important. Sales professionals should focus on open and transparent communication. That means actively listening to the buyer’s concerns and requirements. Engagement supports the collaborative environment you need to develop the Mutual Action Plan. 3. Write the Mutual Action Plan using your customer’s words Co-creating the Mutual Action Plan with your customer means you’re helping them document their action and owners in the context of their business, priorities, culture and decision-making process. All the actions should be in the customer’s language and their verbiage. They should hear their voice reflected in the plan. 4. Document the Mutual Action Plan and keep it current The buyer and sellers teams should co-create and co-develop the Mutual Action Plan together. This process involves defining the specific objectives. There should be clear checkpoints for each stage of the sales process. All the actions should be in the customer’s language and their verbiage. They should hear their voice reflected in the plan. 5. Verify and validate the Mutual Action Plan with economic buyer and influencers The Mutual Action Plan becomes the central document used to align teams and deliver on the customer’s ideal solution. It’s important to verify, reverify and validate the Mutual Action Plan with as many influencers as possible, including the economic buyer and executive sponsors. Be curious. When you speak with your champion, ask questions about what’s changed since your last conversation. It’s better to know sooner than later if dates or priorities shift. 6. Make the Mutual Action Plan action-oriented Salespeople shouldn’t own all actions of a Mutual Action Plan. Action items on the plan go beyond signing the PO. Click here to read more tips and best practices. https://lnkd.in/gG_ne7a7

How do you identify and address the gaps and challenges in your channel sales strategy? Here’s how you can improve your channel sales strategy step-by-step: 1. Check Your Current Status : Start by reviewing how your sales are performing and gather feedback from partners and customers. Look at key areas like what’s selling well, which partners are doing well, and where customers are happy or unhappy. Also, keep in mind outside factors like what your competitors are doing, what customers are asking for, and any new technology that might impact your sales. 2. Identify Issues : After reviewing your current situation, identify any problems or gaps. Common issues include:   > Poor Partner Alignment : Some partners may not fully understand or agree with your goals.   > Low Partner Engagement : Partners may not be motivated or lack the resources to perform well.   > Lack of Training : If partners don’t know enough about your products, they can’t effectively sell them.   > Weak Communication : If you’re not regularly sharing information with partners, they may feel out of the loop or lack data to help them succeed.   > Choosing the Right Partners : Sometimes, you may have partners who aren’t the best fit for your products or target market. 3. Take Action :   > Set Clear Goals and Align Vision : Work with your partners to set specific, realistic goals, so everyone is on the same page.   > Increase Engagement : Motivate partners by offering rewards, feedback, and support when they achieve goals or show improvement.   > Provide Training : Ensure your partners know all about your products, how they benefit customers, and effective selling techniques.   > Improve Communication : Stay in touch with partners through regular meetings, newsletters, or online dashboards to share updates and gather their feedback.   > Carefully Select Partners : Make sure each partner has the skills, resources, and market fit to help you succeed. 4. Track Your Progress : Monitor how these actions are helping by using similar tools from step one, like sales reports and partner feedback. Add new ways to measure success, like customer retention (how long customers stay with you) and return on investment (ROI), to see if your strategy is becoming more profitable. 5. Continuously Improve : Keep revisiting your strategy to make updates as new opportunities, challenges, or trends arise. Seek feedback from partners and customers often, and stay flexible to adjust as needed. This will help ensure your strategy stays effective and aligned with both your business goals and customer needs. These steps may help your channel sales strategy to be stronger, more responsive, and better suited to meet your goals.

🌟 Employee Spotlight: Welcome Nicole McCaffrey to the Clipper Magazine/Valpak Inside Sales Team! 🌟 We are delighted to introduce the newest member of our Clipper/Valpak Inside Sales Team, Nicole McCaffrey! Let’s explore Nicole’s journey, interests, and what makes her a valuable addition to our team. 🚀 Professional Journey Nicole’s career began with Clipper Magazine, igniting her passion for advertising. "Clipper Magazine was my first introduction to the industry and a sales position," she shares. Over the years, she expanded her expertise across print, broadcast, and digital advertising, building a robust skill set and helping her community and business owners thrive. Nicole is thrilled about the combination of Clipper Magazine and Valpak. "I’m excited to leverage my outside sales experience in managing accounts as an Inside AE," she says. She’s confident that the talented Clipper/Valpak team will support her in this new role. 🌟 Interests and Aspirations Outside of work, Nicole loves spending time with family and friends, hosting dinner parties, holidays, and various activities. She’s also a fan of live music and enjoys traveling. At Clipper Magazine/Valpak, Nicole aims to stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving industry. "I’m ready to learn something new every day and stay informed on the latest marketing tools, resources, and trends," she says. She hopes to bring a fresh perspective and creative ideas to the organization. 💡 Inspirations and Influences Mentors have played a crucial role in shaping Nicole’s career. "I’ve had exceptionally talented mentors in each role, from print advertising to broadcast television," she explains. Their influence has helped her develop a successful selling style. One piece of advice that has stuck with her is from a former sales manager: "If you are in the office, then you are not selling." This mantra has guided her approach for fifteen years. Nicole also recommends "The Little Red Book for Selling" and follows media influencer Camille Moore for current, educational, and influential content. 🔮 Looking Forward Nicole is excited about integrating emerging trends into her work at Clipper Magazine/Valpak. "I’m eager to create campaigns that incorporate direct mail and digital strategies to influence our consumers," she says. She believes that combining Clipper/Valpak’s solutions with a strong digital presence will be highly beneficial for clients. 🎉 Final Thoughts Nicole is ready to hit the ground running and is impressed with the training provided by Valpak. "For new Account Executives with little to no sales experience, I commend your sales leaders and training providers," she says. Welcome aboard, Nicole! We’re excited to see the impact you'll make at Clipper Magazine/Valpak. 🌟 #EmployeeSpotlight #WelcomeToTheTeam #InsideSales #ClipperMagazine #Valpak #SalesLeadership #TeamGrowth #NewBeginnings #SalesSuccess

Field sales teams, IYKYK. Your top salesperson is on the road, ready to meet with a high-value prospect. They walk in, shake hands, start chatting. Everything is going great! Until… They open up their briefcase and find a pile of outdated product brochures with only a limited selection of sales content. In the heat of the moment, they struggle to tailor their pitch to the prospect’s specific needs, and the conversation that started out with so much promise falls completely flat. This is a scenario that plays out all too often for field sales teams. Your sellers already face a multitude of daily challenges trying to close deals while on the road. Unfortunately, managing sales content becomes another uphill battle as they lug around bulky materials, scramble for relevant content updates, and try to maintain brand consistency all while presenting on the go. Today’s buying landscape demands more from sellers than a few outdated pamphlets. Field sellers must be able to adapt to the needs of each client they meet if they want to bring home deals consistently. A sales content management solution is the answer to these problems, catapulting your field teams into the modern age of sales and empowering them to succeed. Here's how sales content chaos hampers field teams: https://lnkd.in/gzp9YPwt #salestips #b2bsales #fieldsales

What steps can you take to improve channel sales performance Define your ideal partner profile Provide adequate training and support Align your goals and incentives Solicit feedback and suggestions Channel sales is a strategy that involves selling your products or services through third-party partners, such as distributors, resellers, or agents. This can help you reach new markets, increase your revenue, and reduce your costs. However, channel sales also comes with some challenges, such as managing partner relationships, aligning goals and incentives, and ensuring quality and consistency. How can you overcome these challenges and improve your channel sales performance? Here are some steps you can take. Define your ideal partner profile Before you start looking for potential partners, you need to have a clear idea of what kind of partner you want to work with. Your ideal partner profile should include criteria such as their industry, size, location, customer base, reputation, values, and capabilities. You should also consider how well they fit with your product, your target market, and your sales process. By defining your ideal partner profile, you can narrow down your search and focus on the most relevant and qualified candidates. Provide adequate training and support Once you have selected your partners, you need to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to sell your product or service effectively. This means providing them with adequate training and support, such as product demos, sales scripts, marketing materials, technical assistance, and feedback. You should also communicate regularly with your partners and keep them updated on any changes or developments in your product, pricing, or policies. By providing adequate training and support, you can empower your partners and increase their confidence and competence. Align your goals and incentives Another key step to improve your channel sales performance is to align your goals and incentives with your partners. This means setting clear and realistic expectations, defining roles and responsibilities, and establishing a fair and transparent compensation structure. You should also monitor and measure your partners' performance and provide them with rewards and recognition for their achievements. By aligning your goals and incentives, you can foster a sense of collaboration and mutual benefit with your partners and motivate them to deliver results. Solicit feedback and suggestions A final step to improve your channel sales performance is to solicit feedback and suggestions from your partners. This means asking them for their opinions and insights on your product, your sales process, your support, and your partnership. challenges and concerns and address them promptly and effectively. By soliciting feedback and suggestions, you can show your partners that you value their input and involvement and that you are committed to improving channel sales strategy.

Following some time-off, I’m back to crafting these digestible posts on marketing strategy and execution. This week I’m focused on Sales Enablement. Series: Driving Sales Enablement Topic: Building Credibility with a Sales Team In the fast-paced world of sales, success isn’t just about meeting quotas—it's about building culture and collaboration enabling sales teams to help customers overcome challenges. I’ve enjoyed working with a variety of general and specialty healthcare sales teams over the past 15+ years, here are activities I’ve adopted to help enable them: 1.      Be Responsive: Sales moves fast. Being available to answer questions, provide resources, or just listen when business is tough shows you’re in it with them. Responsiveness isn’t just about speed; it’s about being present, informative, and engaged in their success. 2.      Get in the Field: There’s no substitute for firsthand experience. Meeting customers alongside your sales rep offers you insights that no report will deliver, and being in the field reinforces your commitment to the team, customer, and business. 3.      Build Credibility: Your team needs to know you have their back. Demonstrating an understanding of the product, market, and customer challenges builds trust. When your salespeople see you as a credible resource, they’re more confident, which drives results. Simplest way to build credibility with a sales team is to give them the tools they need to succeed, be accessible, and do what you say you’re going to do. My Example: For my first few years in product management, I spent half my time in the field with sales reps to: ·        Build awareness/momentum for underpenetrated products. ·        Show how easy, quick, and profitable it was to sell my products. ·        Establish trust so sales reps felt confident selling my products. Things I did to help the Sales team win were: 1.      Be Responsive ➡ Sales reps are working to solve customer challenges. When they reach out for guidance, be there. Answer the call, respond to emails, and follow up on messages. Your responsiveness boosts their confidence and builds your credibility. 2.      Provide Field Support ➡ You'll live out of a bag, rack up air miles, and confuse airports, but you'll also have your sales reps' full attention. This is where you stand out, educate on products, and build strong relationships—because word spreads quickly in sales. 3.      Be Credible ➡ To establish yourself and your products as a 'household name', focus on building credibility. Do what you say you'll do—if you promise a response by Friday, send it Thursday; if you commit to a 9am meeting, be there at 830am. Simple actions like these builds credibility and encourages reps to sell your products more often than not. Sales enablement isn’t just a support function—it’s the backbone of a successful sales strategy - use these tactics to build, learn, and win together! #SalesEnablement #SalesSuccess #CustomerEngagement

Ready to elevate your sales game? Today, let's explore the art of building a powerful personal brand in sales with insights from yours truly, Darrell Slay. 🚀 In my extensive journey as a sales leader across diverse industries, I've discovered that personal branding isn't just for influencers – it's a game-changer for sales professionals too! Here are some tips and the incredible benefits that come with it. 🌐 **1. Crafting a Cohesive Narrative 📔: When marketing and sales collaborate seamlessly, magic happens. Align your sales training, tools, and marketing efforts to create a unified narrative. It's not just about what your product does; it's about why it matters and the unexpected benefits it brings. 🤝 **2. Quality Over Quantity in Leads 📊: Forget the sheer quantity; focus on quality leads that align with your sales team's capabilities. Create marketing material that resonates with prospect needs and motivations. This requires a culture of communication and collaboration at all levels of your company. 🔍 **3. Developing Future Leaders 🌟: Look for challenger qualities in potential leaders. The ability to teach, tailor, and take control while creating constructive tension is key. Tailored coaching and open communication foster a management culture where innovative solutions thrive. ⬆️ **4. Measuring Success Beyond Revenue 📈: Revenue is vital, but sustained, long-term growth matters more. Consider net promoter scores, advocacy, and factors like employee churn. Building a positive sales culture involves collaborative environments and being part of something larger than oneself. 🌎 **5. Balancing Traditional and Innovative Methods 🤔: Merge traditional sales forecasting with modern buyer psychology. Understand the intrinsic value of your solution to the company and stakeholders, aligning it with the company’s strategy. The perfect blend for a nuanced and effective sales strategy. 🌐 **6. Adapting to Modern Markets 🛍: In today's market, it's about leading the client to the solution, not pushing your product. Adopt multiple sales methodologies focused on adding value first. Earn the right to talk about your solution in a market desensitized to product pushes. 🗣️ **7. Reacting to COVID-19 and Continuous Improvement 💪: The virtual shift during COVID-19 highlighted the importance of overcoming the fear of making mistakes. Continuous improvement is the key – learn from data-driven studies and stay receptive to evolving sales techniques. It’s a constant pursuit of excellence and education. 💼 In conclusion, building a personal brand in sales is about collaboration, tailored coaching, and a blend of traditional and innovative strategies. Embrace the journey, enhance your brand, and watch your sales soar! 🚀 #SalesBrand #PersonalBranding #SalesTips #ContinuousImprovement 🔍

It has been 14 years since my first Sales Email Campaign! How many meetings? How many Deals? Here's the full story 👇 Looking back, it sounds crazy, but it remains one of the most valuable experiences of my career. Our company had just introduced a new product, and as the most junior member of the sales team, I wasn’t expecting much responsibility. But one day, my manager casually announced we’d be running email campaigns for the product and named me the 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿. I was barely 6-9 months into the role and had no idea how to run a campaign. But for some reason, the title gave me a huge boost – I felt like I was leading something on my own for the first time. With no CRM or tools, I started sending emails manually and tracked everything in an Excel sheet—who I emailed, when I emailed them, and so on. After sending out my first batch of 50-100 emails, something incredible happened: I got a reply asking for a POC. At the time, I didn’t even know what a POC was! I had to Google it, ask colleagues, and figure out how to deliver one. But I managed, and after a successful POC and tough negotiations, we closed the deal. It wasn’t just any deal—it became a milestone: 1. My first closure as a sales professional 2. The company’s first customer in that country 3. The first deal for the newly launched product When you're given a task that feels unfamiliar or challenging but promises valuable lessons, embrace it and 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗼 𝗜𝘁 ✔️ It’s a story I’ll always carry with me! What’s your “first deal” story? I’d love to hear it! 👇

This sales process took Outreach from $50M-$200M. Bonus: The modified version took Catalyst from $5-$10M in 16 months. You don't need to be a leader to benefit from using this. Yesterday, I posted about an AE who didn't have a sales process. I had a picture of the process as my LI-algo-required selfie. I have never received so many requests for materials I've posted about. Maybe 100 people asked for it, so I thought I'd post it for everyone. Oddly (at least to me), 70%+ of the requests came from reps. Reps who had: - no process - no training - no consistency - no meaningful data-driven analysis - no org-wide vocabulary and language - no hope of becoming great sellers without going outside their own company for training and tools (no wonder 30 Minutes to President's Club has such a huge audience). Please! Take my process. It works. Has helped 2 companies directly and dozens of companies through consulting, advising, former Outreach-ers taking this to their next job, etc. As a rep, you can follow this if your leader doesn't give you one. Don't wander around in the dark! And, if this post does well, I will post the 90 minutes live training I did on this process at Catalyst for my own reps. WAIT! Mark! As a CRO, you did your own training on sales process (and didn't hand it off to enablement)?!! While this process would never have happened with out Jerry Pharr, Whitney Sieck, CPTD®, Skip Miller (still can't believe you're gone, my friend...I miss our catch-up calls), and Force Management, I put in a ton of sweat equity here. I know and can coach this process better than anyone. That's not to brag...it's to reiterate how important it is for the revenue leader to understand their own process better than anyone else. A revenue leader who can't train on their own process does not deserve to be a leader. Period. P.S. I apologize for taking a picture instead of a digital file (I don't have access to the file anymore) and for how ugly the Catalyst version is (Notion sucks at exporting to PDF...among a million other things...coolest tool on the planet that is completely unusable by more than 1 person at a time...have yet to see a company where Notion wasn't a dumpster fire).