The Quotable Podcast -- Learn from the best. Sell like the best

Selling is about understanding the customer’s needs to provide value and solve a problem. More than ever, the ability to connect is key to creating a beneficial buyer-seller relationship. Join Ryann Dowdy, Director of Sales at iFocus Marketing, as she discusses her passion for helping women discover how their talents and abilities can translate into success in the sales environment. https://sforce.co/2V7BKwG Guest: Ryann Dowdy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanndowdy/) Host: Kevin...

While organizations equip their managers with coaching tools, what is often lacking is the context of the everyday job of their sellers. Learn what sales managers can do to create programs that fit their seller's circumstances. https://sforce.co/2RYzRAA Guest: Michelle Vazzana (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-vazzana-52166a9/) Host: Kevin Micalizzi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmic/) Relate resources: How to Keep Your Sales Team on Track https://sforce.co/2X7jOo210 Questions...

The most effective sales executives don’t just articulate the shortcomings of current solutions; they paint a compelling vision for the future, delivering value from the start. Join Spencer Doyle, Chief Business Development Officer, Noodle Analytics, as he untangles the complexities of selling enterprise AI into markets that are not known to be early adopters of technology.

It's always been difficult to get an executive's time, but it's critical for large deals. Lisa Magnuson, Founder and CEO, Top Line Sales, shares her approach to cultivating the right executive relationships long before the deal starts. From properly planning all meetings to reaching out at the right time, there are proven ways to build the relationships that matter. Guest: Lisa Magnuson (https://linkedin.com/in/toplinesales) Host: Kevin Micalizzi...

It’s easy to fall into the trap of always thinking in terms of revenue when looking at sales and service. Join Travis Bryant, Executive in Residence at Redpoint Ventures, as he makes the case for putting delivering value first. With a clear view of the ideal customer and a strong understanding of what they need, you can help every buyer make the best decision for them. Yes, it takes courage to look beyond revenue, but somebody needs to ensure customers are successful and remain loyal....

Many companies know how to use data to find their next great buyer. Fewer know how to wield data to find their next great seller. Join Maria Valdivieso de Uster, Partner, McKinsey & Company, as she shares how how forward-thinking sales leaders take performance management to the next level and directly link and improve the relationship between investing in talent and driving financial value. From identifying the profile of a successful seller to ensuring productivity, companies can...

Speaking effectively with clients, both online and offline, takes practice and preparation. Dr. Laura Sicola, Founder, Vocal Impact Productions, shares insights on how to improve your own delivery while maintaining a laser focus on the customer's needs. Many customers may not be able to articulate what they truly need. Use your skills to set the tone for the meeting and uncover the information you need to help your customers succeed. https://sforce.co/2VCPbWy Guest: Laura Sicola...

Here’s the thing about finding the right path to growth: There’s never just one path. Tiffani Bova, Global Customer Growth and Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce and author of "Growth IQ", points to the North Star that covers all the paths she’s found most effective: the voice of your customer. That is the true guide to growth for reps, sales leaders, and anyone doing business. https://sforce.co/2TitzwT Guest: Tiffani Bova (https://linkedin.com/in/tiffanibova) Host: Kevin Micalizzi...

Technology has turned up the speed of sales, but it can also turn down the pressure on your sellers, allowing them to more easily hit their numbers. Join Tony Hughes, international keynote speaker and author of "Combo Prospecting," as he explains how AI can make a positive difference for your reps and your customers. By automating your sales process and streamlining every step, AI gives sellers more time to do what they do best: close big deals by solving the biggest problems customers...

You may have the perfect product for your customer or you may not, but you can always win by focusing on your customer's needs. Billy Widner, Director of Sales at IRIO (Formerly), shares his insights on taking the right approach to developing a relationship with your customers. Only by understanding and addressing their needs can you develop trust and create a lifelong customer – even if that means sacrificing a deal in the short term because it doesn't address their needs. Guest: Billy...

Selling a new idea is always challenging, especially when it’s a social concept grounded in emotion. Natalie Egan, Founder and CEO of Translator, is a transgender woman who knows what it’s like to sell as a man and as a woman. Her experience helps guide her approach to selling Translator’s diversity and inclusion (equality-tech) platform. From building credibility to cultivating empathy, she goes beyond the metrics to provide value. Guest: Natalie Egan...

Customer experience is paramount, yet it’s highly dependent on employee experience. Join Jason Bradshaw, Chief Customer Officer at Volkswagen Group Australia and author of "It’s All About CEX!," as he shares why successful companies measure employee experience alongside more traditional customer experience metrics. This approach builds something more valuable than a sales playbook — a culture that supports consistent brand experiences and exceptional individual ones. Guest: Jason Bradshaw...

Yes, it’s tempting to stop mapping the buyer’s journey when the deal closes, but here’s why you should avoid the temptation. The more successful a customer is in using a product, the stronger your relationship with that customer will be. Join Rachel Orsten, CEO at UserIQ, as she shares techniques for defining a successful user of your product and how these techniques can be applied to map the entire buyer’s journey. Guest: Rachel Orston (https://linkedin.com/in/rachelorston) Host: Kevin...

With all the pressure on sellers, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of counting activities. Sean Higgins, Entrepreneur in Residence at Techstars and Founder of ilos, shows how to raise your level of success by shifting what you measure. Find out how to put the focus on outcomes, not actions. Learn why flexible processes leave more room for testing, and what you can do to improve performance whether you’re leading sales or working individual deals. Guest: Sean Higgins...

Knowing why you win (or lose) can be as important as the actual deal, but less than 10% of B2B sales teams do win-loss reviews. Join Cian McLoughlin, Founder and CEO of Trinity Perspectives and author of Rebirth of a Salesman, as he illuminates the benefits of conducting win/loss analyses and listening humbly to customers. Their feedback isn’t always positive, but it’s always constructive. You can use what you learn to deepen the relationship, provide more benefits, and systematically...

Did you know that the best worker doesn’t necessarily make the best manager? Alan Benson, Assistant Professor at the Carlson School of Management, set out to test whether this was true with salespeople. Not only is it not true, but his research revealed a negative correlation between a seller’s sales performance and their performance as a manager. So why are those sellers more likely to be promoted? To fix this problem, organizations should look at hiring criteria, compensation, and...

Delivering effective sales training today means delivering it the way your learners want to learn it — on their phones on their own schedules. Derek Lundsten, CEO of Scrimmage, shares his insights on how to create training that engages your audience while solving your business problem. He explains the benefits of a data-driven approach where linking CRM data with how reps are using the sales training helps ensure your training is meeting your business goals. Guest: Derek Lundsten...

Good salespeople are more in demand than ever. But succeeding today takes careful preparation, on both sides of the hiring process. Join Angela Parsons, Chief Sales Officer at Xelerate, as she shares the current state of sales recruiting and best practices for those hiring and applying. Sales leaders need to keep their candidate pipeline stocked and honor their ideal candidate profile. Job seekers with a 30/60/90-day post-hire plan are more convincing, especially when backed by ironclad...

To truly improve the lives of your customers, start by targeting the right prospects. Ian Faison, Chief Content Officer at The Mission, shares his experience selling to companies with aligned missions. Dig deep to understand the fundamental problems your products solve. Feel the excitement of that transformation. Find prospects who care about the same things you do. Then change their lives. All it takes is deep understanding of your ideal customers, your values, your products, and the points...

Some people love cold calling, some hate it. But with the right approach everybody can excel at it. Wendy Weiss, author, speaker, sales trainer, explains why your personal feelings about cold calls don’t matter. Prospecting is a necessary business process, and it can be managed and optimized just like any other business process. With a well-researched step-by-step approach, including who you’re targeting and what you’re going to say, anyone can stand out and drive more business. Guest:...