Sales Gravy: PowerPrinciples

How many times do you actually attempt to reach out to a prospect before you give up?

On the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jessica Stokes calls out a common sales reality when prospecting:

“We all know the average salesperson typically stops after three, maybe four attempts before moving on. We assume they're not interested. We want to find a juicier lead.”

This common behavior defines The 3-Call Fallacy—the flawed belief that if someone doesn’t respond after a few tries, they’re not interested. It’s where you probably tap out and tell yourself you’ve done enough.

You haven’t. Persistence is key.
Why Salespeople Quit Prospecting Too Early
The premature retreat from prospecting isn't about laziness; it's rooted in fundamental misconceptions and fear.
The Fear of Being Annoying
The most common excuse? “I don’t want to be a pest.”

You leave a voicemail, send an email, maybe try LinkedIn, and then you back off. You tell yourself you’re giving them space.

But your prospect doesn't remember you.

When you're looking at your CRM thinking, "This is my sixth attempt—I'm going to tick this guy off," your prospect likely has no idea who you are. To them, today's call feels like the first time you've reached out.
The Momentum Killer
Spacing out your touchpoints destroys any traction you might have built. Waiting a week—or worse, a month—between messages forces you to restart every time. That familiar name? Forgotten. That compelling message? Gone.

Momentum is built with consistency. Familiarity breeds trust, but only if you stay in front of them long enough to become familiar.
The 4 Steps of Building a Fanatical Prospecting Sequence
The fix? Being fanatical about sequencing.

It’s about consistent, well-timed, multi-channel outreach that keeps your message fresh and front of mind.

Stay Consistent: Don’t let more than a few days pass between touchpoints. Regular rhythm creates recall. Think of it like a steady drumbeat—not a one-time boom.
Use Multiple Channels: Your prospect may ignore emails but answer LinkedIn. Or they may screen unknown numbers but reply to a personalized video. Use all the tools available:

Phone calls
Emails
LinkedIn messages
Video messages
Direct mail (for high-value prospects)

Track Your True Attempt Rate: Most reps overestimate their persistence. Implement a rigorous tracking system, whether in your CRM or a simple spreadsheet, to log every single touchpoint.
Reframe Your Mindset: You’re not bothering people—you’re offering help. If you believe in your product and know it can solve their problems, persistent outreach is a service, not a nuisance.

The Prospecting Challenge
Ready to put this into action? Take 20-50 leads and run a sequence over the next 30-45 days. Make contact attempts every few days using multiple channels. Track your progress.

You’ll likely discover:

Responses after 8, 10, even 12 attempts.
Prospects saying things like "I'm glad you reached out again" or "I was thinking about calling you back."
Booked appointments you never would have gotten with the traditional 3-call approach.

3 Common Personal Objections (And Why They're Wrong)
This is where self-sabotage shows up. Let’s break down the common excuses:

"I don't want to be annoying." Your prospect deleted your voicemail in 10 seconds. They're not sitting there with a map of all your attempts, getting angrier with each one.
"If they were interested, they would have called back." People are busy. Interest doesn't always translate to immediate action.
"I need to focus on warmer leads." Every lead starts cold. The difference between a cold lead and a warm lead is often just consistent, value-driven follow-up. You make them warm.

The Discipline Factor: Every Attempt Counts
Just like you can't run a 10K after one day of training, you can't expect immediate results from prospecting. It's a cumulative effort that builds momentum over time.

Here's the brutal truth about social media for sales: You're already behind, and it's going to be a grind.

That's the reality Margarita from Dallas discovered when she called into our podcast. She's a seasoned realtor with 20+ years of experience, built her entire business on referrals and warm market relationships, and suddenly realized she needs to master social media to stay competitive.

Sound familiar? You're not alone if you're staring at this digital mountain wondering how the hell you're going to climb it.

But what makes Margarita's situation even more challenging and why her story matters to every sales professional reading is this: She's trying to compress 20 years of relationship building into a social media strategy that can compete with people who've been doing this for decades.
The Tom Cruise Problem: Building Your Social Media Presence Takes Time
Remember the first time you saw Tom Cruise in a movie? For me, it was Risky Business, some kid dancing around in his underwear. He wasn't the "last movie star" then. He was just another actor trying to make it.

But here's the thing: Today, if you saw Tom Cruise walking down the street, you'd lose your mind. You'd want selfies, autographs, the whole nine yards. Why? Because over decades, he created millions of micro-interactions that built trust, familiarity, and fandom.

That's exactly what you need to do on social media. You need to create fans of YOU.

The problem is that most sales professionals want to skip the relationship-building phase and jump straight to the closing phase. They want to post a few listing videos and magically generate leads. That's not how it works.
The Algorithm Rewards Consistency, Not Perfection
Here's the part that's going to hurt: You need to post every single day. Not when you feel like it. Not when you have something "good" to share. Every. Single. Day.

When you first start, your content is going to suck. Your first TikTok video? Three people will watch it. Your first Instagram post? Crickets. Your first LinkedIn article? Your mom and your real estate buddy will like it.

I know because I've been there. We've all been there. The algorithms don't care about your feelings—they care about consistency.

Think about it this way: You're not just competing with other sales professionals for attention. You're competing with Netflix, YouTube, TikTok, and every other form of entertainment for your prospects' eyeballs. The only way to win that battle is to show up relentlessly until people start recognizing your name and face.
The Two-Bucket Strategy: Marketing vs. Lead Generation
When you think about social media as a sales professional, you need to separate it into two distinct buckets:

Bucket 1: Marketing and Brand Building This is about name recognition, familiarity, and staying top-of-mind. When people in your market are ready to buy or sell, your name should be the first one they think of. This bucket is about volume, consistency, and building your personal brand.

Bucket 2: Direct Lead Generation This is about watching what prospects are doing, engaging with them directly, and converting social interactions into sales conversations. This bucket is about quality, relationship building, and moving people from digital relationships to actual appointments.

Most people focus entirely on Bucket 1 and wonder why they're not getting leads. Others focus only on Bucket 2 and wonder why their content isn't reaching anyone. You need both working in harmony.
Your 3-Pillar Content Strategy System
Here's what you need to post consistently:

Original Content: This is your unique perspective, your experience, your stories. If you're a 20-year veteran like Margarita, you have war stories that new agents don't. You've survived market crashes, interest rate spikes, and industry changes. Share that wisdom.

Curated Content: Find industry articles, market reports, and news relevant to your prospects.

You think you're being helpful. Your clients think you're being annoying.

Early in his career, Justin Goldstein learned this lesson the hard way. He admits, "I thought that picking up the phone and calling a client to talk about almost everything was the right way to go. I personally hate communicating over email. I'd rather just talk to you and figure it out."

The reality hit hard: clients viewed his frequent outreach as a burden rather than a benefit. Weekly update calls meant to show dedication became time-wasters in clients' minds. Daily email updates intended to demonstrate thoroughness turned into inbox clutter.

This scenario plays out in sales organizations everywhere. Well-meaning professionals mistake quantity for quality, frequency for value, and availability for service excellence.
Why Your Communication Style is Pushing Prospects Away
The key to avoiding this trap isn't about reading minds; it's about understanding communication preferences. As Justin puts it, "You really have to understand what makes your clients tick, and you have to understand the nuances of how they work."

This means recognizing that being understanding matters more than simply being helpful. Your client might prefer monthly check-ins over weekly ones, or end-of-week summaries instead of daily updates. They might prefer text over calls, or structured emails over casual conversations.

The biggest mistake most sales professionals make is assuming their communication style is universal. It isn't. Effective communication emphasizes understanding and adapting to individual client needs.
Reading the Room (and the Inbox)
Here are the warning signs your communication style might be pushing prospects away:

Response Time Changes: If a prospect who used to respond quickly starts taking longer or giving shorter replies, you might be overwhelming them.
Meeting Resistance: Clients rescheduling frequently or suggesting less frequent meetings signal communication fatigue.
Email Behavior: Prospects responding to every third email instead of each one indicates your messages lack sufficient value or arrive too frequently.
Energy Shifts: Noticeably decreased enthusiasm in client responses means it's time to reassess your approach immediately.

The Professional Sales Communication Framework
Instead of guessing what works, use this framework to optimize your communication:

Ask Direct Questions Early

During your initial meetings, ask prospects about their preferred communication style:

"What's the best way to keep you updated on progress?"
"How often would you like to connect during this process?"
"Do you prefer calls, emails, or something else for routine updates?"

Start Conservative, Then Adjust

It's easier to increase communication frequency than to dial it back after you've been labeled "high maintenance." Begin with less frequent touchpoints and let the client guide you toward more contact if they want it.

Make Every Interaction Count

When you reach out, ensure it delivers value. Random check-ins and meaningless updates train clients to ignore your communications. Each email, call, or message should serve a clear purpose and advance the relationship or project.

Focus on quality over quantity. One valuable update weekly beats five pointless check-ins that add no value to the client relationship.

Establish Communication Boundaries

Be explicit about when you'll reach out proactively versus when they should contact you. For example: "I'll send you a brief update every Friday afternoon, but please reach out immediately if any urgent questions come up."

Clear boundaries create mutual respect and prevent communication chaos that frustrates both parties.
The Business Impact of Getting It Right
Getting client communication right builds trust. When clients see that you respect their time and communication preferences, they're more likely to:

Here's a question that'll keep you up at night: What do you do when your emotions are sabotaging your sales performance?

That's the exact challenge posed by Kurt O'Donnell and the sales team from Joyland Roofing in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They're crushing it—doing $10 million in revenue with individual reps generating $2 million each—but they identified a critical weakness that could derail their ambitious goal of hitting $100 million in 10 years.

Kurt put it perfectly: "We need to actually learn how to read ourselves better and just be consistent. Emotionally consistent, even when everything else can heave around us. How do I show up at the door and be that consultant... and not just kind of be desperate because I had a few bad calls?"

If you're nodding your head right now, you're not alone. Emotional inconsistency is the silent killer of sales careers, and it's costing top performers millions in lost revenue.
The Hidden Performance Killer: Your Emotional State
Most sales training focuses on techniques, scripts, and closing strategies. But here's the brutal truth: Your emotional state in the moment of truth determines your success more than any other factor.

Think about it. You can have the perfect pitch, flawless product knowledge, and ironclad objection handling skills, but if you walk into that appointment carrying the baggage from your last three rejections, you're dead in the water before you even ring the doorbell.

Your prospects don't know about your bad morning. They don't care that the last homeowner beat you up on price or that your competitor just undercut you again. All they know is the energy you bring to their front door—and that energy determines whether they trust you enough to invite you in.
The Compartmentalization Imperative
The first skill every elite salesperson must master is emotional compartmentalization. Here's how to think about it:

That homeowner you're about to meet? This is the only conversation they're having with your company today. They don't know about your other appointments, your wins, your losses, or your quota pressure. To them, you represent their entire experience with your organization.

More importantly, their home is their biggest asset—the most valuable thing in their life. When they're considering a roof replacement or new windows, they're not just buying a product; they're making an emotional decision about protecting what matters most to them.

Their emotional experience with you is more predictive of the outcome than any other variable. People buy you first, then they buy your product. They buy you because they feel like you care about them, that you listen to them, that you understand them, and that they can trust you.

That doesn't happen if you show up desperate, distracted, or carrying emotional baggage from previous calls.
Process Goals vs. Outcome Goals: The Mental Reset
The difference between average performers and elite closers comes down to one thing: focus.

Average performers obsess over outcome goals. They walk up to the door thinking, "I need to close this deal." When they've had a few bad calls, they skip the relationship-building and go straight to pitch mode because they're desperate for a win.

Elite performers focus on process goals. They have a systematic approach: "I'm going to greet them this way, connect like this, ask these discovery questions, present like this, and ask for the business using this method." They trust the process because they know it works.

When you focus on running your process perfectly, you give yourself the highest probability of getting the desired outcome. Sometimes the putts go in, sometimes they don't—but you ran the process every time.

As one wise salesperson once said: "If you try to control the outcome, you're not going to get the outcome you're looking for. If you trust the process and trust yourself, you're typically going to get the outcome you're looking for."

The second quarter of 2025 delivered some incredible conversations on the Sales Gravy podcast. From discipline strategies that separate winners from wannabes to the psychology of selling that most reps completely miss, here are the five most powerful insights that can transform your sales results immediately.
1. Focus on Activity, Not Outcomes
The Problem: Most sales reps get discouraged when they don't book meetings, causing them to change their approach daily.

The Solution: Cynthia Handal, who runs high-performing BDR teams, revealed her game-changing mindset shift: "The outcome isn't to book a meeting. The outcome is to do the three hours of work."

Her approach is deceptively simple but incredibly powerful:

Time block your prospecting activities (she does 9 AM to 12 PM daily).
Set a timer and don't stop until the time is complete.
Focus on controlling what you can control—the work itself.
Trust that results will follow consistent activity.

This eliminates the emotional rollercoaster of good days and bad days. When you focus on process over outcomes, you build the discipline that creates sustainable success.
2. Get a ‘No’ Then Aim for a ‘Yes’
The Problem: Most salespeople chase prospects desperately, making them less attractive.

The Solution: Mike Maples Jr., a Silicon Valley VC and former software entrepreneur, uses a counterintuitive approach to actively trying to disqualify prospects.

The "go for the no" technique works like this:

Start conversations by suggesting you might not be the right fit
Use body language that shows you're willing to walk away
Make prospects convince you they need your solution
Qualify out aggressively those who don't value your advantage

This approach leverages the psychological principle that people want what they can't have. When you're not desperate, you become magnetic.
3. Align Your Entire Organization's Message
The Problem: Five sales reps with five different value propositions confuse customers and create internal friction. They need to be unified.

The Solution: Lisa Dennis discusses that messaging alignment must extend beyond just the sales team to the entire organization.

Her process includes:

Involving the whole company in messaging rollouts, not just sales
Ensuring customer success and support teams understand the same value propositions
Providing discovery questions and conversation frameworks to salespeople
Creating organizational congruence from marketing through delivery

When everyone in your organization tells the same story, customers experience consistency at every touchpoint. This builds trust and reduces friction throughout the customer journey.
4. Trust Commands a 30% Premium
The Problem: Salespeople focus on features and benefits while underestimating the value of trust.

The Solution: Yoram Solomon's research that people will pay an average of 29.6% more to buy from someone they trust versus someone they don't know (not someone they distrust—just someone neutral).

The trust-building behaviors that matter most:

Listening instead of pitching
Showing genuine care for the customer's situation
Being attentive and present during conversations
Making and keeping promises consistently

Trust is worth dollars.
5. Get Your Math Right
The Problem: Most businesses stay stuck in six figures because they're fundamentally undercharging for their service.

The Solution: David Neagle, who has helped countless entrepreneurs break through seven figures, says the issue is usually mathematical, not motivational.

His tips for confidently pricing right:

Stop comparing yourself to the average—compare to the top performers
Charge based on results delivered, not time spent
Ask yourself: "If they get the same result, why can't I charge the same price?"
Actually ask for the sale at your true value

As David puts it: "It's hard to do $50,

Here's a question that'll make your blood boil: Why do most sales leaders spend their pipeline reviews asking about dollar amounts and close dates while completely ignoring whether their reps actually have real deals?
That's the brutal reality I see in sales organizations every single day. Leaders are obsessing over MEDIC, BANT, and other qualification frameworks while their pipelines are stuffed with dead deals that will never close.
Meanwhile, their forecasts are consistently wrong, deals keep getting pushed, and reps are burning time on opportunities that died months ago.
If you're nodding your head right now, you're not alone. Focusing on surface-level qualification instead of true deal engagement is one of the most backward approaches to pipeline management I see today, and it's costing companies millions in missed forecasts.

The Qualification Theater Problem: When Frameworks Become Fantasy
Remember when everyone thought MEDIC and BANT were the holy grail of qualification? Sales leaders everywhere started drilling reps on budgets, authority, need, and timing like they were conducting a police interrogation.
But here's what actually happens: Reps learn to check the boxes without understanding whether they have a real deal.
They'll tell you they've qualified the budget, but they're talking to someone who has to "go talk to the boss." They'll say there's urgency and timing, but the prospect is waiting to hire an executive in a completely different department before making a decision.
Traditional qualification frameworks are the opposite of real pipeline inspection. They're vanity metrics disguised as sales rigor.
Here's the brutal truth: You can have a deal that checks every qualification box and still have a 2% chance of closing. Meanwhile, a deal that looks "unqualified" on paper might be ready to close tomorrow because the right stakeholders are engaged and moving forward.

Why Most Pipeline Reviews Are Theater, Not Strategy
The reason most sales leaders run terrible pipeline reviews is because it's easy. It requires zero investment in actual deal coaching, stakeholder analysis, or strategic thinking.
Think about it: It's much easier to ask, "What's the budget?" than it is to dig into whether the decision-maker actually sees value in solving this problem.
But here's what happens when you manage this way: You end up with pipelines full of zombie deals that look good on paper but will never close.
Your reps get comfortable keeping deals in the pipeline because they've "qualified" them. Your forecasts become fiction because you're counting revenue from prospects who aren't actually buying.

What Actually Matters: The One Question That Reveals Everything
Instead of obsessing over qualification checklists, elite sales leaders focus on the one metric that actually predicts deal success: What's the next step?
This isn't just another question—it's the ultimate deal quality detector. Here's why:

Dead deals have no next steps. When a rep says, "They're going on vacation, so I'll call them in a few weeks," that deal is dead. When they say, "They told me to call back in a month," that's not a pipeline deal—that's a prospect.
Real deals have committed next steps. When a rep says, "We're doing a technical demo with their IT team on Friday, and the CFO specifically asked to see ROI projections by Tuesday," that's a deal with momentum.
Engaged prospects match your effort. If you're doing all the work—sending proposals, scheduling calls, following up—while they're giving you vague responses, you don't have a deal. You have a prospect who's being polite.

The Three-Question Pipeline Inspection System
When I'm inspecting pipeline quality, I use a simple three-question framework that reveals everything:

1. What's the Next Step?
This is the deal-killer question. If there's no specific, committed next step with a date and stakeholders involved, the deal is stalled or dead. Period.

2.

Ben Hogan, who was arguably the greatest ball striker the game of golf has ever known, taught that if you wanted to improve your swing you should focus on the cause rather than the result.

This was good advice for golfers and brilliant advice for sales professionals. Because in sales, if you want to sell more it pays to become obsessed over your behaviors, techniques and processes rather than your outcomes.
Most Sellers Obsess Over Outcomes
Most salespeople are focused on winning or losing individual deals. They get emotionally wrapped up in every prospect, every conversation, every close attempt. When they win, they're on top of the world. When they lose, they're devastated.

But top performers? They think completely differently. They're not obsessed with any single deal. They're obsessed with the process that creates consistent results over time.

This mindset shift is the difference between feast-or-famine selling and predictable, sustainable success.
The Downside of Outcome Based Sales Goals
Here's what happens when you're obsessed with outcomes instead of process:

Every deal, every month, every quarter becomes life or death. You put all your emotional energy into individual prospects and hitting numbers which clouds your judgment and makes you act desperate.

You take rejection personally. When someone says no, it's not just a business decision – it feels like a personal attack on your worth as a salesperson.

You make poor decisions under pressure. When you need a deal to close to hit your number, you start discounting too early, chasing bad prospects, or making promises you can't keep.

Your performance becomes inconsistent. You have great months followed by terrible months because you're riding the emotional roller coaster of individual wins and losses.

You burn out faster. The constant emotional highs and lows are exhausting and unsustainable.
Shift to Process Goals
Process goals are different. They focus on the activities and behaviors you can directly control, not the outcomes that depend on factors outside your influence.

Instead of "I need to close three deals this month," a process goal is "I will make 50 prospecting calls every day."

Instead of "I have to win the Johnson account," it's "I will have four meaningful touch points with stakeholders at Johnson this week."

Instead of "I need to hit 120% of quota," it's "I will follow my proven sales methodology on every single opportunity."

Process goals put you in control. You can't control whether a prospect buys, but you can control how many prospects you contact, how well you qualify them, and how consistently you follow your process.
Why Top Performers Love Process Goals
Create predictable results. When you focus on the right activities consistently, the outcomes take care of themselves. It's like compound interest – small, consistent actions create massive results over time.

Reduce emotional volatility. You're not devastated by individual losses because you know that if you stick to your process, the wins will come.

Improve decision-making. When you're not desperate for any particular deal, you make better strategic decisions about where to invest your time and energy.

Build confidence. Every day you hit your process goals, you build momentum and confidence, regardless of whether deals close that day.

Create sustainable habits. Process goals turn success behaviors into automatic habits rather than things you do when you feel motivated.
The Mathematics of Sales Process Goals
Here's why process goals work: Sales is a numbers game, but most people focus on the wrong numbers.

Average performers focus on:

How many deals they close
The size of individual deals
Their closing percentage on active opportunities

Top performers focus on:

How many new prospects they contact daily
How many discovery calls they conduct weekly
How many proposals they deliver monthly

You know the drill. The quota clock is ticking, the pressure is mounting, and there's that relentless urge for a quick win. Every sales professional has felt that impulse to rush the process, to push for the immediate "yes," because, well, the numbers demand it.

But here's the tough question you need to ask yourself: What if that very pressure is actively sabotaging your long-term success? What if chasing the fast buck is actually costing you the lucrative, lasting relationships that define an elite sales career and build a lasting book of business?

As Sales Gravy Podcast guest Steve Pyfrom puts it: “Building relationships takes time and sales, teams need desperately to get off of this short-term win dynamic. The goal is long-term revenue for your company, lifetime value for the end user.”

Focusing solely on the quick sale burns through pipeline leads faster than you can replace them, leaving you on a perpetual hamster wheel of prospecting just to stay afloat. It's time to talk about the long game, because building real relationships is where sustainable revenue lives.
Why Churn Is Killing Your Commissions
Let's talk numbers. According to SimplicityDX, customer acquisition costs have increased by 222% over the last eight years, while customer lifetime value has remained flat. It's getting harder and more expensive to find new customers, making the ones you have incredibly valuable.

Yet most salespeople treat customers like one-time transactions. They close the deal, celebrate briefly, then immediately move on to the next prospect. This approach is financial suicide.

Customers who feel rushed through the buying process rarely become loyal advocates. When a customer feels pressured into a decision or perceives the sale as purely transactional, their loyalty is paper-thin. They're constantly looking for better deals, questioning their purchase decision, and jumping ship when problems arise.

When a customer churns, you lose all potential referrals, upsells, and cross-sells they could have generated. You're back to square one, hunting for new prospects to replace the revenue you just lost, all while acquisition costs keep climbing.
The Trust Equation That Changes Everything
Most salespeople think selling is about convincing, but selling is about connecting.

When you rush a prospect, you're telling them their decision-making process doesn't matter. You're saying your timeline is more important than their comfort level.

Real relationships are built on trust, and trust takes time. Think about your personal life. Your closest friends aren't the people who tried to fast-track the process. They're the ones who showed up consistently, listened without an agenda, and proved their reliability over time.

The same principle applies in sales. The prospects who become your biggest advocates aren't the ones you pressured into a quick yes. They're the ones who felt heard, understood, and genuinely cared for throughout the entire process.
The Compound Effect of Relationship Selling
Consider Mary, a software sales rep who was in competition with 2 other software vendors for a deal with a manufacturing company. Mary's competitors immediately launched into aggressive pitches and discount offers to David, the CFO, hoping to close the deal quickly.

Mary took a different approach. Instead of pitching, she spent two months understanding David's cash flow challenges and upcoming board presentation needs. She shared relevant case studies, introduced him to a supply chain consultant, and helped him think through his decision criteria. She never once mentioned her software.

When David's team raised concerns about implementation timelines during their evaluation, Mary's competitors pushed back, insisting their solution was simple to deploy. Mary listened, then connected David with a similar CFO who had successfully managed a comparable rollout. That conversation addressed David's real concerns and kept Mary's soluti...

That's the question every sales leader, CEO, and HR department is wrestling with as AI tools flood the market with promises to automate everything from prospecting to closing deals.
Meanwhile, salespeople are panicking, wondering if their jobs are about to disappear to some algorithm that can write emails faster than they can type "Dear Valued Customer."
If you're losing sleep over this, take a deep breath. The fear is real, but it's also completely misplaced.
Here's the brutal truth: AI isn't going to replace you. But salespeople who understand how to leverage AI absolutely will replace those who don't.

When Robots Try to Sell It's Not Authentic
Remember when email prospecting worked? When a well-crafted subject line could get you a meeting, and personalization meant more than just mail-merging someone's first name?
Those days are over, and AI killed them in about nine months.
Here's what happened: Marketing departments discovered they could use AI to blast out thousands of "personalized" emails that sounded human but weren't. They could fake voicemails using voice cloning technology. They could create sales sequences that felt authentic but were completely artificial.
The result? Complete market saturation with fake outreach that destroyed trust across every communication channel.

Humans Have a BS Detector for Fakeness
Here's what these AI-obsessed companies don't understand: People have an incredibly sophisticated BS detector. We can sense inauthenticity from a mile away, even when the technology is nearly perfect.
When you receive an email that sounds too polished, too perfect, or follows a pattern you've seen before, your brain immediately flags it as fake. When you hear a voicemail that sounds just slightly off—even if you can't pinpoint why—you delete it.
But here's the real killer: Once people realize you were too lazy to write your own email or leave your own voicemail, they lose all respect for you. They think, "If this salesperson can't be bothered to put in the effort to reach out to me personally, then why would I want to do business with them?"

The One Thing AI Can Never Do
This is where the magic happens, and it's where your competitive edge lies.
AI can write emails. It can analyze data. It can even fake phone calls (poorly). But it cannot engage in real-time, empathetic, synchronous conversation with another human being.
It can't read micro-expressions during a video call. It can't pick up on the subtle hesitation in someone's voice that signals an unspoken objection. It can't pivot in real-time when the conversation takes an unexpected turn.
Most importantly, it can't build the kind of authentic human connection that makes people want to buy from you instead of your competitor.

The AI + Human Intelligence Formula
Smart salespeople aren't running from AI—they're running toward it—but they're using it as a tool to make themselves better, faster, and stronger, not as a replacement for actual selling skills.
Here's where AI excels in sales:

Research and Preparation: AI can analyze a prospect's 10-K filing, research their competitors, and create discovery questions in minutes instead of hours. It can build detailed company profiles and identify potential pain points before you ever pick up the phone.
Data Organization and Analysis: That timeline your manager needs for a customer service issue? AI can pull data from your CRM, email, and support tickets to create a comprehensive summary in seconds instead of the hours it would take you to compile it manually.
Writing Enhancement: Most salespeople aren't great writers. Don't shoot the messenger. AI can help you craft better emails, proposals, and follow-up messages, but only if you edit them, personalize them, and make them authentically yours.
The Holy Grail: Intelligent Prospecting Lists: The biggest opportunity is using AI to build high-quality prospecting lists.

Imagine walking into the office and having AI presen...

Is there such a thing as natural sales talent? Are top-level sales professionals born that way? Do they possess a gift from God that powers their ability to close sales? On this Money Monday, I answer these age-old questions.
For the Love of the Game
When I was 9 years old, after going to the Masters tournament with my Dad, I cut a limb that was shaped like a golf club from a tree, dug holes all over our backyard, and started playing “backyard golf” with a wiffle ball.

I loved my little backyard golf course and played every day after school. One day though, my Dad, who had been watching me, said, "Why don't we just go play real golf?"

My dad didn't know anything about golf. He didn’t grow up playing. But we went down to Walmart, bought some cheap golf clubs, and started chasing little white balls.

We played at a legendary course in Augusta called The Patch—a municipal course with hard dirt fairways and patchy greens but a super fun place to learn the game. Our game was terrible, and we never practiced or took a lesson. But I loved going out with my dad to the course, and we had fun!

In high school, I started playing on the golf team. That might have been a turning point for my game if we’d had a real coach, but instead we had a math teacher who did not play golf assigned to babysit us. So, we were on our own, but we had fun. Those years playing on my high school golf team were a blast!

In college, I continued to play golf for recreation—usually with my fraternity brothers. Golf was about going out, telling jokes, and drinking a lot of beer. I have so many fun memories from those days.
The Myth of Natural Talent Stole My Joy
After getting out of college, I continued to play—mostly in business situations—and that’s when golf stopped being fun. I would golf with clients and peers who were so much better than me. It didn't make sense that they could hit the ball so well and I could not.

I would go out to the range and practice until my arms hurt, but I never got any better. It never occurred to me to take a lesson.

By my mid-30s I was so frustrated with golf that I started to believe something that would haunt me for the next 20 years: I convinced myself that people who could play golf well were just naturally gifted. And because I wasn't naturally gifted, I would never be good at golf.

So I quit.

For two decades, I didn't pick up a golf club.
A Massive Mindset Shift Leads to a Comeback
If you have read my books and listened to my podcasts you know that I'm a big horse person. I've been involved in equestrian sports since I was a kid. I've had formal coaching and training with horses. On horseback, I thought I was naturally gifted. I believed it was something that God had imbued in me. So I forgot about golf and poured my time and energy into horses.

Eventually, though, my son got older and started playing golf. And being an equestrian at my age became more and more dangerous. A bad day on a horse means you're in the hospital in traction. A bad day on the golf course means you go to soothe your wounds with a cold beer in the clubhouse.

So I picked up the sticks again.

But this time, I sought out a golf coach. A pro who could help me learn how to play the game.

Starting over has been hard. It is difficult to learn new skills. But with lessons, I've gotten better. In fact, last week I shot my lowest score ever.

Over the past two years of working on my golf game, I’ve come to realize how much the story that I kept telling myself about not being naturally talented hurt me and how much it stole from my life. That story cost me 20 years of enjoyment of a game I loved.

The difference between my success with horses and my failure with golf wasn't natural talent. It was coaching and instruction.
The Power of an Open vs Closed Mindset
Once you stop believing that you have to be naturally gifted in order to do anything well, you open your mind to new possibilities and amazing th...

"I can't do that."

How many times have you said those four words when facing a challenging sales situation? It could be picking up the phone to make that intimidating cold call. It could be asking for the close with a high-value prospect.

If you say 'I can't do that,' guess what? You're absolutely right. You won't.

But here's what’s surprising: The solution is simpler than you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddjRyIHq6LA
The Wisdom That Sounds Ridiculous (Until It Changes Everything)
Thirty years ago, sales coach Steve Chandler heard a client say those familiar words: "I don't think I could ever do that." His response was four words that initially sounded absurd.

"Then don't be you."

When Richard Fenton, co-author of "Go for No!," first heard this concept, he had two immediate reactions: "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," followed quickly by "That's the most profound thing I've ever heard."

Think about it. When someone says they can't speak in front of a thousand people, what's the typical advice? "Just be natural. Just be yourself." But if they’re someone who freezes up in front of crowds, why would they want to be that person in that moment?

Although you can’t magically become a new person, you do have the power to choose which aspect of yourself shows up in any given situation.
The Alter Ego Advantage of Top Performers
Elite athletes and performers often adopt different personas to enhance their performance.

When the game was on the line, Kobe Bryant would mentally shift into his Black Mamba persona, accessing a level of confidence and killer instinct that separated him from other players.

"The Black Mamba is something I created to get through the lowest points," Bryant explained. "It's a mindset, a way of approaching challenges."

Beyoncé morphs into "Sasha Fierce" on stage—a fearless, magnetic performer—but off stage, Beyoncé describes herself as naturally shy and introverted.

Strategic identity shifting is the ability to step into a role that's equipped for the task at hand.
Your 3-Step Transformation Process
Ready to make it happen? Here's your simple framework:

Identify Your Limitation

What specific sales activity makes you feel uncomfortable or incapable? Be precise. Instead of "I'm bad at sales," identify exactly when you struggle: "I freeze up when asking for referrals from satisfied customers."

Design Your Persona

Who would you need to be to excel in that situation? Create a specific identity, such as The Referral Request Professional, who understands that satisfied customers want to help others access the same value they received.

Make the Switch

Before entering a sales situation that makes you nervous, consciously transition into your character. Use mental preparation (visualizing success), physical cues (changing your posture, adjusting your voice), or even simple props (a specific piece of clothing or accessory).
Creating Sales Identities That Perform
The beauty of the "don't be you" approach is that you're not manufacturing a fake personality. You're accessing different facets of who you already are or who you can become.

Here are some examples of identities to cultivate in sales:
The Cold Calling Champion
When you need to make prospecting calls, don't be the version of you who worries about interrupting people or who fears rejection. Instead, become the professional who understands that you're offering solutions to real problems. Lead with confident conviction—like you’re doing them a favor by calling. Channel the mindset of a sales rep who is genuinely excited about helping prospects discover opportunities they didn't know existed.

Before each calling session, take just two minutes. Visualize this persona. How do they talk? What's their vibe? How do they sit? Then step into that identity.
The Confident Closer
When it's time to close the deal, don't get stuck in the part of you that feels pushy or uncomfort...

Here's a question that exposes one of the most dangerous myths in modern sales: How do you set the right pipeline creation target to consistently hit quota?

That's exactly what Maryellen Soriano from New Jersey asked when she called into Ask Jeb. After crushing 134% of quota in her first year selling EdTech solutions—transitioning from owning her own childcare center to selling back into that same industry—she was being told she needed 11X pipeline to maintain her success.

If that number made you cringe, you're not alone. The obsession with pipeline multipliers is creating more problems than it's solving, and it's time we had an honest conversation about what actually drives predictable revenue.
The Pipeline Myth That's Killing Your Forecast
Most sales teams are drowning in fake pipeline, and it's destroying their ability to forecast accurately. Leadership teams, especially in tech companies, consistently miss their numbers quarter after quarter because they're obsessed with one question: "How much pipeline do we have?"

The real question should be: "How clean is our pipeline?"

Would you rather have 11X pipeline filled with lottery tickets, or 2X pipeline packed with qualified buyers? The answer should be obvious, but somehow we keep chasing vanity metrics instead of focusing on what converts.

Here's the brutal truth: All pipeline opportunities are not equal.
Two Approaches to Pipeline Creation
There are two ways to approach pipeline creation, and only one of them actually works consistently.
Approach #1: Maximum Daily Prospecting (The Proven Method)
Don't worry about how big your pipeline is. Worry about how much prospecting you're doing, and run on a daily cadence of prospecting that maxes out the time you can spend every single day.

Prospect every day, every day, every day.

I have a block of time every morning for prospecting. Then I'm prospecting during any gap during the day. If there's time between meetings, I'm doing outreach. Every single day I'm prospecting to the very max that I have time to prospect.

When you do this, you don't have to worry about pipeline size because it takes care of itself. You never get on the desperation roller coaster because you never stop feeding the machine.
Approach #2: Pipeline Multiplier Obsession (The Broken Method)
This is where leadership teams fixate on having "5X pipeline" or "11X pipeline" because they think more is better. The problem? As soon as reps think they have "enough" pipeline, they quit prospecting. Then reality hits when half those opportunities were pipe dreams.
The Science of Pipeline: The Law of Replacement
If you want to look at pipeline like science rather than hope, you need to understand the Law of Replacement: You need to replace opportunities in your pipeline at a rate that is equal to or greater than your closing ratio.

Let me give you a real example of how this works. In a previous role, I had my numbers dialed in perfectly:

I knew I needed 10 first-time appointments every week
About 50% would move to follow-up appointments (5 deals)
I'd close about 20% of those follow-ups (1 deal per week)
It took me about 20 prospecting touches to generate 2 first-time appointments

Working backwards from one closed deal per week, I knew exactly what I needed to produce in terms of prospecting activity and first-time appointments to feed my pipeline consistently.

If I didn't replace the deals that fell out every single week, I'd eventually end up with nothing.
What Makes a Real Pipeline Opportunity
Here's where most organizations get it completely wrong. They're stuffing their CRM with anything that moves and calling it "pipeline."

A real pipeline opportunity requires a conversation. It's not a form fill or a marketing lead or something someone else talked to and dumped in your CRM. You need to have qualified it yourself and made a decision that it belongs in your pipeline.

At Sales Gravy,

Have you ever been working on a deal where you had this feeling, this intuition, this Spidey sense—something in the back of your mind telling you that this wasn't going to close? That you were going to waste your time?

Maybe you had one of the stakeholders who was against you—an enemy. There was a naysayer who kept calling you out. Perhaps the stakeholders weren't engaged, or the incumbent vendor was so integrated into the organization that it would be very difficult to displace them.

Whatever the case, you knew in the back of your mind that you weren't going to close the deal. But you kept working on it anyway. You rode that puppy to the ocean floor like the Titanic that it was.

If you’ve done this, and I know you have, take heart because we've all been there. We've all had these situations, and we've later regretted them.
Top Sales Pros are Quick to Walk Away From Bad Deals
One of the traits of Ultra-High Performers that has always been true is that they're very quick to walk away from a deal they can't close—a deal where they've concluded that the probability of winning is so low it doesn't meet their threshold.

The reason Ultra-High Performers walk away from deals like this is simple: They know that the greatest waste of their time is investing it with the wrong prospect. The time they invest in a prospect that's not going to close is money down the drain, because it's time they can't focus on a deal that will close.

But average salespeople? They hang on—hoping against hope that somehow, miraculously, things will turn around.

In sales, awareness matters. You must always know where the exit is.

There are two primary reasons why salespeople work on deals that are never going to close. Understanding these reasons is the first step to avoiding the trap.
Reason #1: The Failure to Qualify Properly
Too often, qualifying is treated like a one-and-done activity. We qualify the opportunity against our ICP. We qualify the numbers, budget, timing, urgency, and whether we're talking to a decision-maker with buying authority.

These are all quantifiable metrics that we can measure and check off our list.

But Ultra-High Performers take qualifying to the next level. Rather than making it a quick process, they understand that qualifying is never done. It's an ongoing process of awareness that keeps you tethered to reality in every deal.

And their top qualifier, once they've checked off the must-haves, is engagement.

Are the stakeholders engaged? Are they leaning in? Are they matching your effort, answering questions, and working collaboratively with you?

It's okay that there are some stakeholders who may be naysayers. That's normal in complex deals. But if you've got stakeholders who are enemies—people who are actively working against you—then your deal might be a bridge too far.

Engagement is my No. 1 qualifier. I'm constantly asking questions and giving stakeholders things to do to see whether or not they're engaged. If they're not engaged, I walk away because lack of engagement is a clear signal that you are not going to close the deal.
Reason #2: An Empty Pipeline
This brings us to the second reason salespeople stay in bad deals—desperation born from an empty pipeline.

On Friday, Dennis J. Walker, who is a benefits consultant with USI, posted something on LinkedIn that perfectly captures this dynamic. Here's exactly what he wrote:

Jeb Blount regularly states that you can't be delusional about your pipe, your prospects, your efforts, etc and be successful as a salesperson.

This week one of the larger deals in my pipe definitely didn't progress the way I wanted- and it turns out one of the executives is what I call a "deal enemy" - he was actively working against me and my team.

The last two meetings I've had with him tipped me off this could be the case; this week we had an incident that indicated he was actively working against us.

Because my pipe is full?

Your sales team just closed a $50K deal. Marketing takes credit because the prospect downloaded three whitepapers. Sales takes credit because they nurtured the relationship for six months. Meanwhile, you're wondering why this kind of success feels so random—and why similar prospects are slipping away.

Companies with misaligned sales and marketing teams waste more leads and see annual revenue decline. But businesses that achieve true alignment? They close more deals and grow revenue faster year-over-year.

The difference isn't talent, budget, or market conditions. It's whether your marketing and sales teams are pulling in the same direction or accidentally sabotaging each other.
Clashing Departments Can Crash Your Bottom Line
The consequences of misalignment between sales and marketing are significant. One common side effect is sales teams complaining about the quality of leads generated by marketing, often dismissing them as "bad leads."

Another issue is messaging. Marketing can be blind to the value propositions that are working for sales if they do not understand the sellers’ pitches and approach to closing deals. Their messaging is stale and ineffectual, completely disconnected from where sellers are finding success.

When marketing and sales have different metrics or goals, it leads to a breakdown in communication and a lack of shared understanding. That misalignment hampers productivity, damaging morale and impacting your bottom line.
Start With the Customer Journey
The most important aspect that sales and marketing need to align on is the customer journey. This involves mapping out every touchpoint—from initial awareness to final purchase to customer retention.

Map the customer journey together—then act on it. This shared blueprint reveals exactly when prospects are ready for direct outreach versus when they need more nurturing.

The payoff is immediate: Marketing delivers leads at peak readiness, while sales focuses their time on prospects most likely to convert. When both teams operate from the same customer journey map, handoffs become seamless and conversion rates climb.
Tackle Sales Objections Together
Every sales professional understands that the path to a closed deal is rarely a straight line. It's often a zig-zag through questions, doubts, and hesitations from prospects.

Marketing’s role is to help develop messaging and collateral assets that help the sales team deal with these objections. This includes essential resources like case studies, white papers, product demonstrations, and ROI calculators. With the support of marketing materials, sellers have the resources to back up their pitch, highlight benefits, and keep buyers engaged.

Most teams fail to communicate. Marketing creates polished but generic materials that sales doesn’t know exist. Sales knows which objections are the hardest to overcome but doesn’t have specific collateral to counter them.

The winning approach: Sales documents the top 5 objections that derail deals, complete with context about when and why they surface. Marketing then builds laser-focused tools to address these concerns. Think comparison sheets for "your competitor is cheaper," implementation timelines for "this seems too complex," or peer testimonials for "we're not sure this works in our industry."

Close the loop: Sales reports back on which materials move deals forward and which fall flat. Marketing iterates based on real-world results. This feedback cycle shifts objection-handling from guesswork into a refined system that consistently converts hesitation into confidence.
Get Sales and Marketing Aligned Now
How can businesses foster a stronger cohesion between sales and marketing? Here are six key strategies:
Establish Shared Goals and Metrics
Sales and marketing should work together to define common objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Action item: Schedule a joint planning session within the next 2 weeks to agree on 3-5 ...

Here's a question that'll make your head spin: What do you do when your top performer is crushing quota but not hitting a required talk time KPI?

That's the question posed by Josh Robich and Josh Nelson from Nashville. Josh Nelson ranked 18th out of 130 reps in his first full year at a new company, but he was consistently falling short of the company's sacred talk time metric of 3 hours per day, averaging only 2.5 hours instead.

Meanwhile, his company is obsessed with using talk time as its primary KPI to measure sales effectiveness.

If you're shaking your head right now, you're not alone. Obsessing over the talk time KPI rather than actual sales outcomes is one of the most backward approaches to sales management I see today, and it's costing companies their best talent.
The Moneyball Problem: When Metrics Become Religion
Remember the movie Moneyball? Billy Beane revolutionized baseball by focusing on on-base percentage instead of traditional stats that looked impressive but didn't correlate with winning games. He found a metric that predicted success.

Talk time is the opposite of Moneyball. It's a vanity metric that makes leaders feel like they're managing performance when all they are really doing is measuring noise.

Here's the brutal truth: Talk time means absolutely nothing if it doesn't drive revenue. It means nothing if the conversations are shallow, non-productive, or a poor buying experience.

You can have reps talking for 4 hours a day who are dead last on your ranking report, while someone like Josh is closing deals left and right with only 2.5 hours of phone time. Which one would you rather have on your team?
Why Talk Time Is a Lazy Leader's Crutch
The reason companies fixate on vanity metrics like talk time is because it's easy. It requires zero investment in actual coaching, observation, or skill development.

Think about it: It's much easier to look at a dashboard and say, "You need to talk more," than it is to actually listen to calls, analyze technique, and provide meaningful feedback on discovery questions, objection handling, or closing skills.

But here's what happens when you manage this way: You drive away your best performers and enable your worst ones.

Your top performers get frustrated because they're being penalized for efficiency. Your bottom performers get comfortable because they can hit their talk time numbers while producing nothing of value.
What Actually Matters: KPIs That Move the Needle
Instead of obsessing over how long reps are talking, and other vanity KPIs, smart sales leaders focus on outcome-driven metrics that actually correlate with sales performance and closing deals.
First-Time Appointments
How many new conversations is each rep having? In sales, FTAs are your Moneyball. If a rep isn’t setting enough first-time appointments, they are sub-optimizing their sales potential.
Next Step Conversion Rates
What percentage of first-time appointments convert to second appointments? This tells you everything about relationship building, discovery skills, and value articulation. If Josh is converting at a higher rate with less talk time, he's simply more effective per conversation.
Show Rates
How many scheduled appointments actually happen? This reveals qualification skills, the ability to create urgency and commitment, and the quality of prospecting conversations.
Pipeline Velocity
How quickly are deals moving through your sales process? This shows you who's truly building momentum versus who's just having long conversations that stall deals in the pipeline.
Revenue Per Hour
The ultimate sales efficiency KPI is who is generating the most revenue per hour of phone time.
Stop Obsessing Over the KPI and Start Coaching
When you shift your focus to outcome metrics, everything changes. Instead of telling reps to "talk more," you can provide specific, actionable coaching:

For the rep who has great first-time appointment numbers but poor conversion rates:...

If you are spending more time staring at your windshield instead of looking into your customers' eyes, you are doing field sales wrong.

Over the past couple of years, there's been a resurgence in field sales. Businesses everywhere are adding field salespeople and sending representatives out into the territory to meet with customers face-to-face.

And for good reason—human beings buy from human beings. The most powerful way to anchor relationships, solve problems, and sell more is to get in front of your customers.

With AI creating so much noise in the system, it's getting harder to prospect via email and social media. Going out and knocking on doors has become an easier way to connect with people, build relationships, and open up opportunities in your pipeline.

And the good news, at least for now, is that prospects are happy to see field sales pros and inviting them in to their businesses and homes.

But with the resurgence of outside sales comes an age-old problem: Field salespeople have got to travel to get to customers. And here's the brutal reality—the single greatest waste of time for field sales professionals is staring at a windshield.

On this Money Monday segment of the Sales Gravy Podcast I'm going to teach you exactly how to minimize windshield time and maximize face time. Because at the end of the day, you don't get paid to drive. You get paid to sell.
The Windshield Time Delusion
Too many reps delude themselves into believing that driving from one place to another is "working."

Let's get something straight: Driving is not an accomplishment. I don't care if you put 100 miles on your vehicle in a day. That doesn't mean you accomplished anything meaningful. It just means you drove from one place to the next, burning dinosaurs and wasting time.

I see this all the time. Reps will drive to one customer, then drive all the way across their territory to another customer, instead of concentrating their work in a single geographic area.

They'll dead-head out to an appointment, then drive all the way back to the office, passing up dozens of prospects they could have walked into along the way.

Don’t confuse activity with productivity. Just because you drove all over creation, that doesn’t mean you had a productive day.

Your job is to be in front of customers, not behind a steering wheel. Every minute you spend staring at your windshield is a minute you're not building relationships, solving problems, putting new opportunities in the pipe or closing deals.
The Mathematics of Effective Field Sales Territory Management
Let me put this in perspective with some simple math that will blow your mind.

Let's say you're a typical field sales rep working in a moderate-sized territory. You make 5 customer visits per day, and between poor route planning and territory management, you spend an average of 45 minutes driving between each appointment. That's 3 hours and 45 minutes of windshield time daily.

Over a 5-day work week, that's 18 hours and 45 minutes of non-productive driving time. That's nearly half of your work week spent accomplishing absolutely nothing.

Now, let's say you tighten up your territory management and reduce that drive time to 20 minutes between appointments through better planning. You're now down to 1 hour and 40 minutes of windshield time daily, or 8 hours and 20 minutes weekly.

You just freed up more than 10 hours per week. That's enough time for 15 to 20 additional customer visits or prospect calls. Over a month, that's 60-80 more customer touchpoints. Over a year, that's 720-960 additional opportunities to build relationships and generate revenue.

The reps who figure out how to minimize windshield time don't just have better work-life balance—they absolutely dominate their territories and blow past their quotas while their competitors are still driving around wastefully.
Map Your Territory Into Quadrants
This is why the first rule of field sales is get...

AI isn't here to replace you; it's here to boost your game. Used wisely, AI can be your secret weapon.

AI is everywhere: in social selling, content creation, automation, to say the least. Here's the double-edged sword: If you're trying to outsource everything to AI, you won't last. If you're stuck in the old ways, refusing to adapt, you'll get left behind.

Top performers are integrating AI into their workflows to make their human skills even sharper. They know AI is the edge they need to rise above the competition.
Where AI Actually Delivers Value
Think about how much sales time you burn on necessary tasks that don't drive revenue, like data entry and research. That's where AI shines. It handles the repetitive work faster and more accurately than you ever could. Feed it your ideal customer profile, and you can have a filtered list of prospects before you even finish your coffee.

AI can analyze thousands of LinkedIn profiles in minutes to identify prospects who match your best customers' characteristics. It can scrape company websites, news articles, and financial reports to give you conversation starters that actually matter. While you're having one discovery call, AI can prep intel for your next five meetings.

Consider email outreach. Instead of sending generic templates, AI can help personalize messages at scale using real company data—recent funding rounds, leadership changes, and industry challenges. All this results in open rates that don't make you cringe and response rates that actually justify your time investment.
Be Smart About How You Integrate
The mistake most sales reps make is thinking AI means "set it and forget it." That’s plain wrong. The winners are using AI as a research assistant, not a replacement for judgment. They're feeding it context, reviewing its output, and adding the human insight that turns data into deals.

The best use AI to identify patterns in their closed-won deals, then apply those insights to current opportunities. They analyze which messaging resonates with different buyer personas, then craft more targeted outreach. They're not working harder; they're leveraging better intelligence.

Take objection handling. AI can analyze your call recordings to identify the most common pushback you're getting, then help you develop stronger responses. It can even suggest which case studies or references would be most compelling for specific prospect types. It’s taking your experience and making it work for you at warp speed.
What's Coming Next for AI
Wait until you see what’s on the docket for AI advancements: AI agents that anticipate what you need before you even ask.

What if your follow-up email was already drafted after a call, incorporating specific points from the conversation? Your proposal includes ROI calculations tailored to their business model, all generated from publicly available data about their company.

AI will soon do more than respond to prompts; it will proactively support your sales process. It'll flag when a deal is stalling based on engagement patterns. It'll suggest the optimal time to follow up based on the prospect's communication preferences. It'll even coach you on your delivery by analyzing successful calls from top performers.

That’s why the time to adopt is now. Don’t let AI’s growth outpace your own knowledge of how to use it. Stay on top of new systems and improvements.
The Human Element Remains King
But here's what AI will never recognize: the moment in a sale when a prospect's voice changes and you know they're really interested. It doesn’t have the ability to read between the lines of what someone isn't saying. It lacks the intuition that tells you to pivot your pitch mid-conversation because you've spotted a better angle.

AI can't build genuine rapport. It can't adapt to the subtle cues that tell you someone's ready to buy or needs more nurturing. It can't handle the complex, nuanced objections that require empathy and creative...

If you're in field sales, you know the reality: You spend hours every week sitting behind the windshield, staring at traffic that's moving at the speed of molasses. Whether you're dealing with Atlanta's notorious I-285 parking lot or any other major city's rush hour nightmare, that windshield time is either making you better or making you bitter.
Recently on the Ask Jeb segment of the Sales Gravy podcast, Jacob Kimrey asked about helping his field sales team maximize their productivity while stuck in traffic. But here's the thing—this advice isn't just for managers to give their reps. It's for YOU, the field rep, to take control of your own success.
Let me tell you how to turn those frustrating hours in traffic into your secret weapon.

Driving Isn't an Accomplishment
First, let's get something straight: Driving is not an accomplishment. I don't care if you put 200 miles on your car today—that doesn't mean you accomplished anything meaningful for your business.
Too many field reps confuse activity with productivity. They think that because they drove all over creation, they had a productive day. Wrong.
The goal is to minimize your windshield time and maximize your face-to-face time. But when you ARE stuck in traffic, you better make damn sure you're using that time to get better.

Smart Territory Management Saves Windshield Time
Before we talk about maximizing windshield time, let's talk about minimizing it through smart territory planning.
Map your territory into quadrants: Monday territory, Tuesday territory, Wednesday territory, Thursday territory, and Friday territory. If you're supposed to be in your Monday quadrant but you're driving to your Friday area, you better have a damn good reason.
When you're planning your field time:

Group your appointments geographically: Don't hopscotch all over your territory in one day.
Plan your route in advance: Use your CRM to map out the most efficient route.
Use the T-calling technique: When you arrive somewhere for an appointment, look left, look right, look behind you—can you make additional calls in that immediate area?

The tighter your route planning, the more selling time you create and the less windshield time you waste.

Prospecting from the Road (Safely)
Now, here's where it gets interesting. That windshield time can actually become prospecting time—if you do it safely and legally.
There are apps and dialers that let you load phone numbers and dial hands-free while you're stuck in traffic. You can also set up your phone so contact numbers are easily accessible with voice commands.
Safety first: Only do this when you're completely stopped in traffic or pulled over. Never compromise safety for a sales call.
Hands-free follow-up calls: Use voice-to-text features to send follow-up messages to prospects or customers.
Planning calls: Call ahead to confirm appointments or reschedule meetings.
Customer check-ins: Those relationship-building calls that keep you top-of-mind with existing customers.
The key is preparation. Have your call lists ready, know who you're calling and why, and keep it simple and safe.

Voice Technology Is Your Friend
Today's smartphones have incredible voice capabilities that field reps should be leveraging:

Voice-to-text for quick CRM updates
Voice memos to capture important thoughts or follow-up reminders
Hands-free scheduling and calendar management
Voice-activated research on prospects or companies

Learn to use these tools, and you'll be amazed how much more productive your windshield time becomes.

Welcome to Automobile University
The number one thing you should be doing while stuck in traffic is attending what the great Zig Ziglar called "Automobile University."
When you're sitting in your car, staring at brake lights, what's coming through your speakers? Is it the news (which will just make you angry)? Music (which won't make you any money)? Or are you investing in content that makes you be...

Most value propositions stink. They’re boring, generic, feature-heavy garbage that make buyers’ eyes glaze over. And the worst part? Most salespeople don’t even realize their value proposition messaging is hurting them.

On this week’s Sales Gravy Podcast, Lisa Dennis breaks down her process for building value propositions that actually work—the kind that grab buyers by the heart and don’t let go. But before we get to the solution, let’s talk about why most value propositions fail miserably.
Reason #1: You’re Talking About Yourself, Not Them
Here’s the fundamental problem with 90% of value propositions: They’re all about you.

“We’re the industry leader with cutting-edge technology and award-winning customer service that delivers best-in-class solutions…”

Blah, blah, blah.

Do you hear that sound? That’s the sound of your prospect mentally checking out.

Here’s a hard truth about human nature: Nobody cares about you. They care about themselves.

Every buyer wants to talk about their problems, their challenges, their goals, and their pain points.

When you launch into your pitch about incredible features and market-leading capabilities, your buyer is silently thinking, “What does this mean for me?” And if you don’t answer that question immediately, you’ve lost them.

Your value proposition isn’t a corporate brochure. It’s not a marketing slick. It’s the value-bridge between what you do and what they need.

If it’s a monologue about you, your company, and your product features you’ve lost the game before kickoff.

What to do instead: Make your value proposition a laser-focused spotlight on them. Start with their problem, not your solution. Lead with their pain, not your product.
Reason #2: You’re Using Generic, Meaningless Buzzwords
Most value propositions include phrases like “industry leader,” “best-in-class,” “cutting-edge,” or “world-class customer service.”

“We’re a one-stop shop with purpose-built solutions that increase efficiency and decrease costs.”

Really? And I suppose your competitors specialize in decreasing efficiency and increasing costs?

These phrases and buzzwords make you sound exactly like every other salesperson who’s ever walked through your prospect’s door: boring.

Here’s the brutal truth: If your competitor could copy and paste your value proposition and use it for their company, it’s not a value proposition—it’s forgettable noise.

What to do instead: Get specific. Use numbers. Use their language, not yours. Instead of “increase efficiency,” say “reduce your monthly reporting time from 40 hours to 4 hours.” Instead of “industry leader,” show them exactly how you’re different and why that difference matters to them.
Reason #3: You Haven’t Done Your Homework
Most salespeople build their value propositions standing in their own shoes rather than those of their buyers.

If you don’t know what keeps your prospects awake at 3 AM, if you don’t understand their specific challenges, and if you haven’t talked to real customers about why they bought from you (or didn’t), then your value proposition is built on sand. Guesswork rather than research.

What to do instead: Talk to three groups of people and gain insight through their lens.

Your Lovers: These are your raving fans. What do they say about you when you’re not in the room? What specific problem did you solve that made them heroes in their organization?
Your Likers: These are satisfied customers who aren’t writing love letters about you. What almost made them choose your competitor? What reservations did they have?
Your Haters: These are the tough conversations. The prospects who chose someone else or the customers who fired you. Why? What did they feel you were missing?

This insight helps you shape your messaging so that it connects with the buying motivators of potential customers.
How to Build a Value Prop That Actually Works
Now that we’ve covered why most value propositions fail,

Jon Buehler from Jacksonville asks: "How do you maintain the consistency and intensity with prospecting? I find myself doing these sprints to get momentum, but struggle to keep that momentum going for long, sustained periods of time."

Jon's question gets to the heart of one of the most significant challenges in sales: maintaining disciplined, consistent, daily prospecting over the long haul. It's a challenge that plagues even experienced sales professionals.

In this Ask Jeb article and Sales Gravy Podcast, I dig into why this happens and how to fix it.
The Prospecting Paradox
Prospecting is the lifeblood of sales success, yet it's the activity most salespeople hate and avoid. This creates a dangerous pattern I call the "desperation rollercoaster"—a cycle that wreaks havoc on your results, your mental health, and ultimately your career.

Here's how it works: You prospect hard for a while, fill your pipeline, and start closing deals. Life is good. Then you get busy servicing those new clients and tell yourself you've "earned a break" from prospecting. Your prospecting activity slows down or stops entirely.

Fast forward 30-90 days, and suddenly your pipeline is dry. Panic sets in. Your manager is breathing down your neck. Your commission checks shrink. Only then do you rediscover your "motivation" to prospect.

And the cycle repeats. Up and down. Feast and famine. This isn't a strategy; it's a recipe for burnout and inconsistent performance.
The Hidden Costs of Inconsistent Prospecting
The desperation rollercoaster creates damage far beyond just an empty pipeline. When you're desperate for deals, everything about your sales approach deteriorates:

You become pushy and pitchy instead of consultative
You come across as desperate and insecure
You focus exclusively on what YOU need, not what the PROSPECT needs
Your discovery questions become shallow
You skip crucial steps in your sales process
You discount aggressively because you have no leverage
Your negotiation and closing skills deteriorate

In short, when you're desperate for deals, you sell terribly. Inconsistent prospecting doesn't just hurt your pipeline—it undermines your entire sales approach.
The 30-Day Rule: Why Consistency Matters More Than Intensity
In Fanatical Prospecting, I discuss the "30-Day Rule": The prospecting you do in this 30-day period will pay off in the next 90 days.

This rule explains why inconsistent prospecting is so dangerous. When you take even a single day off from prospecting, it creates a hole in your pipeline 30-90 days from now. Take a week off, and you create a significant gap. Take a month off, and you essentially guarantee a sales crisis in your near future.

Understanding this principle makes it crystal clear why consistency trumps intensity every time. I'd rather see you make 20 prospecting calls every day for a month than 100 calls in a single day and nothing for the rest of the month.
The Pain and Pull Method for Maintaining Motivation
So how do you maintain your prospecting discipline when motivation inevitably fades? I use the "Pain and Pull" method.
The Pain: Visualize the Consequences
When I don't feel like prospecting (and yes, even after decades in sales, I still have those days), I vividly picture what will happen if I skip it:

The stress of an empty pipeline 60 days from now
The uncomfortable conversation with my team
The hit to my income and reputation
The desperation that will undermine my sales approach

By focusing on the pain I'll experience in the future if I skip prospecting today, I create immediate motivation to pick up the phone.
The Pull: Connect to Your Why
My friend Victor Antonio calls this "the big pull," connecting your daily prospecting discipline to your most important goals and aspirations.

Nobody wakes up excited to make cold calls. But many people wake up excited about buying their dream home, sending their kids to college,

On Sunday, Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. Looking at the final scoreboard, his five-stroke victory seemed like total domination. But I was there on the ground, and what I saw wasn't domination. It was something far more valuable for you as a sales professional and has everything to do with success.

What I witnessed was a master class in mental resilience. And in this Sales Gravy podcast and article, I'm going to break down exactly how Scheffler's approach to adversity can transform your sales results.
The Brutal Grind
Quail Hollow is beautiful, but make no mistake—this course has teeth. It chewed up and spit out many of the world's best golfers without an ounce of remorse.

Just ask Bryson DeChambeau, who on Saturday watched his lead evaporate on the "Green Mile" – the brutal final three holes of the course. Or ask Jon Rahm, who briefly held the lead on Sunday before plummeting to eighth place after getting absolutely bitten by those same closing holes.

If you just looked at Scheffler's final score, you'd think he cruised through effortlessly. But that's not even close to what happened. It was a grind—every single hole, every single shot.

Scheffler came into Sunday with a five-stroke cushion, but by the front nine, he had completely lost that lead. Let that sink in for a second. The world's best golfer, playing his best golf all season, watched his commanding lead completely vanish.

For most players, that would have been it. Game over. The spiral begins. The tournament slips away.

But not for Scottie Scheffler.
Bounce Back Percentage - The Key to Winning
There's one statistic from the tournament that explains everything – and it's a metric that should become your new obsession as a sales professional. It's called the "bounce-back percentage."

The bounce-back percentage measures how often a player makes a birdie or better immediately following a bogey or worse. In other words, how often do you recover from failure and immediately create success?

For the entire field at Quail Hollow, the average bounce-back percentage was 17.4%.

For Scottie Scheffler? An astonishing 62.5%.

Think about what this means. When the average player faced adversity, they bounced back less than one time in five. But Scheffler? He transformed failure into immediate success more than three out of every five times.

That is massive mental resilience. It's the difference between holding a trophy and watching someone else hold it. It's the difference between being number one in the world and being just another talented pro. And it's absolutely the difference between sales mediocrity and sales excellence.
Bounce-Back Matters in Sales
So why am I talking about golf statistics on a sales podcast? Because the bounce-back percentage is the perfect analogy for what makes or breaks a sales career.

I've got news for you—bad stuff is going to happen in your sales career. You're going to fail, lose, and face adversity. That's not a possibility—it's a guarantee.

You're going to have situations where everything seemed perfect, and then the deal falls apart. Sometimes it's your fault. Sometimes it's not.

Maybe the champion of your deal suddenly gets fired or leaves the company. Maybe a competitor swoops in at the last minute with a ridiculous offer. Maybe your prospect ghosts you after six months of work.

Each day you're going to run into situations when you're prospecting where someone slams the phone in your ear, and then you've got to immediately turn around and make the next call. There will be days where nothing goes right and everyone says no.

Your ability to bounce back doesn't just influence your success – it defines who you are as a sales professional. It is the key to winning. Full stop.
The Goldfish Paradigm
When I'm hiring salespeople, one of the things I'm measuring for is optimism. It's essentially Ted Lasso's goldfish paradigm—the ability to forget fast.

On the show,

Sales is a trust game. Always has been; always will be.

It’s not about features, price points, or flashy presentations. It’s about conviction. And conviction is born from trust: deep, unshakable trust across four critical fronts.

Ignore even one, and you’re leaving deals on the table.
The First Deal You Close Every Day is YOU
Before you ever make a cold call, send an email, or walk into a meeting, you’ve got to sell you to you.

Self-doubt is a silent killer. It creeps in, erodes confidence, and betrays you in your voice, your body language, and that split second when you hesitate to ask for the close.

Top performers don’t have fewer fears—they just trust themselves to push through them. They build self-trust the hard way: doing the reps, facing objections, pushing through rejection until they're bulletproof.

Self-trust isn’t optional. It’s the launchpad for everything else you do.
Trust in Your Product
If you don't believe in what you're selling, neither will your prospect.

Prospects can smell when you’re bluffing. They pick up on the hesitations, the weasel words, the way you tiptoe around weaknesses instead of confronting them head-on.

When you know your product solves real problems—and you’ve seen it do so again and again—you sell with conviction. You don’t overpromise. You stop folding under pressure, and stop chasing price shoppers.

Trust in your product doesn’t mean it’s perfect. It means you know where it fits, what it does well, and who it helps—and you’re not afraid to walk away when it’s not the right match.
Your Process is Your Competitive Edge
Amateurs wing it. Top performers trust their process.

A rock-solid sales process is your roadmap to predictable success. It’s the framework that turns chaos into control. When you trust your process, you stop second-guessing yourself. You know exactly what to do next, even when prospects throw curveballs.

Your process should cover all parts of the sales cycle: prospecting, qualifying, handling objections, closing, and follow-up. Each step should be intentional and refined through experience.

Trust in your process gives you the courage to disqualify bad fits and the discipline to execute consistently.
Building Trust with Prospects: Where Deals Live or Die
Prospects don’t buy from people they don’t trust. They buy from people who understand them, demonstrate competence, and follow through on every promise.
The 7 Trust Accelerators That Actually Work

Prepare Like Your Career Depends On It: Before every interaction, know their business, industry challenges, and recent news. When you reference their Q3 earnings call or their CEO's LinkedIn post, you show respect for their time and business.
Lead with Insight, Not Pitches: Share something valuable they don't know about their market, competitors, or opportunities. "I noticed companies in your space are struggling with X. Here's what the successful ones are doing differently..."
Ask Questions That Make Them Think: Skip the basic discovery questions. Ask: "If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing about your current process, what would it be?" or "What's the real cost of not solving this problem?"
Admit What You Don't Know: When stumped, say: "That's a great question. I don't have the answer right now, but I'll find out and get back to you by tomorrow." Then actually do it.
Tell Them When You're NOT a Fit: Nothing builds trust faster than saying: "Based on what you've told me, I don't think we're the right solution for you. Here's who might be better..." They'll remember your honesty.
Share the Whole Truth About Implementation: Don't sugarcoat. Tell them: "Here's where clients typically hit speedbumps. Here's how long it really takes. Here's what you'll need to invest beyond the price tag."
Follow Up with Value, Not Just "Checking In”: Every touch should add value. Send industry reports, introduce them to potential partners,

Brian Kemski wants to know how to stop prospects from ghosting him. He asks a question that plagues salespeople everywhere: "What can I do about prospects who go through the process, seem interested, and then disappear into the witness protection program after I give them my information?"
If you've been in sales for more than a week, you know exactly what Brian is talking about. You have a great discovery call, you build rapport, you send over your proposal or pricing...and suddenly—radio silence.
The prospect ghosts you, leaving you frantically checking your email every five minutes and wondering what the hell happened.
In this Ask Jeb episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast I'm going to teach you how to prevent it.

You Gave Away Your Leverage for Free
During our conversation, I asked Brian to consider what he'd do if I offered him $100 to go get me a Big Mac. He wasn't interested. When I upped it to $200, he started considering it. At $500, he was ready to make the trip.
Why? Because at $500, the value exchange made sense to him.
Your sales information works exactly the same way. Your pricing, specs, and solutions have real value. When you hand them over without getting anything in return—especially before completing your sales process—you're essentially giving away hundred-dollar bills for free.
And once you give away all your value, the prospect has no more reason to talk to you.

Understanding Power and Leverage in Sales
In most sales situations, your prospect has more power than you do because they have more alternatives than you. They can choose your competitors or simply decide to do nothing.
The only way to level the playing field is through leverage—something you have that they want because it provides value to them.
It's like that hurricane example I gave Brian: If there's a hurricane in Miami, all the power is out, and you're the only person selling ice, you have all the power because there are no other options. But in normal business situations, your prospect has plenty of options, which gives them power.
Your information is the leverage that gets prospects to "dance to your tune." Once you give that away without getting anything in return, you've surrendered all your power.

Your Sales Process Should Be a Value Exchange
Here's what your sales process should look like instead:

Use discovery calls to build value: Ask questions that help prospects think differently about their problems. Create insights they can't get elsewhere.
Meet multiple stakeholders: Insist on speaking with everyone involved in the decision. This builds relationships across the organization and prevents ghosting.
Present your proposal in person: NEVER email a proposal. Your proposal meeting should be a closing meeting where you're getting a yes or no.
Look for engagement at every step: If prospects aren't willing to invest time and effort in your process, they're showing you they aren't serious.

Each step of your process should involve the prospect giving something (usually time and information) to get something from you. This creates what psychologists call the "investment effect"—the more effort people put into something, the more they value it.

The RFP Trap
The clearest example of giving away leverage is responding to RFPs without conditions. When you fill out all that information and send it without meeting the decision-makers, you'll rarely hear back.
My approach? "I'm not filling out all that information until you meet with me." If they want your solution badly enough, they'll meet. If they don't, you've saved yourself hours of wasted time.
I practice what I preach, but I'm not perfect. Just last November, I spent 12 hours on a proposal I knew had little chance of closing because I'd skipped steps in my own process. I gave away my leverage for free, and they ghosted me—exactly as I predicted they would.
I have to relearn this lesson once or twice a year. Maybe you do too.=

Your quota doesn't take a summer vacation, so your pipeline-building efforts can't afford to either. This is a reality check. Summer is coming fast, and if you don’t get your pipeline positioned for success now, you’ll be scrambling come mid-July.

The summer sales slowdown is a documented phenomenon across almost every industry. According to data from HubSpot, prospecting response rates can drop by as much as 25% between June and August.

Appointment conversion rates decline by similar percentages. And overall deal velocity—how quickly opportunities move through your pipeline—slows dramatically during this period.

Why does this happen? It's simple:

Decision-makers take vacations.
Buying committees become fragmented with staggered time off.
Business momentum slows as organizations shift to a summer mindset.
And you are distracted with the pool, the beach, your kids, and fun travel.

Salespeople Wait Until it is Too Late
That’s reality. Now, here's the brutal truth. Each summer salespeople make the same bad mistake—they wait until they're already in the summer slump to try to climb out of it. By the time they realize their pipeline is drying up in late June, it's already too late to course-correct, leading to stress and anxiety as their sales numbers and income drop as the temperature rises.

If you are not focused on building your summer pipeline now, you are in big damn trouble.

First, your prospects become harder to reach, which means your connection rates drop. With lower connection rates, you get fewer meetings. Fewer meetings lead to fewer opportunities entering your pipeline. Meanwhile, your existing pipeline is moving slower than normal due to vacation schedules.

These factors don't just add up—they multiply.

And here's the kicker—while you're experiencing this slowdown, your quota isn't taking a vacation. Your revenue targets remain unchanged. In fact, for many organizations, Q3 is when quota ramps up higher and the pressure really starts to build to hit annual targets.
The Sales Psychology of Going Into Summer Prepared to Make Quota
Beyond the pure mathematics of pipeline building, there's a psychological advantage to preparing now. When you're proactively filling your pipeline ahead of the summer slowdown, you operate from a position of confidence and abundance.

Sales professionals who hit the summer slump with a thin pipeline typically find themselves in panic mode. When you're in panic mode, prospects can sense it. Your conversations become more about your needs than theirs and your willingness to discount increases. These behaviors ultimately reduce deal profitability and your income, and damage your relationships with potential customers.

Contrast this with the sales professional who's already built a healthy summer pipeline. They can approach each conversation with genuine curiosity and patience. They can focus on value creation rather than transaction acceleration. They can maintain price integrity because they're not desperate for the deal. And they can actually have summer fun rather than summer stress.
Double Down on Prospecting Now
The simple reality is that connecting with prospects will get harder during summer. So you need to double your outreach volume now. If you normally make 30 prospecting calls daily, bump that to 60 for the next six weeks.

The 30-Day Rule states that the prospecting you do in this 30-day period will pay off for the next 90 days. In other words, the seeds you plant today will determine your harvest in July and August.

Knowing your pipeline is healthy going into summer allows you to enjoy any vacation time you take without constantly checking emails.
When you're not scrambling for deals, you can be more selective about which opportunities you pursue, focusing on ideal customer profiles rather than anyone with a pulse.
A well-built summer pipeline might actually allow you periods of lower activity that you can use for s...

Here’s a hard truth most salespeople never hear: The most dangerous thing you can do is think like an employee.

On this week’s episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, business consultant for entrepreneurs David Neagle says: “You've got to see yourself above the place that you actually want to accomplish.”

The highest-earning reps? They think like owners. They take responsibility for their number, their mindset, and their mission. They don’t wait for leads to be handed to them or settle for “good enough.” They build a pipeline like a business, because it is.

So whether you run a company or just run your territory, these lessons from a successful entrepreneur will harden your mindset and help you sell with more purpose, more urgency, and more grit.
Making Money Isn’t Hard.
You need to come around to a simple idea: Making money isn’t the hard part. Getting over your mental baggage about making money is infinitely more difficult.

Most salespeople riding the feast-or-famine rollercoaster find themselves desperate more often than not. When that happens, they unconsciously sabotage themselves. They discount too quickly, hesitate to ask for the sale, or talk themselves out of big goals.

Here’s the truth: Money is everywhere, and opportunity is endless. But if you believe sales is a grind and success is for “those people,” you’ll work three times harder for half the reward. Don’t undersell yourself.

Entrepreneurs don’t apologize for making money—they design their lives around it. If you want to earn like a business owner, stop treating money like a taboo topic. Start treating it like a scoreboard you want to climb.
Stop Caring What People Think (Especially About You Winning)
The moment you start succeeding—wildly succeeding—is the moment people will have opinions about it.

You close a big deal or hit the top of the leaderboard? Somebody will whisper. Someone else will be resentful. That’s not your problem. It’s theirs.

You’ll never hit your peak if you can’t stomach a little hate from the nay-sayers.

Entrepreneurs learn early that approval won’t pay your bills. If you want to win in sales, stop seeking validation from people who aren’t playing game at your level.

You can’t serve your buyer and care what others think at the same time. Choose your future over fitting in.
Believe You’re Worth the Win
Most reps think their biggest problem is weak leads or tight markets. It’s not. It’s that they don’t believe they’re worthy of success.

They don’t think they deserve the close, the commission, or the praise. Instead of swinging for the fences or building consistency, they settle for mediocre wins some of the time. Instead of dealing with confidence, they let insecurity take over.

Business owners don’t have that luxury. Their livelihood depends on selling themselves—and believing in what they offer. The same should go for you.

When you believe you’re worth the success, your tone changes. Your body language shifts. Your presence becomes undeniable—and buyers feel it.

Push past doubt by honing your skills through practice and reviewing past successes. You deserve everything you’ve worked hard to gain.
Sales Isn’t About Getting—It’s About Giving
A lot of people treat sales like they’re trying to take something. That’s why they feel pushy, needy, or “icky.”

But the best sellers think like business owners—and owners know they’re in the business of solving problems. They're giving value, outcomes, and transformation.

If your mindset is “I need to get this deal,” your buyer will feel that. But if you shift to “I’ve got something that can truly help them,” everything changes. You show up with confidence, not desperation; with curiosity, not pressure.

Sales isn’t just hunting. It’s serving. And your commission is just the reward for solving someone else’s problem.

Start thinking like a consultative seller. Listen closely to your prospect’s needs and position yourself as a trusted advisor who...

Tyler Goss, from Tampa, has two critical sales questions: 1) How do we achieve those "crazy" prospecting numbers I talk about in my books? 2) When should a lead become a pipeline opportunity?
In this podcast, I break down these answers in plain English.

When to Create a Deal: Finding the Sweet Spot
There's no shortage of opinions on when to create a deal in your CRM. Some sales leaders will tell you to create a deal before you even make the first call (ridiculous). Others won't let you create one until the contract is practically signed (equally absurd).
Here's my take: Both extremes are problematic. You need a pipeline that gives you meaningful data. Here's how we handle this at Sales Gravy:

For Inbound Leads:
We categorize inbound leads into three distinct groups:
1. List Leads
These are people who sign up for our newsletter or download basic resources where we only ask for a name and email address. They're joining our community, and while some might become customers down the road, they're not pipeline opportunities yet.
2. MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads)
These folks have given us more detailed information through webinars or content downloads. They've provided their phone number, email address, company, role, etc. There's an implicit understanding that we might reach out, but they haven't expressed a direct interest in buying. I don't want these in my pipeline just yet.
3. Hot Leads
These people come to us with their hands up, saying things like: "We've got a team of nine and want to do sales training" or "Our SKO is in February, and we want to hire Jeb. How much does he cost?" These leads have an open buying window and go straight into the pipeline. We'll close 95% of these because they've already self-identified as buyers.

For Outbound Prospecting:
When prospecting outbound we only put opportunities into the pipeline after the prospect has agreed to a first-time appointment (FTA).
Here's why: First-time appointments are your Money Ball metric—they indicate the health of your prospecting efforts. When an FTA is in your pipeline, you can measure critical data points like:

Show/no-show rates by rep
Advancement rates from FTA to next stages
Conversion rates from FTA to closed business

If I have a rep setting tons of FTAs with only a 10% show rate, I need to diagnose that problem. If another rep is advancing 50% of their FTAs to the next stage, that tells me something completely different.
The qualification point is simple: Both parties have agreed to step into the sales process. That's when it becomes a pipeline opportunity.
Some organizations resist this approach because they only want "fully qualified" opportunities in their pipeline. I get it, but you're missing valuable data if you wait too long.
Consider this example: If you work in an industry where everyone's under contract, and you know contract expiration dates, you might be tempted to automatically add prospects to your pipeline as their contract end dates approach. I wouldn't do that. Wait until you've had a conversation where they agree to meet with you to discuss options. That agreement to step into the process is your trigger.
If you're putting everything into your pipeline, you're diluting your data. If you're waiting until deals are practically closed, why even have a pipeline? The sweet spot is somewhere in between—and for most B2B sales organizations, it's at the first-time appointment stage.

Maximizing Prospecting Efficiency: How We Make So Many Calls
Tyler also asked about those "crazy" prospecting numbers I mention in my books. How do my teams make hundreds of calls during designated call blocks? The answer boils down to three key principles:

1. Separate List Building from Prospecting
Research and building lists is NOT prospecting. When we're prospecting, we're just chopping wood. We have our lists ready in advance, and when it's time to prospect, that's all we do.

During a practice round at a major golf tournament recently, one of the players hit an exceptionally beautiful shot. A fan in the gallery exclaimed, "Man, I wish I could hit a shot like that!" The player walked over to the fan and said, tongue-in-cheek, "No, you don't."

The fan looked confused. "What do you mean?"

The player replied, "You don't want to hit a shot like that because that means hitting a thousand balls a day, every day, for the next 20 years. That's what it takes to hit a shot like that."

And that's true for pretty much everything you want to accomplish life—whether it's playing golf, the piano, selling, investing, or mastering AI. If you want to be elite, you have to do a lot of repetitions of the same thing to reach the top.
Adopt The Mamba Mentality
You've got to practice constantly. And this is what a lot of people miss. See, the truth is you can have anything in life you want—pretty much within reason—as long as you're willing to do the boring work.

You know what separates Warren Buffett, the greatest investor of our generation, from other investors? He's read over 100,000 financial statements in his lifetime. Think about that. 100,000 financial statements. That's not exciting work. That's not sexy. It is sitting alone, poring over numbers, analyzing balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, day after day, year after year, decade after decade. But that boring work made him one of the richest people on the planet.

Or look at Kobe Bryant. Kobe was famous for his "Mamba Mentality" which meant showing up at 4 AM to practice, hours before his teammates. It meant shooting thousands of the same shots over and over. His trainer once said Kobe would practice one simple move 700-800 times in a single session. Not 10 times, not 50 times. 700-800 times. The same move, over and over and over again. That's the boring work that made him a legend.

Going out to the driving range and hitting a thousand balls with your seven iron is one of the most boring things you can possibly do. Crap, hitting 50 balls with your seven iron is boring. But that's what separates the top performers from the low performers—they're willing to do the boring things.
Top Performers are Always Working at It
In sales, top performers are constantly studying. I meet them all the time. They show up in my seminars, read my books and listen to my podcasts. They’re taking courses on Sales Gravy University. They invest in learning and practicing every single day.

When we run role plays, they jump right in. They recognize that, yeah, that's boring work. But you've got to do the boring things, the repetitive things, to get what you want.
Be Careful What You Wish For
So the questions you have to ask yourself when you make that wish for what you want or set a goal is:

How bad do you want it?
Are you willing to do the work?
Are you willing to make the sacrifice?
Are you willing to grind day in and day out?
Are you willing to do all of boring reps that nobody ever sees in order to reach the very top?

Success is Paid for In Advance With Boring Work
You can accomplish anything once you accept that the price for success is paid for in advance. The price of admission to the elite levels of any profession is doing the boring work that most people aren't willing to do. Let me give you an example from my own life.

Years ago, when I was starting out in my sales career, I made a commitment to make 100 cold calls every single day no matter what. Rain or shine. Good mood or bad mood. Whether I felt like it or not. You know first hand that cold calling is not exciting work. It's tedious, repetitive, and rejection dense. Honestly, most people—including my boss—thought I was nuts.

But those 100 calls a day allowed me to out perform and out earn all of my peers. It made me the top sales rep in my fortune 200 company. It bought houses, made me wealthy, and eventually gave me the platform to write book...

Here's the brutal truth: Self-awareness is the ultimate sales skill.

We obsess over skills like closing techniques, objection handling, and prospecting cadence. But self-awareness is the real make-or-break. Self-awareness is the lever that separates ethical, high-performance sellers from out-of-touch order takers.

If you’re not self-aware, you’re leaving money on the table and damaging trust.
Sales Without Self-Awareness is a Wrecking Ball
Let’s get honest. Lack of self-awareness is a deal-killer. It’s what causes reps to:

Over-talk and under-listen
Project their objections onto the buyer
Miss subtle cues because they’re too focused on a static script
Push when they should pause

This isn’t just a skill gap—it’s a blind spot. When you don’t know how best to connect with your prospect because you’re not listening—that’s a dangerous place to sell from.

Self-awareness is your internal compass. Without it, you can’t navigate objections, establish trust, or conduct a real discovery conversation. You can’t be consultative without being conscious.
The Ego Trap: Overconfidence Kills Awareness
It might seem counterintuitive, but your biggest blind spot in sales might be your own ego.

Close a few deals, and suddenly you stop prepping, shortcut discovery, and assume you know the buyer. That’s when self-awareness can tank.

Confidence is good until it turns into arrogance. When you stop reflecting, stop asking questions, and stop listening, you lose your edge. Sales is a what ’s-happening-today game. Yesterday’s win doesn’t guarantee today’s deal.

Top sellers stay humble enough to ask:

“Did I connect, or just perform?”
“Am I guiding, or just trying to sound impressive?”
“Does my solution fit their problem, or am I just trying to land a quick deal?”

The most crucial part of self-awareness? Checking your mindset—and your overconfidence—before it derails a lucrative deal.

Ego says you’ve got it handled. Self-awareness asks if that’s really true.

Only one of those gets you to President's Club.
The Two Lanes of Emotionally Intelligent Awareness
Awareness in sales isn’t just about having “emotional intelligence” and keeping arrogance in check. It’s about two critical lanes:
1. Seller Self-Awareness
You must know how your tone, presence, and mindset affect the buyer. That means recognizing when:

You’re chasing approval instead of guiding decisions
You’re hesitating out of fear of rejection
You’re overexplaining because you're insecure
You're emotionally reacting instead of staying neutral

Top sellers audit themselves for these moments constantly. They ask:

"Was I too defensive there?"
"Did I listen or just wait to talk?"
"Am I showing up with certainty or neediness?"

A self-inventory is no picnic. But this self-audit allows the elite to stay composed, curious, and in control—especially when things get tense.
2. Buyer’s State Awareness
A self-aware seller is tuned in. They're not just listening to what is said, but why it’s being said, and what isn’t being said at all.

Consultative selling is all about sensing, so it’s:

Knowing when a buyer’s guard is up
Being alert to when they’re overwhelmed
Learning when they’re intrigued but afraid to say yes
Watching the micro-expressions
Noticing the shift in tone

The best lead by aligning with the buyer’s state. By understanding the buyer’s motivations, emotional triggers, and decision-making pace, self-aware sellers engage in deal-making, not manipulation.
Self-Awareness Might Be New to You
So there’s no doubt self-awareness nets meetings and closes deals. But here’s the problem: Most sellers have never been coached to insightfully reflect.

They’re trained on scripts, not self-regulation. They’re told to “just make the calls,” but not how to manage the emotions that come with rejection, hesitation, or being ghosted.

It’s easy to understand the challenges.

If you're doing any kind of cold calling or prospecting, you'll eventually hear this objection: "I'm in a meeting right now." Paul Wise, a heavy cold caller from Normandy, France, targets product managers at software companies and says that nine times out of ten when he gets a decision-maker on the phone, they claim to be "in a meeting."
Three Ways to Handle the "I'm in a Meeting" Prospecting Objection
As I explained to Paul, how you respond in that moment can make or break your opportunity to move forward.

First, let's acknowledge something important: If someone is genuinely in the middle of an important meeting, they typically don't answer calls from unknown numbers. The fact that they picked up your call suggests they might not be as unavailable as they claim.

That said, they might be between meetings, heading into a meeting, or simply using this as a brush-off technique. Regardless of their true situation, you need an objection handling strategy.

Based on my conversation with Paul, here are three effective approaches to handle this common situation:
Approach #1: The Quick Pitch Strategy
This is what Paul has been doing: When he gets someone on the phone who says they're in a meeting, he delivers his DMX (Decision Maker Express) pitch as quickly as possible, then tries to secure a meeting.

Paul mentioned this sometimes works for him. He gets the meeting scheduled, then works hard to ensure they show up by engaging with them on LinkedIn, sending follow-up emails, and basically "surrounding" them with touch points.

The upside: You've got them on the line, so why not take your shot? The downside: Rushing through your pitch can make you sound desperate and reduce your effectiveness.

When to use it: If you have a high-energy personality and can deliver a compelling, concise pitch without sounding rushed, this approach can work. It's especially effective if you have a solid follow-up strategy to ensure they show up to the meeting.
Approach #2: The Acknowledge and Pivot Strategy
Instead of trying to pitch someone who's claimed to be busy, simply acknowledge their situation and pivot directly to scheduling:

"I totally expected you to be in a meeting and not able to talk. That's exactly why I called—to find a time that's more convenient for you. Why don't I send you a meeting invite for Thursday at 2:00, and then we can get together when you do have time to talk?"

This approach demonstrates respect for their time while simultaneously accomplishing your objective of setting an appointment.

What happens next reveals a lot:

If they agree to the meeting, you've accomplished your goal without the rushed pitch.
If they ask, "Who are you again?" they're actually signaling they have more time than they initially let on.
If they say they're not available Thursday, they're engaging in a scheduling conversation—which means they're interested enough to find an alternative time.

When to use it: This works particularly well when you sense the prospect is genuinely busy, but they might be interested with the right approach. It's respectful, professional, and surprisingly effective.
Approach #3: The Non-Complementary Behavior Strategy
This is my personal favorite because it uses psychology to your advantage.

When the prospect answers with high energy, saying they're busy or in a meeting, don't match their energy. Instead, deliberately slow down and use a calm, relaxed tone:

"Totally get that. I figured you would be busy. Look, I only have two questions."

Then—and this is critical—be quiet. Let the silence do the work.

If they truly have no time, they'll hang up. But most won't. Instead, they'll likely say something like, "Okay, but go fast."

Now you need to ask a question that gets them engaged—something they can easily answer that reveals qualification information:

"How many data points are you connected to in your current configuration?"

The magic happens in what follows:

Self-talk, what you say to yourself internally, manifests itself in your outward attitude and actions. As any elite athlete will tell you, the mental games you play with yourself between your ears will make or break you. When all things are equal, mindset is one thing that separates winners and losers.

This is one of the reasons that I love golf so much. Once you understand the basic mechanics of the golf swing the only thing that really matters is mindset. On every shot your ability to focus, calm your mind, and remain mentally disciplined is the thin line between brilliance and disaster. Allow the wrong thoughts to creep in and before you know it you’ve shanked your shot into a water hazard.
You Become What You Think
In golf and in sales, you cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought.

Self-talk is crazy powerful. You become what you think. When you expect to win, you’ll win far more often than the person who believes they are going to lose. When you learn how to block out negative thoughts and inputs and remain focused on your process you’ll consistently out perform those who don’t.

Understanding this is crucial in these crazy times full of volatility, uncertainty, negativity and divisiveness. In this environment where everything can hit the fan in an instant on any given day, it is super easy to become mired in stinking thinking.
Beware of Stinking Thinking
Stinking thinking is the toxic inner soundtrack that loops in your head after a bad conversation with your boss, seeing a negative story on the news or social media, a lost deal, a bad quarter, or hitting five straight voicemails on cold calls. It’s every “Nobody answers the phone anymore,” “No one’s buying in this economy,” or “I’m just not cut out for sales.”line you feed yourself. It’s catastrophizing. It’s victim-talk.

Imagine the impact on your mindset when your internal conversation is constantly filled with negativity. It’s the mental equivalent of leaving a half-eaten tuna sandwich in your backpack for a week—eventually the smell becomes unbearable.

Mindset drives attitude, attitude drives behavior, and behavior drives outcomes. When stinking thinking settles in:

Your Reticular Activating System—the brain’s spam filter—starts looking for evidence you’re doomed, and sure enough, you find it.
Call reluctance skyrockets. You protect your fragile ego instead of filling the pipe and asking confidently for the sale.
Every “maybe” sounds like a “no,” every objection feels personal, and every tiny setback reinforces the lie that you’re stuck.

Left unchecked, that negative monologue becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your pipeline shrinks, numbers dip, confidence tanks, and pretty soon you’re blaming the market instead of owning the mirror.
Thoughts are Just Choices
The good news is that thoughts are just choices. You control your mindset. You have the ability to flip the switch from victim to driver. From rain barrel to rainmaker.

What you must never forget is that momentum follows mindset, not the other way around. Manage your self-talk and the results follow suit.

When your self-talk turns negative, take control and change it. Learn to replace negative self-talk with positive affirmations and statements. Get in the habit of looking in the mirror and answering the question: “What can I control right now?” Focus on that.
Knowing vs Doing
Now, here’s the rub, everybody knows self-talk matters. Socrates hammered on it. Marcus Aurelius journaled about it. Your grandmother probably told you to “stop being so negative.” The concept of mental discipline isn’t new, it’s universal.

But intellectual agreement and day-to-day execution are two very different zip codes. You can post quotes from every Stoic on LinkedIn and still spend the morning telling yourself, “I’ll never hit quota in this economy.” Knowledge without application is just trivia.

So flip the switch from knowing to doing.

Let’s kill the myth: sales coaching isn’t just for newbies or underperformers.

It’s for closers, leaders, and the ones who want more—more pipeline, more wins, more control over their career. If you're in sales, you need coaching. Period.

This isn’t feel-good fluff. Sales is a performance sport. Every high-performance athlete has a coach, and every inspiring performer has a mentor for a reason.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs a coach. From the elite to the desperate, everyone can benefit from guidance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCOY793fA5E
1. The Desperate: The Bottom 20%
You know who you are. You’re missing quota—again. Every call feels heavier, your confidence is tanking, and you’re out of answers.

Here’s the truth: you don’t need more time—you need better habits, tighter processes, and someone to call out your excuses. You need guidance.

Sales coaching forces you to stop guessing and start fixing. A good coach will rip the blinders off: Are you dodging the phones? Are you hesitating at the close? Are you talking too much and listening too little?

You're not going to claw your way out of the bottom 20% by working harder. You get out by working smarter, with someone who’s done it before and won’t let you off the hook.

Find yourself a coach—do it now—before the hole you’ve dug gets any deeper.
2. The Mediocre Middle
You’re not bottom of the pack, but you’re not standing out either. You’re just … fine. Quietly average. Here you are, coasting on a couple of decent months, dodging attention, not making waves, paying your bills but treading water accomplishment-wise.

And that should scare you. This is not where you want to be.

This is where most reps stay stuck—not because they don’t care, but because they don’t change. Coaching breaks the cycle of complacency. It’s the flashlight in the dark that shows you exactly what’s holding you back. Weak discovery? Inconsistent follow-ups? Soft closes?

You don’t need a miracle. You need fresh eyes and someone who pushes you past the edge of “fine.”

Seek out a coach who’s been there and knows how to break through the ceiling you’re trapped under.
3. The Ultra High Performer
You’re already top tier. You’ve pushed your way into the 5%. President’s Club. You’ve got the trophies, the income, and the T-shirt to prove it.

So why do you need coaching?

Because the best never stop training. They don’t rest on wins—they refine, seek out marginal gains, and build muscle when others relax. Coaching helps you identify the 2mm adjustments that turn a winner into a legend.

The ultra-high performers I’ve seen who get coaching consistently shorten deal cycles, multiply referrals, and close with precision. The ego stays in check, the mindset stays sharp, and the momentum stays up. They’re breaking into enterprise-level sales on the regular.

The moment you stop chasing growth is the moment someone else starts catching up.

Your ideal coach has climbed to the top of the mountain themselves and is willing to help you scale it, too.
4. The Solopreneur
You’re running a business, selling the service, delivering the product, and following up with the clients. You’re building the plane mid-air.

But let’s be real—most solopreneurs need some help to truly master sales. With your passion, you’re the best sales rep for your product you’ll ever have—but right now, you’re winging it.

“Coaching helps you build a real sales process—consistent outreach, confident pricing, and predictable revenue.

You can’t afford wasted time or wasted energy. A coach helps you cut distractions, stop chasing bad-fit leads, and finally build the kind of pipeline that scales with you.

If you want to play a bigger game, you’ve got to start selling like a pro—not an amateur.

Go land a coach who’s as committed to making you a top-tier sales rep as you are to your business.
5. The Sales Leader
You coach your team, run the numbers, and lead the meetings.

Kyle, a field sales rep from British Columbia, is struggling with a common prospecting challenge: how to consistently prospect when you're constantly on the move.
Kyle's situation likely resonates with many of you in outside sales. He described his typical day—starting at job sites at 7:30 AM, running between appointments, sending proposals from his truck, and working from Starbucks in between meetings. Sound familiar?
He had read my book, Fanatical Prospecting, where I advocate for dedicated time blocks for prospecting. But Kyle's reality made traditional time blocking nearly impossible. So what's a field rep to do?
What follows is the advice I gave Kyle, cleaned up and expanded so every field seller, territory manager, and outside sales road warrior can put it to work—right now.

Focus on Activity Count, Not Time Blocks
If you're in Kyle's shoes (or truck), here's my advice: Stop obsessing over time and start focusing on activity counts.
Instead of trying to carve out a rigid one- or two-hour block, set a daily activity goal. For someone in Kyle's position, committing to 30 quality outbound touches per day is likely sufficient. In my early days, I personally made 100 dials daily, no matter what—but you need to find your number.
It's amazing what you can accomplish in small pockets of time. Got 10 minutes between appointments? You can make 10 dials. These micro-prospecting sessions add up throughout your day.
Instead of asking, “How do I find two uninterrupted hours?” ask, “How many outbound touches do I need to hit my pipeline goal?”

Reverse-engineer your math. If 30 dials typically create two meetings—and two meetings a day keep your funnel fat—commit to 30 dials, period.

Activity over chronology. Whether you burn those calls in one block or in six five-minute bursts between site visits doesn’t matter. Hitting the activity target does.

Prospecting is like push-ups: the muscle only cares that you completed the reps, not whether you did them all at once.

Practical Fanatical Prospecting Implementation for Field Reps
Here's how to make this work in the field:

Set up your list the night before: Don't waste precious morning energy building your call list. Have everything ready to go when you start your day. A pre-built list eliminates the mental drag of figuring out who to call while you’re juggling mud, invoices, and traffic.
Use the gaps: Those small windows between appointments are prospecting gold. Five minutes here, ten minutes there—use them.
Capture information efficiently: Most calls will go to voicemail. For the ones who answer, quickly note any important information to input into your CRM later. Don't try to update your CRM in real-time between every call.
Be safe: Obviously, don't text and drive. Pull over if you need to take notes or send follow-up messages.

What Kyle is experiencing is common for outside sales professionals. You can't prospect the same way as an inside sales rep with a dedicated desk and phone. Your office is your vehicle. Your desk is wherever you can find a flat surface. Your schedule is dictated by customers and job sites.

Create a Mobile Prospecting Kit
Salesforce is great—when you have stable Wi-Fi and two hands on a keyboard. Field reps need something that works when the LTE bars dip to one.

Print or export your list with phone numbers and a skinny note column.

Hyperlink mobile numbers in a notes app so a single tap dials the next contact—no scrolling, no fumbling.

Use a hands-free auto-dial app (tons exist) if local regulations allow. Safety first; quotas second.

Capture notes on paper or dictate voice memos. At day’s end, batch-enter critical intel into your CRM. Perfect data hygiene is optional; capturing deal-moving facts is mandatory.

Rule of thumb: Log information, not activity. Managers love call-count metrics, but conversations and follow-up triggers win deals.

On this Money Monday, we're going back to Augusta where Rory McIlroy finally won The Masters and in doing so gave us 5 lessons for chasing and achieving dreams. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t clean. It was gritty, emotional, and one of the most unforgettable moments in sports history.

Rory stepped onto the first tee looking calm, focused. Like a man who’d been here before, and this time, was ready to finish it. He was 12-under. Two shots clear. It was his tournament to lose.

Then it unraveled almost immediately. A loose drive. Bad bounce. Scrambled recovery. Double bogey. That kind of start can break a player, especially at Augusta National, especially when the stakes are this high. But this year would be different.

Here are five lessons we can learn from Rory Mcllroy's journey to immortality at the Masters:
Lesson #1: Pressure Doesn’t Break You—It Reveals You
That double bogey on the first hole could’ve crushed him. It has crushed players before. It’s crushed him before. But this time, Rory leaned into the moment.

In sales, the pressure hits you just as fast. A lost deal, a missed number, or an impossible quarter. You don’t get to run from it. You fail to the level of your habits, your mindset, and your preparation. What shows up when you’re squeezed is your true game.
Lesson #2: Respect the Long Game
Rory didn’t panic; he recalibrated. He birdied 3, then 4. No showboating. No hero shots. Just control. He played tight through the front 9. His game wasn’t flashy—just steady. He didn’t chase. He didn’t press. Rory played smart. He trusted the process and took what the course gave him. He didn’t win with a miracle chip. He won with patience. Tempo. Smart decisions. He trusted the process.

That’s how deals close. That’s how pipeline builds. You qualify. You follow up. You show up again. And you earn the right to close when the buyer’s ready—not when you’re desperate to sell. Trust the process, be consistent, and believe in your system.
Lesson #3: How You Lose Matters More Than How You Win
But the Augusta National did what the Augusta National always does—it tightened its grip.

The 11th is long, brutal, and unforgiving. His approach caught the small bumpy hills that line the green side fairway and scuttled left. The ball screamed toward the left pond and stopped just short. Rory was able to make the save for bogey.

"Amen Corner," he must have whispered to himself, exasperated. Rae’s Creek was, again, waiting on 13—and it got him. His 89-yard chip landed short and skipped into the water. Another bogey.

He was slipping. You could see it in his face. The sweat. The searching for focus. The doubt that has haunted his Masters’ history creeping in around the edges. The crowd got quiet. Could it be another collapse.

On the 15th, after his tee shot put him left of the fairway blocked by three Georgia Pines, Rory stood at the top of the hill—one of the last true scoring chances on the course.

He pulled a 7-iron for 220 yards. A high, arching draw that tracked perfectly, landing soft on the right side of the green and rolling to within five feet of the pin. Rory bounced down the fairway to the green, walking on clouds. The crowd enveloped him in a unified chant.

Then he landed another birdie on 17. Suddenly, he was back to 11-under—tied with Justin Rose, who was charging from behind with a 66 and had the crowd buzzing.

18 was Rory’s chance to seal it. But his second shot found the bunker. The blast out was clean, but the putt too strong. He missed. The gallery groaned. Another Masters heartbreak? Was this all too much to fight in one day? Did he have one more, two more, three more holes?

But Rory didn’t show frustration or melt down. He reset and walked back to the tee box for the playoff with Rose. For years, Rory has taken losses on the chin. No excuses. No drama. Just class.

Grace matters. Your mindset matters. Clients see that in sales. They notice how you act when the deal doesn’t go y...

You crushed your quota. Commission check hits the account.

Your first instinct? Celebrate! You earned it, right?

Not quite. You’ve earned a reward, sure. But if every check disappears faster than a cold call prospect can hang up the phone, then you’re just renting a lifestyle.

Here’s the truth: Top sales pros don’t just sell like professionals—they manage their money like professionals. They know the high of a commission check can’t replace long-term financial freedom.

I’ve got the financial low-down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Da7U2PviPI
1. Don’t Spend It All in One Place—Or All at Once
When a big check hits, it’s tempting to splurge. New watch. Fancy dinner. Extra drinks on you.

But here’s the catch: commission highs come and go. Quarters fluctuate. Markets shift. Now more than ever, you can’t treat every paycheck like a lottery win.

Try this instead:

Split your check. A solid money rule: 50% to lifestyle, 30% to savings/investments, 20% to debt.
Set auto-transfers. Remove temptation. Have a percentage automatically move to savings or investments the minute you get paid.

Living below your means is how you avoid feeling broke—even during dry spells.
2. Build the "Oh Crap" Fund
Sales is high-risk, high-reward. One quarter, you're crushing it, the next you're staring down a dry pipeline and a mortgage payment.

Enter your emergency fund.

This isn’t optional—it’s survival. Ideally, you want 3–6 months of living expenses saved in a separate account, untouched unless it’s a true money emergency.

Having this cushion keeps you from making desperate decisions when things get tight—and keeps your mind clear to prospect fanatically.
3. Debt Doesn’t Care About Your Commission
Credit cards. Car payments. Student loans.

Debt is a silent killer of long-term wealth. And the more you make, the more it sneaks in. Why? Because it’s easy to think, “I’ll just pay it off with my next check.”

Then the check comes. And goes.

Start taking control:

List your debts. Highest interest first.
Choose a strategy. Snowball (smallest balance first) or Avalanche (highest interest first). Stick to it.
Automate payments. No missed due dates. No excuses.
Pay with cash. And stick to it. If you can’t afford to pay for it all now. You can’t afford it, period.

Freedom means having money that belongs to you—not a credit card company.
4. Your Future Self is Counting on You
It’s easy to feel invincible when you’re 25, 30, 35—closing deals, stacking checks.

But time moves fast. And if you don’t start investing for the long haul, future-you will be making cold calls at 70.

Start with your 401(k) if your company offers one—especially if there’s a match (that’s free money). If not, look into IRAs or Roth IRAs. Even small monthly contributions grow massively over time thanks to compounding interest.

The earlier you start, the easier it is. The later you start, the harder it gets.
5. Plan, Don’t Wing It
You wouldn’t wing a sales call with a high-value prospect, right? The same goes for your finances.

You need a plan.

Set financial goals. Pay off $10K in debt. Save $20K this year. Max out your Roth IRA.
Track your spending. Use an app or spreadsheet. Know where every dollar goes.
Meet with a financial advisor. Let a pro help map the path.

Sales success without financial structure is just noise. You work too hard to have nothing to show for it in the end.
6. Discipline is Freedom
This isn’t about deprivation. It’s about choice.

When your money’s right, you can:

Stop chasing bad deals.
Invest in coaching, property, or your own business.
Sleep well, knowing you're not one missed quota away from panic.

The people who look rich often aren’t. The people who stay rich? They play the long game.
Protect the Bank Account
You already know how to grind. You already know how to win.

Now it’s time to build a life where that effort creates lasting freedom—n...

Ross from Houston faces a common challenge in channel sales: how do you create brand preference for your product when you’re selling through distributors who carry multiple competing lines and competitors who undercut your price?
His company builds industrial dust-collection equipment and ducting, but they don’t sell direct—meaning they rely heavily on distributors, contractors, and engineers to choose their brand over cheaper alternatives.
Below, you’ll find key insights on how to drive more “pull-through” sales to your channel partners and convince every stakeholder—from designers to installers—to pick your product.

Why Pull-Through in Channel Sales Matters
When you sell through distribution, you lose a lot of direct control. Your product is on the shelf (literally or figuratively) alongside competitors, and the distributor or contractor can often steer buyers toward any brand they choose. Pull-through happens when the end user, contractor, or engineer specifically requests your brand—making your distributor the middleman who fulfills the preference you created.

Educate & Collaborate With Specifiers
Ross’ sales team already does lunch-and-learn sessions with engineering firms. Those engineers create the specs that contractors must follow, so if your product is “baked in” early, that’s a massive advantage later when the contractor goes shopping. But the real test comes when the contractor or installer sees a cheaper alternative on the distributor’s line card.
Key Steps:

Educate engineers on the deeper value and functionality of your product, so they’ll insist on it in their specs.

Collaborate with contractors. Even if they’re not the final decision-maker, they can heavily influence whether your premium line or a cheaper knockoff is chosen.

Brand Preference vs. Price Objections
The toughest hurdle for a premium brand is the classic price objection. If the competitor’s line undercuts you, how do you prove your extra value?

Unearth the Real Cost of Going Cheap. Show specifiers and end users the Total Cost of Ownership—that cheaper or less-robust solutions can lead to higher maintenance, safety issues, or inefficiencies down the line.

Highlight Success Stories. Gather testimonials or case studies from buyers who saved time, boosted reliability, or lowered total cost of ownership by choosing your brand.

Create Tools and Guides. Develop clear documentation or ROI calculators that help buyers see beyond sticker price—especially useful if the distributor’s rep isn’t fully equipped to present your value.

Dealing with the Distributor as a Gatekeeper
You can do all the contractor or engineer training you want, but if the distributor’s inside salesperson steers a buyer to a cheaper product, you still lose. That’s why building the distributor relationship is non-negotiable.
Action Items:

Train the Distributor’s Sales Reps. Show them exactly how to pitch your brand’s advantages, from installation ease to long-term reliability.

Reward Them for Advocacy. If possible, offer spiffs or incentives when they successfully sell your line. In some cases, highlight how your product can reduce their support headaches and returns, making their life easier.

Co-Sell on Big Deals. Bring major opportunities to the distributor, or volunteer to go on key calls together. When you help them close deals, they become more loyal to you.

Get Proactive and Strategic
One pitfall in channel sales is that your rep can become just a “help desk” for the distributor—always fixing problems instead of actively driving new deals. But a proactive approach can turn that support into a competitive edge:

Offer On-Site or Virtual Coaching. Whenever the distributor or contractor hits a snag, your rep steps in, demonstrating expertise. This builds trust and brand loyalty.

Balance Support with Hunting. While your reps should help,

There is a big challenge in today’s marketplace that’s popping up left and right for sales professionals—Decision Deferment Objections.

If you’re running into stakeholders who say, “Let’s just hold off a bit,” “We need more time,” or “We want to wait until the market settles,” then we're going to dive into why this is happening and, more importantly, how you can handle these sales objections with confidence and skill.
Turbulent Times Breed Buyer Fear
The market is swinging like a pendulum on steroids, and it’s making everyone skittish. You’ve got tariffs, trade wars, and a spike in economic uncertainty.

Buyers read The Wall Street Journal or check their news feeds, and the headlines scream “Turmoil!” They panic. So they defer decisions, walk away from deals, or play the “wait and see” game.

Decision deferment objections are a natural consequence of fear. People want to avoid making the wrong move. It’s easier to hit the pause button than to commit to something they’re not 100% sure about. That fear, in many ways, is irrational. But it’s a brick wall that will shut down your deal if you let it.

So how do you avoid letting hesitation, stalling, and decision deferment kill your deals during market uncertainty?

It starts with a fundamental truth: to succeed in this environment, you must sell better. Because when people are fearful, indecisive, or uncertain, how you sell matters far more than what you sell.
Why Buyers Pull Back and Defer Decisions
In uncertain and volatile times, mistakes come with severe penalties. A stakeholder who chooses the wrong vendor, invests in the wrong technology, or commits resources too soon might put their entire business or career at risk.

So they freeze. They put it off. They say, “We’ll need a little more time to think about it,” or “We need to run the numbers again,” or “Let me talk to my boss.”

If you haven’t uncovered real fears, addressed them, and methodically advanced the deal, you’ll hit a wall of deferment decision objections at maximum force. That’s why I often sound like a broken record—but repetition is the mother of skill. The basic steps to closing in an uncertain market are fundamental:

Execute your sales process flawlessly
Consistently ask for micro-commitments to advance the sale
Present a compelling, airtight case for change
Ask your stakeholders to make a decision confidently and without hesitation
Handle objections with empathy

Closing Is Not a Single Moment in Time
A lot of sales reps treat the close as one magic moment—like flicking a switch. But in reality, closing is a series of micro-commitments that happen throughout the sales process. Every time you get a commitment to a next step, your buyer to leans in just a bit more, and you set the stage for a final “yes.”

When times are normal, a halfway-decent rep can skip a few steps and still get deals across the finish line. But in a crisis or uncertain market, that sloppy approach falls apart.

You must consistently get micro-commitments and keep advancing—because if you let the ball drop even once, you’ll give your stakeholders an opening to stall or back out with objections like “We going to hold off,” or “We’re just going to stick with what we have until the economy gets better.”
Tough Objections? Check Your Upstream Sales Process
For this reason, if you are getting hammered at the close with brutal objections, it usually means you made mistakes earlier in the process.

So instead of obsessing over how to wordsmith your objection rebuttals, you might need to re-examine how you qualified and sold from the get-go. Tough objections at the 11th hour are typically a symptom of an earlier problem.

So, what do you do?

Qualify better upfront—Are these the right prospects? Are you sure they have a budget, authority, need, and timeline? Is there a compelling reason for them to change?
Ensure you’re dealing with real decision makers—If you’re stuck with “influencers” ...

Everybody wants the hacks.

The quick fix. The shiny new tool. The LinkedIn post that magically draws leads like moths to a flame.

But let me give it to you straight: Sales isn’t won with hacks. It’s won with habits. And the habits that win are the ones most reps abandon the minute things get uncomfortable or boring.

If you’re not hitting your number, it’s probably not because you need better leads, better tech, or better timing.

It’s because you’ve drifted from the basics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omnoVAopK8U
The Fancy Stuff Is Failing You
We see it all the time—salespeople hiding behind automation tools, social selling gimmicks, and relationship-building fluff. They talk a big game on Zoom, but when it’s time to dial the phone or ask for the sale, they freeze like a deer in headlights.

Let’s call this what it is: avoidance.

You’re avoiding real sales conversations because they’re uncomfortable. You’re hoping your sequence will “nurture” your prospect into buying without you having to actually sell. But automation doesn’t close deals. YOU do.

The truth? Most salespeople would rather look productive than be productive. Fancy decks, CRM tagging, and custom email flows feel like progress—but they don’t get the contract signed.

Top producers know: The tools support the basics. They don’t replace them.
What Actually Wins: The Fundamentals
If you want to win more, stop searching for better tactics and start doing the boring stuff better. Because these five basics are still undefeated:
1. Phone Calls
Cold calls. Warm calls. Follow-up calls. Call blocks. Whatever the flavor, the phone remains your fastest path to building pipeline. And yet it’s the most avoided.

Most reps send five emails and give up. Not top performers. They make the call. Because conversations close deals—period.
2. Discovery Questions
Stop pitching. Start digging. The best reps are curious, not convincing. They lead with questions that uncover pain, urgency, and decision dynamics. And they clam up long enough to actually listen.

You don’t earn trust by explaining. You earn it by understanding.
3. Objection Handling
If objections scare you, it’s because you don’t practice. It's because you haven't made a habit of practicing.

Objections aren’t stop signs—they’re buying signals. But if you’re caught off guard every time someone says, “I need to think about it,” you’re not preparing. You’re winging it. And amateurs who wing it get smoked.
4. Follow-Up
Here’s the truth: the sale is almost never made on the first call. Or the second. Or even the fifth. 80% of sales happen after the 5th touch, but most reps quit after two. Why? Emotion.

They feel rejected. Embarrassed. “I don’t want to bother them.” Bother them? You’re solving a problem they can’t fix alone. Follow up until they buy or you find them a better solution.
5. Asking for the Sale
Most reps are afraid to ask. Why?

Because they’re afraid of hearing no. But here’s the thing: no is part of the process. If you’re not hearing no, you’re not asking enough.

You’re a consultant. You’re a closer. Your job isn’t to make the prospect feel warm and fuzzy—it’s to guide them to a decision. And that means asking with courage and confidence.
Why Reps Quit the Basics
Three big reasons:

Ego. “I’ve been selling for years—I don’t need to practice this stuff.” Wrong. The minute you think you’re too good for the basics is the minute your numbers start tanking.
Fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of sounding pushy. Fear of failing. So instead of doing the work, you procrastinate with busywork.
Laziness. The basics aren’t sexy. They’re repetitive. They take discipline. So most reps quit—and that’s why most reps are average.

Want to stand out? Don’t be like most reps.
Go Pro or Go Home
Top athletes don’t get bored of running drills. They know repetition sharpens instinct. They know that under pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion—you fall to your level ...

Steve from Portland, Oregon, faces and an all-too-common consultative selling dilemma: how to sell to prospects who claim they already know everything, have already “done the research” and question what value he can bring. In this Ask Jeb episode we break down what true consultative selling entails, how to detach from “always be closing,” and why being a genuine expert is more vital now than ever.

From Information Scarcity to Information Overload
Not long ago, salespeople had the upper hand simply by having more data or insight than their prospects. Today, everyone has a blog, video, or TikTok to help them “figure it out.” This can leave a buyer believing, “I know just as much as you—so why should I trust your approach?” That’s where consultative selling comes in, but only if you do it right.
Consultative selling isn’t about showing off your expertise. It’s about guiding the customer to understand the real nature of their problem—often one they didn’t fully realize or that’s more complex than they initially thought.

What True Consultative Selling Looks Like
Consultants by definition don’t barge in declaring, “Here’s the solution.” They start by asking informed, open-ended questions and listening for patterns. They bring a sense of curiosity—an acknowledgment that they can’t help until they deeply understand the client’s unique environment.

Four Steps of a Consultative Approach

Assess and Analyze: Listen, observe, and probe with specific questions. Gain clarity on how the business operates and where potential issues lie.

Design or Develop Solutions: Tailor ideas or strategies based on the actual problems your client is facing. No cookie-cutter templates here.

Integrate and Implement:Work with the client to fold your solution into their workflows. Show them the path forward, not just a list of theoretical bullet points.

Optimize and Operationalize: Stay engaged. Help the client refine and sustain the changes for long-term success.

The Power of Detaching from the Outcome
When you’re obsessed with “the close,” you risk pushing your own agenda rather than uncovering the client’s real challenges. Buyers can smell desperation a mile away. Detachment works with consultative selling because:

It builds trust. You’re not rushing to pitch; you’re learning and diagnosing first.

It reveals the real issues. Prospects open up more when they sense you’re genuinely trying to see if you can help, not just bulldoze them into a sale.

It prevents the “sleazy” vibe. Instead of coming off like yet another sales rep bragging about your knowledge, you show you’re a collaborator ready to craft a solution if—and only if—it fits.

Being the Expert Without Acting Like a Know-It-All
In today’s age of surplus information, it isn’t enough just to learn a skill once. You have to remain curious and update your knowledge constantly. That’s especially true in fields like digital marketing, sales tech, or AI—areas that can evolve daily. You'll be more credible when you

Commit to ongoing learning. Read, watch, and listen to everything you can, including contrary opinions.

Embrace nuance. Real expertise means recognizing that not every trend or hack will work for every client.

Use informed questions. The best proof of your knowledge is the quality of the questions you ask. Clients can tell when your questions hit the root of their problem.

Addressing Distrust in Competitive Industries
In spaces like digital marketing, where so many agencies promise miracles, skepticism runs high. By entering a conversation with a consultative mindset, you set yourself apart from the noise:

Focus on your prospect’s specific context. Don’t lump them into one-size-fits-all solutions.

Acknowledge the client’s prior experiences. They may have been burned by poor service or overhyped promises. Show empathy for their concerns.

We are coming off of a week that can only be described as a stock market bloodbath—amping up uncertainty and making selling even harder.

As the new tariffs imposed by the US government were announced, kicking off what is expected to devolve into a global trade war, the Dow Jones plunged by over 2,200 points, the S&P 500 lost more than 10%, the Nasdaq entered into a bear market and more than $6.6 trillion dollars were wiped from the US stock market in two days. These losses compounded in markets all across the globe.

If you were brave enough to take a peek at your 401k, I have no doubt that you felt this pain and at least a twinge of the fear that raced through business communities across the globe.
Uncertainty and a Stream of Bad News
In an instant, everything changed.

Starting today, selling just got even harder. Your buyers are facing uncertainty and a relentless stream of bad news; and where there is uncertainty, your prospects and customers will put off making decisions and doing anything that they perceive as risky.

The penalties for making mistakes can be severe. Mistakes can put their business, company, career, finances, or family at risk. This is why, for buyers, doing nothing–making no decision–is often the emotionally safe choice, even when staying put is illogical.
In Uncertainty Buyers Start Scrutinizing Your Sales Behaviors
In an environment of uncertainty, when buyers feel even the tiniest bit of unease about you, they will not buy from you.

This is the human negativity bias: Negative perceptions have a greater impact than positive perceptions when it comes to decision making.

Buyers will be scrutinizing your every behavior, word, and action. They will not be looking for what you are doing right, they will only see what you do wrong. Anything negative will stick out like a sore thumb.

Their negative perceptions about you cause distrust. Your good intentions don’t matter because buyers are judging you based on their intentions, not yours. If they don’t trust you, they will not buy from you.
You Must Sell Better During Times of Uncertainty
To win consistently, during times of uncertainty you must sell better. You need to bring your A-Game into every sales conversation.

You must commit to executing the sales process as perfectly and faithfully as humanly possible. No mistakes. No shortcuts. No mediocrity.

You must sell as if there is no margin for error. When the stakes were lower, buyers may have given you the benefit of the doubt and agreed to move forward even when they are still unsure. But not now. To close the sale, you must be perfect.
There is No Sales Easy Button
Of course, with the suddenness of this massive economic disruption it is human nature to seek out Jedi mind tricks to make things easier.

I’ve got some harsh news for you. There isn’t anything easy about selling in a crisis of uncertainty. Nor are there mystical Jedi mind tricks that will help you set appointments on prospecting calls, handle objections, or close the deal in this environment.

If that’s not what you wanted to hear, I’m sorry. Money Monday is a no-pander zone. Here you’ll only hear the brutal truth.

And the truth is that no technique, no move, no play, no gambit will save you from failure should you get lax with the basics and fundamentals of selling.

When you show up and throw up, rush headlong into sales calls without planning, pitch rather than discover, challenge before understanding, fail to build emotional connections with stakeholders, and ask for the sale without earning the right, you'll hit the brick wall of objections at maximum force–and people will not buy from you.

If you take shortcuts in the sales process, you will experience stalled deals, prospects will ghost you, and competitors will eat your lunch. Your income will drop along with your reputation which can put your career at risk when the stakes for failing are highest.

All’s fair in love and war—and sales.

At the end of the day, what really matters is whether the deal closed or if you were left holding the bag.

Did you make quota this quarter? Did you crush your numbers? Or did you fall short?

If you missed quota, chances are you played it too safe. You followed the so-called 'best practices'—the ones that average reps cling to.

Top performers don’t just follow the playbook. They know when to bend the rules, take calculated risks, and do what it takes to win.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDTi-bw6wtU
Be a Pattern Breaker
The greatest don’t stick to rules and expectations. They forge their own path in a sea of conformity.

They constantly reinvent themselves and their practices to push boundaries and find new ways to win.

What you won’t see is an elite sales rep following the same script day after day and struggling to escape mediocrity.

As venture capitalist Mike Maples Jr. put it on this week’s Sales Gravy Podcast, “People who are winning are the ones who change the rules and tell people how to think about it.”

Now’s the time to shake up your own sales routine and adopt the practices of Ultra High Performers.
Fanatically Prospect
You don’t have an option—prospect every day, or get left behind. The pipe is life. If you’re not feeding it, you’re starving.

Fanatical prospectors don’t just carve out time—they demand it. Every single day. You make calls, period. Distractions? They don’t exist.

But too many sales reps think they need to follow traditional suggestions: Prioritize research over calls; call when you think your prospects will be available; warm leads up with social touches and emails.

These “rules” are screaming to be broken.

There’s no room in sales to avoid cold calling. The telephone is still the single most powerful weapon you have when it comes to selling.

Sure, the norm is to hate cold calling, avoid the phone, and send out dozens of emails because it’s easy. Rule breakers don’t do easy—they’re on the phone every day.

The best reps value prospecting and know that—even when they’re closing deals—they need to be watching out for tomorrow. Mediocre reps make fewer calls, qualify fewer prospects, and close fewer deals.

Don’t be mediocre.
Ruthlessly Disqualify; Pursue Those Who Will Buy
Never waste your time on a prospect who simply won't pull the trigger. There are lots of tire kickers out there who will intentionally or unintentionally waste your time.

Recognize early the deals that will never be done.

Most sales reps chase every lead because they’re told to ‘always be closing.’ The best reps break that rule by disqualifying early.

Be intentional in your discovery; ask all pertinent questions before spending precious time wooing a lead.

You don’t have time to find out weeks down the road that your prospect wasn’t the decision maker or that there’s no budget for the deal.

You can even disqualify before you start prospecting.

When generating cold calling lists, zero in on a subset of your market that is most likely to buy—don’t squander energy parsing through every single business simply to tell your boss you called everyone.

Jerome, a media rep in Texas, covered all of Austin. Instead of cold calling tens of thousands of businesses, he zeroed in on the ones most likely to be in the market for his services and who could afford them.

He weaned out businesses that weren’t strictly his target demographic and saved himself thousands of useless calls.

Break the norm by cutting deadweight fast.
Play the Long Game
Mediocre reps make useless calls and let the fear of annoying prospects sabotage their follow up game.

Forget the outdated advice about not being ‘too persistent.’ Elite pros break that rule and keep showing up until they hear ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

They bend the rules of social niceties (i.e. don’t annoy your prospect) and keep calling, no matter how long it takes.

Dennis from Chesterfield, Missouri, wants to know if sales coaching truly moves the performance needle, especially when shifting from transactional approaches to more consultative selling.
Below are the key insights from our conversation on why coaching matters, how it boosts sales and culture, and what leaders should do right now to make it happen.

Why Sales Coaching Is Essential
Sales is a skill position. Even the best reps lose their edge if they’re left on their own for too long.
Much like elite athletes, sales professionals need ongoing input to fine-tune their mechanics, recharge their motivation, and keep small errors from turning into big problems.
Coaching can be the difference between a rep who has plateaued and one who keeps climbing—because it provides immediate, personalized feedback when it counts most.

From Knowledge Acquisition to Knowledge Application
Training is vital for learning new strategies, product details, and selling techniques, but it doesn’t guarantee that anyone will actually use those ideas. That’s where coaching comes in.
A coach helps each individual absorb and adapt those lessons to their unique style, role, or territory. Research shows that simply sending people to training without one-on-one follow-up leads to a big dip in retention and performance. But when coaching supports training, skill application soars—along with results.

Leading, Managing, and Coaching: The Three Pillars of Leadership
Sales leadership has three core pillars.

Leading sets the emotional vision of where the team is headed. It's getting people emotionally connected to a future state.
Managing is driving the step by step processes that execute strategy.
Coaching is developing your people to execute at a high level. It is the force that keeps every member of the rowing in the right direction.

Think about it this way. 90% of strategy (leading) is execution (managing) AND 90% of execution is people (coaching). Everything depends on people which is why you can’t afford not to coach.
Sales Leadership and Coaching Priorities
Leaders who prioritized weekly one-on-ones, real-time one-to-one coaching, and rigorous sales pipeline reviews consistently deliver better results and productivity.
One of my top clients reconfigured its leadership approach with inside sales reps, focusing on call-by-call coaching in real time. While the broader industry shrank, this company grew by over 20%.
The common thread? Leaders were present. They weren’t waiting for problems to surface; they intervened early and often, guiding reps through each challenge.

Why Simply Showing Up Makes a Difference
Leaders sometimes fear that sitting with their reps will feel intrusive, yet just being there raises performance.
When a coach or manager listens in on a sales call or rides along on an outside sales appointment, reps immediately sharpen their focus. They’re more likely to use proven techniques and avoid shortcuts.
Even better is when the leader offers coaching in the moment—helping the rep pivot if the call starts going sideways. Catching issues before they snowball is how reps maintain a consistently high standard of performance.

The Power of Being Side by Side
One sales organization I work with discovered, after a big dip in sales productivity, that none of its sales managers were spending time on the floor. Rather than spending time on the sales floor coaching, the leaders were in their offices, behind closed doors grading calls.
As soon as the managers started actively coaching—right next to their people, live—the entire team’s win-rates rose sharply. True coaching works best in real time, because your rep can implement what they just learned to get better on the next call.

The Culture Shift from Transactional to Consultative
When a coach is on the floor or in the car, they can see how a rep handles difficult questions, responds to objections, or frames value to a hesitant buyer.

This is a very important Monday because this is the first Monday of the second quarter, and it’s time for a major gut check and assessment of where you are against your number coming out of Q1, and what you need to adjust and think about as we move into Q2.

Start with setting aside a dedicated, focused time block of one to two hours for reviewing your:

Q1 Results
Current state of your pipeline
2025 goals & personal business plan

Evaluate Your Q1 Performance Against Your Sales Goals
Begin with an honest evaluation of your Q1 sales performance. It’s likely that your performance falls into one of three scenarios:

You Crushed It – You had a killer quarter, blew away your goals, and you are walking on cloud nine.
You Hit Quota – You're on track and right where you are supposed to be against your number
You are in trouble – You missed your number, are behind quota, and are feeling the pressure.

Incredible Quarter. Crushing It!
If You Crushed It, and you’re on the top of the ranking report: Congratulations, this is exactly where you want to be at the end of Q1. Being ahead of your number now is an insurance policy against unforeseen setbacks in the future.

It also can make life much easier if your sales plan and quota gets bigger in the back half of the year as many do.

The most important thing you can do right now is conduct a deep dive analysis of your pipeline. It’s not unusual to work hard to close so many deals at the end of the quarter that you start off in a weak position at the beginning of the quarter.

Get your calculator out and do the math on how much you need in your pipeline to crush your Q2 number. Then get to work immediately building the pipe you need to hit that goal.

Do not wait to do this. With a great quarter behind you, the temptation will be there to take a breather and take your foot off of the accelerator. After all, you deserve it. But be very careful because if your pipeline needs work, the failure to take immediate action will come back to bite you.

If you feel a bit burned out from working so hard to deliver such a great quarter, it might make sense to take a few days off to rest, recover, and recommit to your goals or raise the bar with stretch goals.

You’ve set the foundation for what could be a massive year and a trip to the President’s Club. Take advantage of what you accomplished in Q1 to get even better in Q2.
On Quota. On Track.
If you hit your quota in Q1 and ended up right where you should be: Nice job! Quota isn’t easy to achieve. You’ve executed and done exactly what your company asked you to do. You’ve kept your promise.

Your biggest challenge now is that it's not going to get any easier as the year progresses. You'll need to keep executing and keep grinding.

For you, this is a good time to step back and take a look at what is working well for you, where you can improve, and where you might have gotten off track. It’s a good time to reacquaint yourself with the basics and fundamentals that create success in both sales and your industry.

Of course, after battling it out in Q1 you may need to refill your tank. This is the perfect time to double down on investing in yourself. With so much volatility in the market place at the moment, I highly recommend listening to my book Selling in a Crisis on Audible or Spotify or taking my courses on Selling During Uncertainty on Sales Gravy University.

I’ve always found that investing in myself and learning gives me a boost of energy and motivation when I need it the most.
Bad Quarter, In Trouble
If you had a bad Q1 and you are behind your number, then you are likely in trouble and are feeling the pressure. You might already have been put on a plan, which is not fun. The good news is that this is survivable, if you choose to survive.

I know this isn’t where you want to be. No one tanks their sales number on purpose. But where you are now is almost always a result of small s...

Great advice is everywhere, but most of it is fluff. In sales, you don’t need clichés—you need real strategies that help you win more deals.

We’ve pulled together five of the biggest game-changing sales tips from the Sales Gravy Podcast so far this year.

These are proven tactics from top sales pros who know what it takes to close deals, stay sharp, and dominate the competition.

If you want to crush your numbers, start here.

https://youtu.be/gmf7YzzlPkQ?feature=shared
The Grind Gets You Gold
You won’t become a sales expert overnight.

But you can practice your way to excellence and then—one day—reach elite levels of selling.

As sales guru Tony Morris said, “You get out what you put in. … You don’t have to be the greatest; you’ve got to be the hardest [worker].”

In other words, be ready to roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches.

Everyone sees the skills of great athletes, but not everyone considers all the consistent work it took to hit that home run or make that perfect golf swing. Sales success is no different—it’s the result of countless daily reps, not just the big wins.

Top performers make it all look fluid—like a dance that should be easy to learn. But it’s not. Developing sales acumen takes time and massive effort, plus dedication to the grind.

You have to dedicate time every day to getting better—no matter what. Practice is an integral part of the grind. Drill your frameworks. Roleplay with mentors. Ask for feedback.

You have to pick up the phone and make calls no one else will—that’s how you win.

Don’t give up before you see results.
You Must Learn to Sell
Once you’ve learned the basics, the grind perfects them. But you better start with some solid foundational skills.

Sales strategist Dawnna St. Louis puts it this way: “The first thing you need to do is learn to sell.”

Because trying to sell without knowing how to sell is an uphill climb that most never finish.

Learn to sell, or risk losing everything. It’s an ultimatum that no sales rep can afford to ignore.

Even the best subject matter experts fail without sales skills.

Take courses and identify a mentor—a seasoned veteran who can provide feedback on your calls and negotiation techniques. Find a personal sales coach to teach you the ropes.
Perfect Your Digital Profile
Stick to the simple; nix the jargon. As Breaking B2B Founder Sam Dunning says, “Does it pass the Caveman Grunt test?”

Given a few seconds, could a caveman successfully grunt what you do based on your website—or your social media presence—alone?

If not, you’re in trouble. No one is going to buy from you if they don’t understand what you do or your expertise.

A website is the online lobby of a business—the introduction to your service or product for potential digital customers.

But take Dunning’s advice one step further and apply it to your Linkedin profile and social media accounts that are your lobby to your potential customers.

Lean into the basics: Who are you? What do you do? Why should a customer pick you?

The quality of your messaging can encourage prospects to reach out to you or establish you as a trustworthy source of business.

Create content that positions you as a thought leader and advisor.

Otherwise? Your social presence is useless.
Wasted Time is the Enemy
Time is the one commodity that you can’t replenish. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

That’s why you must dedicate time to filling your pipeline every week. Protect your Golden Hours at all costs and then use that time wisely to make as many calls as you can.

Whether you’re in the same building or your team includes remote workers, pick a mutual time and start dialing numbers.

As best-selling author and sales expert Jeb Blount put it in a recent Ask Jeb, “Pick a period of time and say ‘We’re going to run call blocks.’ … Be ready with your list and we’re going to chop wood.”

Eat the frog—carve out specific time to focus on your hardes...

Wes from Flower Mound, Texas, has a familiar challenge: how to attract more qualified B2B leads and convert them before they slip away. He’s already tried a variety of channels, including inside sales, social media, and email, but is struggling to ramp up both volume and quality.
Below are the key insights from our conversation, along with practical strategies to multiply your lead count and build a system that secures face-to-face meetings with the right buyers.

Why a Multi-Channel Strategy Matters
There’s rarely a single magic trick that opens the floodgates of perfect leads. In B2B lead gen often requires multiple touch points before prospects even see why they need to talk to you. A blend of outbound prospecting, inbound content marketing, and nurturing activities generally works best. The sum of these efforts can accelerate your pipeline more effectively than leaning on one channel alone.

Lead with Pain-Focused Messaging
If you expect busy decision-makers to respond, talk about their pain—not your credentials. It’s easier to draw someone in by asking a question they can’t ignore: “Is high turnover costing you millions in lost productivity?” or “Has rapid growth left your culture in shambles?” The goal is to make them nod in agreement before they realize they’re reading a marketing pitch. That’s when they self-select into your funnel and become receptive to a follow-up call.

Close the Speed-to-Lead Gap
Wes wanted advice on better leads, but high-quality leads can still go cold if your response lags. Once someone opts in or fills out a form, you have a limited window to capitalize on that interest. Even a 30-minute delay can drop contact rates dramatically.

Set strict targets for response time and measure them.
Make phone calls the first touch whenever possible, not a generic email.
Remind them that prospects seeking help have a pressing trigger event—act fast, or they’ll move on.

Enhance Leads With Thought Leadership Touches
Because B2B solutions aren’t often top-of-mind until there’s an obvious buying window, thought leadership and content marketing are critical. Position your business as a problem-solver. Short webinars, white papers, or case studies can showcase real transformations you’ve facilitated.

Offer timely webinars on pain points you see trending in your market.
Gate them with a simple registration form to capture new leads.
Follow up quickly, ideally within hours, to schedule a deeper conversation.

Stay Narrow on Your Ideal Customer Profile
Wes asked whether to target a handful of organizations deeply or go wide. In B2B, sales randomness is the enemy of effectiveness. Identify the types of companies—size, leadership style, growth trajectory—that consistently need your help. Zero in on those decision-makers who likely hold budget authority, whether that’s a CEO, COO, or line-of-business leader. Aim higher first and multi-thread down later, if needed.

Ace the Last Mile
It’s one thing to get leads in the door and another to turn them into appointments. That “last mile” is where your marketing spend either pays off or gets wasted. By the time leads get to you, they’re often aware of a problem. Your job is to connect that problem to a tangible path forward:

Coach reps to identify the pain, clarify it, and propose a next step.
Track and revisit call recordings or email exchanges to spot recurring objections.
If you see a pattern—like pricing concerns—equip your team with a fast, concise way to handle it without sinking the opportunity.

Keep Tweaking and Testing
Even the most robust strategy will fade if you aren’t iterating. Launch new ad campaigns in short sprints, measure cost per lead, and pivot quickly if the numbers don’t add up. Tweak email subject lines and social copy. Identify high-potential communities (like certain LinkedIn groups or niche events) where your target ICP congregates. Expect to experiment regularly to keep your funnel act...

George Foreman gave us a masterclass in resilience, on never giving up. His pivots and comebacks from defeat were legendary. He was a force of nature and one of the greatest boxers, salesmen and personalities the world has ever known. His inspirational story matters to us because one of the most critical mental disciplines for sales professionals is resilience.
Foreman’s "In the Mud" Moment
The George Foreman most of us remember, the man with the big charismatic smile selling grills on TV, was a far cry from the young man growing up in poverty in Houston’s Fifth Ward, where lunch was often a mayonnaise sandwich.

As a teenager, George was an angry, mean bully who stole from kids at school and was shoplifting and mugging his way through his neighborhood. He was living on the edge, one arrest away from landing in a jail cell and potentially a life behind bars.

One night, he was lying flat on his face in stinking mud, hiding from the police, when it hit him like a left hook that he was going nowhere like this. It was a moment of truth that changed the trajectory of his life.

Lying there covered in filth, he made a promise to himself to change his path. He realized that if he wanted to avoid going nowhere, he had to make a massive mindset shift.

He enrolled in the Job Corps—a federal program that helps disadvantaged youth pick up real life skills—and soon after discovered boxing. And from that moment on, he replaced petty crime with gloves, replaced street fights with disciplined training, replaced despair with a sense of purpose.

This type of mindset shift is exactly what resilience is about. Sometimes you’ve got to face the fact that your old excuses, old habits, or old environment aren’t working for you anymore. And when you decide to do something different—really decide—you set the stage for everything else that follows.

That stinking mud moment is where you get real about your situation. It’s where you decide that you’ve had enough and realize that the change you are looking for can only be found inside yourself because that’s where resilience comes from.
Developing Resilience in the Face of Devastating Defeat
Once George got serious about boxing, he rocketed to stardom. He won gold in the 1968 Olympics, then tore through the heavyweight division.

In one of his most famous fights, he defeated Joe Frazier in just two rounds, creating the iconic moment when Howard Cosell screams, “Down goes Frazier, down goes Frazier, down goes Frazier!” Foreman emerged from that fight as a heavyweight wrecking ball, the unstoppable champion of the world.

Then, he ran into a wall called Muhammad Ali. Millions of people tuned in to watch Foreman and Ali battle it out in what was hyped as the “Rumble in the Jungle.”

Going into the fight, Foreman was the overwhelming favorite. But it was his overconfidence that lulled him into Ali’s famous rope-a-dope strategy. This led to a crushing and embarrassing defeat.

Ali knocked Foreman out in the eighth round, shocking the world and pulling off the upset of the century. Foreman was humiliated on the global stage. In that moment, he went from being the hardest hitting, baddest man on the planet to an also-ran.

Sales and life can be the same way. You might have soared for months, hitting every goal. Then the bottom falls out. The real test isn’t whether you can ride success, but whether you can respond to defeat with resilience. The real question is, will you pick yourself up and make a comeback or fold up like a cheap lawn chair and quit. Will your failure become a tattoo or temporary bruise?
Retreat and Reinvention — The Next Pivot
After that loss to Ali, Foreman was devastated. But he continued fighting until at the age of 28, he had a near death experience in Puerto Rico following a loss to Jimmy Young. It was one more lapse into overconfidence in which Foreman failed to prepare for the fight and was taken down by yet another underdog.

Wherever you are in your sales journey, you need a mentor—now.

If you’re serious about becoming a top performer or want to stay at the top of your game, you need more than just grit and determination. You need a guide. A mentor who’s been through the fire and who can help you avoid costly mistakes.

Sales expert Tony Morris stands behind the power of mentorship and the impact it can have on confidence in The Sales Gravy Podcast. Sales is about 80% confidence—you can’t afford to miss out.

The truth is, the best salespeople aren’t born—they’re built. And behind almost every top closer is a mentor who showed them the ropes.

https://youtu.be/QqXHY7ONs_k
Mentorship Means a Better You. Period.
Let’s imagine you’re new to sales. Or you’ve got some time under your belt. Or maybe you’re a seasoned vet.

What do you all have in common? You all need a mentor.

Most salespeople fail not because they lack talent, but because they try to figure everything out on their own. They treat sales like a solo sport when it’s really a team effort.
When It’s All Going Wrong, You Need Help
Take the case of Paul—fresh out of college and hungry to make a name for himself in sales. He had the energy and the drive, but he was missing something critical: guidance.

Paul made call after call, sent countless emails, and chased leads relentlessly. But his close rate was abysmal.

He’d get shut down early, lose deals at the negotiation table, and get ghosted by prospects who had initially shown interest.

But sales isn’t just about following a script—it’s about reading the room.

Timing, tone, objection handling, and reading the prospect’s emotional state. That’s where a mentor comes in.
Advice from a Veteran is Key
After months of frustration, Paul finally got paired with Mark. Mark was a legend—consistently at the top of the leaderboard, always winning deals that seemed impossible.

Mark had also been in the trenches. He’d faced every objection and lost more deals than Paul had even pitched.

Mark didn’t give Paul a playbook—he gave him a framework. He taught Paul how to listen instead of just hearing. He showed him how to control the flow of a conversation and ask better questions.

Mark didn’t just give Paul advice. He let him shadow his calls, debrief after tough conversations, and sharpen his approach through roleplay.

Within three months, Paul’s close rate skyrocketed. Why? Because Mark showed him what works. Paul didn’t have to figure it out through trial and error—he had a shortcut.
Ask for Feedback
Positive or negative, feedback makes you a better closer. It cuts down your learning curve and sharpens your edge.

There’s constructive criticism: how to fix your call framework, how your because statement falls flat, how your questions didn’t draw out the prospect’s pain. How your buyer wasn’t in the room

Then there’s positive feedback—every salesperson’s favorite. What you’re doing right that you can lean into, continue to hone, and repeat.
Three Edges a Mentor Gives You
Great sales mentors aren’t a dime a dozen. But the guidance they provide is invaluable. Here’s what a mentor gives you:

Pattern Recognition: The best mentors will point out where you’re consistently falling short—so you can fix it and move on.
Accountability: Mentors keep you on track because they’ll check your progress—and keep you focused on specific goals. When you slip into bad habits, they’ll call you out.
Emotional Control: Rejection stinks and it’s hard to get over—especially when you’re new to sales. A mentor helps you separate rejection from self-worth so you can bounce back faster.

Master The Game
Here’s the reality: You can figure sales out on your own. You can take your lumps, learn from failures, and eventually get better.

Or you can bypass the struggle by finding a mentor who’s already walked that path.

Having a mentor isn’t just about getting better at sales—it’s about becoming the kind of per...

Gaius, who runs an insurance brokerage in Ohio wants to know how to get his new sales agents cold calling and building pipeline earlier in their training cycle, without making them feel overwhelmed and sabotaging their confidence.
If you’ve ever hired a sales class or tried to ramp up new hires in an industry with complex products or strict guidelines, you’ll relate to Gaius’s dilemma. Below, you’ll find the key takeaways from our conversation on accelerating new rep success, establishing realistic expectations, and blending company marketing with individual agent prospecting efforts.

The Challenge: New Hires, Big Learning Curves
Gaius plans to hire new property-casualty agents in classes of four, each going through about 3–4 months of training. During that time, they have to learn multiple carriers, underwriting guidelines, and compliance rules so they don’t accidentally write poor-fit policies or lose deals over technicalities.
It’s crucial they build confidence before being “thrown to the wolves.”
But here’s the catch: If new hires only focus on product and system knowledge for months, their pipeline remains empty. By the time they’re “ready” to sell, they’ll be way behind on prospecting —and might even lose that DAy One enthusiasm for building relationships.
The question is, how soon can they start generating leads and setting up sales conversations?

Why Pipeline Activities Can’t Wait
As I shared with Gaius, I’ve seen many companies assume new reps aren’t “ready” to prospect until they’ve absorbed the entire knowledge library. Yet waiting too long to do real sales activities can backfire.

Early Wins Boost Confidence
If new hires can set even a few appointments or pass warm leads to experienced agents, it gives them a sense of accomplishment. That momentum helps them stick with the grind of more complex training.

Practical Learning Beats Textbook Learning
In industries with loads of carriers and underwriting rules, real-life sales scenarios actually teach new reps faster than purely theoretical training. Once they’ve got a potential client on the hook, the rep has motivation to find the answers.

Improved Onboarding Speed
Companies that mix early pipeline-building with supported team selling often see new hires reach quota faster—sometimes shaving weeks or months off the usual ramp-up. And yes, there’s a risk of missteps. But that’s where a collaborative culture (“sell as a team”) ensures mistakes become teachable moments, not deal-killers.

The Team-Selling Approach
When new agents don’t have full carrier knowledge, they’ll naturally hit roadblocks. How do you keep them from burning deals (and morale)?

Encourage “Hand-Raises”
If a new rep snags an interested customer, let them wave the flag: “Hey, I have a lead who needs home and auto coverage. Here’s what they’re telling me. What do I do?” Then a veteran agent or manager steps in to guide the quote or finalize the sale, with the rookie learning through an actual client scenario.

Shared Commissions
Make sure new reps see a direct benefit. If they hand off a deal, they might get a partial commission or spiff for their contribution. Over time, they’ll rely less on help—but they’re still building pipeline from Day One.

Hands-On Coaching
Each real conversation is a goldmine for coaching. The rep sees how an experienced teammate answers tricky questions, navigates underwriting guidelines, and pivots between carriers. It’s in-the-field training, not just theoretical.

Structuring Training + Prospecting
Gaius is worried that his new agents need a full 3–4 months before picking up the phone. The short answer is no. They can start small while still in training. Here’s how:

A Few Leads a Day
Instead of waiting for them to finish product modules, drip leads early. Let them call 5 or 10 leads each morning, focusing on booking appointments (rather than doing in-depth quoting). This keeps them from drowning in complexity,

One of the most vivid memories from my childhood was the day I was bucked off of my pony. The pony’s name was Macaroni and I was six. We were in an arena where my mother was giving me my very first riding lessons.

Macaroni was stung by a bee, and she reacted by bucking. I couldn’t hang on and I landed hard on my back. It knocked the breath out of me. I gasped for air. Then as I finally caught my breath, I started bawling at the shock of being involuntarily dismounted.

My mom caught the pony, led her back over to me, and gently told me to dust myself off and get back on. But by this time I was sobbing the way kids do when they’ve cried so hard that they can’t stop.
Failure is Just a Bruise
I shook my head and refused to get back on the pony. My mother tried her best to calm me down and reason with me but I still refused to get back on.

Then she took a different tact and got tough. Her stern, direct tone of voice made it clear that she was not asking me to get back on the pony—she was telling me. That's what I remember the most because my mom had never talked to me like that before and has rarely ever used that tone and directness since.

“Get up, and get back on that pony now!” she admonished.

She was unmovable. Like Teflon. My tears and pleading made no difference. I knew I had no choice so I stood up, shaking, still trying to catch my breath and she helped me get back on the pony.

Right there in the riding ring, at six years old, I experienced one of the most pivotal lessons of my life. My mother taught me that failure is just a bruise, not a tattoo.

She wasn’t being cruel; she was being protective—protective of my future self, the one who might otherwise have carried an irrational fear of horses, or an ingrained habit of backing down at the first taste of adversity into the rest of my life.

She knew that if she had let me off the hook and let me walk away from that pony that there was a good chance that I’d never get back on again. That the fear I felt when I landed on my back in the sand would grow and gain a life of its own. That I would vow to never let the pain and embarrassment of falling off happen to me again and with that, my brush with failure would become permanent.
Failure Can't Really Bite You
The truth is, failure is usually a short-lived event. Yes, it’s jarring, unexpected, and can momentarily knock the breath out of you. But it doesn’t have to be the defining chapter of your story.

That’s what my mother understood so well in that riding ring. She insisted that I face my fear, effectively telling me, “Hey, the worst part’s over. Now that you’ve experienced fear and failure, get back on and prove to yourself you can handle it.”

Because once you push through that initial sting, you discover that the fear can’t really bite you unless you give it teeth in your own mind.
When Failure Becomes Permanent
For far too many people, though, the pain of failure does become permanent. Instead of allowing themselves a moment to dust off and try again, they walk away in defeat—often without fully grasping the long-term impact of that decision.

Rather than letting the bruise fade, they opt to memorialize failure in their minds, assigning it more meaning than it deserves. They replay the embarrassment and pain over and over, until it becomes an unspoken vow: “Never again.”

And in that single choice, a brief setback can morph into a defining moment in which they forfeit the chance to learn, grow and eventually experience the sweetness of victory.

Think about how this scenario plays out in everyday life. Maybe you dream of learning a new skill—painting, playing guitar, writing a book, starting a podcast—but in your first attempt, you falter or feel foolish. Rather than chalking it up to “beginner’s missteps,” you decide: “I’m terrible at this; I’ll never try again.”

And that small bruise becomes a tattoo right there, on the spot. You miss out on the personal growth,

How many times have you gotten to the meeting but your pitch fell flat?

You went in guns blazing, thinking the hard part was over and you’d land the deal—but instead you face-planted.

It’s not your product or your pricing. It’s your messaging that’s failing you—and blocking you from a sale.
A Framework to Tap Into Your Prospect’s Pain
So what’s missing?

A framework that actually speaks to your prospect’s pain, builds urgency, and moves them toward a ‘yes.’

As The Sales Gravy Podcast guest Mike Malloy points out, the PASTOR messaging method can solve that disconnect. You tap into your customer’s pain points and you close.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkML4D0BPIU
The PASTOR Method
Created by renowned copywriter Ray Edwards, the word “PASTOR’ is about guiding your prospect through the process with messaging that grabs attention and prompts action. As a salesperson, you lead your potential client toward a solution.

True sales relationships aren’t forced—it’s natural and authentic. You’re not stereotypically pushy or desperate. You have the magic answer to a customer’s problem.

Think of it like leading a prospect down a sales path where they see the problem clearly, understand the solution, and feel confident saying ‘YES’ to a deal.
P - Problem & Pain
An eventual ‘Yes’ stems from pain—pain from stalled business, lost revenue, or missed quotas.

Until you unearth the problem, there’s no need for you or your solution. Translation: No sale. Your job is to identify the pain point and get your prospect to acknowledge that, yeah, it’s ruining their business, too.

Don’t gloss over the pain—lean into it. Show you understand. Your understanding will connect with the customer and start building your relationship—a relationship that leads to closing.
A - Amplify the Consequences
Don’t be afraid to twist the knife. This isn’t just a little problem. It’s debilitating—costing the customer time and money. It’s a huge pain point.

What will the prospect’s life be next quarter, next year, if they don’t solve it this minute? How much worse will it get?

Fear of loss is a powerful motivator. Prospects need to feel the urgency to fix the problem now.
S - Story, Solution, System
This is where you offer the solution—but don’t just drop a pitch. Tell a story.

Give your prospect an example that they can hold on to and that helps them connect.

Tom’s sales team was floundering. They couldn’t make quota. Then they found our [your service].

Jill’s company needed a new distributor. Her current distributor was often late, goods were damaged and it was hurting her bottom line. Then she learned about [your service].

Make it clear that hiring you isn’t just smart—it’s the game-changer they’ve been looking for.

Show them you get it. Lay out a clear, systematic solution that wipes out their pain—once they see you’ve got the answer, the deal’s as good as closed.
T - Transformation & Testimony
And what does it look like when all that pain goes away? Paint the picture.

You highlighted all the real and future pain not hiring you would cause. Now, tell your prospect what life will be like after they embrace your solution.

People don’t buy products—they buy results. They need to see exactly how they’ll save time, make money, and come out ahead. Show them the win, and they’ll say yes.

This is also where you leverage testimonials to build credibility. Personal accounts from past customers who can bolster your position.

When they believe others have succeeded, they’ll trust they can too. They’ll be signing with you before you know it.
O - Offer
Your offer isn't just about price—it’s about making the value so clear that saying 'no' feels like a mistake.

Remove any friction to the deal by emphasizing the ease of transition and fast onboarding.

Your offer needs to entice with solid, actionable steps to cutting out their pain points. There’s no room for waffling here.

Cindy is struggling to set appointments and handle the "How Much Does it Cost?" objection. She recently switched from media sales to the home services industry. Suddenly, she finds herself making all her own cold calls—no marketing team, no pre-existing territory full of warm leads. And unlike her old desk-bound clients, these new prospects are likely to be on a roof or at a job site when she calls.
Not surprisingly, Cindy’s facing more objections than she’s used to: “Is this advertising?” “What’s the price?” “I’m busy—call me later.”
Below, you’ll find the strategies we discussed to help Cindy navigate these challenges, book more appointments, and build a solid pipeline in a brand-new industry.

Don’t Let Your Assumptions Become Their Objections
When Cindy began calling busy contractors who often pick up the phone on a roof, she caught herself feeling anxious or apologetic in her delivery. The lesson? Emotions are contagious. If you sound insecure or rushed, your prospects sense it.

Stop Projecting
You might worry about “bothering” them, but for the business owner, a ringing phone can mean new opportunities. Give them a chance to decide what’s important.
Own Your Value and Be Confident
If you’re convinced your call matters—because it can grow their bottom line—they’re more likely to listen, even if they’re currently juggling tasks on a job site.
Adjust Your Cold Call Timing to Their Schedule
Cindy’s used to calling people who sit behind desks from 9 to 5. But in the home-improvement industry, a prospect is often up at 6 a.m., on a ladder by 7, and swamped all day long.
In many home services sectors, the sweet spot is early morning—about 7 a.m.—because the owner is up, thinking about the day ahead, and hasn’t started the physical labor yet. Even 6:30 a.m. might work. Evening can be another window, but they’re tired. For best results, aim for early. Keep a simple log of call times vs. responses and double down on what works.

Tackle Objections with Confidence
Cindy mentioned getting quick-fire objections—like “Is this advertising?” or “How much does it cost?”—which often derail her. To handle them, remember:

Agree and Pivot
When someone uses the, “How much does it cost?” objection, respond with something like, “That’s exactly why I’m calling—you’ll want to see what we can offer first so we can tailor a solution. Let’s schedule a short meeting, so I can learn more about your business.”

Do not jump straight into an explanation of how your pricing “depends.” Instead, show them why a tailored approach matters.
Use a Stat or Benefit
If they ask, “Is this advertising?” answer “Yes, but not the kind you’re used to. We’re helping home improvement companies increase their profit margin by 25% on retail jobs.”

Immediately pivot to: “I’d love 15 minutes to show you exactly how we do that. How about we meet at your job site Thursday at 2? I’ll bring lunch.”
Emphasize Convenience
Home services pros might not have the bandwidth for a formal sit-down. Offer to meet them where they are. Show you respect their time by fitting into their schedule rather than demanding they fit into yours.
Reframe “Busy” Objections as Expected Objections
If a contractor says, “I’m swamped!” or “Call me later,” don’t take it as a hard “No.” Instead, realize that busy = normal. Of course they’re busy—that’s part of the gig. Let them know you anticipated they’d be slammed.
“I figured you’d be buried this morning—no problem. That’s exactly why I called. Let’s find a time that’s actually convenient for you. How about Friday at 7 a.m.? I’ll bring coffee.”

Offer to Meet Them Where They Are
In desk-bound industries, you can say, “Let’s meet at your office.” But in construction, a prospect’s “office” might be the bed of a work truck or the roof of a house. Get creative:

Bring Lunch, Coffee, or Donuts
If a contractor’s day starts at dawn, a quick coffee at 7 a.m. might be the perfect in-person “meeting.

No matter if you've had a great month, closed a big deal, or made it to the winner's circle at President's club, winning makes you more vulnerable to losing.
A Winning Message for Sales Winners
Last week, I delivered a keynote at a large company's President’s club event. It was fun! Great hotel. Tropical destination. People were upbeat and happy because they were celebrating success. And frankly, I love hanging out with ultra-high performers. It’s so energizing to be with winners.

The challenge though was figuring out exactly what I was going to say to them.

Think about it. These sales professionals are the best of the best. Cream of the crop. The Bee’s Knees in the words of their VP of Sales. They’ve proven that they know what to do. They already are motivated. The last thing I wanted to do was bore them to tears or cause them to feel that I was talking down to them.

So I spent several weeks nervously working on my keynote speech for this group of winners. I went around and around in circles unable to nail down the perfect message until it hit me that these sales professionals were in a very vulnerable position for the very fact that they were winners.
Welcome to the Sales Graveyard
The sales graveyard is full of former President’s Club winners who:

Came home with a trophy and were fired because they quit selling.
Were one hit wonders—winning once and never getting back into the club again.
Came back with so much promise and potential only to drift along in mediocrity because they stopped doing the things that got them to the podium in the first place.

Too often when we win, we see it as an opportunity to take our foot off of the accelerator and coast for a while. It happens to President’s club winners and everyday sales reps.

Have a good month, take a break from prospecting. Close a big deal. Start taking shortcuts. Win the big trip, celebrate a little too long.

Some winners spend a little too much time reading their own press clippings. After working hard and doing all of the right things, they no longer believe that the rules of physics apply to them.

Rather than going back home and honoring the basics and fundamentals of selling that brought them to the dance in the first place, they become undisciplined—delusional that they possess some sales superpower that guarantees their success.

Maintain your edge by taking courses on Sales Gravy University—the world’s most powerful sales training engine featuring more than 1500 hours of classes from over 40 of the world’s top sales experts and authors. plus live workshops each week and mastermind group coaching sessions. There is nothing else like it in the sales world.

You Cannot Be Delusional and Successful at the Same Time
We’ve all been there in big and little ways. It happened to me just yesterday.

While playing golf I hit a screaming drive—one of my longest ever—right down the middle of the fairway to within 50 yards of the hole. On that drive, I’d done everything right. I slowed down, followed my routine, focused myself on the fundamentals, and executed. It was an incredible feeling. I celebrated with a big fist pump and high fives all around.

Confident, I walked right up to my second shot—a short pitch into the green—tasting a birdie and then…I chunked it. For those of you who play golf you know exactly how this feels. It’s awful.

But what was the difference between the first shot—the winner —and the second shot—the loser?

It was me!

Instead of running through my routine and being disciplined and intentional with my approach to that crucial shot, I became lazy. Rather focusing my mind on the basics and fundamentals, I believed that after that beautiful drive, the basics no longer applied to me.

Trust me on this, gravity is a bitch. I walked away with a sad double-bogey proving once again that you cannot be delusional and successful at the same time.

You’re stalled. You’re stuck. You’ve plateaued.

No matter how you put it, you’re seeing your sales hit a rut. And let’s face it, you’re in a rut, too.

So, how do you pull yourself out of it? The answer: invest in yourself.

https://youtu.be/odBObaiywlg?feature=shared
The Power of Personal Development
In sales, it's easy to get caught up in the grind—calls to make and deals to close. But if you don’t make time to invest in yourself, sooner or later, you’ll hit a wall and fall into a rut.

As Sales Gravy Podcast guest Robert Herbst points out, one of the key reasons that sales people stagnate is a lack of personal development.

The reason top performers prioritize learning new skills and pushing their boundaries is because it makes them better and helps them sell more. When you choose to prioritize yourself and your professional development you are choosing a better and happier you.

Personal development isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’—it’s the backbone of sustained success.
Cultivating a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is essential for embracing personal development.

This is the process of cultivating the belief that your abilities and talents can be improved through effort, learning, and perseverance.

Developing a growth mindset leads to higher achievement, resilience, adaptability, and a more positive approach to self-improvement. It helps you grow from setbacks and adversity, rather than being defined by them—driving you to reach further and achieve goals others might think are impossible.
Read a Book
Everything you want to know about anything can be found in a book.

Reading isn’t just a habit—it’s a weapon that keeps you ahead of your competition.

Seriously, if you want to grow and develop, start by reading books. An author spends a lifetime accumulating knowledge that they put into a book you can buy for only $20. That’s a massive value for the investment.

A best practice of top performers is to carve out 15-30 minutes each morning specifically for professional reading.
Listen to Learn
If you have a hard time reading or finding time, listen to an audiobook, a podcast, or an audio course.

Many top performers listen to learn while they workout, walk the dog, or do chores around the house. It’s also a great way to turn your commute or drivetime in the field on sales calls into Automobile University.

The point is: audio resources are so convenient you never have to stop learning.
Take Online Courses
One of the key traits of top performers is that they invest in online training from sources like Sales Gravy University and their own company learning management systems.

E-learning offers the opportunity to gain and sustain winning sales skills anywhere, anytime and on any device, making it easy for on-the-go sales professionals to invest in themselves.

These days, it’s easy to gain access to the top trainers and thought leaders in sales through affordable, on-demand training modules.

From virtual training to in-person workshops, there’s no greater investment than in yourself and your sales game. It’s even worth traveling to get to transformational conferences that lift you to new heights.
In-Person Training and Conferences
Seek out every opportunity to attend in-person training. Start by reaching out to your sales leader for information on in-house training offered by your company. Then look for external training events and industry conferences that fit your professional development plan.

Beyond the training and skill development gained from these events, you’ll spend time with peers, build your network and share best practices that will often boost your income.
Level Up Every Day — Never Stop Growing
Level up or lose out.

Personal development doesn’t work if you don’t make time for it. This means setting time aside that’s blocked specifically for learning every single day—whether it’s an audiobook, reading, online learning or a training event.

Matt from Grand Rapids says, “If I don’t make my cold calls, our pipeline will go dry.” He is juggling everything from operations to customer service escalations, all while trying to generate fresh leads through cold calls.
Sound familiar? In this Ask Jeb segment of the Sales Gravy Podcast, I walk Matt through practical strategies to carve out time for prospecting and target the right prospects, so that he can keep his sales pipeline full—even while being pulled in a dozen directions.

The Problem: Too Many Hats, Too Little Time
Matt’s role covers operations, customer support, escalations, and sales. That’s a lot of hats for one head. Between urgent issues (like system outages) and everyday distractions (Slack messages, emails, ticket follow-ups), his cold-calling efforts often get pushed to the back burner.
If urgent tasks always overshadow your pipeline-building activities, you’ll end up with a dangerously thin pipeline. Remember: “The Pipe is life.” The longer you allow other priorities to get in the way, the more your sales (and stress levels) suffer down the road.

Triage “Urgent vs. Non-Urgent” Tasks
Yes, certain crises truly are urgent. If your client’s phones are down, you can’t ignore that. But not everything that feels urgent is urgent. Often, we treat every Slack ping or email notification like a five-alarm fire.

Identify Real Emergencies:
A system outage that halts business? Absolutely that requires immediate action. A non-critical support request? Schedule it for later. Set boundaries so routine tasks don’t hijack your entire day.

Use Focus Blocks
Turn Off Notifications: Close Slack, kill your email window, silence your phone—whatever it takes to create an uninterrupted block.

Leverage High-Intensity Sprints: Prospect in short bursts (15–30 minutes) where all you do is dial. Make notes on a physical list to avoid toggling between multiple browser tabs.
Delegate
If you’re not the only one who can handle support tickets, let others take them. Own the customer relationship; let your team own the problem resolution.
The Art of Owning the Customer, Not the Problem
One of the biggest time-sucks for salespeople is diving headfirst into problem-solving. If you’re an empathetic type, you might be tempted to fix every issue yourself. But that drains your time and divides your focus.

Own the Relationship
When a customer meltdown looms, they want reassurance. You’re the friendly face they trust. Let them know you’re on it, but don’t dive into the technical fix if there’s someone else better equipped.
Set Expectations and Follow Up
Get a clear commitment from your support team: “Can you resolve this by 3 p.m.?” Check in before the deadline, not after. That way, you can give the customer a timely update.
Balance Accountability
You, as the salesperson, remain responsible for the customer’s happiness. Your support or operations team, however, is responsible for execution. Keep close tabs on them, but don’t do their job for them.
Sharpen Targeting To Build Better Prospecting Lists
Matt’s telecom company has a strong base of medical practices—mostly gained through referrals. Now he wants to proactively call into that same niche. But how do you successfully cold call a vertical you’ve never actively prospected before?

Define Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
Look at your existing medical clients. How big are they? What specialties do they serve? Who handles IT decisions? Notice any patterns in the types of practices or roles you consistently serve.
Craft a Relevant Message
Medical offices might not realize they’re missing features that could improve patient flow. Translate “telecom upgrades” into benefits that matter—like reducing patient wait times, integrating scheduling, or enabling secure remote access. If you offer advanced AI features (like intelligent call routing or sentiment analysis), frame it around operational efficiency and cost savings.
Focus on the Conversation,

If you’ve hung around me for longer than five minutes, you’ve heard me say that sales is about talking with people. The fact is, the more people you talk with, the more you’ll sell.

The good news is that there are lots of people to talk with to make a sale. The problem is, far too many salespeople have quit talking with people.
Email Prospecting Has Suddenly Stop Working
Instead they keep prospects and customers at arms length through asynchronous communication channels like email - especially when prospecting.

They lean on email because it’s easier to hide behind a keyboard than pick up the phone and face rejection. But here’s the cold, hard truth: Email as a prospecting channel has suddenly stopped working.

Recent data indicate that salespeople today are sending three to eight times more emails than they were just a couple of years ago … yet they’re getting only a tenth of the response.

Let that sink in for a moment. Three times more email and a tenth of the response. These days you can send your prospecting emails dressed up in a pink bunny suit, riding a unicorn, tossing hundred dollar bills in the air and prospects are still going to ignore you.

Essentially salespeople and their AI minions are banging out more and more email to make up for the lower response rates leading to a vicious cycle of diminishing returns. At this point, for all intents and purposes, email prospecting is dead.
The Decline of Email Prospecting
What happened?

In the past, crafting cold email involved strategic thought and personalized messages unique to each prospect. It was a slow process which meant salespeople sent fewer but more effective prospecting emails that were at least tolerable for prospects.

If your email didn’t connect, your prospect would just delete it and, sometimes, at least respond that they were not interested.

Ten years ago, the slow decline of email as a prospecting channel began with the advent of sales engagement platforms like OutReach and SalesLoft. These platforms opened the door to reps to send streams of automated emails in multi-step cadences at the push of a button.

Then two years ago, AI burst onto the scene and suddenly everything changed. A legion of enterprising tech entrepreneurs promised magical prospecting engines that would “replace” salespeople altogether. Just push a button and AI does the hard work to fill the pipeline.
All Prospecting Email is Suspicious
These AI apps churn out prospecting emails using “hyper-personalization,” scraping tokens off your LinkedIn profile, grabbing a crumb of information from your Facebook feed, and slapping that into an email to make it look human.

But here’s the problem: buyers aren’t stupid. The second they sniff out that a robot is behind the curtain, it completely turns them off. People don’t like to be manipulated — especially by AI. Once they realize they’ve been duped by AI, they trust nothing else in their inbox.

And because AI can send emails 24/7 — relentlessly — without taking a coffee break or a vacation, inboxes have been flooded with this shallow AI-generated drivel.

The reality is that these platforms are basically spam machines that turned the slow decline of email prospecting into a fast moving avalanche of pain. These AI powered sales automation tools have scaled email volume to an extraordinary and unsustainable level.

The deluge of AI generated email led to a phenomenon called the Great Ignore in which all prospecting messages — good or bad, human or AI generated — are cast into the same bucket and ignored by the prospects.
Sales Prospecting Cynicism
Buyers are drained, exasperated, and exhausted with this crap. I talk to decision-makers every day who say, “I don’t open any email from someone I don’t already know anymore. I just delete it. I don’t have time for that.”

And if they do open your email and see it’s obviously AI text, rather than just deleting your email,

You nailed the pitch. The budget was there. The decision-maker was engaged. So why did the deal go cold?

The problem might not be your process. It might be you. Before a prospect buys from you, they have to buy into you. Your professional presence sets the stage for every interaction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELR-Mhzv7eA
First Impressions Matter
If you don’t make a strong first impression, it won’t matter how great your service is.

Your appearance tells a prospect what to expect before you even open your mouth.

Well-groomed, polished, and with a professional presence? You’re perceived as credible and competent. Over the phone or through email, if you’re engaging, confident and well-spoken, then you’re going to open more doors.

Match your appearance and tone to the company you’re approaching. A simple LinkedIn search or visit to a company website will shed light on company culture. If this is a more informal environment, don’t show up in a suit. If everyone dresses sharp, then your polo and khakis aren’t going to cut it. You want to show an understanding of the work culture by doing your research and fitting in.
Confidence is Contagious
Confidence comes from preparation — knowing your client, their business, and your value. You are how you present yourself. Trust in yourself and display confidence, and your prospect will see you as confident, too.

However, don’t fall into the trap of arrogance. Avoid overpromising, looking to be right rather than helpful, and speaking more than you listen.

When you do speak, speak confidently. Eliminate filler words like ‘um’ and ‘ah’ from your conversation. These undermine your confident demeanor and cause your prospect to doubt your credibility.

Instead, take intentional pauses when you’re not sure what to say or to avoid tripping over your words. A brief pause won’t make you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about — it’ll look like you’re taking a moment to choose exactly the right words.
Nonverbal Communication is Key
Your body language needs to project authority. A firm handshake and steady eye contact show confidence and can put your client at ease. They establish you as a professional presence, ready to combat a company’s issues with excellence. If you’re on a video call, speak up, introduce yourself with some key details and ask your prospect to do the same. Give them an opportunity to tell you who they are.

Smile and be open toward your prospect. This helps establish trust, and mirroring your prospect’s body language is an easy way to develop rapport. Sit up straight and lean in, showing you’re listening carefully to their pain points and issues.
Your Online Brand Matters
In this digital age, you can’t be surprised to know that potential customers might Google you, find you on LinkedIn, or otherwise look you up online. After all, didn’t you do your research on them before you reached out? It’s your responsibility to present a professional front online as well as in person.

You’re cultivating a personal brand online the same way you’re doing with every call and email. Use your LinkedIn profile to establish yourself as an expert in your area and you’ll see that payoff in your credibility with clients. Make a practice of sharing industry insights, commenting on relevant posts, and posting your own observations on trends, challenges, or best practices.
Listening is a Superpower
The power of your professional presence isn’t limited to first impressions. It’s relevant in every step of the selling process — including how you present yourself as an engaged listener.

Stop thinking of yourself as a seller and start thinking of yourself as a solutions-provider. What you’re offering prospects is the chance to solve a problem costing them money, time or both. That starts with mastering the art of listening.

From the first phone call to the initial meeting and every touch after, establish yourself as a consultative seller who’s...

Caroline is dealing with a dilemma so many sales professionals face this time of year: How do you shake off a mid-winter rut and regain your momentum when it’s cold, dark, and everyone else seems to be dragging too?
On this Ask Jeb episode, I offer practical, real-world strategies to help you thaw out from the winter freeze. Whether you’re fighting the gloom of early sunsets, the aftereffects of holiday downtime, or the struggle to get your customers back in “buying mode,” these tips will help you power through and regain your momentum.

Surround Yourself with Positive Inputs
When you’re in a mid-winter sales rut—especially in cold, gray weather—your environment can either lift you up or drag you down. The content you consume and the people you interact with have a direct impact on your attitude.
Limit NegativitySkip cable news and doom scrolling. It’s toxic and drains energy. Steer clear of co-workers who only want to complain. Instead, find colleagues or mentors who keep the conversation upbeat and productive.

Engage in “Automobile University”Turn windshield time into learning time. Load up on podcasts, audiobooks, or uplifting content. If you’re on the road for field sales, use that dead time to sharpen your skills or motivation.

Pro Tip: Tune in to the Sales Gravy Podcast (yes, shameless plug!) or revisit classic audio programs by Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, or Jim Rohn for a quick confidence boost.

Create a “Win” FileSave glowing emails, client testimonials, or kudos from your boss in one place. On days when you feel like a zero, open that folder and remember your wins. Believing in yourself often wavers most when external results are slow. A targeted self-esteem boost can snap you out of that funk.
Read (or Listen) Your Way Out of the Slump
When you can’t rely on external circumstances (like sunny weather or a jam-packed pipeline) to motivate you, it’s time to feed your mind intentionally.
Pick Up a BookI once pulled myself out of a rut by alternating 10 minutes of prospecting with 10 minutes of reading No Bull Selling by Hank Trisler. That pattern helped him stay focused and eventually led him to top-performer status in his region.

Audio AlliesIf reading a physical book doesn’t fit your schedule, try audiobooks. Caroline mentioned she’s listening to The AI Edge on Audible. Whether you dive into James Clear’s Atomic Habits or any other self-improvement or sales guide, consistent listening can reset your mindset.
Revisit (or Set) Your Goals and Business Plan
Aimlessness often fuels a sales rut. Getting clear on why you’re putting in the work refocuses your daily efforts.
Craft a Personal Business PlanBreak your annual quota or goals into quarterly, monthly, and weekly targets. Then, identify the daily actions that lead to those targets. Write them down, review them often, and adjust as needed.

Check In with Your Plan

If you’ve already set goals: Take them out of the drawer and ask, “Am I doing what I said I would do each day?” If you haven’t set goals yet: It’s never too late to start. Use the lull to plan out the rest of your year.

Try the “BTN” (Better Than Nothing) ApproachOn a recent Money Monday episode, we introduced the concept of doing something—even if it’s small—to maintain momentum. One call, one follow-up, or one networking email is better than none at all. Doing a little bit every day builds massive momentum over time. Even if you’re not closing big deals right now, small actions (e.g., 15 minutes of prospecting, 10 minutes of follow-ups) add up.
“Eat the Frog” Early in the Day
The Eat the Frog concept (mentioned in Fanatical Prospecting) is about tackling the hardest or most dreaded tasks first. If winter weather and post-holiday inertia already have you feeling sluggish, don’t let procrastination compound the problem.
Schedule Tough Calls in the MorningIf you tend to stall on prospecting, block out time when you’re freshest. Once you conquer the hardest thing on your list,...

Three weeks ago it warmed up here in Augusta, Georgia, so I played hooky from work to take advantage of the nice weather and play a round of golf. While I was waiting for the group in front of me to clear the green my phone rang. I answered but I couldn’t hear anything on the other end so I hung up.

Ten minutes later it rang again with a call from the same number. This time, however, I was walking up to a birdie putt, so I sent the call to voicemail.

After finishing my round, I looked at my voice messages to see who had called, but there was no message so I didn’t give it another thought.

Later that day, I found an email from the rep asking for a meeting. He said he had called but we'd been disconnected.

It was at that moment that I realized I had my earbuds in when I answered the phone the first time. Sometimes calls do not automatically transfer to them. That is why I couldn’t hear him when I picked up the phone.

I considered responding to his email at that moment, but it was dinner time, and I was getting ready to grill some steaks. So, I put his note aside for later. The next morning, life happened, priorities got in the way, and I completely forgot about it. I haven’t heard from him since.

After three attempts (and no voice message) he gave up. The sad thing is, because of my guilt about hanging up on him, had he made one more call or email, I would have responded.

Other than not prospecting altogether, giving up too soon is the primary reason salespeople are failing at prospecting on an epic scale.
92% of Prospectors Give Up After Only 4 Attempts
Once after another attempt at creating a viable light bulb went down in flames, inventor Thomas Edison said that he hadn’t failed. He’d just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work. Because of his relentless persistence, he changed the world.

Now juxtapose this against the statistics on sales prospecting persistence:

44% of salespeople make only one prospecting attempt before giving up.
78% make only two prospecting attempts before giving up.
92% never make more than four prospecting attempts.
94% of these attempts are lame, poorly written emails.

Deeper into the weeds, the data tells us that it takes many prospecting touches to compel prospects to engage.

4 touches to engage a hot inbound lead.
5 touches to engage a prospect in a buying window who is familiar with you and your brand.
7 touches to engage an inactive customer or previously closed/lost deal.
9 touches to engage a warm inbound lead.
11 touches to engage a prospect in the buying window with no familiarity with you or your brand.
13 touches to engage a prospect with some familiarity with you or your brand but not in a buying window.
20+ touches to engage a cold prospect who is not familiar with you or your brand.

Keep in mind that these are averages across a wide statistical distribution. Depending on your brand recognition, geographic location, prospecting channel, product, service, sales cycle, industry vertical, and the role (CEO, Director, Manager) you might find that these numbers shift.

The point, however, is not the numbers. It is the story these numbers tell us. In most cases, it takes around 8 touches to get meaningful engagement from a prospect. But 92% of salespeople give up after no more than four attempts.

It’s no wonder that pipelines are bone dry and last year, according to recent data, 91% of sales teams failed to achieve quota.
Emotional Hangups in Prospecting
When I tell stories of prospecting persistence from the stage during keynotes and training sessions—for instance, the rep who contacted me 71 times before finally convincing me to buy from him—people in the audience visually squirm.

Invariably, when I tell the true story of the time I left a voicemail for a prospective client every day for 52 days in a row before he called me back leading to a $1.2 million deal and punching my ticket to Presidents Clu...

In sales - especially in product knowledge training - we’re taught from day one how to pitch, how to present, and how to overcome objections. We rehearse our spiels, memorize talking points, and perfect our scripts.

But too often we forget one of the most basic truths in sales: The more you listen, the more you learn. And the more you learn, the faster and easier it is to close a deal. Silence — shutting up and listening — is your secret weapon.

Yes, you need to speak confidently about the value you bring to the table, and you need to be clear when you’re asking for the deal. But the words that actually sway a prospect don’t come from you — they come from them.

Prospects convince themselves to buy. Your job is to guide the conversation in such a way that they articulate the problems they’re trying to solve, the goals they want to achieve, and the obstacles blocking their path. When you can get them to articulate those issues in their own words, you close deals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovBdhmangUU
Embrace the Pause
A common mistake reps make is rushing in to pitch a solution, answer a question, or tackle a perceived objection. They jump in prematurely, before letting the prospect fully voice what’s on their mind.

But if you can stay silent, if you can resist the urge to speak immediately, your prospect will usually elaborate. They’ll keep talking, often divulging the root cause of their hesitation.

That root cause might be very different from what you assumed at first glance. If you jump in too soon, you risk addressing a superficial objection and missing the real issue entirely.

I’ve seen too many sales professionals sabotage deals because they were afraid of a little silence. They ramble on, trying to fill every pause, unnerved by any lull in the conversation.

But in the pause, in the silence, is where your prospect gathers their thoughts. If you just wait, if you’ll just shut up, what comes next is where the real magic lies.

Your prospect will begin to share deeper insights. They might reveal the internal politics at play, the budget constraints, or the personal motivations driving their buying decision. They’ll teach you exactly how to close the sale.
Build Trust Through Silence
Learning to be comfortable with silence is also about showing genuine respect for the other person. When you give someone space to talk, you send an unspoken message: “I value your thoughts, your insights, and your experiences.”

That’s a powerful psychological signal. It builds trust faster than any perfectly rehearsed line. People buy from those they trust, and trust often begins with the simple act of listening.

Now, I’m not saying you should clam up entirely. Strategic silence is not about becoming a mute. It’s about knowing when to speak, what to say, and when to remain quiet.

Ask a probing question, and then zip your lips. Sit there, look them in the eye, and nod empathetically while they talk. Let them finish. Then pause a moment.

Usually, that extra beat of silence after they finish speaking nudges them to continue, and they’ll share even more valuable information.

If it’s truly time for you to respond, do so thoughtfully, directly, and concisely. Then hand the baton of conversation back to your prospect with another question or an invitation to elaborate.
Six Strategies For Leveraging Silence to Sell More

Plan Your Questions: Before any meeting, plan the key questions you want to ask. Keep them open-ended and designed to encourage deep, detailed answers.
Practice The 3-Count Rule: After the other person finishes answering the question, mentally count “one … two … three” before you talk again. Let those seconds of silence hang in the air. Leaving the gap of silence almost always compels the other person to fill it.
Embrace Discomfort: Silence can be awkward. Learn to live with that. Recognize that this discomfort is exactly what triggers prospects to open ...

Marcin from Warsaw, Poland, asks: What are the top sales trends shaping the future of sales?
Our conversation ranged from the impact of AI to the growing importance of a consultative selling mindset in modern selling. Below, you’ll discover practical insights you can leverage to sharpen your competitive edge—regardless of what industry or region you sell into—and take advantage of these emerging trends.

AI Will Power Sales Efficiency and Intelligence
When we think about the future of sales, AI inevitably dominates the conversation. Whether you’re a software rep, selling capital equipment, or providing professional services, artificial intelligence is quickly transforming the salescape.

Elevated EfficiencyAI will eliminate many repetitive tasks, surface the best leads, track deal progress, and remind you when a prospect stalls. At a basic level, AI can be your 24/7 virtual assistant that never forgets an appointment or misses a follow-up.

Smarter Data ManagementAI will digest massive data sets, then deliver concise insights that help you identify buying signals, forecast deal closures, and spot hidden risk factors in your pipeline.

Relationships Still MatterAs advanced as AI might be, it can’t replace human conversations—especially in complex or consultative sales. Ultimately, people buy from people they trust. Keep that fact front and center as you adopt AI-driven tools. They’re there to free you up for higher-value activities, not to take over your role.

The Return to Humanity: Relationships Make the Difference
In an age where we can automate just about anything with tech, your core differentiator will be your ability to build trust and engage deeply with clients.

Human Connection Is a Competitive AdvantageIf everything can be automated or self-served, how do you stand out? By demonstrating genuine empathy, patience, and an interest in solving unique business problems. Buyers are craving human interaction that goes beyond transactional sales.

Adapt to Cultural NuancesYour ability to adapt and flex to the nuance of both cultural differences between countries, regions, industries, and companies gives you a competitive edge when building trust. In some markets, diving straight into business is a sign of respect and efficiency; in others, building rapport is crucial before any serious conversation can start. Being agile enough to flex your communication style to fit local norms is a hallmark of top-performing sales consultants.

Embrace a Consultative Selling Mindset
In the age of AI there is a massive shift toward consultative selling. If you’re selling complex products, services, or solutions, you can’t just pitch features and benefits anymore. To survive and thrive you must become a business advisor, diagnosing problems and developing creative and innovative solutions.

Key Skills to Develop

Deep Discovery Great consultants don’t leap in with a pre-packaged pitch; they ask probing questions, explore unarticulated pain points, and let clients talk. This patient approach sets you up to deliver precisely what the customer needs.

Business Acumen and Technical KnowledgeIn consultative sales, you often speak with senior executives who expect you to know how business works—everything from supply chain issues to profitability metrics. If you show up unprepared, someone else with deeper business insight will get the sale.

Creative, Innovative SolutionsOnce you’ve gathered the facts, your job is to co-create a roadmap. That means pulling from your experience, internal product knowledge, and general business know-how to design a solution that resonates across multiple stakeholders. This requires both IQ (to connect the dots) and EQ (to communicate the vision persuasively).

Stay Curious and Keep Learning
A big part of stepping into a consultative role is adopting a lifelong learning mentality. Too many sales professionals stop reading or stop trying ne...

WARNING: This Monday’s message will be one of the most powerful hacks you’ll ever integrate into your life—because it’s simple, easy to put into practice, and it works. It has the potential, over the course of time, to change everything for you.

It’s the BTN method, and I learned it from a friend of mine who completely transformed his life and his habits by mastering this one straight-forward tactic.
Forgiving Yourself When You Get Off Track
In James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, he talks about a strategy for making a habit stick: never miss two days in a row.

In other words, if you mess up on Monday—if you skip your workout or drop the ball on your new habit—you give yourself permission to let it go.

But get right back on track by Tuesday. You never miss two days in a row and allow those mistakes to pile up and push you right back into the bad habit you are trying to change.

I love this advice because it reminds us we’re all human. We’re going to slip up. Life happens—kids get sick, you get sick, clients call with emergencies, your boss piles extra tasks on your desk, or your flight is delayed and you’re stranded in an airport— sometimes you've just have to eat that piece of cake.

James Clear’s approach is, when this happens, to give yourself a break. It’s okay that you messed up once. Forgive yourself but just don’t let it spiral downward by stringing together multiple days of misses together. It's a great approach.

But there is another strategy that works even better for staying track, makes it easier to bounce back, still allows you to be human, and over time yields far better results. If you really want to build unstoppable sales habits and supercharge your performance you’ll love this approach.
The BTN Secret
A few years back, I was meeting a good friend of mine for dinner. We hadn’t seen each other in a couple of years.

He’s the CEO of a large company—constantly flying all over the world, dealing with high-level negotiations, board meetings, you name it.

I know from experience that this kind of schedule can wreak havoc on your diet, your sleep, and especially your exercise routine.

When Chris walked into the restaurant, I was stunned. He looked incredible—like a completely different person.

He’d lost a bunch of weight and was in fantastic shape. As we sat down at our table I couldn’t help but blurt out, “Dude, you look incredible, how on earth do you manage to find the time to exercise and take care of yourself like that with your insane schedule.”

The truth is that at the time, I was really struggling with my own health. I’d been traveling without a break and gained far too much weight. I felt bad. And even though I knew I needed to do something about it, I was wrestling with the typical excuses: busy travel itinerary, client dinners, lack of time in the mornings for a real workout, late nights in airports, and exhaustion.

Chris looked at me, smiled, and said, “I use the BTN method.”

I instantly reached for my phone to Google “BTN” because I thought it was some new, miracle workout program and I was looking for anything that could help me get my health back on track.

Chris just started laughing. “You’re not gonna find that on Google,” he said. “BTN stands for Better Than Nothing.”
Why Doing “Just a Little Bit” Matters More Than You Think
Chris explained his philosophy: No matter where he is—no matter how jam-packed his day, no matter how exhausted he feels—he refuses to let a single day pass without doing some form of exercise—no matter how little.

On a good day, when he has time, he does an intense 45-minute workout. But if he doesn’t have time, if he’s been in back-to-back meetings from dawn to dusk, then he’ll at least drop down on the floor in his hotel room and do five push-ups, or 20 jumping jacks, or a two-minute plank. Something. Anything. Just not nothing.

He explained that five push-ups is better than none and over time it all adds up.

On the surface, you’d think that “selling” and “asking” go hand in hand. In reality, salespeople at all experience levels often hesitate, tiptoe around, or dodge direct closes because they’re afraid of rejection, worried about coming across as pushy, or insecure about asking.

On this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount explores why salespeople fear asking for the sale and what to do about it with author and Sales Gravy University instructor, Tony Morris

Every salesperson starts somewhere. Tony Morris started turning a profit buying 10 pounds of sweets from a shop and selling them for 20 pounds. Before that, he sold car washing door to door. But before all that, he spent hours watching his father prep for sales calls in the mirror, honing his language and mastering his message. It drove home one idea for a young Tony: To be a sales success, you have to practice, practice, practice learning how to ask for the sale.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1KKPbXHCj8

The Fear Factor That Holds Salespeople Back From Asking for the Sale

There’s an underlying, deeply human factor that derails many capable sales professionals: The fear of asking for the sale.
Rejection stings, whether it’s a “no” from a potential client or crickets after your presented a proposal you believed was bulletproof. We fear hearing “no” because we interpret it, consciously or not, as a sign that our competence or worth is lacking. Ironically, the more empathetic and relationship-focused a salesperson is, the more they tend to shy away from scenarios that might lead to an uncomfortable refusal.
When you allow the fear of rejection for creep in when attempting to close the sales it often leads to:

Hesitation: You wait for the buyer to “signal” readiness, rather than proactively closing.
Defensiveness: If a conversation veers toward potential objections, you steer away or gloss over critical next steps.
Over-Explaining: To avoid a direct ask, you bury the buyer in details, hoping they’ll volunteer a “yes.”

Practice Is the Key to Asking Confidently for the Sale
Watch any top performer in any field—a pro golfer, a concert pianist, or an elite salesperson—and they often make it look effortless. People assume they were simply “born with it.” In truth, consistent practice is usually the reason they’re able to operate at such a high level without appearing scripted or nervous.
One reason salespeople hesitate to ask for the sale is that they don’t feel comfortable with what to say—or how to say it—when the conversation reaches its critical moment. Practice, especially under realistic conditions, engrains talk tracks, responses to objections, and emotional composure. Practice allows you to lean on muscle memory rather than fumbling for words or panicking at a curveball question or objection.
The more you prepare, the more comfortable you are in the moment. When you are well-prepared you come across as “unscripted” and fluid because you’re not scrambling to find the right words. You’ve internalized the dialogue, so it sounds like a calm, authentic conversation rather than a memorized monologue.

Make Peace with the Word “No”
Time and again, top sales performers cite a simple truth: a fast “no” can be better than a lingering “maybe.” It allows you to save time, refocus energy, and cultivate a pipeline of engaged prospects. Learning to handle “no” as a data point—rather than personal rejection—keeps you in motion.

Categorize the “Nos”: Some are “not now,” others are “not a fit,” and a few are “never.” Understanding which type of no you’re dealing with can shape follow-up strategies.
Seek Feedback: If appropriate, ask, “I respect your decision. May I ask what caused you to decline?” That insight can sharpen future presentations.
Stay Professional: Burn no bridges. A gracious exit can leave the door cracked open; circumstances often change.

Shift Your Mindset About What Asking for the Sale ...

Elli in Galveston, Texas, faces a scenario that many young sales professionals know all too well: How do you earn respect and project confidence in selling when you’re dealing with people who are older and more experienced than you?
Ellie’s question highlights a universal issue in sales. Whether you’re dealing with age differences or expertise gaps, it’s easy to feel anxious if your buyer is decades older or has been in the industry for a long time.
Below, you’ll find practical strategies to bridge that confidence gap, project authority, and demonstrate a relaxed assertiveness that resonates with prospects of any age.

1. Recognize That It’s Mostly in Your Head
A significant part of Ellie’s challenge stems from internal dialogue rather than external facts. As I reminded her, rarely will a prospect openly declare, “I don’t respect you because you’re young.” Instead, we often impose that narrative on ourselves.

Negative Self-TalkTelling yourself, “They’ll never take me seriously,” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you believe you lack standing, that energy radiates, and prospects pick up on it.

Flip Your MindsetMost professionals—older or otherwise—care primarily about whether you can solve their problems, save them time, or increase their revenue. Your birth year is less important than your ability to address their business needs.

2. Win Through Questions
The simplest way to defuse insecurities about age or experience is to ask better questions. Listening is far more powerful than talking in most sales situations.

Tap Into Their ExpertiseIf they’ve been in the business for decades, demonstrate sincere curiosity: “How have you seen this industry evolve since you started?” or “What are some of the biggest shifts you’re preparing for next?” By making them the expert, you earn respect through authentic engagement.

Use Youth as a StrengthBeing new or younger often means a fresh perspective. Admit what you don’t know and say, “I’d love to learn from someone with your track record. What advice would you give to someone like me?” You’ll be amazed at how many seasoned pros want to mentor enthusiastic newcomers.

Don’t Fear “I Don’t Know”If you get a technical question you can’t answer on the spot, say, “That’s a great question. I’m not 100% sure, but let me check with my team and get back to you.” This approach does two things: it proves you’re honest (rather than bluffing), and it gives you a solid reason to continue the conversation later.

3. Relaxed, Assertive Confidence—The “Jedi Mind Trick”
If there’s a secret weapon in sales, it’s projecting selling confidence. But this isn’t about memorizing every rebuttal or faking bravado. It’s about becoming relaxed and assertive enough to handle anything that comes your way.

Rely on Frameworks and Processes
Know the steps you’ll take to open a call, overcome objections, or ask for the business. When you trust your proven framework, you’re less likely to freeze under pressure. For instance, if you have a system for handling objections, you’ll approach objections with calm anticipation rather than dread.

Practice and Role-Play
Just like athletes rehearse plays, sales pros need to rehearse calls. Role playing with a manager or teammate builds “muscle memory.” When real-world situations or questions arise, it’ll feel familiar—something you’ve already navigated.

Overcome Obstacle Fear
Face the age-gap issue repeatedly until it no longer feels daunting. Think of it as exposure therapy. The more you engage with senior-level buyers, the more you realize they’re just people with specific needs and pain points.

Keep Your Pipeline Full
Nothing nurtures confidence like having multiple deals in progress. A robust pipeline means you can approach each conversation without desperation, which projects a sense of calm authority.

4. Rewiring Your Internal Scripts

A few weeks back, I was delivering a Fanatical Prospecting Bootcamp to a group of sales reps - all in their 20s.

They had been assigned to me because their boss was tired of listening to their excuses about why they weren’t consistently picking up the phone and prospecting.

When he brought me in, he said matter of factly: “They won’t pay any attention to me, but before I start firing people, I’m hoping you can get through to them.”

The reps didn’t want to be there. It was a hostile audience from the start.

Just as I kicked off the training, one of the reps challenged me with, “Your book Fanatical Prospecting was written a long time ago. Is it even relevant anymore?” His sneering words were more of a statement than a question.
Cold Calling is Old School Distraction
Like many reluctant prospectors, he wanted to engage in a distracting argument over whether or not outbound telephone prospecting (a.k.a cold calling) was old school. He wanted validation that his avoidance of prospecting was OK, and to make the point that marketing should be responsible for delivering hot, ready-to-buy leads on a silver platter.

Sales reps of all generations -- for at least the past 125 years -- have been eager to make any excuse -- and I mean any excuse -- to avoid picking up a phone or knocking on a door. The most common excuse always has been that synchronous prospecting (a.k.a talking with people) is old school.

There were a couple of snickers from the back of the room in anticipation for what I would do next. But I’d been to this rodeo many times before.

“What do you think has changed since I wrote the book?” I asked calmly.

The young rep shot back condescendingly. “Well, for one thing, nobody answers the phone anymore.”

So I challenged him right back. “Ok, let’s test your hypothesis. Let me see the prospecting list that you brought with you.” (We run live call blocks in our Fanatical Prospecting Boot Camps and require participants to bring a list with them to class.)
Cold Calling Reality Bites
I waited patiently as he pulled the list up on his laptop. Then, I began dialing his prospects, right in front of the class. Instantly I had their attention. They all leaned in to watch. Reality TV is a hell of a magnet.

I made 11 dials to his list, spoke to two decision makers and set one appointment—all within a span of about 15 minutes. As I handed him back his laptop, I turned to the group and asked, “Any more questions?”

Elvis Presley said, “The truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.” The reason telephone prospecting wasn’t working for the petulant sales rep who challenged me was that he wasn’t doing it.

The cold truth about cold calling is that nobody answers a phone that doesn’t ring.
Sales Success is Paid for In Advance with Prospecting
What was true when I wrote Fanatical Prospecting is still true today:

If you wait for people to come to you, you’ll starve to death.
If you think your marketing team is going to supply you with an endless stream of qualified, ready-to-buy prospects, then you are delusional.

Here’s another truth for you: When it comes to prospecting, you cannot be delusional and have a full pipeline at the same time.

There are certainly sales jobs where your phone rings and inbound chat dings with people who are ready to buy. If you absolutely cannot stand interrupting people through outbound prospecting, but you like selling, perhaps one these roles are for you.

However, if you take a sales job where you never have to make a cold call, be prepared for a paycut.* Sales reps in these types of roles typically get paid by the hour with minimum commission upside.

*[Also be aware that some people, including Victor Antonio, are projecting that many of these jobs will be taken over by AI in the future.]
Cold Calling is a Prized Meta-Skill in Today's Noisy Marketplace
The most coveted,

Is your website truly working as hard as your sales team? In today’s competitive digital landscape, your website isn’t just an online brochure—it can be one of your best salespeople. Podcaster and influencer Sam Dunning joins The Sales Gravy Podcast to discuss the Caveman Grunt Website Test, why effective SEO strategies are never a one-and-done exercise, and how to build and how to maximize website performance for consistent sales growth.

If your site isn’t converting visitors into customers, it’s time to rethink your approach. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to apply Dunning’s key strategies to turn your website into a dynamic, lead-generating sales machine.
Key Takeaways:

Caveman Grunt Website Test: Follow the “We do X that solves Y” formula for clarity and effective conversion.
Understanding Customer Pain Points: Craft landing pages that directly address customer pain points using simple, jargon-free solutions.
Leveraging Podcasts for Lead Generation: Use podcasting to build authority, get referrals, and increase inbound traffic.
Turn Your Passions Into Profit: Experiment with activities you enjoy to see if they can be monetized, and give them three months to generate results.
SEO is a Long-Term Commitment: Don’t treat SEO as a one-time task. Ongoing optimization, including backlinks, keyword updates, and metadata improvements, is key to keeping your website visible.

https://youtu.be/y3-ALV67iT4
1. SEO Strategies are Not Dead
Sure, the introduction of AI optimization has some professionals running to figure out the algorithm for getting high rankings from AI platforms like ChatGPT or even Google’s AI overviews. But as far as we know, for Google – which still dominates the landscape – the same effective SEO strategies make for high rankings on AI overviews.

That means overall you still need to focus on Google’s EEAT format: Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust.

If you decide that SEO is worth your time then the best place to start is coming up with what your potential customers will be searching for to solve their problem.

Consider:

Industries where you’ve already seen success selling your products or services
Companies or organizations that can afford your solutions
What those companies might currently have cobbled together to solve their problems

2. The Caveman Grunt Website Test: A Simple Formula for Success
Does your website pass the Caveman Grunt Test? The premise is simple: If a caveman visited your website, would it be immediately clear what problem you solve and how you solve it? Keep your messaging straightforward—avoid jargon and unnecessary complexity.

Tip: Focus on the "We do X that solves Y" formula for a clear value proposition. Too many businesses miss out on potential conversions by overcomplicating their website copy. Simple, direct language can drastically improve your conversion rates.
3. The Importance of Identifying and Addressing Customer Pain Points
The most successful websites address specific pain points right away. Your landing pages should immediately highlight the problem your customer faces and present your solution in a simple, jargon-free manner.

Here’s what to include:

Clear, Benefit-Focused Headlines that speak to your customer's pain point. If you confuse, you lose.
Trust Signals like customer reviews, testimonials, and case studies.
Explainer Videos or step-by-step guides to show how your product or service solves the problem.

Why this works: Customers are most likely to convert when they feel you understand their challenges and have effective solutions. Ensure that your landing pages and home page are designed to address these pain points quickly
4. Using Podcasts to Build Authority and Generate Leads
Once you’ve optimized your website for clarity and customer pain points, it’s time to extend your reach. Podcasting is a powerful tool for building your brand, establishing authority,

Zack in Defiance, Ohio, faces a unique challenge that might sound specific at first but is more common than you think: he can only close a deal if his customer closes a deal of their own first.

In other words, they must “sell” a project to their own clients before Zack’s solution can come into play. This scenario appears in industries like construction, engineering, software licensing, and more. The conversation with Zack revealed practical strategies you can use to overcome these hurdles and keep your own pipeline healthy.

Welcome to another Ask Jeb segment on the Sales Gravy Podcast! I’m Jeb Blount—bestselling author of Fanatical Prospecting, Objections, Sales EQ, and INKED. In each of these special episodes, we shine a spotlight on your questions, challenges, and roadblocks—offering real-world advice from sales pros who are in the trenches every single day.

1. Recognize the Real-World Obstacles
Whether your customer has to bid on government contracts, secure large client projects, or get internal buy-in from multiple stakeholders, their success dictates your sale. While it’s easy to be frustrated by this extra layer, it’s crucial to acknowledge a few realities:

-- Your Customer’s Motivation: They’re laser-focused on winning their own deal. Your product or service is secondary—important, but not top of mind until they’re assured of a win.

-- Lead Time: Deals can stretch out because you’re waiting on an entire chain of approvals or external decisions.

-- Competition: If your customers finally land the big deal, they might still shop around to find the best supplier, leaving you in a second round of competition.

Understanding these pressures helps you empathize with your buyer. It also positions you to offer support in ways that make them want to stick with you—rather than jumping to a competitor at the eleventh hour.

2. Be a Genuine Partner, Not a Peddler
It’s tempting to keep nudging your buyers with hard-closing tactics, but that rarely works when they haven’t secured their own contract. Instead, pivot to a mindset of partnership:

Build Real Relationships
Invest time getting to know your buyer on a personal level. Talk about local sports teams, industry news, or shared hobbies. Real rapport fosters loyalty. When your customer finally wins their deal, they’ll feel comfortable turning to a friend—you—for the solution they need.
Offer Strategic Expertise
If your offering requires complex configurations or specialized knowledge, step in as a consultant. For instance, share best practices on how to optimize a design, or explain how to streamline a process. By helping them present stronger bids or more compelling proposals, you become integral to their success.
Stay Responsive
If they’re scrambling to nail down specifics for a bid, be the easiest person on their call list. Quick turnaround times and thorough answers showcase that you’re a reliable partner. Nobody wants a vendor who goes dark when the pressure is on.

3. Avoid Becoming a “Quote Factory”
One of the biggest pitfalls in this scenario is turning into a “quote factory” who does piles of work for prospects who never buy. While it’s true you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, you also waste valuable hours if you keep shooting at targets that never pan out.

-- Track Buying History
Look at your records: are there customers or accounts for which you consistently provide proposals and never see a sale? Identify these patterns.

-- Have Candid Conversations
Let them know your time and expertise aren’t free. You’re happy to help, but if they continually choose other suppliers or undercut your prices, you need to reevaluate the partnership. Sometimes, a direct discussion is enough to shift their approach and earn you real business. If not, you can focus on more promising leads.

-- Prioritize Strategic Deals
If you’re caught up producing endless quotes for “long-shot” clients,

On this first Monday of the second month of the year, it’s time for a gut check. First we need to check where we are against our new year goals. Next we need to take stock of our first month sales performance and make adjustments.

We’re just a little more than 30 days away from our new year intentions, resolutions, and goals. A month ago, we set out into the new year with hope and ambition that this year would be our best ever and that we’d make positive lasting changes in our lives.
It’s Easy to Slip Off the Track
You’ll remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. But as time goes by and sticking with new habits gets more challenging, it’s easy to forget what motivated us to make the changes in the first place. It’s easy to let down our guard and go back to our comfort zone.

The farther away we get from our intentions, the more likely it is that we allow our discipline to slip and get off track. It’s just human nature.
Small Slips in Discipline Can Add Up Quickly
Let’s say you kicked off the new year determined to have your best sales year ever, and you knew that meant filling your pipeline daily by getting Fanatical about Prospecting. But upon reflection, you realize that days have passed since you picked up the phone, knocked on a door, or talked with customers.

You’ve been making excuses to avoid the very activities that move you closer to your goals.

I’ll admit that it happened to me just this past week. This month has been non-stop travel — 12 flights, 10 cities, 8 keynotes, 5 full days delivering training to sales teams. Toward the end of the week I got tired, made excuses, and let my exercise and nutrition routine slide.

This was something I promised myself I wouldn’t do when the year started. I know that if I don’t stop right now and recommit to my goals, then there is a good chance that I’ll continue down this negative path — because it’s easy.
Revisit Your Goals and Resolutions
This is exactly why NOW is a good time for a gut check and a look in the mirror. Pause and carve out time today, to revisit your goals, resolutions, and intentions.

Sit down and think about what you decided to achieve back in early January. Visualize what it was that motivated you. Picture what you want most and where you want to be at the end of this year.

Go back and re-listen to the Money Monday episodes on building a personal business plan, reflection vs. regret, and why personal goals are essential for sales discipline.

Then recommit to your goals. Remember the feelings you had when you set them, and make an intentional decision to get back on track.
Evaluate Your First Month’s Performance Against Your Sales Goals
Next, step back and evaluate your first month’s sales performance. As you do, you’ll likely find one of three scenarios:

You Crushed It – You had a killer month and blew your goals out of the water.
You Were Average – You hit quota or did “okay,” but you know you’re capable of much higher performance.
You Bombed – You missed your number and ended the month worse than you hoped.

Great Sales Month
If You Crushed it, and you’re on the top of the ranking report fantastic, congratulations!

But be very careful not to let off the gas. It’s likely you worked very hard last month to achieve these results. There will be the temptation to take a breather.

Trust me, if you do, this complacency will come back to bite you.

Now is the time to recommit to doing the activity that fueled your success last month so you don’t end up with a lackluster February and a disastrous March.

In other words, you’ve set the foundation for a huge year, take advantage of what you have accomplished and keep the pedal to the metal!
Average Sales Month
If you had an average or just OK month — maybe you hit quota, maybe you came close, but you know you’ve got more in the tank — then it’s time for some honest self-reflection.

Ask yourself:

Insights into embracing conflict, staying mindful, battling internal doubt, and communicating effectively from motivational speaker and co-founder of The Constance Group Brian Parsley.
Key Takeaways

Conflict Isn’t the Enemy: Whether it’s internal (“me-me”) or between you and others, conflict can be a catalyst for growth if handled with empathy and awareness.
Self-Awareness Is Critical: Recognize when you’re slipping into negative self-talk or procrastination. Do one uncomfortable thing on purpose to regain momentum.
Mindfulness Works: A short pause before responding can prevent knee-jerk reactions and help you focus on problem-solving instead of point-scoring.
Communication Styles Differ: Tailor your approach to the other person’s style, and clarify misunderstandings by asking what they actually heard.
Find a Coach or Mentor: Don’t underestimate the value of someone else’s perspective. A coach sees the “swing flaws” in your sales approach that you might never notice on your own.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2049xdXQ5Ac
Why Conflict Is Everywhere in Sales
Sales is an inherently conflict-laden profession. You’re asking people for time and resources, you’re persuading them to make decisions, and you’re often balancing multiple interests—your client’s, your company’s, and your own. The tension stems from:

-- Negotiations with buyers who might have competing priorities.

-- Internal pressures from bosses or teammates who expect certain results.

-- Personal conflicts within yourself — especially if you’re unsure of your own capabilities.
The Three Types of Conflict
Conflict can be broken down into three categories:

Me vs. You Conflict – Disagreements between individuals (customers, peers, bosses).
Me vs. Job Conflict – Situations where your personal values clash with your job role or tasks.
Me vs. Me Conflict – Internal struggles, such as procrastination or fear of failure.

The“me vs. me” conflict might be the most insidious, because it can sabotage your motivation, self-esteem, and willingness to accept feedback.
The “Me-Me” Conflict: Your Biggest Obstacle
Many sales professionals fail because they lose the internal battle with themselves in “me-me” conflict. They know they should spend an extra hour prospecting, turn off the TV a little earlier for a fresh start the next morning, or follow up diligently with new leads. Yet, fear of failure or simple inertia holds them back.
How “Me-Me” Conflict Snowballs
Letting small tasks slip—like hitting the snooze button or blowing off a follow-up call—quickly turns into a domino effect:

You skip a small task or ignore a responsibility.
Guilt or anxiety sets in, making you more emotionally reactive.
This emotional reaction, often anger or irritability, spills over into other areas of your life—leading to more conflict, and sometimes even lower productivity.

Overcoming Internal Doubts Through Awareness
The ultimate tool to combat negative self-talk and “me-me” conflict is awareness. Here’s a simple yet powerful strategy: do something uncomfortable on purpose, like making a difficult prospecting call. By choosing the harder path in small, manageable increments, you train your brain to seek out the dopamine rush of achieving a win. Each small success can become addictive—in the best way—helping you build the self-confidence to tackle bigger challenges.

Practical Tip:
When you notice you’re about to avoid something important—like a call block—stop and say, “This is hard, but I’m doing it anyway.” That small statement of intent can be enough to reset your mindset for action.
Why Self-Talk Shapes Your Sales Results
In sales, negative self-talk is especially damaging because of the constant rejection and fast-paced environment. One bad day can lead to a downward spiral:

-- One lost deal leads to “I’m not good enough.”

-- One tough call leads to “They’ll never buy from me.”

If you’ve been banging your head against the wall trying to get your team (or yourself!) to prospect consistently, these tips are for you.

In this episode, I answer a question from Paul in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., who’s building and leading a remote sales team in the logistics industry and needs to find a way to get his salespeople to prospect consistently .

Then I tackle a follow-up question from a sales leader at one of our live events on how to keep his salespeople motivated to prospect every day.

Paul’s Challenge: Driving Consistent Prospecting Call Blocks
Paul leads a medium-sized logistics company with reps spread out in California, Utah, and El Salvador. He’s already done a great job by running a book club around my book, Fanatical Prospecting, but he needed practical tips for ensuring his team actually implements daily call blocks. Here’s the advice I shared:
Make Prospecting a Daily Conversation
As a leader, you need to talk about prospecting every single day. Yes, you’ll feel like a broken record, but that repetition is crucial for setting expectations.
“Show Up” for the Call Blocks
If your team was all in one building, you’d simply gather them on the sales floor and power through. Remotely, you can replicate this by scheduling a set time (e.g., 8:00 a.m. PT) and getting everyone on a video call.

You can’t stand next to them physically, but you can still see them, and they can see you. It’s social pressure and moral support rolled into one.
Run High-Intensity Sprints (HIPS)
Instead of asking for hours of uninterrupted calling, break it into short bursts—10, 15, or 20-minute sprints. Let them pause to catch their breath, then go again. Keep a virtual whiteboard and track dials, contacts, and appointments in real time. Make it fun and competitive.
Overcome the Complaints
Reps might moan about being “micromanaged,” but if you keep it fun and energetic, they’ll often appreciate the structure. Focus on results, not just the dials.

Question: How Do I Motivate My Salespeople to Keep Prospecting?
We also addressed a question from a leader who was attending one of our Sales Gravy Live events. Their team struggles to maintain high call numbers consistently. They might hit 100 dials a day for three days, then crash back down. The sales leader asked: “How do we keep our reps pumped for prospecting?”
Here’s the Reality Check
Nobody Truly “Loves” Prospecting: Prospecting is hard, and most of us won’t naturally get excited about it. But we do get excited about closing deals, landing appointments, and hitting our numbers.

You Must Be a Teflon Sales Leader: Stay relentlessly focused on prospecting, day in and day out. The moment you relax your standards, the team will follow suit. If you don’t treat prospecting as a top priority, neither will they. Be like teflon: no excuses stick.

Lead by Example
Get out on the “floor” (or on the Zoom call) and make calls with them. Don’t hide in your office. When they see you doing the work, they’ll know you mean business.

Use the Power of HIPS
Those high-intensity sprints work just as well here. Run “power hours” with quick breaks in between and track your team’s progress publicly.

Leading Prospecting Activity Is an Infinite Game
Let’s face it: prospecting is often the least-liked activity in sales. It’s easy to push aside because it involves repeated rejection, logistical juggling, and tight discipline. Yet it’s the lifeblood of any thriving pipeline—no prospecting, no leads, no deals, no revenue.

And if you have a remote team, like Paul does, you’re dealing with additional hurdles: time zones, limited supervision, and diminished peer pressure. It’s all too easy for your reps to skip their “call block” if you’re not right there to keep them accountable.

As a sales leader, you can’t just “fix” prospecting once and forget about it. The moment you move on, your team will start slacking. You have to show up, be present,

As humans, we naturally fear rejection and do everything possible to avoid it. We’re social creatures at our core, and being rejected feels like we’re being shunned, banished, or kicked out of the group. In fact, the two biggest human fears are rejection and death—and as strange as this may sound, in our hearts we fear rejection more than we fear death.

This, by the way, is a huge problem in sales because, as a sales professional, it’s your job to go out into the world, find rejection, and bring it home. And even though objections are not really rejection, it can still feel that way.

It’s the fear of rejection that makes selling so difficult for most people—and why most people will never do your job. Sales is such a lucrative career choice simply because it’s a rejection-dense job. Companies are willing to pay big bucks to rainmakers who can control their emotions, face rejection head-on, and find a way to win.
Ask and You Shall Receive
The good news is that if you fear rejection and want to avoid it at all costs, the easiest way to do so is to never ask for anything. Of course, if you don’t ask, you won’t get.

You might steer clear of the pain of rejection for a while, but sooner or later it’ll catch up with you when you find yourself unable to provide for your family, missing your mortgage payment, or stuck in a dead-end job. These things, I’ve found, hurt far worse over the long run than rejection.

There’s a verse in the Christian Bible, Matthew 7:7, that goes, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Now, I recognize that Jesus isn’t talking about sales in this verse, but he could be.

You’ll often hear it expressed as, “Ask and you shall receive.” If you think about that for a moment, you’ll notice that asking comes before receiving. In other words, asking is the beginning of receiving. If you want something, you have to ask first.
Ditch Your Wishbone
Far too often, we become rain barrels. We sit and wait. We hesitate and hope. We wish our prospect or customer would do the job for us, but they don’t—because it doesn’t work that way.

If you want to sell more and earn more, you need to ditch your wishbone and grow a backbone. It’s up to you to ask. Asking is the beginning of receiving, so you won’t get the appointment, the next step, the information, access to the decision-maker, or a buying commitment unless you ask.

And the truth is, on the other side of asking, there’s always the potential for objections and rejection. There’s always the chance you won’t get what you asked for. That’s just how asking works.
The Hardest Part of Asking: Learning to Shut Up
This is why the hardest part of asking is learning how to shut up afterward. You need to allow space for silence to do its work and for objections or questions to be put on the table. It’s hard to shut up when you’ve put it all out there and left yourself vulnerable to rejection. That awkward moment after you ask can feel like an eternity as you brace for a “no.”

To protect yourself from hearing a rejection, you might start talking, and talking, and talking—deluding yourself into believing that as long as you keep talking, your prospect can’t reject you.

The problem is, in that moment of emotional weakness, you come across as insecure and untrustworthy. You introduce objections that didn’t previously exist. You start blabbing on and on about features and benefits, terms and conditions, your dog, or what you had for lunch—until your stakeholder, who was ready to say yes, gets talked into saying no by you.

Your insecurity in that moment of vulnerability invited rejection.
Why Silence Is Your Secret Weapon
Here’s the most important rule of asking: After you ask, you must shut up. Despite the alarm bells going off in your adrenaline-soaked mind—despite your pounding heart, sweaty palms, and fear—you have to bite your tongue, sit on your hands, mute the phone,

Sales Leadership is a continuous journey of self-awareness, connection, and growth. By cultivating courage, emotional intelligence, and authenticity, leaders can navigate challenges effectively and inspire their teams to reach new heights. Through active listening, thoughtful decision-making, and a focus on personal and collective improvement, leaders create environments where individuals and teams can thrive.

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Keith Lubner is joined by Markus Neukom to delve into the key traits and practices of effective sales leaders, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and authenticity.
Key Takeaways:
- Courage in Leadership: Effective sales leaders need the courage to act on their potential without fear of success or failure. This courage often differentiates genuine leadership from insecure or arrogant behaviors.

- Emotional Intelligence Development: Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness. Leaders must understand themselves before they can effectively lead or enhance team dynamics.

- Leadership as a Learned Skill: Leadership is not an innate talent but an art form that requires intentional development and refinement.

- The Importance of Listening: Listening, including using all senses, is a critical skill for sales leaders. It fosters understanding, prevents assumptions, and enables effective conflict resolution.

- Slowing Down for Effectiveness: Leaders benefit from slowing down to observe and connect with others, which ultimately leads to faster and more accurate outcomes.

- The Shift Toward Authenticity: Modern sales leadership demands authenticity, as younger generations of employees and clients value genuine and transparent leadership styles.

- Reframing Imposter Syndrome as a Sign of Growth: Imposter syndrome is a signal that you're pursuing something meaningful, despite lingering self-doubt. Recognizing it as a sign of growth can help leaders and professionals push forward with confidence and authenticity.

- Challenges for Women in Leadership: Women face unique challenges, including workplace toxicity and imposter syndrome. Encouraging authenticity rather than adopting stereotypical traits is crucial for their success.

- Intuition vs. Gut Feeling: Leaders are encouraged to trust their intuition, which transcends learned gut feelings and is often a more reliable guide in decision-making.

- Conflict Resolution Through Coaching: Executive coaching plays a vital role in resolving workplace conflicts by emphasizing observation, asking questions, and active listening.

- Self-Care Practices for Leaders: Practices like meditation and structured routines can help leaders manage stress, prevent burnout, and achieve a higher level of personal and professional effectiveness.

https://youtu.be/h5OLDcbI66c

Sales Leadership thrives on self-awareness, connection, and a commitment to growth. These principles shape how leaders inspire their teams, handle challenges, and foster an environment of trust and collaboration. By focusing on key qualities like courage, emotional intelligence, and authenticity, leaders can create positive and lasting impacts in their organizations.
Courage as a Foundation
Courage is essential for effective leadership. It allows leaders to take risks, embrace uncertainty, and act decisively. Leaders must have the bravery to act decisively and embrace their potential without fear of success or failure. Overcoming these fears requires bravery to step out of comfort zones and pursue opportunities for growth. Courage also plays a role in admitting when help is needed or answers are unclear, which fosters an environment of honesty and collaboration.
Emotional Intelligence Starts Within
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a crucial skill for understanding and managing emotions, both in oneself and in others. The foundation of EQ is self-awareness—knowing personal strengths, weaknesses, and triggers.

Ron wants to know how to get CEOs to actually answer his cold calls (or at least respond). He runs a recruiting firm and finds that his cold calls to top executives often go unanswered, and it’s driving him nuts. He wants to know if there’s a better way to break through all the noise—or if he just needs to buckle down and make more calls.

On this Ask Jeb podcast episode I give Ron specific strategies for connecting with hard-to-reach prospects like CEOs.

Why Sales Feels Harder Than Ever
Let’s face it: sales is tough, and it’s not getting any easier. With an explosion of AI-driven messages and automated outreach, our prospects—especially C-suite executives—are tuning out more than ever. We call this phenomenon the “great ignore.”

If you don’t stand out from the torrent of spam, you will get lost in the shuffle.

Ron’s question—“Do I just need to make more calls, or is there some next-best method?”—is a dilemma many of us face. The short answer?

It’s both. You do need volume, but you also have to differentiate. If you’re just another voice in the crowd, you’ll be ignored, no matter how many dials you make.

Tactic #1: Multi-Threading (Don’t Just Call the CEO)
A key point I shared with Ron is the power of multi-threading. That means calling multiple people in the organization—not just the CEO. While the CEO might be the ultimate decision-maker, other stakeholders, like the COO or HR director, might be easier to reach. These people can also give you valuable intel on hiring needs, budget constraints, or timing.

Call the CEO: Leave a compelling message or send a short, punchy email.
Call Other Stakeholders: Dig for inside info on immediate hiring needs or open reqs.
Use That Intel: Let the CEO know, “I’ve spoken with your COO; you’re looking for a VP of Sales. I have a candidate you need to meet…”

This top-down, bottom-up approach helps you gather context, build rapport, and earn the right to talk to the CEO by proving you’re not just randomly dialing.

Tactic #2: Leave Voicemails—But Make Them Count
Ron admitted he’s not always sure whether to leave voicemails. Most of us have left hundreds of voicemails and gotten very few callbacks, so it’s tempting to skip them. But here’s the thing: in today’s world, voicemail transcripts often end up in a prospect’s email inbox or text messages.

Keep It Short: No more than 30 seconds.
Make It Compelling: Name-drop a role you know they’re hiring for or highlight your unique solution in a single sentence.
Use a Teaser: “I’ve got the perfect candidate for your open VP of Sales position—let’s talk.”

Even if they don’t call back immediately, they’re hearing your name and your pitch. Over time, that repetition can pay off—especially if you combine voicemails with other forms of outreach.

Tactic #3: Build Sequences That Tell a Story
The real magic is in creating a multichannel sequence over 30 to 60 days. It’s not just “call once and cross your fingers.” Instead, plan multiple touches that tie together:

Voicemail #1
Follow-Up Email (within 24–48 hours)
LinkedIn Connection Request or DM
Voicemail #2 (referencing your email)
A Handwritten Note or Card (really stands out)
Voicemail #3 (referencing the note)

Be creative. Use each step to reinforce the last, rather than just repeating the same “Hey, it’s me again!” message. Tell a story or highlight different benefits at each step. Show them you’re genuinely interested in their business—not just cold-calling from a script.

Tactic #4: Know Your Prospect’s Buying Window
Sometimes the CEO won’t respond because there’s no immediate need for your product or service. For Ron, if they’re not hiring, they won’t care about a recruiter. That’s okay—it doesn’t mean you should vanish.

Keep Dripping: A low-frequency sequence keeps you on their radar.
Listen for Signals: Maybe they just received funding or they’re expanding into a new market.

Here’s an important question: Are you coachable?

Now, before you jump to answer that, I want you to pause and really think about what being coachable or coachability really means.

"Coachability" is essential for top performance in sales - and for that matter ANY endeavor. It simply describes how receptive you are to feedback and guidance; AND, how willingly and effectively you apply coaching to improve your performance.

Coachability is an open mindset—being flexible, adaptable, the willingness to learn and consider different perspectives, and inviting criticism and critique—without getting defensive.

It’s about keeping yourself from slipping into the “I already know it all” or “There’s nothing new here” trap or deciding flatly that you don’t need help because you’re just that good.
Mindset and Self-Awareness
True coachability begins with a belief that you can improve and a deep seated desire to grow. This belief opens the door to being more receptive to feedback and coaching.

It also requires self-awareness. It's about recognizing and being honest about your strengths, weaknesses and areas where you can improve. It is the vulnerability and the courage to look in the mirror at your imperfections.

Where there is self-awareness there is the opportunity for transformation—even, by the way, when you already feel that you are at the top of your game.

The truth though is, most of us, at one point or another, are not coachable. We get stuck in our own heads, resist change, and bristle at feedback—especially when it challenges what we believe about ourselves.
Coachability is the Hallmark of Ultra-High Performers
But here’s the kicker: coachability is the hallmark of ultra-high performers. Look at any elite athlete, and you’ll find a coach nearby. Many of them have an entire team of coaches.

I’m a huge golf fan. Golf, for me, is more than a sport; it’s a metaphor for sales and life. It’s hard, humbling, and mastering it is an infinite game.

The best golfers in the world spend a ton of money on coaches. They’ll have a swing coach, a putting coach, and even a mental coach to keep their head in the game. Why? Because coaches can see what they cannot.

When I’m working with my own golf coach it sometimes hurts to have him stand there and critique my swing - especially when I think what I’m doing is right. But when I swallow my pride, take it in, and apply it, I see results. I get better, I score lower, and I have more fun.
A Great Coach Exposes Your Blind Spots
Sales is no different. It’s tough, it’s competitive, and it seems impossible to ever reach “perfection.” A sales great coach exposes your blind spots. They can help you see what you’re doing right (and need to do more of) and what you’re doing wrong (and need to correct).

The challenge is, so many salespeople resist the feedback. They sit in training sessions or roleplays with their arms crossed, telling themselves that they don’t need this.

Veterans, in particular, get stuck in their ways, acting like they’ve got nothing left to learn. But I also see the opposite problem with rookies or young reps who can’t handle any criticism without interpreting it as a personal attack. Both groups end up shutting down, pushing their coaches away and missing an opportunity to grow.
Coaches Invest in You Because They Care
The fact is, coaches are investing time in you because they care about you and want to see you succeed. That doesn’t mean they won’t be tough on you, but it does mean they have your best interests at heart.

Early in my career, I was blessed with a fantastic sales coach named Bob Blackwell. He pushed me hard—probably harder than anyone ever had—and at first, it rubbed me the wrong way. I’d go home, complain to my wife about how he was criticizing me. I was convinced that he was intentionally picking on me.

One day I was complaining about Bob to my dad—who knew a little something about life. He said,

Sales leadership demands the ability to adapt, motivate, and guide teams toward consistent, high-level performance. In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount is joined by Charley Bible of KaTom to discuss key strategies for sales leaders, focusing on teamwork, skill refinement, and the power of effective coaching. These insights bridge the gap between individual development and team success, offering actionable takeaways for anyone in sales leadership.
Key Takeaways:
- Team Collaboration Creates Wins: Focusing on the team rather than individual achievements builds a culture of collaboration and shared purpose. Sales leaders who emphasize collective success foster environments where everyone contributes, elevating overall performance and morale.

- Energizing Through Friendly Competition: Workplace challenges—like those inspired by sports or creative competitions—inject energy into teams. Sales leaders can use these lighthearted activities to foster camaraderie, engagement, and a sense of fun that drives motivation and productivity.

- Reflection Drives Growth: Reviewing past results and analyzing setbacks is essential for improvement. Just as athletes study game footage, sales leaders should encourage their teams to evaluate performance trends, pinpoint mistakes, and strategize better approaches moving forward.

- Sales Is a Skill-Based Craft: Sales isn’t just about personality; it’s a disciplined profession requiring constant development. Leaders must instill a growth mindset in their teams, encouraging training and practice to refine techniques, build confidence, and maintain a competitive edge.

- The Power of Fundamentals: When performance dips, returning to the basics can help sales teams regain their footing. Leaders should coach their teams on foundational skills like effective communication, active listening, and prospecting to rebuild momentum and confidence.

- Coaching as a Leadership Tool: Sales leaders play a pivotal role in their teams’ success by offering real-time coaching and feedback. By identifying blind spots, providing encouragement, and correcting missteps, leaders can significantly impact their team’s performance and professional growth.

- Self-Awareness Is Key: Encouraging sales reps to recognize and address performance dips is crucial. Leaders should teach their teams to pause, assess their approach, and implement small adjustments to get back on track. Building this habit can prevent minor issues from becoming major roadblocks.

- Discovery Conversations Open Doors: Strong sales leaders emphasize the importance of discovery—asking thoughtful questions and listening carefully to uncover client needs. This approach not only builds trust but also reveals opportunities that can lead to larger, more impactful deals.

- Consistency Beats the Rollercoaster: The “desperation rollercoaster” can plague sales teams—periods of intense effort followed by complacency. Leaders should emphasize the importance of consistent daily effort, reminding teams that resilience and steady focus yield long-term results.

- Celebrate Hard Work and Achievements: Acknowledging milestones, whether through personal rewards or team recognition, reinforces the value of persistence. Sales leaders should celebrate wins to inspire continued effort and show their teams the tangible benefits of dedication.

https://youtu.be/3SOtxMRWpmA

Team Success Over Individual Glory
Prioritizing team achievement fosters collaboration and a sense of unity. Sales environments that emphasize collective wins over individual accolades create a culture where everyone thrives. Collaboration fuels creativity, encourages accountability, and leads to stronger overall performance. In sales, success often hinges on the strength of the team rather than the brilliance of a single contributor.
Energizing with Friendly Competition
Healthy competition sparks energy and enthusiasm within teams.

Eric in Lewiston, Maine, asks how to use last year’s data to create and accurate sales plans and evaluate software tools (like CRMs and ZoomInfo) to make those goals happen.

Sales planning is vital—without a roadmap, you’re just hoping your revenue targets magically come to life. If you haven’t defined clear performance metrics—like call activity, lead generation, conversion rates, or daily prospecting targets—then you don’t really have a plan. You have a wish list.

Looking Back at Last Year: Which Metrics Matter?
Eric wanted to know which metrics from the previous year he and his team should be analyzing to inform this year's targets. The short answer? All of them, if they are metrics that matter to your business goals. Consider:

Conversion Rates from Inbound Leads
Speed to Lead (How fast are you following up?)
Outbound Touches vs. Opportunities in Pipeline
Opportunities-to-Proposal Ratios
Proposal-to-Closed Deals Ratios
Upsells, Cross-Sells, and Expansion Deals

By mapping out how each step in your funnel converts to the next—calls to first appointments, first appointments to proposals, proposals to closed deals—you can see exactly where to focus in the new sales year.

Maybe you need more first appointments. Maybe you need to tighten up your proposals so more of them convert. Or maybe you’re missing upsell opportunities with existing clients. Data points you to the gaps.
Pro Tip: Once you understand your ratios, you can decide if you’re aiming to improve them by, say, 25% (a stretch goal) or if you’re reaching higher. However, be careful not to “fix” one area and inadvertently break another. Success in sales is about balance across the entire funnel.
Choosing the Right CRM: Beware of Overkill
Eric also mentioned his team’s struggle with an outdated CRM that’s not built for strong tracking. As they look ahead, they’re weighing big guns like Salesforce. But here’s the deal:

Salesforce is an excellent platform—if you’re a larger organization with the bandwidth, budget, and complexity to justify it.
For smaller teams (like Eric’s with just two salespeople), adopting a massive enterprise CRM can be overkill.
Zoho, Pipedrive, Nimble, and HubSpot are great alternatives for small-to-midsize sales teams. They’re user-friendly, more cost-effective, and far simpler to deploy.

The rule of thumb? Choose a CRM that matches your current size and selling process. The last thing you want is to waste months configuring a powerhouse system that nobody uses because it’s too big or too confusing.
Making Sense of “Big Data” Tools Like ZoomInfo
Eric’s final question was about whether to invest in a data-intelligence tool (e.g., ZoomInfo, Apollo, LeadIQ) to identify new leads and tap into “intent data.” My take:

ZoomInfo: This is what we use at Sales Gravy, and we love it. It delivers reliable data, helps us expand into new verticals, multi-thread inside target accounts, and dramatically speeds up our list building.
Intent Data: Tools like ZoomInfo can show you who’s actively looking for solutions like yours. While it’s not perfect, it can be a game-changer for prioritizing outreach to the prospects most likely to buy.
Beware the Shelfware Trap: If you invest in a high-end data platform, make sure you have a solid plan (and the discipline) to use it consistently. It’s easy to drop serious money on software and then let it collect dust.

Pro Tip: Start with a limited number of “power users” on your team who will commit to mastering the tool. Then expand usage as you integrate it into your sales workflow.
How We Made It Work: A Cautionary Tale
We’ve been using ZoomInfo for years. Early on, we blew through a lot of money because we didn’t fully implement it. It wasn’t until we got serious—trained our people, integrated it with our CRM, and held each other accountable—that we started seeing results. Today, ZoomInfo is essential to how we prospect, grow pipeline,

I’m hearing sob stories from leaders and individuals everywhere who are waking up to the cold, hard truth that they are staring down the barrel of a thin or empty pipeline.

If you are in this situation and don’t have enough pipe to cover your number—either for this month or the first quarter—then you need to take action now to close that gap because getting behind your number at the beginning of the year means loads of stress and chasing your tail - for the rest of the quarter or the entire year if you get too far behind.

Your Empty Pipeline Started Last Month
Stepping back for a moment, the reason your pipeline is empty today can usually be traced back to your sales activity in November or December.

Some teams get tunnel vision in the fourth quarter. They focus on closing deals and finishing the year strong but fail to balance that with prospecting activity for the future.

Other folks just get distracted by the holidays and let the final weeks of the year slip by without prospecting to fill the pipe with enough new opportunities to cover January.

In other cases, the pipeline opportunities that you were counting on this month—the ones that pushed decisions until after the holidays - have suddenly gone silent and are ghosting you. You’re finding out the hard way that it is very, very difficult to reignite these deals once you’ve allowed this much time to pass.

I’m not going to sugarcoat this because the truth is the truth. No matter what got you to this point, you need to get to work right now to turn this around.

So the question is, how do you do this?

Block Time for Prospecting
One of the biggest pitfalls I see is that when pipelines are empty, salespeople get overwhelmed and paralyzed. They don’t know where to begin, so they waste time worrying and “getting organized.” They "plan to plan to plan" to prospect but don’t get any actual prospecting done.

There’s an old saying that goes, “When you’re in a hole, stop digging.” Likewise, the first rule of an empty pipeline is: When have one, start prospecting. That’s it. There’s no magic to it. It's a blinding flash of common sense.

Therefore step one is to block one to two hours at the start of your day specifically for prospecting. Close your email and company chat, put devices on do not disturb, and place a singular focus on picking up the phone and calling potential customers.

Put these morning blocks on your calendar as an immovable meeting. No excuses, no last-minute changes. Keep this time sacred for outbound prospecting.

Why first thing in the morning? Because that’s when you’re fresh, your prospects are fresh and neither of you have gotten buried in your day yet. And the truth is, if you put off prospecting until the afternoon, your willpower is often depleted and you are more likely not to do it.

Fast vs Slow Prospecting
Next you need to focus on the right kind of prospecting. This isn’t the time for a slow, meandering approach in which you cultivate long-term opportunities on LinkedIn and through networking. While building the future through slow prospecting activities is important, right now you need to move fast.

You need to target, engage, interrupt and convert prospects that can move into your pipeline as viable opportunities, right now.

By “interrupt,” I mean dialing the phone, knocking on doors, sending personalized emails, text messages, video messages and direct messages —whatever it takes to get attention and engage in conversations with high potential, high probability prospects.

5 Sources for Targeted Prospecting Lists
When I say target, I mean not random. Randomness is the enemy of effectiveness. At this moment in time, spray and pray will not turn your pipeline around. You need a rifle rather than a shotgun approach.

The key is building a targeted list because the better your list you, the better your prospecting outcomes. There are five sources for building a targeted prospecting list,

Entrepreneurship and Sales demands massive resilience. It’s a skill, not a fixed trait, developed through intentional practice and persistence. Whether managing personal loss or professional setbacks, resilient entrepreneurs navigate challenges with focus and adaptability. This mental toughness enables them to push forward, align their business with their values, and create a lasting impact.

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount, Jr. is joined by Deb Sellinger to explore the power of resilience and adaptability in entrepreneurship. Hear Deb's inspiring story about overcoming challenges, building businesses that align with personal values, and creating a clear vision for sustainable success.
Key Takeaways
- Resilience as a Skill: Resilience is not innate. It can be cultivated through intentional practice and perseverance, even in the face of significant challenges.

- Impact Over Income: Prioritizing making an impact over chasing financial rewards can lead to greater fulfillment and long-term success.

- Adapting After Loss: Balancing personal grief with professional responsibilities requires courage and discipline to maintain stability for those relying on your leadership.

- Reinvention of Business Models: Adapting or reinventing a business model to align with personal values or market changes can drive growth and create operational efficiencies.

- Facing Judgment with Integrity: Leaders may face criticism for prioritizing their team or clients over personal interests, but integrity and resilience ensure a focus on long-term goals.

- Importance of Succession Planning: Establishing a succession plan provides stability for employees and clients, ensuring continuity during transitions.

- Clarity in Leadership Vision: Refining a business's focus can align its trajectory with the leader’s strengths and values, driving sustainable growth.

- Leveraging Team Strengths: Recognizing the unique contributions of team members fosters collaboration, strengthens culture, and supports growth.

- Navigating Rapid Growth: Managing fast-paced growth often requires tough decisions to streamline operations and recalibrate priorities.

- Building for the Future: Involving teams in planning for the business’s future creates shared success and loyalty.

https://youtu.be/CPYTTet0CUM

Balancing Grief and Professional Responsibilities
Personal loss doesn’t pause professional obligations. Entrepreneurs often face the challenge of balancing grief with the demands of running a business. For some, maintaining commitments like showing up for a client meeting or fulfilling an obligation becomes a pathway to healing. These moments underscore the duality of leadership: staying present for others while navigating personal struggles.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Every challenge hides an opportunity for growth. A leader who maintained a client relationship during a particularly difficult time discovered that vulnerability and perseverance can deepen trust and create new opportunities. It’s often the toughest moments that forge the strongest connections.
Adapting to New Realities
Stepping into unfamiliar territory like inheriting a business or pivoting to a new market requires courage and adaptability. One entrepreneur, faced with an industry they knew little about, redefined their business’s focus and implemented a sustainable model. This reinvention not only stabilized the company but positioned it for future success.
Aligning Business with Personal Values
Success without alignment can feel hollow. When one entrepreneur’s wellness business scaled rapidly, they found themselves disconnected from their original mission. By simplifying operations and returning to their hands-on approach, they built a business that resonated with their values and fostered deeper client relationships.
Leading with Responsibility
True leadership shines in tough times. Faced with personal challenges,

Welcome to a new segment of the Sales Gravy Podcast called Ask Jeb!

I believe sales professionals are the heartbeat of the economy. You’re the ones generating revenue for your organization and fueling innovations that keep businesses thriving. Without your hustle, your company doesn’t move forward—and, frankly, neither does the global economy. You’re the elite athletes of the business world.

Ask Jeb is about you and your real world challenges. It's your agenda and you are in control.

On this Sales Gravy Podcast segment, I answer your burning questions on driving revenue, growing your pipeline, leading your teams, and staying ahead of the competition. If you want to get on the show with me and ask your question, sign up HERE
Question One: Cutting Through the Noise When Prospecting
Bob from Tullahoma, Tennessee (whom we affectionately call “Outbound Bob” because he’s been to our Outbound Conference so many times!) asked a critical question:
“Moving into next year, what prospecting advice, piece of technology, or technique would you offer that could apply across all sales organizations and industries? What’s our ‘silver bullet’—even if it doesn’t really exist?”
No Silver Bullet, But...
I’m the first to say there’s no magic wand in sales—no easy button that instantly books appointments or closes deals. What we do have is the reality of AI-generated “crap” flooding our inboxes and social feeds. This onslaught of automated noise means salespeople must stand out more than ever.
Embrace Deep, Differentiated Sequences
My top recommendation is to lean heavily into deep, multichannel prospecting sequences. Use everything at your disposal:

Telephone (still the fastest way to close deals)
In-person visits (yes, face-to-face still works—and people love seeing a real human)
Email (but make it personal and relevant)
Direct Messaging (LinkedIn, Messenger—wherever your prospect is, be there)
Snail Mail (because physical mailboxes are shockingly empty)
Networking & Referrals (the original social media)

It’s not just about persistence; it’s about persistence plus differentiation. If you’re simply bombarding prospects with a bunch of generic touches, you’re just adding to the noise. Instead, craft messaging that proves you understand their world.
Messaging That Speaks to Them
Good news: the tsunami of poorly written AI outreach actually helps you stand out if your message is empathetic, clear, and focused on the prospect’s key interests. Take the time to truly step into their shoes. Know their persona, their industry, and how you solve their burning issues. Show them you’ve done your homework.
Think of It as One Extended Conversation
Each touch—voicemail, email, text, or social message—should flow logically from the last. You don’t want to leave the same voicemail three times in a row or send “Just bumping this to the top of your inbox” emails day after day. Instead, let your communication build a case for why a conversation is worthwhile. And remember: the number of touches needed to break through keeps rising (15+ touches for warm prospects, 50+ for cold). So, buckle up, play the long game, and keep your messaging sharp.

Question Two: Targeted vs. Personalized Messaging
After Bob’s question, we tackled another big one from a Sales Gravy Coaching client who wished to remain anonymous:
How to handle short-burst prospecting and whether it helps to call businesses that share something in common, like location.
Short-Burst Sprints
I’m a fan of high-intensity prospecting sprints. Carve out 10–15 minutes, chop wood as fast as you can, then take a break. This approach keeps your energy up and your head in the game.
Narrow Your Lists
Whenever possible, focus on a list of prospects that have something in common—same industry, similar role, or even the same town. That way, your messaging can be targeted, speaking directly to a collective pain point or shared experience.

Happy New Sales Year!

This is the first Monday of the year. The slate is clean. The opportunity to excel, to level up, to make this your best year ever is yours for the taking. The world is your oyster.

It’s time to shake off distractions, get focused, and execute. As we look forward to the next twelve months, there are only three things you control. Your actions, reactions, and mindset.
Actions
You have absolute control over your actions. These are the choices you make about how you spend your time, what you prioritize, and where you focus. Choose the right actions and you are going to have a great year; the wrong actions, not so much.

And when it comes to choosing how and on what you invest your time, commit to being ruthless about what you prioritize.Do the things that have the greatest impact on revenue generation, hitting your sales numbers, and achieving your personal goals.
Reactions
You have control over how you react and respond to the many challenges you will face over the next twelve months. And trust me, there will be lots of challenges and roadblocks.

One of those challenges will be dealing with all of the people and distractions that steal your time and pull your attention away from your priorities.

It will take discipline to respond to these things with a polite no and stay on course. Remember that discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most. Therefore, you can better manage your responses by keeping your eyes on the prize.
Leverage Mindfulness
When you face emotionally challenging situations, one way to manage your reactions is through mindfulness.

I always thought mindfulness was some frou frou yoga crap until a learned what it really means and how especially powerful it is for managing emotional reactions when you face conflict with another person. Which is important because sales is full of conflict.

Mindfulness is simply the gap you leave between something happening to you and when you respond to it. In this gap you have the opportunity to exert control over your emotions and response. And let's be clear: you have complete control of when you respond, how you respond, and if you respond.

The way I activate mindfulness is through a simple mental exercise in which I answer the question: Do I want this or do I want that?

For example, if I get into an argument with my wife and my emotional reaction is to dig in and fight for my point of view, before I do, I’ll ask myself: Do I want to be happy or do I want to be right?

If you are dealing with a tough customer who is pushing your buttons and you really want to give them your mind, you might stop and ask yourself "Do I want to hit my sales number or do I want to tell this jerk what I think about them?
Mindset
And finally, you control your mindset - your attitudes and beliefs. Of the three things you control, mindset is the most important.

Sales is a mental game. It is a truth that 90% of your success is going to be determined by what goes on between your ears.

There are two prevailing mindsets among salespeople in the world today. My good friend and co-author of The AI Edge Anthony Iannarino labels these the rain barrel mindset and the rainmaker mindset.
Rain Barrel Salespeople
Think for a moment about a rain barrel. What does it do? The rain barrel sits in the backyard rusting waiting for rain.

This is exactly what rain barrel salespeople do. They sit around waiting for something to happen to them. Hoping for a lead to come their way. Waiting for their prospect to do the work and close the sale themselves.

Rain Barrels are defined by their circumstances. They complain and whine but take no action to change them. When it doesn’t rain, they blame everything and everyone except for themselves. The rain barrel resides in mediocrity and never reaches their potential.
Rainmakers
Then there is the rainmaker mindset. Rain makers believe in themselves and their ability to make things happen....

Discover the secrets to lead follow up and conversion after trade show, conference, and events.

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Harriet Mellor shares proven strategies for maximizing trade show ROI with personalized outreach, leveraging CRM tools, and building lasting relationships that convert leads into valuable long-term customers.
Key Takeaways:
- Follow-up Touchpoints: An eight-touchpoint follow-up strategy is recommended, with touchpoints spread over a 12-week period, incorporating multiple communication methods like email, phone, social media, and video.

- Importance of Patience: Building relationships and converting leads into customers takes time. Long sales cycles, such as 20 months for some deals, highlight the need for persistence and patience.

- Consistent Outreach: Regular and consistent communication helps ensure that leads don’t forget about the company or its offerings.

- Tracking Interactions: Meticulous tracking of every touchpoint and interaction provides insight into what strategies work, enabling continuous refinement.

- Personalization: Customizing outreach efforts, such as referencing personal details from interactions, enhances engagement and builds rapport.

- Variety of Channels: Using diverse communication platforms, such as phone calls, emails, video, and social media, increases the likelihood of connecting with leads.

- Value-Driven Engagement: Sharing valuable resources like podcasts, webinars, or helpful information adds value to the relationship and builds trust with leads.

- Utilizing CRM Systems: Leveraging CRM tools aids in organizing, tracking, and automating follow-up activities, ensuring efficiency and consistency.

- Planning and Strategy: Having a clear plan and a structured system for follow-up ensures effectiveness and prevents a disorganized approach.

- Positive and Authentic Interactions: Being genuine and enjoying the process of building relationships can positively influence the success of follow-up efforts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjGI-z-AA3c

The Value of Patience With Lead Follow Up
Following up with leads requires patience. Many deals do not happen overnight, especially in industries with long sales cycles. For instance, a lead might take 20 months to convert into a customer due to factors like contract timing or budget availability.

Despite the wait, these deals can be significant, justifying the costs of attending the event. Patience allows salespeople to build meaningful relationships with prospects over time, which often leads to successful outcomes.
The Importance of Outreach Consistency
Consistency in follow-ups is crucial for staying on a lead’s radar. Without regular communication, potential customers may forget about your business, especially if they have interacted with multiple vendors at the event. A consistent approach ensures that your company remains top-of-mind when they are ready to make a purchase decision.
Sequence Multiple Channels for Lead Follow Up
Effective follow-ups involve reaching out through various channels. Email, social media, phone calls, and video messages all offer opportunities to connect with leads.

Different people respond to different methods, so using a mix increases the likelihood of engagement. Video, in particular, can add a personal touch and help stand out in a crowded inbox.
Track Every Interaction Trade Show
Tracking all touchpoints with leads is essential for evaluating what works and refining your approach. This includes keeping detailed notes in your customer relationship management (CRM) system.

For instance, noting personal details like a lead’s hobbies or recent activities can make follow-ups more personalized and engaging. These small details can help spark meaningful conversations and demonstrate genuine interest in the lead.
Create a Structured Trade Show Lead Follow Up Plan
A well-structured follow-up plan ensures that no leads fall th...

Your personal goals are the aspirations that drive you, inspire you, and push you through the tough days. As you'll learn in this Monday Money podcast episode and article, these goals are essential to helping you maintain sales discipline throughout your sales year.
Personal Goal Buckets
When developing personal goals, I break them down into three buckets:
To-Have Goals
These are the things you want to acquire or buy. For example, this year, I set a goal to purchase a new home—and I did. Whether it’s a house, a new car, or building up your savings, to-have goals are about acquiring something that enhances your life.
To-Be Goals
These are about evolving into the person you want to become. Maybe you want to be a sales manager, or if you’re a manager, you want to be a director or VP of sales. You might want to go back to school for a degree or an MBA. Or you want to be a better spouse, a better leader, or a better peer. Maybe you want to be a President’s club winner or be recognized as an expert in your industry—whatever it is, to-be goals help you level up as a person and a professional.
To-Do Goals
These are experience goals. My wife and I had a big one a couple of years ago: going on a horseback trek across the Masai Mara in Kenya. It was a massive, life-changing adventure we saved for, planned for, and worked toward. Think about experiences that create lifelong memories—maybe you want to travel somewhere special or take on a meaningful project or hobby you’ve always dreamed about.
Four Reasons Why Personal Goals Matter
Number one, goals massively increase the likelihood that you’ll actually achieve the things you want. Speaking your goal out loud, writing it down, and being intentional about it has a powerful psychological effect.

Number two, goals make life meaningful. It’s unbelievably fulfilling to look back and see what you accomplished—how far you’ve come over the course of a year, five years, or a decade.

Number three, we work in a tough, competitive profession, and it’s just plain satisfying to put your commission checks, bonuses, and hard-won earnings toward something that improves your life or the lives of the people you love.

But the biggest reason to set goals—especially in sales—is that the sales profession is hard work and it can be brutal. It’s loaded with rejection.

At every turn, we face potential “nos,” whether it’s prospecting calls, asking for next steps, pushing to level up to a decision-maker, or closing the deal. We even face internal rejection when we try to sell a complex deal internally to our own company or get approval for special pricing. Rejection is everywhere, and the fear of rejection—or avoiding it—is the number one reason salespeople fail to perform.

Add to that the grind: making call after call, stuffing data into the CRM, pushing through proposals, handling endless follow-ups and selling becomes tedious, hard, rejection dense work.

For this reason it requires discipline to stay on track and keep grinding day after day and month after month over the course of the sales year. But here’s the rub: discipline can wane, especially if we’re not hyper-focused on a bigger prize.
The Real Definition of Discipline
I want you to pay attention to this next part because understanding the real definition of discipline it’s critical. Discipline is sacrificing what you want now for what you want most.

Human nature wants easy. We’d rather that customers call us than having to chase them. We’d rather deals close themselves than investing hours into multi-step follow-ups. We don’t want to face that “no.”

But in success in sales is paid for in advance with facing rejection and hard work. Therefore If you don’t have a clear, compelling reason—something you want most—it’s easy to cave in and take the easy route instead of doing what really needs to be done.

This is the reason why having a strong set personal goals is crucial for sales professionals.

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, take a look back at the best insights from the year. These moments aren’t just memorable, they’re actionable advice that sales professionals can take into 2025 to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.
Key Takeaways:
This year reinforced a crucial truth: the fundamentals of sales never go out of style, but adapting to the environment around you is key. Buyers are sharper, busier, and more discerning, which means the best salespeople need to work smarter and harder to stay ahead. Here’s what stood out from our conversations this year:

– Objections Are Opportunities: Objections aren’t something to avoid, they’re invitations to build trust. When a buyer pushes back, it’s a sign they’re engaged. Instead of sidestepping concerns, lean into them. Acknowledge the issue, ask thoughtful questions, and use the conversation to demonstrate your understanding of their needs.

– Relentless Prospecting Wins Deals: The deals you close tomorrow start with the work you do today. This year, we discussed the importance of consistent prospecting and how staying disciplined with your outreach pays off. Whether it’s calls, emails, or social touches, keeping your pipeline full is the foundation of success.

– Empathy Drives Connection: In a crowded marketplace, standing out often comes down to how well you connect with your prospects. Leading with empathy and emotional intelligence helps uncover the real problems you can solve. Listening, not just to respond, but to understand, creates trust and sets you apart from competitors.

– Simplify the Process: A complicated sales process creates unnecessary barriers for your buyers. Instead, focus on making every step clear and straightforward. Simplify presentations, eliminate unnecessary details, and provide actionable next steps. Buyers are more likely to move forward when it feels easy to do so.

– Consistency Is King: Talent might get you started, but consistency is what keeps you winning. Showing up daily, sticking to your routines, and doing the small things consistently makes a big difference over time. Success in 2025 will be about maintaining that focus, even when motivation dips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k2hJ3pyNBU

Thriving Under Pressure with a SEAL’s Strategy
In high-stakes sales situations, maintaining composure is crucial. Drawing from his extensive military experience, retired Navy SEAL Master Chief Stephen Drum emphasizes the importance of preparation, adaptability, and mental resilience. By implementing a structured approach—commit, prepare, execute, and reflect—sales professionals can enhance their performance under pressure. This method enables individuals to stay focused, adjust to changing circumstances, and continuously improve their strategies.
Physical Fitness Fuels Sales Success
Josh Hulsebosch dives into how physical fitness directly impacts sales performance by enhancing energy levels, mental clarity, and resilience. Maintaining a "proud posture," standing tall with shoulders back and chest open, not only boosts confidence but also improves breathing and communication, essential for effective selling. Prioritizing regular exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep equips sales professionals to handle the demands of their role, leading to increased productivity and success.
It’s Not About You—It’s About Them
The moment you realize sales isn’t about you is the moment you start winning. Too many salespeople and entrepreneurs fall into the trap of making their pitch the center of the conversation, focusing on their product, their needs, or their numbers. But here’s the truth: your prospects don’t care about you—they care about themselves. Success comes when you shift your mindset and make everything about the customer. Carole Mahoney discusses how to ask better questions, listen deeply, and focus on their pain points, goals, and dreams. When you solve their problems and make them the hero of the ...

For me, the last full week of the year has always been the chance to pause, take a break from the grind of selling, and really think about what happened over the past year—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If you are anything like me and do the same, there are two ways to look back on your last twelve months. You can do so with regret or reflection.

These two opposing lenses are vastly different in the way they affect your view of where you’ve been and where you are going.
Regret
Let’s start by unpacking regret.

Some of you are already feeling regret about goals you missed, deals you lost, opportunities that slipped through your fingers, or the people in your life you may have let down.

Regret is that feeling you get when you look back on something you did (or didn’t do) and wish you could change it.

In many ways, regret is similar to worry, except it’s focused on the past instead of the future. Worry is about what might happen; regret is about what already happened. That’s a big distinction.

Although you can turn worry into action and change the future, you cannot rewrite the past. No amount of regret changes history. All it does is create a feedback loop in your mind where you keep reliving your mistakes, misses, and failures over and over again.

Stuck in the Endless Loop of Regret

I’ve observed so many people get stuck in this endless loop of regret. They keep lamenting, "If only I had . . ."

"made that call,”
“handled that prospect differently,”
“taken that chance,”
“been there or done that.”

Those “if only's” can paralyze you. They sap your energy, crush your confidence, and keep you from moving forward.

On one hand, regret can push you to change—you don’t want to feel that kind of pain again, so you work hard to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

On the other hand, regret can become a debilitating emotion that drags you into an exhausting and useless mental loop of “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve.”

But no matter how many times you complete that loop, it doesn’t change the outcome. It becomes an emotional anchor that weighs you down as you start the new year.
Reflection
Reflection, on the other hand, is entirely different—and far more productive.

When you reflect, you detach from your emotions with objectivity to look at your entire body of work from the past year.

You’re asking the questions, “What went well? What didn’t go so well? What did I learn?”
You consider the wins that made you proud and the moments you’d rather forget.
You figure out why you won so you can repeat those winning behaviors.
You extract value from the lessons of failure.

Reflection isn’t about punishing yourself for what went wrong. It’s about gaining clarity on why it went wrong—and what you can do about it next time.
Reflection Creates Awareness
Reflection also helps you find gratitude in unexpected places. Maybe there’s a hidden lesson in overcoming an obstacle or perhaps you gained a new perspective because a challenging person came into your life.

It’s important to realize that each decision you made over the past year shaped your present circumstances. But you are not defined by these circumstances, only by how you respond to them.

Reflection creates awareness. Where there is awareness there is the potential for change. Awareness is like the sun, anything it touches has a tendency to transform.

The bottom line is that reflection is about learning, growing, and transforming. Regret is stagnation.
Why Reflection Matters at Year-End
The reason I’m talking about the impact of reflection as we close out this year is because, for most of us, the slate really does feel clean come January 1st.

In the sales world, we get a brand-new quota and brand-new targets. There’s an air of possibility as we think,

“This year is going to be different.
“This year, I’m going to crush my numbers.”
“Hit my income targets.”
“Make it to President’s club.”

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, discover how Alex Niswander used the Fanatical Prospecting framework to maximize outreach and build meaningful client relationships. Learn about creative touchpoints, High-Intensity Prospecting call blocking (HIPs), and actionable tips to fill, move, and close your sales pipeline effectively.
Key Takeaways:
– Multiple Touchpoints for Better Engagement: Combining weekly calls, text messages, and video messages in a month-long sequence creates many cell phone interactions, helping to maintain visibility with prospects.

– Text Messaging as a Follow-Up Tool: Texting becomes effective later in the process, especially after leaving voicemails or sending emails, as it creates a softer approach to earning a prospect’s time rather than jumping in and selling immediately.

– Personalized Video Messages: Video messages create an opportunity to add a human touch to prospecting by showing prospects there’s a real person behind the outreach.

– Call Blocking to Maximize Productivity: High-Intensity Prospecting (HIP) sessions involve short, focused sprints of 15-30 minutes dedicated to making as many calls as possible, ensuring consistent and impactful outreach.

– The 90-Day Prospecting Payoff: Prospecting efforts often show results after 90 days, emphasizing the importance of daily consistency to maintain a steady pipeline of opportunities.

– Building Respect Through Personalization: Small gestures, like sending photos or handwritten notes, help prospects feel valued, making them more likely to engage and build trust with the salesperson.

– Balancing Sales Activities: Effective prospecting balances three essential activities—filling, moving, and closing the pipeline—to ensure steady progress and avoid periods of downtime or overwork by planning your time effectively.

– Fundamentals Still Deliver Results: Basic strategies, like leaving business cards or sending physical mail, remain effective over time.

– Creativity in Prospecting: Unique and memorable approaches, such as sending coffee with a note, can differentiate outreach efforts and leave lasting impressions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzhdC4YwflA

The Power of Multiple Touchpoints
When it comes to prospecting, repetition, and persistence are the name of the game. A well-structured outreach plan includes multiple touchpoints, particularly through cell phone communication. Over a month, combining calls, text messages, and video messages can result in many meaningful interactions. Each touchpoint serves to maintain visibility with prospects and gently guide them toward engagement.
Using Text Messaging Effectively
Texting has become a more accepted form of communication, especially post-COVID. While it may not be appropriate for the first interaction, texting later in the process can be effective. The goal of these messages is to earn a prospect's time rather than immediately sell a product or service. For example, following up on a voicemail with a polite and informative text can soften the approach and make the interaction feel less intrusive.
Video Messaging for a Human Touch
Video messaging is another way to connect with prospects. Including a short, personalized video message in a text or email can make outreach more human and relatable. It doesn't require additional content, recording and sending a video version of a voicemail can have a significant impact. Video messages show prospects that there is a real person behind the communication, which can increase the likelihood of securing a meeting.
Expanding Communication Channels
Relying on emails or LinkedIn messages limits opportunities to engage with prospects. A diverse approach, including calls, texts, and even creative methods like mailing physical items, increases touch points and keeps the process dynamic. For instance, sending a photo of yourself outside your prospect’s local franchise location or mailing a small,

Over the past two months, the team at Sales Gravy has been working hard on our business plan for next year. Like so many other companies, we build an annual business plan because we need to know where we’re going and how to get there.

We’re not leaving our fate to chance. Our business plan is the compass that helps us navigate and stay on track to reach our goals.
Randomness is the Enemy of Effectiveness
But what about you? Have you ever stopped to think that you need the exact same thing for your upcoming sales year?

Without a plan, it’s easy to drift and fall into randomness—just waking up every day and hoping something good happens.

But here’s the deal: Randomness is the enemy of effectiveness.

If you don’t set a clear direction, you’ll never hit the target you’re aiming for. You’ll be like a boat without a rudder—drifting and, eventually, ending up someplace you never intended to go.

Yogi Berra said it best: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else.”

Trust me, “someplace else” isn’t where you want to be at the end of next year.
Adopt a CEO Mindset
The difference between average salespeople and top performers often comes down to one key mindset: top performers don’t act like employees; they think like entrepreneurs.

The moment you start treating your territory as if it’s your own business, your mindset changes. You stop feeling like a cog in the wheel and start seeing yourself as the driver, not the passenger.

Your company shoulders the big financial risks—providing you with the product, the brand, and the support. But you own your market, solve the problems, and build relationships that turn into revenue. You own your time and results. That’s the entrepreneurial mindset.
Creating Your Personal Business Plan Starts With A Vision
To create your personal business plan, you start your vision.

Where do you want to be a year from now?
What do you want to accomplish in your territory or area of responsibility?
What income do you want to earn?
What awards do you want to win?
What does winning look like?

Define it. Get crystal clear. Then think about your values.

What do you stand for?
What kind of impact do you want to make?
What kind of relationships do you want to build?
How will you show up for your clients, team members, and company every single day?

Once you’ve nailed this down, put your strategy in place.

Break your territory into logical quadrants so that you know where you’ll be investing time each day.
Identify the industry verticals that have the highest potential. Pinpoint your ideal customers.
Segment your prospects and customers into High Potential, Medium Potential, and Low Potential.
Create a list of your top ten dream accounts, 25-50 conquest accounts, and 100-500 high-potential and medium-potential targeted accounts. This will help you attack your territory with a targeted vs random approach.
Identify your key competitors and do an analysis of each of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Then do the same for yourself.
Define your daily battle rhythm, disciplines, and activities that drive pipeline growth.
Get intentional about your priorities and how you manage your calendar. After all, time is your greatest asset and as the CEO of you, your time is money.

Once you have clarity on your vision and strategy, get granular. A vision without action is just a fantasy.
Break Your Personal Business Plan Into Small Steps to Success
Break your plan down into achievable goals. I’m a fan of activity-based metrics because you can control them. This is about setting standards that become non-negotiable habits. The key is to choose metrics that move the needle on revenue and are fully within your control

You can’t always control who picks up the phone or who says yes, but you can control how many doors you knock on, how many calls you make,

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount, Jr. welcomes Kirk Richardson, author of Craft Beer Country, to dive into the world of craft beer, exploring trends, challenges, and the rise of IPAs. Discover how the craft beer industry has blended innovation and tradition to become a cultural phenomenon.
Key Takeaways:
– Resilience in Craft Beer Market: Despite challenges in the beer industry, craft beer gained a 13% increase in market share in 2023, weathering the storm better than large-scale breweries.

– Significance of Hops: Hops, a core ingredient in beer, play a vital role in flavor, aroma, and shelf life. Varieties include aroma, bittering, and dual-purpose hops, each contributing to unique brewing profiles.

– Historical Roots of Sours: Sour beers trace their origins to Belgium, where open fermentation with wild yeast created distinctive flavors, making them one of the oldest beer styles still enjoyed today.

– Seasonal Beer Preferences: Beer choices often align with the seasons, with lighter options like sours and lagers favored by many in warmer months and darker stouts and porters during colder seasons.

– Challenging Stereotypes: While there is often some misconception around craft beer enthusiasts, the craft beer experience is accessible and welcoming, offering something for everyone regardless of expertise.

– Cultural Significance of Brewing: Brewing dates back thousands of years, with craft beer continuing traditions like those of ancient Egypt, where beer was used as both sustenance and currency.

– Breweries as Social Hubs: Breweries cater to diverse personalities, providing spaces for extroverts to socialize and introverts to enjoy solitude, fostering connections and memorable experiences.

– Storytelling in Craft Beer: The industry thrives on the stories of its people, from the challenges of sourcing ingredients to the inspirations behind unique brews, enriching the craft beer community.

– Navigating Supply Challenges: Craft brewers often face supply chain hurdles, particularly in sourcing specific hops, yet their creativity and adaptability in dealing with these issues are often what drive the industry forward.

– Craft Beer’s Universal Appeal: With its wide range of styles and flavors, craft beer continues to bring people together, celebrating diversity in taste and creating lasting bonds through shared experiences.

https://youtu.be/r_7XsernY7Y?feature=shared

The Role of Craft Beer in Modern Culture
Craft beer holds a unique place in today’s beverage market, offering a blend of tradition, innovation, and community. With its roots deeply embedded in history and its appeal growing across diverse audiences, craft beer has become more of a cultural experience than just a drink.
Craft Beer’s Market Growth and Resilience
The beer industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, from shifts in consumer preferences to economic pressures. Despite this, craft beer has demonstrated resilience, gaining a 13% increase in market share in 2023. While larger breweries have struggled, craft beer’s ability to innovate and connect with its audience has allowed it to thrive.
The Essential Role of Hops
Hops, one of beer’s four primary ingredients, are integral to the brewing process. They contribute to the beer’s flavor, aroma, and longevity. Brewers use different types of hops (ex. aroma, bittering, and dual-purpose) to craft a wide range of styles. However, the supply chain for hops can be unpredictable, with shortages and oversupply cycles creating challenges for brewers.
A Historical Perspective on Sour Beers
Sour beers, one of the oldest styles of beer, have a storied history dating back to Belgium. These beers were traditionally made through open fermentation, allowing wild yeast to develop their signature tart flavor. Today, sours remain popular for their unique taste and connection to brewing’s historical roots,

Learn how to sell more at the end of the year by helping small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) reduce their tax bill while making strategic investments in their company on this Money Monday episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast.

If you’ve been looking for a way to hit or exceed your annual quota, qualify for President's Club, or simply earn a bigger paycheck or bonus, focusing on SMBs in the final weeks of the year might give you the edge you need.
SMBs are Motivated to Reduce Taxes
In the United States there are millions of SMBs and the vast majority of these businesses are what we call pass-through organizations for tax purposes. This means that the owners or partners in these businesses report the profits on their personal tax filings.

Unlike big companies, small companies don’t have the luxury of rolling profits over to the next year. So whatever they made this year, they have to pay taxes on.

As the calendar winds down SMB business owners are often motivated to invest in products, services, and software solutions in order to reduce taxable income.

In other words, if a business has shown strong profits throughout the year, its owners might be keen to spend some of that money on improving their operations, expanding their capabilities, or streamlining their processes—right now—rather than hand over a large chunk of their profits to Uncle Sam come tax season.
Business Owners Hate Paying Taxes
To understand why this year-end period is so critical, let’s get into the mindset of a small or medium-sized business owner.

Unlike large enterprises with multiple departments and complex accounting strategies, SMB owners are often personally invested in the company’s financial results because those results are essentially their income. It’s how they pay their mortgage and put food on the table.

For this reason, they watch their revenue and expenses closely. As the year comes to an end, they’re looking at their bottom line and thinking about the upcoming tax bill.

For many of these business owners, profit is a double-edged sword. Don’t get me wrong, they want to make a profit. But at some point, too much profit triggers a much higher tax bill.

If there is one thing I know about small and medium sized business owners its that they hate taxes. They are always looking for ways to legally minimize their tax liability.

One easy and productive way to do this is to make fully or partially depreciable investments in the business before December 31st. That could mean buying new equipment, software, training packages, or services that will not only improve the business long-term but also reduce taxable income for the current year.
An Urgent Need to Spend
As a salesperson, the key takeaway here is that your prospects have a natural, time-bound incentive to spend. If you can position your product or service as the right investment at the right time, you might find it easier to close those deals that seemed just out of reach during the rest of the year.

And by the way, if you are dealing with decision-makers who are pushing off decisions to next year, this is a great way to get past that objection.
Framing Your Business Case
I want to be clear though that most businesses are not going to spend money for the sake of spending money. Savvy business owners want to reduce taxes and do the right thing for their company.

Therefore, you can’t just be transactional. You still must follow the sales process and build a bridge to the value of tax savings AND business improvement when making your business case.

It’s all about framing your product or service as a strategic investment rather than a mere expense.

For example:

If you sell software tools that improve operational efficiency, make the case for how your solution will help them save on labor costs, reduce errors, and streamline workflows.
If you’re selling advertising, highlight how a year-end launch of a new campaign will lead to immediate result...

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount interviews Keith Peiris, CEO of Tome, to discuss how AI is transforming sales, from prospecting and building lists to crafting personalized emails and uncovering hidden opportunities.
Key Takeaways:
– Understanding Strategic Alignment is Key: Successful enterprise sales go beyond impressing with technology. It is essential to understand a prospect’s business strategy and align solutions with their key initiatives.

– Effective Discovery is More Important than the Demo: Sales success hinges on understanding what the prospect cares about and tailoring the conversation around their needs.

– Vetting Opportunities Saves Time and Resources: It's not enough to have an excited champion. The real question is whether the solution aligns with the company’s strategic goals and can gain executive buy-in.

– Develop a Point of View (POV) Before Outreach: Instead of waiting for a meeting, develop a POV on why a prospect needs your solution and use that to guide outbound efforts.

– Human Relationships Still Matter Most: AI can accelerate research and help craft messaging, but building trust and making prospects feel understood and valued remain the most consistent predictors of sales success.

– Outbound Prospecting Must Be Consultative: Hunting effectively requires approaching prospects with a well-researched, consultative mindset rather than relying solely on automated, impersonal outreach.

– Over-automation Leads to Diminished Trust: Prospects can easily detect AI-generated emails, and overuse of automation can lead to being blocked by potential clients.

– Sequencing Tools Must Be Used Thoughtfully: Sequencing tools are valuable when used for multi-touch, multi-channel strategies, but they should complement, not replace genuine human outreach. These tools can be effective if used for synchronous and strategic touches, like personalized emails, calls, and handwritten notes.

– Slow Prospecting Wins: AI has accelerated email prospecting, but the resulting automation flood has led to blocking and decreased trust. Personalized, thoughtful prospecting, where each touchpoint is meaningful, stands out, and builds credibility.

– Sales Leaders Are Banning AI-Generated Emails: Sales leaders are increasingly banning AI email tools and automated SDR platforms due to the damage they cause to domain reputation and customer trust. Thoughtful, human-crafted communication is becoming a necessity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIsMpNvHYqo

The Balance Between Technology and Human Connection
The sales industry has evolved significantly over the past few years, and a major driver of this change is artificial intelligence (AI). Tools that automate prospecting, communication, and customer insights have become a standard part of the sales process. While AI offers immense advantages, it's not a magic bullet. Success in sales still requires a balance between leveraging technology and maintaining human connection.

As companies race to adopt AI-powered tools, many salespeople have fallen into a common trap: over-automation. The temptation to let AI handle everything, from prospecting to follow-ups, is strong. After all, these tools can send hundreds of emails, automate responses, and even draft messages that mimic human speech. However, over-reliance on automation has led to new challenges.
The Pitfalls of Over-Automation
One of the biggest issues with over-automation is the flood of generic, AI-generated emails and messages. These communications often lack personalization and fail to connect with prospects on a meaningful level. The result? Prospects are increasingly blocking or ignoring automated outreach. In some cases, entire domains are being flagged as spam, cutting off communication entirely.

Sales leaders are starting to recognize the dangers of this trend. Many have banned the use of AI-generated emails and automated outreach tools altogether.

In this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, I highlight a key sales opportunity as we approach the final stretch of the year.

There is no doubt that this has been a strange year, right? With the election, inflation, and so much uncertainty a lot of businesses held back on spending – even though, as a whole, the economy was pretty good.

Now that the election is over, these same businesses have a budget left over that they need to spend before the end of the year.
Buyers are in a Good Mood
The good news is the executives and owners who run these businesses are suddenly in a very good mood.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been in multiple states and cities asking business leaders how they are feeling now that the election is over. The responses have been overwhelmingly positive. People are feeling good. Many are enthusiastic about the economy. Most tell me that their sales are up following the election.
How to Look for Unused Budget With a Simple Question
I’ve also had my sales team calling our customers and asking specifically about the unused budget that needs to be spent by the end of the year. The strategy is working. We have the largest pipeline we’ve had in years and have inked more big deals in the last three weeks than we have in the last three months with more to come.

Last week, I was out with a field sales rep, and we called on one of his large conquest accounts. The rep was frustrated because every proposal he’d given them had stalled in the pipeline. He said, “I just can’t get them to pull the trigger and make a decision.”

Before walking in I coached him to ask his contact, “How do you feel about business now that the election is over?”

After asking this question, his contact, the director of operations lit up—business was booming he said. Many of his customers who’d had their hands tied by budget constraints were now spending.

Four hours after our visit the contact called to say that his boss had given him a budget to spend by the end of the year and placed an order for almost a million dollars.
Prime Time for Unused Budget
So here’s the deal: if you’re in sales, now is prime time. What you need to do is pick up the phone, call your existing customers, your inactive customers, and even your closed/lost deals from earlier this year, and simply initiate a conversation.

So, here’s the moral of this story. If you’re in sales or a business owner, now is the time to reach out to your customers. Engage them in a dialogue about how they’re feeling post-election, and find the money that's out there and needs to be spent by the end of the year.
Keep it Simple
Don’t overcomplicate this. Initiate the conversation by asking about their post-election outlook. This will naturally lead to discussions about their immediate needs and leftover budget and how your product, service, or software can help them utilize their remaining budget effectively.

Move fast because the clock is ticking. Once this year is over, today’s leftover budget will be gone forever.

ACE your next sales conversation with our FREE guide to buyer communication skills. Download Here

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount Jr. sits down with sales guru Kristie Jones as she shares her secrets to success, including powerful mindset shifts and strategies to unlock your full potential.
Key Takeaways:
– The Importance of Positivity in Decision-Making: Positive decisions about entering a sales role, rather than trying to escape a current job, can lead to more fulfilling outcomes. Sales success often comes when you're focused on going toward something, not just getting away from something else.

– The Power of Financial Transparency: Open conversations about money and commissions lead to better financial decisions. Early exposure to financial planning, like saving for retirement, gives a long-term advantage in wealth-building.

– Understanding Your Sales Superpower: Knowing yourself is key to excelling in sales. The first step is to identify your sales superpower—your unique strength that sets you apart in the sales process. Once you understand this, you can match it to the right product, industry, and role.

– Self-Awareness is Crucial: True self-awareness, including recognizing strengths, weaknesses, and natural abilities, is critical in achieving success. You need to ask yourself and others about your strengths to identify your superpower, which helps guide career decisions.

– Leveraging Your Secret Weapon: A secret weapon is a strategy or skill that, while not always obvious, can turn the tide in a difficult situation. It’s the “ace up your sleeve” you can use when you need to close a deal, much like leveraging your unique strengths at the right moment to get results.

– Leveraging Your Strengths: Focus on identifying and doubling down on what you're naturally good at, especially in negotiations and closing deals. Emphasizing your strengths allows you to excel in areas where others may struggle.

– Mindset Matters: A positive mindset is crucial for success. Self-talk plays a significant role in shaping this mindset. Avoid statements like "I'm bad at sales" or "I'm not a good negotiator" and instead focus on positive actions, such as "I made a mistake, but I'm not a failure."

– Challenge Negative Self-Talk: Negative self-talk is natural but can be countered. Recognizing when it's happening and replacing it with affirmations or positive phrases like "I'm the winner" helps refocus your mind and combat doubt.

– Visualization for Success: Mental visualization is a powerful tool for success. Visualize achieving your goals—whether that's winning a tennis match or closing a deal. This helps your brain work towards these outcomes even when you're not actively working on them.

– Proactive Career Management: Don't be reactive about your career. Be proactive, conduct research, and approach potential employers with a tailored message, showing why you're the right fit even when no job is advertised. This sets you apart from others who take a more passive approach.

– Intentional Job Search: Treat your job search like a search for a life partner, not just a "job." A career should align with your long-term goals, and you should actively seek out companies and positions that match your vision. A more intentional, tailored approach is more effective than just applying everywhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laJlmjse754

Negotiation: A Key to Unlocking Opportunities
Negotiation is often seen as a key skill in sales, and rightfully so. However, what if negotiation could be viewed as a superpower, a tool that could unlock countless opportunities and elevate one's sales game? In many ways, getting an appointment or making the initial connection is already a negotiation in itself. By shifting the mindset to view negotiation as a strength, it opens up a world of potential. Instead of focusing on weaknesses, one can use what they excel at to create better outcomes in sales. This mindset can be incredibly powerful, particularly in a competitive field where every advantage...

In this lively episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount welcomes Patrick "Pops" Garrett, Founder & Chief Drinking Officer of DrinkCurious, to explore the unique intersection between bourbon tasting and sales engagement.
Key Takeaways:
– Virtual Tastings as Sales Hooks: Virtual bourbon tastings became an effective "hook" to attract attendees to sales demos, webinars, and client meetings, increasing engagement and helping to break through typical sales communication noise.

– Engagement and Word-of-Mouth: The interactive and educational nature of DrinkCurious’s tastings fostered memorable experiences that spurred word-of-mouth promotion, leading to increased client requests.

– Holiday and Retention Use: Drink tastings are popular not only for prospecting but also for employee rewards, client retention, and holiday gifting, with options for virtual events that clients can record and revisit.

– Bourbon as Cultural and Historical Icon: DrinkCurious incorporates bourbon’s cultural history into tastings, educating participants on bourbon’s evolution, production, and how it has influenced American culture over decades.

– Gamification in Tastings: To increase engagement, DrinkCurious includes gamified elements where clients guess the bourbon or earn rewards, which can further connect the tasting to the client’s sales objectives.

– Event Flexibility: DrinkCurious provides both virtual and in-person tastings, including options for trade shows, private gatherings, and post-conference events, accommodating various client needs.

– Building Client Connections: Tastings help establish rapport between clients and sales teams, providing a memorable, relationship-building experience that offers a strong foundation for ongoing conversations.

– VIP and Exclusive Gatherings: DrinkCurious organizes exclusive, high-end tastings for VIP clients, offering a tailored, premium experience that enhances client relations and creates unique business opportunities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdxWUVM0fDE

The Power of Experience
Sales teams today face an ever-increasing challenge to capture the attention of their clients and prospects. In a world filled with automated emails, digital advertising, and competing messages, it’s easy for outreach to get lost in the noise. DrinkCurious, a unique company specializing in bourbon tastings and whiskey experiences, has found a way to break through this clutter. Founded in early 2021, DrinkCurious uses virtual and in-person bourbon tastings to help sales teams engage with clients in a memorable, personal way. By blending education, entertainment, and a bit of gamification, DrinkCurious provides a creative, impactful solution to the challenges of modern sales outreach.
Origins of DrinkCurious
DrinkCurious originated as a bold step from its founder, who left a traditional advertising career to pursue something he was passionate about: whiskey. With a mission to create deeper, more meaningful interactions between companies and clients, he developed a strategy to use bourbon tastings as a hook to draw in clients and keep them engaged. These tastings are more than just sampling different spirits—they’re interactive experiences that teach clients about the history, culture, and science behind bourbon. By helping people understand the product, DrinkCurious creates a shared experience that builds rapport and leaves a lasting impression.
The Virtual Tasting Solution
One of DrinkCurious’s primary offerings is the virtual tasting, which became a popular option during the pandemic. Many companies were looking for new ways to engage clients when in-person meetings and events weren’t possible. The virtual tasting quickly became a solution to this problem. By offering clients and prospects a fun, interactive experience that could be enjoyed from anywhere, DrinkCurious helped sales teams keep relationships strong even during a time when in-person interactions were limited.

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount sits down with Andy Matheou from RHM Staffing to dive deep into the challenges and triumphs of selling in the staffing industry. Andy shares his journey from individual contributor to a leadership role, offering invaluable insights on hustle, resilience, and the unique demands of staffing sales.
Key Takeaways:
– Early success in sales can be attributed to a strong work ethic, with long hours and dedication playing a significant role in career growth from sales contributor to leadership roles.

– Competitiveness and resilience are essential traits in both sales and personal life, helping individuals push through challenges and setbacks.

– The staffing industry presents unique challenges, as selling intangible services such as staffing solutions requires resilience and the ability to manage client skepticism.

– Transitioning from an individual contributor to a leadership position often involves a shift in focus, prioritizing team success and development over personal financial gain.

– Successful leadership requires setting aside personal ego and prioritizing the success of the team, with the focus on empowering others rather than seeking individual recognition.

– A strong sales team culture is built around humility and mutual respect, where talented individuals support one another and work collaboratively toward shared goals.

– Cold calling and consistent outreach are crucial strategies for success in sales, helping to gather information about decision-makers and open doors to larger deals.

– Securing large accounts is often the result of thorough groundwork, including mapping out stakeholders and targeting the right individuals through persistent outreach.

– Trust in the sales process and discipline in following proven methods are critical factors for long-term success in sales, especially for those new to the field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KVaLlF-UbE

The Importance of Hard Work in Sales
Success in sales often begins with hard work. Putting in long hours and demonstrating a strong work ethic can lay the foundation for career growth. Early in a sales career, working weekends, making countless cold calls, and attending numerous meetings is essential. Hard work helps develop resilience and stamina, which are critical in the competitive nature of sales.

In many cases, individuals who start as contributors in sales work their way up to leadership roles by consistently showing dedication to their work. The early success they achieve is often a result of their tireless efforts, setting the stage for future career advancements.
Resilience and Competitiveness Drive Success
Sales is not an easy field. There are frequent setbacks, rejections, and obstacles to overcome. A key factor that helps individuals succeed is their resilience and competitiveness. In both personal and professional life, being able to handle challenges and bounce back after failures is essential.

Resilience allows sales professionals to learn from their experiences and adjust their strategies. It helps them stay focused and motivated, even when facing tough markets or challenging clients. Competitiveness pushes individuals to keep improving, always striving for better results.
Navigating the Challenges of Selling Services
In certain sectors, such as the staffing industry, selling services can present unique challenges. Unlike tangible products, services like staffing solutions can be harder to sell. Potential clients may be skeptical about the value of intangible offerings, and building trust becomes a critical part of the sales process.

This requires a combination of patience, persistence, and the ability to manage client expectations. Understanding the specific needs of each client and effectively communicating how a service can solve their problems is crucial. Success in these industries comes from learning how to sell the intangible.

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, host Jeb Blount Jr. and guest Neil Cameron discuss the evolving landscape of B2B sales, focusing on how to adapt to millennial buyers, the importance of authenticity in digital sales, and strategies for building trust in the modern sales environment.

Neil emphasizes the significance of understanding buyer psychology in today's digital age.
Key Takeaways:
– Shift from Traditional Sales to Digital Proficiency: The old sales model is broken. Sales professionals now need digital skills, especially in social media, AI, and data, to meet today’s digital buyers.

– Importance of a Digital Sales Strategy: Building an effective digital sales strategy requires orchestrating multiple online touch points to create a harmonious customer experience.

– Customer-Driven Buying Process: Buyers today conduct independent research, with 68% of B2B buyers preferring self-research before engaging with sales reps, making the process buyer-centric.

– Content as a Sales Beacon: Quality content acts like a lighthouse, guiding potential buyers in a vast digital landscape. Effective content marketing draws buyers by providing engaging, informative resources.

– Data-Driven Sales as a Predictive Tool: Using data to understand buyer behavior is like detective work, piecing together clues to anticipate buyer needs, often before the buyer realizes them.

– Psychology in Digital Sales: Neil’s "Virtual Persuasion Engagement and Psychology Pyramid" uses psychological tactics like social proof, price anchoring, and loss aversion to influence buying decisions.

– Millennials as Decision Makers: Millennials make up a significant portion of B2B decision-makers, expecting seamless digital interactions, self-service options, and freedom to research independently.

– Purpose-Driven Purchasing: Millennial buyers value ethical, sustainable practices and prefer brands aligned with their values, impacting purchasing decisions.

– Collaborative Decision-Making: Millennials consult multiple departments in decision-making, meaning sales teams must be ready to address diverse stakeholders’ needs, from finance to IT.

– Transparency and Authenticity: Millennials value transparency and avoid overly polished sales pitches. Honesty and authenticity help build trust, the cornerstone of successful digital sales.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGqdWks3MX8

Adapting to a Digital Sales Era
We are in an evolving sales landscape. Digital strategies are taking center stage and the need for adaptability has never been more crucial. As buyers increasingly turn to online research and self-guided journeys, traditional sales approaches are shifting. Modern sales professionals must adapt to engage a digital-savvy customer base effectively. It’s important to use strategies, key frameworks, and new tools to empower sales teams and increase success in the digital age.
The Buyer-Centric Revolution
A primary shift in digital sales is the “buyer-centric revolution,” where customers are now more autonomous in their purchasing journey. According to recent research, 68% of B2B buyers prefer to conduct their own research online before contacting a sales representative. This independence has turned the traditional sales model on its head, as buyers seek information and reassurance without the pressure of a salesperson’s guidance. Sales teams must be mindful of this shift, engaging only when the customer needs support, expertise, or guidance in making a final decision. The days of hand-holding through the buying process are largely over. They are replaced by a need for sharp, targeted interactions that add value at just the right moments.
Content as a Cornerstone
Content marketing has become a cornerstone of the modern sales strategy, as it functions as a “lighthouse” guiding buyers through a sea of online information. Brands with compelling, relevant content gain a distinct advantage in this new environment.

Join host Jeb Blount Jr. as he welcomes legendary sales expert, Mark Hunter, to The Sales Gravy Podcast! In this episode they dive into actionable Outbound strategies, discuss the latest AI trends, and reveal why authentic relationships are the cornerstone of every successful sale.
Key Takeaways
– Success in outbound selling relies on maintaining strict discipline, consistent activity, and following a structured process to keep momentum and drive results.

– Results in prospecting don’t happen overnight; staying consistent over time is key to building a strong pipeline and generating lasting success.

– The opening of a conversation is just as important as closing a deal, making daily prospecting essential for building new relationships.

– Focusing prospecting activities during peak energy hours increases the likelihood of success, allowing reps to engage with full focus.

– A multi-channel outreach approach—integrating phone, email, and social media—reaches a wider audience and meets prospects where they are.

– Persistence is non-negotiable in outbound sales; overcoming rejection is part of the journey to closing more deals.

– Selling "for people" instead of "to people" fosters trust, and delivering genuine value makes sales interactions more meaningful and memorable.

– Handling multiple Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) is doable by creating tailored strategies, specific value propositions, and allowing focused time blocks for each profile.

– Reducing scattered, unfocused activity by batching outreach for a specific ICP minimizes burnout, increases productivity, and improves employee retention.

– AB testing and trial-and-error are essential to determine if an ICP approach is effective, focusing on factors like potential value and customer lifetime worth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5FOoCcHP-g

Diversifying Sales Activities
Success often comes down to the right mix of activities and strategies. To achieve goals, sales professionals must focus not only on the end results but also on the daily actions that contribute to those results.

Understanding the importance of a balanced approach to activities is crucial. Relying on a single tactic, like a pass play in football, can lead to stagnation if opponents catch on. Salespeople must diversify their activities based on various factors, such as their Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), the sales cycle's stage, and their mental state. When these elements align, the rhythm of successful sales becomes apparent.
The Obligation to Help
A key principle is that if a salesperson has the ability to help someone, they have an obligation to reach out. Many professionals fall into the trap of merely making appointments without considering the value they can bring to potential clients. It's essential to approach sales with the mindset of genuinely helping others rather than pushing a sale. This shift in perspective leads to more meaningful interactions and better results.
Building Relationships in Sales
Sales is not just about transactions; it’s about building relationships. Effective salespeople engage in sales "for" people rather than "to" people. This distinction is crucial for developing trust and creating positive experiences. Sales professionals can often recall encounters with exceptional sales representatives who made a lasting impression, highlighting the importance of providing a memorable sales process.
Tailoring Strategies for Multiple ICPs
When dealing with multiple ICPs, sales professionals can adopt strategies that allow them to tailor their approach to different customer segments. It’s possible to have two or three distinct ICPs, each requiring unique strategies, questions, and value propositions. A suggested approach is to dedicate specific days to focus on each ICP. For instance, a salesperson might spend Tuesdays on one ICP and Wednesdays on another, allowing them to immerse themselves fully in the specific language and needs of ...

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, JBJ sits down with Amy Franko, a sales expert specializing in the mid-market, to discuss pipeline velocity, qualifying deals, and the importance of asking the right questions in sales.

Amy shares her insights on how to overcome common sales obstacles and provides practical advice for improving sales performance.
Key Takeaways:
– Pipeline Velocity as a Critical Metric: Pipeline velocity is essential for sales success, particularly in the mid-market segment where businesses are reaching for ambitious goals. Monitoring how quickly deals move through the pipeline can significantly impact quarterly and yearly outcomes.

– Balancing Quality and Speed: Sales teams often struggle to balance quality with pipeline velocity. Moving deals through the pipeline quickly while maintaining high standards, avoiding the pitfall of focusing solely on speed without closing quality deals.

– Breaking Up with Prospects: One challenge for sellers is recognizing when to disengage from prospects who show little progress. Find strategies for professionally and respectfully "breaking up" with prospects to avoid wasting time on deals that are unlikely to close.

– Adapting to New Products: Sales teams can face difficulties when launching new products. Adoption often picks up once new products become measurable within the sales compensation plan, highlighting the importance of aligning comp plans with product priorities.

– Coaching Through Adversity: Amy talks about how mindset plays a critical role in sales success. Coaching sellers to handle adversity effectively, particularly when deals stall or face internal resistance from stakeholders, can make a significant difference in closing deals.

– The Importance of Ongoing Training: Continuous learning and training are vital for improving sales performance, especially in qualifying deals. The OutBound Conference provides an excellent opportunity for sales professionals to refine their skills, interact with industry leaders, and learn new strategies to enhance their pipeline management.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuBcg1JB2yE

Understanding Pipeline Velocity
Pipeline velocity is a crucial metric for sales teams, especially for those operating in the mid-market. Many companies in this space have dedicated sales teams and hefty goals, and pipeline velocity can be the difference between meeting targets or falling short.

At its core, pipeline velocity measures how quickly deals move through the sales pipeline. It’s not just about the number of deals in the pipeline but also how fast they progress from one stage to the next. If deals are moving too slowly, there’s a risk of losing momentum, and opportunities may slip away. On the other hand, moving deals too quickly without considering quality can result in low win rates or deals that aren’t truly solid.

In many mid-market organizations, sales teams find themselves in a balancing act. They want to move deals through quickly to meet their goals, but at the same time, they need to maintain a high level of quality. This balance is tricky, and many teams either rush deals that aren’t ready or slow down too much, risking missed opportunities.
The Challenge of New Products
One of the challenges sales teams often face is launching new products or services. Salespeople who are comfortable selling established products may be hesitant to push new offerings, even if they know those products are key to the company’s growth. Without the right level of comfort and confidence, sellers may not focus on the new product, preferring to stick with what they know.

However, when new products become part of a measurable sales goal or compensation plan, things can change. Sellers are more motivated to include the new product in their conversations with prospects. This shift can lead to increased pipeline velocity, as salespeople become more confident in discussing and selling the new product.

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, host Jeb Blount Jr. sits down with LinkedIn expert and OutBound speaker Brynne Tillman to discuss the keys to leveraging LinkedIn for sales success.

Brynne shares essential information on avoiding common mistakes like the dreaded "pitch slap," the importance of personalization over automation, and how to truly engage with prospects on LinkedIn.
Key Takeaways:
– LinkedIn as a Networking Tool: Approach LinkedIn interactions like networking at an event. Your first conversation should not be a pitch but rather meaningful engagement with others' content, showing genuine interest and adding value.

– The Power of Engagement: Engaging with someone's content purposefully, by reading and leaving thoughtful comments, is a better strategy than sending unsolicited pitches. It creates a connection by making the interaction about them, not you.

– Avoiding the "Pitch Slap": Sending unsolicited, impersonal sales pitches (referred to as a "pitch slap") is ineffective and can be perceived as obnoxious. Personalized, relationship-driven outreach is far more impactful.

– Personalization vs. Automation: When using sales automation, it's crucial to remain authentic. Don't try to appear personalized if your outreach is automated. Authenticity in personalization makes a big difference in building genuine connections.

– The Importance of OutBound Conference: OutBound is a key event for sales professionals, offering insights into improving pipeline productivity and performance. It's described as a must-attend for those wanting a competitive edge in sales.

– Sales Gravy University Resources: Sales Gravy University offers valuable courses, taught by top experts like Brynne, providing resources to improve skills in sales and LinkedIn prospecting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LFShEROylY

Avoiding Common Mistakes on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a powerful platform for sales professionals, but many people miss its potential by using the wrong approach. While it can seem like a place to make a quick pitch, the real strength of LinkedIn lies in how it mirrors a networking event. Building relationships and establishing trust are far more valuable than rushing to sell.
LinkedIn is Like a Networking Event
When thinking about LinkedIn, it’s important to compare it to how you act at a networking event. At an event, your first conversation with someone isn’t about immediately selling a product or service. Instead, it’s about making connections, learning about the other person, and finding common ground.

This same concept applies to LinkedIn. The first step should be to engage with someone's content in a meaningful way. By commenting mindfully on their posts, you show interest in what they care about. This approach gets you noticed in a more positive light than jumping straight into a pitch.
Engage, Don’t Pitch
A common mistake that salespeople make on LinkedIn is pitching too early. Sending a message that dives right into selling feels impersonal and can be easily ignored. However, if you take the time to engage with someone’s posts by leaving thoughtful comments, you build a connection. These comments should clearly relate to the content, showing that you took the time to read and understand it. This makes your interactions feel more genuine and builds trust over time.

For instance, instead of sending a cold pitch, you should be liking their posts and sharing insightful comments about them. This can make a huge difference. Over time, these kinds of interactions can naturally lead to a conversation about sales without feeling forced.
Avoid the “Pitch Slap”
One of the most disliked tactics on LinkedIn is what’s known as the "pitch slap"—a sudden, unsolicited sales message that appears right after connecting with someone. This method often leads to frustration. People receiving these messages view them as intrusive and, in most cases, simply delete them.

Join Jeb Blount Jr. and, special guest, Anthony Iannarino on The Sales Gravy podcast as they dive deep into the world of sales. Discover the secrets to successful outbound strategies, learn how to elevate your executive briefings, and gain valuable insights on navigating a potential recession.
Key Takeaways:
– Behavioral Changes for Success: Incremental improvements and a willingness to change behavior are critical for success in sales. Consistent effort, particularly in prospecting, is emphasized as key to long-term success.

– Economic Outlook: Economic headwinds suggest a potential recession, and sales teams should be proactive by focusing on activity, knowledge, and behavioral adjustments to stay competitive.

– Sales as Self-Competition: Sales is often a competition with oneself. A disciplined, daily commitment to prospecting is essential, especially during challenging economic times.

– Sales Leadership in Challenging Times: Sales leaders should focus on guiding their teams through tough economic conditions by emphasizing activity, skill development, and adapting behaviors to maintain a competitive edge.

– Value of OutBound Conference: Attendees of the OutBound Conference will gain insights and strategies to enhance their sales performance, especially as the year-end approaches, making it a valuable opportunity for those looking to improve their results.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBWwl_fLFmM

Unlock Sales Success at the OutBound Conference
The OutBound Conference, happening from November 6th to the 8th in San Antonio, Texas, is set to be one of the most impactful sales events of the year. Salespeople, sales leaders, and executives are encouraged to attend to gain valuable insights that can help them elevate their sales performance. This event is designed for anyone in the sales field who wants to sharpen their skills and learn from top industry experts.
Stay Ahead of the Competition
One of the key benefits of attending OutBound is the opportunity to stay ahead of the competition. With economic uncertainty on the horizon, many companies are coming out of some of their most successful years but now face challenges in maintaining growth. By attending OutBound 2024, sales professionals can learn strategies that will help them navigate these tough times, adapt their behavior, and position themselves for success, no matter what the market brings.
Guiding Sales Teams Through Tough Times
As companies face economic headwinds, staying active, increasing knowledge, and adapting behaviors will be essential for continued growth. OutBound offers key strategies on how to guide teams through tough economic periods. Encouraging a culture of continuous improvement, focusing on daily activities that lead to success, and fostering a positive mindset within the team will be critical to maintaining high performance.
The Power of Behavioral Change
Behavioral change is a critical theme that sales professionals need to focus on if they want to succeed. Consistent, incremental improvements can make all the difference in a competitive market. Success doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it comes from daily actions, like prospecting, following up with leads, and continuously refining one’s approach. Attendees of OutBound 2024 will learn how to apply these small changes in a way that leads to significant long-term results.
Positivity Fuels Sales Success
In addition to learning actionable sales techniques, attendees can benefit from insights on personal development. One key takeaway is the importance of reducing negativity in everyday life. Just like the phrase “crap in, crap out,” the idea is to reduce negative influences to create a more positive mindset. In sales, having the right mindset is often the difference between hitting goals and falling short. Learning how to maintain positivity, even in challenging situations, will give sales professionals an edge in their careers.

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount Jr. and special guest Victor Antonio, renowned sales expert and author, dive deep into the world of sales, AI, and mindset. Victor offers valuable insights on how to leverage cutting-edge technology to boost your sales productivity, overcome common challenges, and achieve peak performance in 2024 and beyond.
Key Takeaways:
– The Role of AI in Sales: Sellers are being inserted deeper into the sales process, with AI managing much of the early stages such as lead generation and pipeline building. This shift makes human skills even more essential in later stages of the sales process.

– Mindset Shift for Sellers: Salespeople often need to adjust their mindset when handling objections and friction. For example, instead of fearing customer reactions based on past experiences, sellers should prioritize addressing concerns promptly, reducing anxiety and maintaining customer trust.

– Value-Based Selling: One of the major challenges in sales is convincing prospects to see beyond the initial costs and focus on the long-term benefits. This is crucial for sellers to prevent buyers from shortchanging their own success by opting for cheaper but less effective solutions.

– Action Over Avoidance: Procrastination in sales, such as delaying difficult customer conversations, can lead to missed opportunities. A proactive approach, where sellers "rip the Band-Aid off" and address issues head-on, often leads to smoother resolutions.

– Continuous Improvement: Moving from a "B+ seller" to an "A+ seller” requires mindset improvements, including overcoming mental blocks, addressing challenges quickly, and refining the approach to proposals and customer interactions.

– Networking and Learning at OutBound: The OutBound Conference offers a unique opportunity for sales professionals to learn from top industry experts. Attendees can network with peers, gain insights from successful speakers, and improve productivity, prospecting, and sales pipeline strategies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lygNfsTjdUk

Unlocking Sales Success at OutBound 2024
Sales professionals are constantly looking for ways to improve their strategies and stay ahead in a competitive market. The OutBound Conference, taking place from November 6th-8th, 2024, at the J.W. Marriott Resort in San Antonio, Texas, is the perfect event for sellers who want to sharpen their skills. With top industry speakers, practical sales strategies, and opportunities to connect with fellow salespeople, this year’s OutBound promises to deliver the ultimate sales bootcamp.

Whether focusing on mindset, productivity, or pipeline building, OutBound 2024 has something for every salesperson looking to finish the year strong and charge into 2025 with fresh energy.
Embracing the Role of AI in Sales
One of the key topics discussed at OutBound is the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sales process. AI has made significant advances in automating lead generation and building robust pipelines, but that doesn’t mean the human touch is becoming less important. In fact, it’s the opposite.

As AI takes over many of the early stages in sales, sellers are now responsible for mastering the later stages of the process, where human interaction is critical. At OutBound, participants will learn how to use AI to their advantage while refining their interpersonal skills to close deals. This combination of AI and human skill sets the stage for salespeople to be more effective than ever.
Developing the Right Mindset for Sales Success
The mindset of a salesperson plays a crucial role in determining success. One of the major themes of OutBound 2024 is how sales professionals can shift their mindset to overcome common challenges. Every seller faces friction at some point, whether it's objections from prospects, hesitations in decision-making, or issues with pricing.

What separates great salespeople from average ones is how...

"Early sales careers can involve a lot of cold calling, rejection, and setbacks. However, having a competitive spirit can drive you to keep pushing, knowing that persistence will eventually pay off."

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Lucy Beth Adams sits down with Master Sales Trainer, Jessica Stokes to discuss her journey in sales, from her early days in cold calling to becoming a top trainer. She offers valuable insights on maintaining customer relationships, handling objections, and staying motivated in a challenging sales career.
Key Takeaways:
– Facing Rejection with Determination: Early sales careers can involve a lot of cold calling, rejection, and setbacks. However, having a competitive spirit can drive you to keep pushing, knowing that persistence will eventually pay off.

– Self-Motivation and Rewards: Using personal rewards as motivation throughout your career and setting specific goals, such as a trip to Las Vegas, and continuing to find ways to reward yourself with commission-based incentives can help you reach your goals.

– Building and Maintaining Relationships: Focus on nurturing customer relationships, both past and present. You can do this by using traditional methods, such as handwritten notes, to stand out and stay connected, along with maintaining a presence on LinkedIn.

– Engaging Disengaged Learners: To connect with disengaged learners, it’s effective to engage them directly, whether by calling on them in class or approaching them during breaks. Building rapport can help break down their defenses and encourage a more open attitude toward learning.

– Preparation for Handling Objections: Sales professionals should anticipate common objections and prepare responses in advance, similar to bringing a study guide to an exam. This preparation helps maintain composure during uncomfortable moments and prevents rambling.

– Recognizing Common Objections: The most common objections encountered by salespeople often include being "not interested," "too busy," and requests to "just send an email." Acknowledging these objections as knee-jerk reactions can help salespeople better handle them.

– Persistence After Losing Deals: After losing a deal, it’s crucial to maintain a positive mindset. Finding ways to uplift oneself, such as connecting with friends or engaging in enjoyable activities, can help restore motivation. Additionally, continuing to prospect for new opportunities is essential.

– The Importance of Micro Commitments: Gaining micro commitments—small agreements to follow up or have another meeting—throughout the sales process can reduce the likelihood of being ghosted. This strategy fosters engagement and provides opportunities to understand why a deal was lost.

– Time Blocking for Efficiency: Time blocking, a strategy learned from sales, is effective for managing tasks and maintaining focus. By dedicating specific time slots to activities without multitasking, individuals can increase productivity in both professional and personal life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbwmDaaNm-Q

Diverse Life Experiences
Diverse experiences before entering sales can provide valuable perspectives. Serving in the military, for example, instills discipline and a sense of adventure, both of which are beneficial in a sales career. Transitioning through different industries, such as hospitality, also helps build resilience and adaptability—traits essential for success in sales.
Overcoming Early Challenges
Cold calling is one of the toughest aspects of starting in sales. Rejection is common, but embracing a competitive spirit and focusing on the long-term goals can push through these hurdles. The key takeaway is that perseverance, even in the face of frequent setbacks, is essential to achieving sales success.
Changing Perceptions of Sales
Sales is often misunderstood and mischaracterized. Initially, there may be hesitancy to fully embrace the role of a salesperson due to ...

In this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, host Brad Adams interviews Stephen Drum, a retired Navy SEAL Master Chief, renowned keynote speaker, and author.

Drum shares his unique insights on leadership, team building, and performance under pressure, drawing from his extensive military experience and his work as the co-creator of the US Navy Warrior Toughness program.
Key Takeaways:
– Agility in sales involves being prepared to pivot and adjust based on the situation and the customer's needs.

– Effective salespeople assess the context before presenting their offerings to ensure it is the right moment.

– Reflection on experiences is crucial for continuous improvement and learning in a corporate setting.

– Establishing a framework for learning allows for efficient integration of lessons into future interactions.

– Simplifying complex processes into frameworks, like commit, prepare, execute, and reflect, aids in clarity and focus.

– Receiving feedback from clients can provide insights into the impact of sales efforts on individuals and organizations.

– Building rapport and human connections is fundamental to effective sales and teaching.

– Embracing nervousness before speaking can indicate a serious commitment to delivering quality presentations.

– Transitioning from professional to personal life requires conscious effort to maintain focus and presence.

– Utilizing mental skills, such as mindfulness and breathing exercises, can help reset focus and reduce anxiety before critical interactions.

– After every engagement, analyzing what contributed to success or failure informs better preparation for future opportunities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNpE70uu_v4

Understanding Agility in Sales
In sales, the ability to adapt and respond effectively to various situations is crucial. Agility and intentionality are two key components that can lead to success. Sales professionals who enter a meeting with a flexible mindset are better equipped to understand their potential customers’ needs and respond accordingly.

When a salesperson walks into a room, they must remain aware of their surroundings. What’s happening in the customer’s life? Instead of diving straight into a pitch about products or services, it’s essential to gauge whether the timing is right. Should the salesperson make adjustments based on the customer’s mood or current circumstances? Being aware of these nuances can greatly influence the outcome of the conversation.
The Importance of Reflection
Salespeople should aim to reflect on their experiences regularly. Reflection allows individuals to learn from their successes and failures, and it’s an aspect often overlooked in corporate environments. Many companies dismiss the need for reflection, claiming they don’t have time for it. However, taking a moment to analyze what went well and what could have been improved can yield significant benefits. It’s not just about celebrating victories; it’s about understanding the lessons learned, what worked well, and how can it be replicated. Conversely, what went wrong, and how can adjustments be made.
Simplifying Processes with a Framework
One effective approach is to simplify processes into a framework that’s easy to follow. A powerful framework to consider is: commit, prepare, execute, and reflect. Simplifying these steps helps sales professionals remain focused and intentional in their approach. The importance of being intentional in sales cannot be overstated. Intentionality drives the actions that lead to meaningful interactions with customers.
The Impact of Feedback
Feedback from clients serves as a vital tool for understanding the impact of one’s efforts. Often, during engagements, comments received can be gratifying and affirm the effectiveness of a presentation. However, it’s essential to recognize that such positive feedback shouldn’t be taken for granted. While it feels good to receive praise,

Sales professionals are always looking for fresh strategies to boost their performance and outshine the competition. Surprisingly, one key factor that’s often neglected is their physical fitness for sales.

On this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount discusses how physical fitness impacts sales success with online fitness coach Josh Hulsebosch.
Key Takeaways
– Importance of Posture: Maintaining a "proud posture" is crucial for both physical health and psychological confidence during workouts and daily activities.

– Habit Formation: Developing a consistent awareness of posture and practicing corrective habits over time can help shift one’s natural stance to a more aligned position.

– Physical and Mental Energy: Maintaining a proud posture can reduce fatigue and boost energy levels, leading to increased confidence over time. Deep diaphragmatic breathing, facilitated by good posture, can boost energy and reduce fatigue, impacting both physical and mental performance.

– Long-term Muscle Growth Strategies: Prioritizing recovery, nutrition, and consistent resistance training, while focusing on proper form, is essential for sustainable muscle growth and overall fitness improvement.

– Proper Posture Enhances Breathing and Communication: Maintaining proud posture expands the chest, improving breathing and vocal projection, which is especially important for professionals like salespeople who rely on strong communication.

– Sleep and Recovery: Adequate sleep and nutrition, particularly protein intake, are vital for muscle recovery and growth, especially as one ages.

– Mindset and Stoicism: Emphasizing control over actions and reactions, rather than focusing on external outcomes, can improve mindset, productivity, and overall well-being.

– Regular Posture Self-Checks: Developing good posture habits requires consistent self-checks throughout the day. Simple reminders can combat the effects of prolonged sedentary activities like desk work. Instead of pulling the shoulder blades back unnaturally, focusing on lowering the shoulders can alleviate tightness and promote better posture.

– Tempo Training for Muscle Control: Slowing down the eccentric phase of exercises like squats enhances muscle stabilization, control, and strength, supporting better posture and overall fitness.

– Muscle Strengthening: Strengthening the posterior muscles is essential for supporting good posture. Recommended exercises include rows, lat pulldowns, and hip flexor stretches.

– Core Engagement: Exercises like planks are emphasized for their role in core stabilization, essential for maintaining proper posture and functional strength.

– Resistance Band Training: Resistance bands are effective tools for muscle building, especially when access to traditional gym equipment is limited. Compound exercises are preferred over isolation movements.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlJdAEZ86cI

A Path to Better Health and Confidence
Many people struggle with maintaining proper posture. Whether sitting at a desk, driving, or working out, poor posture can lead to discomfort and fatigue. The concept of "proud posture" plays a crucial role in both fitness and daily activities. Understanding how to achieve and maintain this posture can significantly enhance physical well-being and confidence.
Understanding Proud Posture
Proud posture involves standing tall with shoulders back and chest open. This position not only makes a person appear more confident but also contributes to better physical health. Unfortunately, many individuals often find themselves hunching over, especially when engaged in everyday tasks. This common issue can lead to energy loss and discomfort, making it essential to focus on posture throughout the day.
Common Posture Mistakes
It is important to have correct shoulder positioning to achieve proud posture. Many people mistakenly pull their shoulder blades back too much,

In this episode of The Sales Gravy podcast, Jeb Blount Jr. hosts Barrett King, Senior Director of Revenue and Partnerships. In this episode they dive into key insights on building effective sales training, the importance of a well-defined go-to-market strategy, and the power of partnerships to drive customer success.

Barrett's approach to how sales enablement and partnerships can dramatically reduce the time it takes for a sales team to become proficient, creating stronger, faster results.
Key Takeaways:
– Training vs. Coaching Distinction: Successful organizations differentiate between training (knowledge transfer) and coaching (enhancement of skills). Training provides the foundational knowledge, while coaching develops and fine-tunes the skills that have been learned, allowing individuals to apply them effectively.

– Proficiency Framework: Organizations that excel in training have a clear framework for progression—from theory to practice and application. This framework accelerates skill development, enabling employees to achieve in two months what typically takes twelve, improving overall organizational efficiency.

– Ongoing Development: Training doesn’t stop at onboarding. Continuous development and management of employees' growth are crucial. Organizations that treat training as a continuous process, rather than a one-time event, maintain higher levels of talent retention and skill proficiency.

– Value of Partnerships: Partnerships in a go-to-market strategy are about delivering exponential value to customers by combining the strengths of two businesses. The "value triangle" concept emphasizes that a business, its partner, and the intersection of their services create more value for the customer than each could individually.

– Customer-Centered Strategy: A customer-first approach drives effective go-to-market strategies. Partnerships, particularly for startups, should focus on aligning with partners who already have customer trust. By understanding customer needs and other solutions they’re using, organizations can better strategize and offer more meaningful, value-driven collaborations.

– Listen to Customer Patterns: Even with a small customer base, patterns emerge in how customers use your product or service. Identifying and understanding why certain customers adopt similar practices helps inform product strategy and go-to-market approaches, ensuring you're addressing real needs.

– Customer-Centric Messaging: When reaching out to partners or customers, focus on how your solution will improve the customer’s experience, rather than simply pushing your product. It's crucial to show how you can add value to the customer’s existing operations, rather than expecting them to sell or adopt your product without a clear benefit.

– Keep Outreach Simple and Genuine: Authentic, straightforward communication is often the most effective. Instead of overcomplicating messages with details about your offerings, a simple approach that highlights shared networks or experiences can open doors to meaningful conversations and partnerships.

– Ego Can Be a Barrier: In the early stages of a sales career, ego can cloud judgment. It’s crucial to focus on genuinely helping prospects rather than trying to prove oneself. Authentic engagement is key to fostering successful partnerships.

– Timing and Personalization Matter: Sending emails at unconventional times (e.g., evenings or early mornings) can improve response rates. Tailoring outreach to when your prospects are more likely to be free and receptive helps break through the noise of their day-to-day work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KExatzKuSkQ

Build Strong Partnerships
Building meaningful partnerships can be a game-changer for your growth. But how do you move beyond just pitching products and get partners genuinely interested in what you offer? It’s not just about numbers or features. It’s about people working together for a shared purpose.

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, host Jeb Blount sits down with sales expert Brian Parsley to tackle one of the most common objections faced by sales professionals—price. Brian shares actionable strategies on how to shift conversations away from price and towards value, helping salespeople overcome objections and close more deals.
Key Takeaways:
- Understanding Communication Styles: Everyone has their own unique communication style, whether direct, indirect, consensus-building, or energizing. Tailoring communication to these styles is essential to engage the prospect effectively.

- Importance of Questions Over Solutions: Instead of focusing on presenting solutions and features, salespeople should prioritize asking the right questions. This approach differentiates them and drives the conversation forward.

- Multi-directional Listening: Listening is not just about hearing words but involves observing body language, tone, and using intuition. Salespeople should engage all senses to truly understand the prospect's needs.

- Detachment from the Outcome: Salespeople should detach from the outcome of a deal by maintaining a full pipeline. This mindset reduces pressure, allowing them to focus on the conversation rather than the result.

- Ego Management: Ego can be a significant barrier in sales. Salespeople need to manage their ego, especially when they feel the urge to impress or react defensively.

- Precision and Eloquence in Communication: Words should be simple yet precise. Overcomplicating language can alienate prospects, while clarity and simplicity enhance understanding and trust.

- Observing Behavioral Cues: Salespeople can learn a lot from observing behaviors and body language. These cues offer insights into how a prospect prefers to communicate and consume information.

- Redirection in Responses: Instead of immediately responding to a prospect's questions or concerns, salespeople should redirect the conversation to uncover the underlying pain or challenge, leading to more meaningful dialogue.

- Intentional Language: Being intentional with words, especially in text or written communication, is crucial. The impact of words goes beyond their meaning; it's about how they are perceived by the prospect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_lLkJtC1aM

Mastering the Human Connection
In sales, one thing is clear: communication is key. But it’s not just about what you say—it’s about how you say it, how you listen, and how you adapt to the unique styles of the people you’re engaging with. Every person you interact with has their own communication style. Whether they’re direct, indirect, focused on building consensus, or full of energy, understanding these styles is crucial for any salesperson.

But here’s the catch: your communication style doesn’t matter if you’re not speaking the language of your prospect. It’s only when you start talking and really connecting with them that your style becomes important. If you jump straight into talking about your product’s features and benefits, you’re just like every other salesperson out there. What sets you apart isn’t your product, but the questions you ask and how you communicate.
The Power of Questions
One of the biggest mistakes salespeople make is focusing too much on their solution. They think that if they just explain how great their product is, the prospect will automatically see the value. But the truth is, it’s the questions you ask that drive the conversation forward. Instead of talking about your solution, ask questions that uncover the prospect’s needs, challenges, and goals. This approach not only differentiates you but also builds trust and rapport.
Listening with All Your Senses
We often talk about the importance of listening in sales, but listening is more than just hearing the words someone says. It’s about observing their body language, paying attention to their tone of voice,

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount Jr.had the pleasure of speaking with Pablo Pefaur, a seasoned sales professional who specializes in the Latin American market. Pablo shares some key insights on prospecting, the importance of follow-ups, and cultural nuances that every salesperson should know.
Key Takeaways:
- Value of Outbound Conference: The Outbound Conference 2024 is a critical event for sales professionals, focusing on productivity, prospecting, and performance.

- Help Announcement Strategy: The concept of a "help announcement” is introduced, where sales professionals should approach prospects with a specific, value-driven message to solve a particular problem, rather than overwhelming them with multiple pitches at once.

- Systematic Approach to Prospecting: Effective prospecting requires a systematic approach, focusing on delivering a clear, single message to avoid getting lost in the noise and to resonate with the prospect.

- Importance of Follow-Up: Following up after initial contact is crucial. We discuss the strategies to help sales professionals improve their follow-up processes, ensuring continued engagement with prospects.

- Cultural Considerations in Latin America: Understanding cultural differences is key to successful prospecting in Latin America. These cultural nuances and how they impact sales strategies are highlighted.

- Continual Learning: Sales professionals are encouraged to continually learn and adapt their strategies by attending events like the Outbound Conference and by engaging with thought leaders in the industry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7mtPgiAFRA

Latin America’s Unique Market Challenges
Latin America is a diverse and rapidly growing market with unique opportunities for businesses looking to expand. However, many sales professionals struggle with the challenges of entering this market. These challenges include understanding cultural differences, navigating language barriers, and tailoring sales pitches to resonate with Latin American prospects. Pablo has spent years mastering these elements, and his expertise is invaluable for anyone looking to succeed in this region.

Latin American culture places a high value on relationships and trust. Unlike some other markets where sales can be more transactional, in Latin America, building a genuine relationship with your prospect is crucial. This means taking the time to understand their needs, showing empathy, and demonstrating that you are there to help them, not just to close a deal.
The Power of a “Help Announcement”
A key strategy for successful prospecting is a concept called a “help announcement.” This is a simple yet powerful concept. When reaching out to a potential client, your goal should be to offer a specific piece of help or a solution to a problem they are facing. The idea is to be clear and direct about how you can add value to their business.

For instance, instead of bombarding a prospect with a long list of services or products, focus on one particular area where you know you can make a difference. This approach not only makes your message more effective but also helps in establishing trust with the prospect. They’ll see you as someone who genuinely wants to help, rather than just trying to make a sale.

Being too broad or trying to cover too many points in one pitch can overwhelm the prospect. It’s better to address one issue at a time, making sure your help announcement is relevant and tailored to the prospect’s specific needs. This targeted approach increases the chances of your message being heard and appreciated.
Systematic Follow-Up is Key
Another crucial aspect of successful sales is the follow-up. Making an initial contact is just the first step; what you do afterward is equally, if not more, important. Too often, salespeople make the mistake of either not following up at all or doing so in a way that feels impersonal or generic.

In the competitive world of sales, adopting the right mindset is crucial for success. On this episode of the Sales Gravy podcast, Jeb Blount Jr. sits down with Dre Baldwin, a former professional basketball player in the NBA turned business guru to discuss why sales professionals who adopt an opportunistic mindset have greater long-term success.
Key Takeaways
- Importance of Personal Initiative: Personal initiative is crucial for success. It involves taking proactive steps, like attending events or reaching out to potential opportunities, to create paths where none existed.

- Mindset Tools: The mindset tools that lead to success—such as discipline, confidence, and mental toughness—are universally applicable, whether in sports, business, or any other area.

- Role of Discipline: Discipline acts as the "steering wheel" that keeps you on course, while motivation serves as the "gas" that drives action. Discipline ensures consistent effort, even when motivation wanes.

- Cold-Calling and Selling Yourself: Selling yourself is key, especially in scenarios like cold-calling. Being able to present yourself credibly and persuasively is crucial to securing opportunities.

- Long-Term Thinking: Adopting a long-term mindset is valuable. It's important to think beyond immediate goals and consider where your actions will lead in the future.

- Finding Opportunity in Opposites: There's often opportunity in doing what others are not. Thinking differently and looking for opportunities in unconventional places can lead to success.

- Playing the Long Game: Success is a long-term effort. Cumulative actions and consistent effort over time are more important than short-term gains.

- Value of Asking the Right Questions: Career transformation often begins with asking the right questions. Reflecting on how to combine your skills into a sustainable career can lead to significant growth and success.

- Building a Personal Brand: Building a personal brand is important. Your experiences and successes can establish your credibility and open new opportunities, helping to build trust and expand your influence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvi5ARbDLsQ

The Power of Personal Initiative
Success is a journey built on a series of steps that anyone can take if they’re willing to put in the effort. It’s about creating opportunities for yourself, rather than waiting for them to appear.

Success often begins with a simple decision: the decision to take action, even when the outcome is uncertain. Personal initiative means doing what others might not—like attending events to network, cold-calling potential employers, or pursuing opportunities that seem out of reach. These proactive steps can open doors you didn’t even know existed.
The Role of Discipline and Confidence
Discipline is the backbone of success. Think of it as the steering wheel that keeps you on track, while motivation is the gas pedal that gets you moving. Motivation might start your journey, but it’s discipline that ensures you keep going, especially when the road gets tough.

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with; it’s something you build over time. Every time you take initiative or tackle a challenge, you’re building a little more confidence. This confidence then fuels your ability to take even more initiative, creating a positive cycle that propels you forward.

The more you step out of your comfort zone, the more confident you become. This newfound confidence helps you tackle bigger challenges, creating a solid foundation for future success.
The Importance of Long-Term Thinking
While it’s easy to focus on immediate goals, true success often requires thinking ahead. Where do you want to be in five or ten years? The most successful people make decisions today that will benefit them in the long run, not just in the moment.

Asking yourself questions like, “How can I combine my skills to create something sustainable?

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount Jr. sits down with Dayna Williams to discuss cutting-edge strategies for sales success. She gives expert insights on how to develop a winning sales culture, boost your team's performance, and leverage the power of Sales Gravy University for unparalleled training opportunities.
Key Takeaways
- Shift from Episodic Training: Traditional sales training has often been episodic, focused on reactive, one-time events that don't drive long-term behavioral change. This model is outdated and ineffective.

- Importance of Reinforcement: Learning and development must go beyond the initial training event. Without sustained reinforcement, any skills or knowledge gained are quickly forgotten, leading to little long-term impact.

- The 3 P's: Master persona, practice, and product knowledge to transform your team's effectiveness. Build a capability development plan that addresses these critical areas. Hoping for a change without a plan won't cut it.

- Four-Step Learning Process: A robust learning and development strategy should follow four steps: strategic planning, design and pilot, sustained reinforcement, and outcome measurement. Skipping any of these steps, particularly reinforcement, diminishes the effectiveness of training.

- Cultural Change Required: To move away from episodic training, organizations need to embed learning into their culture, ensuring that training is seen as an ongoing process rather than a one-off event.

- Proactive vs. Reactive Learning: Many organizations fall into a reactive mode, responding to immediate needs rather than proactively planning for long-term capability development. This approach limits the effectiveness of training.

- Overcoming the Forgetting Curve: Without intentional reinforcement, the majority of what is learned during training is forgotten. Effective learning programs must include strategies to counteract this forgetting curve.

- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Sales enablement and training should address the entire sales process, including the often-overlooked handoffs between departments like marketing and sales, where breakdowns frequently occur.

- Getting a Seat at the Table: Learning and development teams need to better communicate the value of their work to business leaders. This requires stepping out of their comfort zone and understanding the business's operational challenges and goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiamtIdNDCQ

The Secret to Mastering Your Craft
It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeking shortcuts and instant success. We often hear about “overnight sensations” or those who seemed to have made it big with minimal effort. But the truth is, most of these stories don’t tell the whole picture. Behind every “overnight success” is usually years of hard work, dedication, and persistence.

Success doesn’t come from cutting corners or avoiding the tough parts of the job. It comes from embracing the hard work, from putting in the effort every single day, and from being willing to do what others won’t.
The Role of Hard Work in Sales
When we talk about hard work in sales, we’re not just talking about working long hours. It’s about working smart, being strategic, and continuously improving your skills. Hard work is doing the research before making a call, understanding your client’s needs, and finding the best solution for them. You have to follow up, stay organized, and be persistent even when you don’t see immediate results.

Sales isn’t easy. It’s a profession that requires resilience, adaptability, and a thick skin. You’re going to face rejection, sometimes daily. You’re going to encounter clients who don’t want to hear from you, who are happy with their current providers, or who simply don’t have the budget. But if you’re willing to push through these challenges, you’ll find that the rewards are worth it.
The Myth of Natural Talent

On this episode of The Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount sits down with sales coach Cheryl Parks to discuss how she used skills like resilience, empathy, adaptability, relationship-building, continuous learning, and goal-setting to enhance sales performance. You’ll learn how to turn every experience into an opportunity for growth and success.
Key Takeaways:
- Resilience is Crucial: Use rejection as a learning opportunity rather than a setback. Analyze what went wrong and apply those lessons to improve your future pitches. View each experience, whether successful or not, as a chance to grow.

- Adaptability is Key: Stay flexible and open to change. New trends and shifts in the market require you to adjust your strategies to remain competitive. Be willing to experiment with new approaches and adjust based on results.

- Build Strong Relationships: Invest time in fostering positive relationships with clients and colleagues. Trust and rapport can lead to repeat business and valuable referrals.

- Set Clear Goals: Establish specific, measurable sales goals. Breaking them into smaller targets can help you stay focused and motivated.

- Be Persistent: Stay committed to your goals, even when faced with challenges. Persistence is often the key to long-term success in sales.

- Value Relationships Beyond Sales: Show genuine interest in your clients' success and provide value beyond just closing deals. Active listening and empathetic responses can help you offer the right solutions. Building lasting relationships can lead to sustained success and growth.

- Using Breaks for Inspiration: Taking breaks and engaging in activities like walking or listening to music can help reset the brain and inspire new ideas, particularly when facing creative blocks.

- Mindset Shifts: Focus on changing your mindset, especially when overcoming shyness and self-doubt, by assessing your reactions and using affirmations such as “be your excellent best.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tlmtfE9fPQ

Unlock the Power of Experience
Life is full of lessons. We learn some in school, others at work, and many through the ups and downs of daily living. These lessons shape who we are and how we interact with the world. But have you ever thought about how these life lessons can translate into sales success? It turns out that some of the most valuable sales skills aren’t taught in a textbook but are developed through life’s experiences. Here’s how you can turn these life lessons into powerful tools for sales success.
Resilience in the Face of Rejection
One of the most universal lessons we learn in life is that rejection is inevitable. Whether it's a job application, a proposal, or a personal relationship, we've all faced rejection at some point. The key to overcoming rejection is resilience—and this is just as important in sales.

In sales, rejection is a common experience. For every successful pitch, there are countless "no's." However, it’s not the rejection that defines us; it’s how we handle it. Viewing rejection as a step towards success rather than a failure can turn a "no" into a motivator. Rejection teaches us resilience, and resilience leads to persistence. In sales, persistence is often what separates the winners from the losers.

Instead of dwelling on a lost deal, take a moment to analyze what went wrong. Learn from the experience and apply those lessons to your next pitch. Use rejection as a tool for growth rather than a setback.
Empathy and Understanding
Empathy is another vital lesson that can greatly benefit your sales career. Throughout our lives, we learn to understand and connect with others by putting ourselves in their shoes. This ability to relate to others is invaluable in sales.

In sales, it’s crucial to understand your customer’s needs, desires, and pain points. Selling isn’t just about pushing a product or service; it’s about solving a problem for your customer. The better you understand them,

On this episode of the Sales Gravy podcast, Jeb Blount sits down with Victor Antonio, Sales Gravy University Instructor, to debate the future of human interaction in sales, emphasizing why personal connections remain pivotal in an increasingly automated world. You’ll listen to their engaging discussions and thought-provoking perspectives on the intersection of sales and artificial intelligence (AI).
Key Takeaways:
- AI and Buying Windows: The conversation highlights the potential of AI in identifying buying windows by analyzing customer behavior across multiple data sources, including websites and databases.

- List-Building Challenges: Despite advancements in sales techniques, Victor and Jeb agree that list-building remains a significant challenge for sales teams.

- Future of AI in CRMs: There's a strong belief that AI will become integral to CRM systems, consolidating various tools and data to create a hub essential for sales operations.

- Automated Data Integration: The future of sales will involve AI automatically gathering and analyzing data from emails, calendars, social media, PR, and more, without the need for manual input.

- Personalization by AI: AI will eventually tailor sales processes to individual companies, with larger companies likely adopting these technologies sooner due to their complexity and resources.

- Evolving Sales Engagement Platforms: The conversation anticipates the development of comprehensive sales engagement platforms that integrate all business data, including operations and manufacturing, analyzed by AI.

- AI vs. Human Interaction: While AI will handle more straightforward sales tasks, human interaction will remain crucial for complex sales, especially when trust and personalized service are needed.

- AI-Driven Marketing and Operations: AI will not only influence sales but will also impact marketing and operational decisions by analyzing patterns and suggesting actions to optimize business processes. Businesses are increasingly relying on AI tools for marketing to better understand customer behavior, personalize campaigns, and improve overall strategy execution.

- Long-Term AI Development: Victor and Jeb foresee that some aspects of AI integration in sales might become operational within five years, particularly in large companies, but acknowledge that widespread, seamless AI use is still a decade or more away.

Sales Strategies for Unleashing the Power of AI to Save Time, Sell More, and Crush the Competition

The Future of Sales: AI, CRM, and the Evolving Landscape
The intersection of AI and sales is rapidly transforming how businesses approach prospecting, lead generation, and customer relationship management (CRM). We're standing on the brink of a major shift that promises to reshape the sales landscape, and understanding these changes can give us a competitive edge.
The Power of AI in Sales
One of the most exciting advancements in sales technology is the ability of AI to identify a buying window. Imagine AI systems capable of analyzing vast amounts of data from websites, search engines, and various databases to determine when a potential customer is in the market for a product or service. This capability promises to refine our targeting strategies, making the sales process more efficient and effective.

We predict that in the future, AI will likely consolidate into CRMs, becoming the central hub for sales teams. This evolution will make CRM systems indispensable, offering insights into buying patterns, competitor activity, and customer behavior. AI will pull in data from emails, calendars, and social media, alerting sales teams to key changes, such as a new decision-maker at a company or shifts in customer needs.
The Evolution of CRM Systems
Historically, CRM systems have been underutilized. Sales teams often struggle with lead generation and list building, operating with outdated methods that don't leverage the ful...

On this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount Jr. sits down with Founder and Sales Leader Advisor, Nigel Green, to discuss his approach to hiring elite salespeople by using his four rules.

Nigel teaches us that the only skill a sales leader should have is the ability to hire elite salespeople. Elite salespeople don’t find us, we have to go find them.
Key Takeaways
Hiring Challenges: Many VPs of sales and CEOs find hiring salespeople to be one of their biggest challenges, as they strive to maximize and optimize their current talent pool.

Importance of Training: Sales leaders should ensure that their sales teams have access to necessary training resources, and platforms like Sales Gravy can be valuable for continuous learning.

Scouting vs. Tryouts: Unlike traditional hiring methods, scouting for elite salespeople involves actively recruiting top talent rather than waiting for applicants, akin to sports scouting.

Non-Obvious Qualities: Hiring managers should look for non-obvious qualities in candidates that indicate potential for elite performance, rather than just obvious traits like hard work and prospecting skills.

Prospecting for Talent: Sales leaders should prospect for new hires much like they prospect for new business, using networking, customer referrals, and tools like LinkedIn to identify top talent.

Four Rules for Hiring Elite Salespeople:

Elite salespeople do not apply to job postings.
They are the stars and should be treated accordingly.
They often require customized compensation plans that may exceed standard budgets.

They typically do not already work for your company and require active recruitment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZnVk40pmmE

The Importance of Hiring Elite Salespeople
If you're in a leadership role within a sales organization, you probably know that hiring the right salespeople can be one of the biggest challenges. The need to hire top-notch salespeople is critical. It’s not just about filling a position; it's about finding those who can truly excel and drive your business forward. Nigel Green emphasizes that hiring the right people is the only skill that really matters for sales leaders. Without this skill, even the best sales strategies and training programs won't lead to the results you want.
Why Traditional Hiring Methods Fail
One common mistake is relying on traditional hiring methods like posting a job and waiting for applications. The problem with this approach is that elite salespeople are not actively looking for new jobs. They’re usually too busy being successful in their current roles. This means you have to be proactive in finding and recruiting them. Simply waiting for the best candidates to come to you might result in missed opportunities.
The Importance of Scouting Your Sales Team
Think of hiring elite salespeople like scouting for a sports team. Just as a football scout looks beyond physical attributes to find exceptional players, sales leaders need to look beyond resumes and job applications. Elite salespeople are often not in the job market; they are too busy focussing on their current roles. This is why a scouting approach is necessary. Instead of waiting for applications, you should actively seek out potential candidates and evaluate their performance in real-world scenarios.
How to Scout for Elite Salespeople
- Network with Your Top Performers: Ask your top sales reps who they know in the industry. High-performing salespeople often network with others who are also top performers. Their recommendations can lead you to potential candidates who may not be actively looking for a new job.

- Leverage Your Customers: Your customers interact with many salespeople in their daily lives. Ask them who they believe are the best sales reps they’ve encountered. This can give you leads on high-caliber salespeople who might not be on your radar.

- Use LinkedIn Smartly: LinkedIn's Sales Navigator tool can be incredibly ...

On this episode of the Sales Gravy podcast, Jeb Blount sits down with author and speaker, Carole Mahoney, to discuss her path to becoming an entrepreneur by using a buyer first approach.

Carole teaches us that when it comes to sales, you've gotta get out of your own head. It's not about you, your quota, or even how great your product is. It's all about the customer. You have to put yourself in their shoes and understand what they are really after. Ditch the rehearsed pitch and have a real conversation. When you genuinely care about helping people, not just closing deals, that's when the magic happens.
Key Takeaways:
- Mission to Change Perception of Sales: Carole is dedicated to changing how sales is perceived. She wants to shift the view of sales from being seen as pushy to being a respected and collaborative profession.

- Reconnect for New Opportunities: Reaching out to past prospects who initially said no can uncover new opportunities. Many former prospects may reconsider and become interested in your services again.

- Revive Closed Lost Deals: Revisiting deals that were previously closed lost can be fruitful. This approach can re-engage customers who have since realized their initial choice wasn’t the best fit.

- Re-engage Former Clients: Don’t overlook former clients who stopped working with you. They may be ready to come back, especially if their current solution isn’t meeting their needs.

- Leverage Anchor Clients for Growth: Securing a key client can provide a strong foundation for expanding your business. Use this anchor client to build credibility and grow your sales practice.

- Embrace Public Speaking: Use public speaking and keynotes to amplify your message and reshape industry perceptions. Listening to others insights can significantly broaden your impact.

How Carole Mahoney Crushed Her Business Goals
Carole Mahoney’s story is one of determination, innovation, and resilience. Her journey from struggling entrepreneur to a successful speaker and author offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to crush their business goals.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Every entrepreneur faces obstacles, and Carole Mahoney was no exception. She encountered financial constraints and doubts about her ability to succeed. But rather than letting these challenges hold her back, Carole used them as stepping stones. When things didn’t go as planned, she adapted her strategies and pushed forward. This mindset of turning setbacks into opportunities was crucial for her success. Instead of seeing a closed door, Carole saw a chance to find a new path.
The Power of Persistence
Persistence was a key factor in Carole’s success. Early in her career, she faced rejection from potential clients. Instead of giving up, she followed up with them even after they had said no. Her persistence paid off when these clients returned, eager to work with her once again. This demonstrates the power of follow-up and how it can turn past rejections into new opportunities.
Leveraging Past Opportunities
One of Carole’s smart strategies involved revisiting past opportunities that hadn’t worked out. She called up former prospects who had initially been interested but couldn’t proceed. Many of these prospects were still interested in her services and were willing to re-engage. By revisiting these past opportunities, Carole was able to generate new business and build stronger relationships. This approach highlights the value of maintaining connections and the potential of second chances.
Embracing Public Speaking
Another significant shift in Carole’s career was her move into public speaking. She began speaking at conferences and giving keynote addresses, sharing her insights and experiences with larger audiences. This new focus allowed her to spread her message about sales and its collaborative nature. Carole’s public speaking efforts not only broadened her influence but also helped change the perception of sales.

On this episode of the Sales Gravy podcast, Jeb Blount engages Denim CRO, Will Yarbrough, in a fascinating discussion on how to sell more and grow faster by linking the customer journey through a One Funnel Strategy.
Sales and marketing strategies come and go, but one approach has been gaining traction for its simplicity and effectiveness: The One Funnel Mindset. This powerful concept challenges the traditional notion that more is better, instead focusing on perfecting a single, highly optimized sales funnel.
At its core, the one funnel mindset is about streamlining your sales process. Instead of creating multiple funnels for different products or customer segments, you concentrate on building and refining one comprehensive funnel that guides potential customers from initial awareness to final purchase.

Key Takeaways:
- Unified Revenue Goals: Aligning marketing and sales under a single One Funnel Customer Journey and revenue goal eliminates internal competition and focuses on overall business growth.

- Avoiding Complacency: Maintaining a focus on growth and continuous improvement is crucial to avoid stagnation in sales.

- Customer Experience: Enhancing customer experience by providing a more unified customer journey.

- Human Connection: Despite advancements in AI, human-to-human interaction remains vital in sales, especially for high-value deals.

- Preparation and Investment: Sales success often depends on thorough preparation and continuous investment in personal development and training.

- Shorter Sales Cycles: Buyers are increasingly making quicker decisions due to more readily available information, making each sales interaction critical.

- Manager’s Role: Effective frontline managers are essential in motivating sales teams by understanding and aligning individual goals with One Funnel goals and providing tailored support.

- Big Pull Concept: Identifying and leveraging what drives each salesperson is key to maintaining their motivation and focus.

The One Funnel Mindset: Unifying Marketing and Sales
Yarborough introduced the concept of the "One Funnel Mindset," a unified approach where marketing and sales teams work together seamlessly towards common revenue goals. Traditional models often create a divide between marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) and sales-qualified leads (SQLs), leading to misalignment and inefficiencies. The One Funnel Mindset eliminates these silos, ensuring that both teams are aligned and focused on the same objectives.

In this approach, leads are simply "qualified leads," with no distinction between marketing and sales. This unified perspective fosters collaboration, reduces friction, and ensures a smoother customer journey from awareness to purchase. By sharing goals, metrics, and strategies, marketing and sales teams can create a more cohesive and effective revenue engine.
Enhancing Customer Experience: The Human Touch
Despite the rise of artificial intelligence and automation, Yarborough emphasized the irreplaceable value of human interaction in sales. High-value deals, in particular, require a personal touch to build trust and rapport with customers. While AI can enhance the sales process by automating routine tasks and providing data-driven insights, it cannot replicate the nuances of human connection.

Sales professionals must prioritize building strong relationships with their customers. This involves active listening, understanding their pain points, and offering tailored solutions. By focusing on the human element, salespeople can create lasting impressions and foster long-term customer loyalty.
Shortening Sales Cycles: The Impact of Preparedness
Another significant trend discussed in the podcast is the shortening of sales cycles. With buyers conducting extensive research before engaging with sales representatives, decisions are being made faster than ever. This shift places a premium on preparedness.