demandDrive’s Post

I aim to start sales convo's with the problems we are looking to solve. Whether we are starting new or a few calls in. Grounds us in "what are we doing here again?" Because your prospect just got out of back to back 1:1's, hiring interviews & weekly leadership meetings. I know, odd that the follow up you sent 10 days ago clearly articulating alignment is not top of mind. I have sat in so many training workshops with various companies over the years (50? 100? Who knows, time isn't real) and 2 things have popped out when it comes to aligning to problems: 1) We over rely on the customer to articulate their problems for us. 2) We take their words as the problems to solve gospel. Issues with this? A) Puts way too much of the onus on the customer. It was hard enough to get them to take our call, now we are putting them to work off the bat with generic questions? Result: Likely future stalled sales cycle B) Most often pigeon holes us into feeling like we should only discuss those problems. Result: Likely smaller scope of partnership In these trainings I see lightbulbs go off when sellers practice how to balance tailored discovery with pre-call hypothesis of problems. More time consuming at first? Yes. Considered table-stakes by your prospects in 2024? Most important yes. Happy Q4 selling! #sales #callprep #istimereal

Since we've opened up a few roles recently at Oyster®, I've had a lot of DMs asking for advice. Here are my top tips for a BDR/AE interview 👇 🖊 Examples or it didn't happen If you're going to say you are consistent at outbounding or creative when it comes to prospect personalisation, give clear quantifiable examples. When you consistently outbounded by what percent did your opportunity rate increase? When you got creative with your personalisation how much did your open rate increase by? Check out the STAR methodology when it comes to answering interview questions. 👨⚕️ MEDDICC Check out the MEDDICC sales methodology. Since I got this qualification, I feel way more in control of my deals and can quickly identify any weak spots. This is a key building block to becoming a top sales professional. 🤼 Engage all personas If you are invited to do a role/real play exercise, don't skip out anyone on that call. Nothing is included by accident in these exercises. Engage every persona on the call to truly understand your customer's pain and increase the likelihood of success. ❓ Ask questions Always, always say yes when your interviewer asks if you have any questions. Ask about the team, expectations, performance review, company values, onboarding etc. Never say no. Good luck! #SDR #BDR #AE #salesinterview #jobinterview

I often get asked "Why Sales?" during an interview process. While it came very natural to me and I truly feel it is what I was born for, there are so many reasons why I’m passionate about sales, but at the core of it all, it’s about 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀. Every day, we have the unique opportunity to connect with customers, understand their challenges, and provide solutions that can truly make a difference. There’s no better feeling than hearing a customer say, “This is exactly what we needed,” and knowing you played a part in that success. But it’s not just about problem-solving. Sales is a 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 that brings an adrenaline rush like no other. From the excitement of bringing an opportunity to a close, to the challenges of navigating complex negotiations, every day is different, and every day is exhilarating. You have to be agile, resilient, and willing to embrace the ups and downs. It is not for the faint of heart. This thrill is what keeps me coming back day after day. (You also get to make a darn good living doing something so exciting!) And then there's the 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆. My favorite part. Understanding what drives people, uncovering their needs, and building trust is an art form. Sales teaches you to listen, to empathize, and to communicate clearly and persuasively. It’s about connecting on a human level and creating genuine relationships that go beyond just transactions. The better you understand people, the better you are at sales – and the better you are at life. To me, sales is about more than just numbers on a board. It’s a journey, a puzzle, and a passion. It challenges me, pushes me to grow, and has given me experiences that continue to shape who I am. If you love to 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, there truly is no greater profession in the world! #SalesLife #SalesLeadership #ProblemSolving #PassionForSales #CustomerSuccess #SalesWoman #Womeninsales

Sales… What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about a key skill to be successful in a sales role? Maybe it’s persuasion. Maybe it’s relationship building. Or maybe it’s resilience. 🤔 The truth is, a stellar salesperson requires a blend of various skills. But, which skills should we prioritize when adding new salespeople to our teams? To answer this, we thought it would be interesting to dig into the tens of thousands of interviews that have been conducted within Pillar to uncover the skills our customers are evaluating in salespeople - as well as in other popular roles. So, in this month’s blog, our CEO (Mark Simpson) gets into this - the top 5 skills to evaluate candidates for across the top 5 roles our customers are currently hiring for. Find it at the link in the comments.

Hello LinkedIn family , So here is the response to the most asked question in sales interview What drives you as an individual in sales? My personal response-It's the thrill of turning a 'no' into a 'yes,' the art of understanding needs and offering solutions, and the joy of building lasting relationships. Every day is a new challenge, and every success fuels my passion even more. #SalesMotivation #CustomerCentric #RelationshipBuilding"

🚀 Master the Art of Sales Success! 🚀 In sales, it's not just about closing, but also building lasting relationships. 💼Mastering the right techniques can make all the difference. 🎯Remember, persistence, empathy, and strategy are the keys to long-term success. Let's learn and grow together in the world of Sales! ☀ #salesexcellence #salestips #relationshipbuilding #closethedeal #salesstrategy #winningmindset #customersuccess

Sales… What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about a key skill to be successful in a sales role? Maybe it’s persuasion. Maybe it’s relationship building. Or maybe it’s resilience. The truth is, a stellar salesperson requires a blend of various skills. But, which skills should we prioritize when adding new salespeople to our teams? To answer this, I thought it would be interesting to dig into the tens of thousands of interviews that have been conducted within Pillar to uncover the skills our customers are evaluating in salespeople - as well as in other popular roles. So, in this month’s blog I get into this - the top 5 skills to evaluate candidates for across the top 5 roles our customers are currently hiring for. Find it at the link in the comments.

Thankyou Daniel Spencer for these 4 Gold nuggets mate! 👇 Great sales leaders focus their efforts on 4 critical areas whilst inducting new salespeople; 1. They thoroughly describe how the business creates value. New salespeople need to understand the companies underlying value proposition and competitive advantage. A great sales leader will make a clear and direct connection between the employee’s efforts and the company’s main purpose. 2. They map out the salespersons internal and external customers. The sales leader takes time to explain how the salesperson will create value for the business while serving all of his or her internal and external customers. Achieving that balance is often tricky — so they don’t assume new employees know how to balance the ledger. 3. They set immediate goals and explain that they will start giving feedback right away. They set a sales productive task on their first day and build more workload from there. They focus on training, but make sure every day involves a blend of training and early accomplishment. 4. They reinforce the reasons why they hired them. Every salesperson is hired for one or two specific reasons, but often those reasons get lost in all the fluff of the interview process. The sales leader is honest: they realise it’s nice to find a well-rounded salesperson, but most of the time they really need a salespeosn who is a superstar at doing X.. They don’t just assume that reason is understood. They the salesperson that after 30 days they are expecting that skill to shine. Thankyou

My TED Talk, "Life’s a Pitch: Personal and Professional Sales Skills," is now live on TED's official YouTube channel! Even though 50% of ALL college/university graduates, and up to 88% of marketing graduates end up in sales roles, less than 4% of higher ed institutions teach sales. 😥 Even if you never end up in a true "sales role", whether you want to ace a job interview, pitch an innovative idea, or navigate daily negotiations at home, understanding the art and science of sales is an essential life skill. This talk is for anyone looking to improve their communication skills, build resilience, and step confidently onto the stages of their lives. https://lnkd.in/g4BTnF5p #TEDTalk #SalesSkills #LifesAPitch #sales