Sales Coach

It's the final episode of the SalesCoach podcast. This is episode 222. After 222 weeks, recording one episode a week, it's time to say goodbye and thank you! For more than 4 years, I've had the privilege of your company and that of my many guests! In April 2024, the first of my LinkedIn Learning Courses will go live. I will also be launching a newsletter. So there is still lots I can serve you with. Thanks for your listenership, love and loyalty on this journey so far! My very best to you! Mark

This week on the Sales Coach Podcast, we welcome Ross McClean. Ross is the Vice President of GTM Enablement at Aiven. With a rich background in software solutions, he's dedicated to boosting performance. Ross brings insights into stakeholder alignment, innovative training methods, and tech use in training. Today, Ross outlines how to create a dynamic enablement ecosystem. This system supports sales team growth and aligns with organizational goals. It makes sales enablement more impactful and efficient. Listen in to learn: Ross believes in connecting with the audience in varied ways. "No single method works for everyone. It's about engaging people to want to learn," he says. Get set to redefine your sales strategy. Discover how to use technology for better training. Ross's tips will help create a more effective and engaging learning environment for your team.

Sales leaders and teams can adapt to changing dynamics in enablement and training by embracing a holistic approach that integrates stakeholder alignment, innovative delivery methods, and cutting-edge technology. My guest this week on the Sales Coach podcast is Gary Broadbent, VP of Global Enablement at JAGGAER. Gary has over 20 years of experience in implementing and selling software solutions for various business functions and markets. He is also passionate about driving performance improvements across employees, partners, and customers. In today's episode, Gary shares his insights into stakeholder alignment, innovative training delivery, and the utilisation of technology to provide a comprehensive blueprint for creating a dynamic and effective enablement ecosystem. This ecosystem not only supports the continuous growth and development of sales teams but also ensures that training initiatives are closely aligned with the strategic goals of the organisation, thereby maximising the impact and efficiency of sales enablement. Tune in today and you'll learn the following: plus MUCH MORE: As Garry says: "My role as a leader is to relate to the end audience as much as possible, and that means providing different mediums and different ways to connect with them in a way tha is going to make them want to engage and help the training stick. But there's no one trick pony or silver bullet to any of this....It's about finding the right opportunities and the right way to be able to drive people to want to take training." Get ready to discover how to revolutionise your sales enablement strategy, harness the power of technology in training, and create a more engaging and effective learning environment for your team.

Facing another change? Let's explore how this could be your opportunity to excel in sales enablement and leadership. In this week's episode of the Sales Coach podcast I'm speaking to Jeff Lowndes, Revenue Enablement Leader at Snap. Jeff has a rich background in various enablement roles and a Master's in Organisational Development. Today, Jeff shares his invaluable insights into the dynamics of organisational change and the pivotal role of sales enablement in navigating these transformations. Tune in and you'll learn: By listening to this episode, you'll discover how embracing change can help to drive both your personal advancement and professional achievements. Turning each new challenge into a stepping stone towards greater success. As Jeff says: "Change management starts with the very first conversation I have with a stakeholder. When I'm scoping out a problem, or a challenge that is going to lead to a bigger project, the questions I ask and the way I frame up the issue itself really sets the stage for the trajectory of the change." Join us to explore how you can turn the inevitable changes and transitions within your organisation into opportunities for innovation and success.

Are you curious about how understanding people can boost your journey to becoming a top sales leader? In this week's episode of the Sales Coach podcast I'm speaking with Georgina Beard, Head of Sales Enablement at SEON Fraud Fighters. Her current role involves being a one-woman team supporting sales and revenue teams globally, focusing on enhancing efficiency and effectiveness across the board. Tune in today and you'll gain insights into the following, plus MUCH MORE: As Georgina says: "For me, little wins are the things that mean a huge amount to an individual, but not necessarily a huge amount for business. I also think that little wins help drive adoption. If someone can see that enablement, or leadership are supportive and helpful, then ultimately that drives engagement with that person moving forward." Tune in to uncover how blending empathy with strategy can help you to not only meet your sales targets, but also inspire your team to achieve their best.

Are you struggling to navigate the complex world of enablement, grappling with competencies, coaching, and performance frameworks? If so, you're not alone. And today's episode is here to help! My guest this week on the Sales Coach podcast is Rebecca Bell, Senior Director and Head of Global GTM Enablement & Business Operations at Zendesk. Rebecca prides herself on her ability to build teams and strategies that accelerate business success and create advocacy. She also holds the prestigious title of Founding UK Chapter President of the Revenue Enablement Society. Tune in and you'll learn the following: As Rebecca says: "My definition of coaching probably aligns with being a guide. Essentially, like a Sherpa going up Mount Everest. You know the route and understand the terrain, and you're helping to carry some of the burden for the person you are guiding. But the individual is still taking the steps forward themselves." Don't miss out. Tune in to gain an invaluable perspective on coaching and enablement. Stop struggling and start growing in your journey to becoming a better coach and leader.

What is the key to effective enablement and how can you drive maximum impact within your organization? My guest this week is Brooke Coletti, Senior Scaled Go-To-Market Enablement Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS). In this episode, Brooke shares invaluable insights into the world of enablement. She sheds light on key strategies for garnering buy-in, understanding adoption curves, and prioritizing initiatives to drive organizational success. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, PLUS MUCH MORE: As Brooke says: "Knowing your stakeholder's motivations will really help you be able to tailor your message and in turn, build that relationship fast." Tune in now to gain valuable insights and strategies that will help you unlock the full potential of your team and drive maximum impact within your organization.

👢 Sales Kickoffs (SKOs) are pivotal moments in any organisation's calendar. They offer an opportunity to align teams, inspire individuals, and set the stage for a successful year ahead. But what truly makes an SKO effective? 🤷‍♂️ What are the hidden strategies and insights that can transform a routine event into a transformative experience? 👉 My guest this week is Lynne Santangelo, MBA, PMP, a seasoned Revenue Enablement Manager at LaunchDarkly. Lynne orchestrates methodologies and programs aimed at propelling sales performance and fostering scalable growth. 👇 Tune in this week and you'll learn the following: ⚽ The importance of meticulous planning and early preparation for SKOs ⚽How effective communication can streamline event execution and foster attendee engagement ⚽The significance of allowing free time to foster networking opportunities, and mitigate attendee fatigue for an enriching experience As Lynne says 💬 : "If participants have the freedom to choose how they spend some of their time, I think that can lead to a better positive experience. They are more likely to leave with increased satisfaction for coming to the SKO." 🎧 Listen to the full episode now and equip yourself with the tools and strategies to transform your next sales kickoff into a resounding success.

Have you ever wondered why some sales teams soar to success while others struggle to meet their targets? The secret might lie in something that's often overlooked but crucial in the sales world: effective coaching and analytics. My guest this week, Mike Kunkle, Vice President at SPARXiQ, is a seasoned professional in the realm of sales effectiveness services. His expertise is further solidified by his authorship of the book "The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement," which reflects his deep understanding of the field. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: As Mike says: "When I talk about coaching, I always say that the rep has to own their development, and the manager becomes their guide or their sherpa." Don't miss this opportunity to elevate your sales knowledge and skills. Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

Enabling sales managers is critical for any sales enablement program to succeed ‼️ My guest this week is Amanda Dossey, Head of Sales Enablement at Keyfactor, based in Atlanta. Keyfactor provides certificates for machine identities to help ensure secure connections. Amanda runs enablement as a team of one currently and prides herself on being a leader who fosters teamwork. She has been called a thoughtful and empathetic leader and an outstanding enablement leader. 🤗 She believes sales managers, especially first-time managers, need guidance on managing reps instead of doing the job. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: 🙌🏻 Ways to support reps in both the short and long term 🙌🏻 How to build trust between enablement and sales leaders 🙌🏻 The importance of focusing on the highest value activities As Amanda says: “Creating a learning experience that guides people is essential to experiential learning" Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

Ever wondered what it takes to drive success in a start-up's enablement journey? My guest this week us Emily Isensee, the Senior Director of Global Enablement at Esper. With a background in leading large teams, Emily took on the challenge of being a team of one. She has since navigated the start-up landscape with resilience and adaptability. Tune in today and you'll discover the following, plus MUCH MORE: As Emily says: "A mindset of constant learning and experimentation is key" Gain valuable insights on building relationships, fostering experiential learning, and collaborating effectively. Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

🤗 Kindness is sales is something that will always earn you trust if you put that to the front. You'll always get someone to work with you rather than against you. So kindness is vitally important in sales, both internally and externally. Empathy and authenticity are key to bringing human connection into automated sales workflows. My guest this week is Thomas Crelier, Sales Enablement Manager at Xero. Thomas helps sales professionals overachieve their targets while becoming confident in themselves. He uses impactful, meaningful and engaging sales training and supportive sales enablement strategies. He believes the future of sales teams are effective, efficient, engaged, and driven by kindness. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: ❤️ How to use kindness to build your relationships ❤️ Why you need to balance revenue focus with relationship building through kindness ❤️ The evolution of enablement in organizations from training to driving revenue As Thomas says: “You cannot be human and kind to a person if you aren't challenging them to grow." Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

If you are only focusing on the buying journey and not looking at the value journey, you are leaving vast amounts of money on the table. The data is clear, if you invest time in the revenue enablement model you are 80% more likely to hit their revenue targets and 70% more likely to impact your cross sell and upsell targets. My guest this week is Meganne Brezina, Senior Director of Enablement at Seismic. Meganne has over a decade of experience serving global B2B SaaS teams, known for empowering individuals and organizations to reach their full potential. She is an active participant in the Enablement community and is a member of the Revenue Enablement Society and its Indianapolis chapter, as well as a frequent contributor to The Enablement Squad. Meganne founded and currently leads the Indianapolis chapter of Women in Sales Enablement and serves on the WiSE global board of directors as a global lead, to help make a lasting impact on the professional growth of women in the industry. In her current role at Seismic she brings together her extensive Enablement knowledge and leadership skills to drive success for internal and external stakeholders alike. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: As Meganne says: “You need to really understand the revenue engine in your company only then are you going to be able to have conversations with senior leadership that they will respect." ‼️ Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

💬 There’s a lot of talk about enablement “getting a seat at the leadership table”. What does this really mean and how can it be achieved? My guest this week is Paul Butterfield, CEO of Revenue Flywheel Group and Executive Board President of the Sales Enablement Society Paul Butterfield has designed, built and led high impact revenue enablement strategies and teams for Vonage, G.E., NICE InContact, and Instructure. As a consultant he’s coached Go-to-Market leaders from Expedia, ABB. Aspen Media, Orbitz, and Red Wing Shoes in change management and sales methodology adoption. Paul's passion lies in leading revenue teams through transformation into truly customer-centric organizations that differentiate through how they sell rather than with price or product. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: 💥 The importance of revenue centric global enablement programmes 💥 What has changed beyond the name for enablement professionals 💥 What tools you need in order to change your mindset from Enablement to Revenue As Paul says: “You need to really understand the revenue engine in your company only then are you going to be able to have conversations with senior leadership that they will respect.” ‼️ Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

ℹ️ Giving people information is not going to get them anywhere. We need to coach to get transformation. My guest this week is Professor Stefanie Boyer, Professor of Marketing at Bryant University and Co-Founder and Chief Education officer of RNMKRS. Stefanie is passionate about elevating the sales profession with research, education, and technology. She teaches and coaches students on various aspects of sales, such as the conversation, social media, analytics, executive presence, and design thinking. Stefanie also co-authored "The Little Black Book of Social Media" on social media strategies for business, influencers, and personal branding, as well as "9 Ways to Develop Highly Effective Salespeople" designed for sales managers, and an Audible series called "6 Sales Skills Everyone Should Know" partnering with Wondrium, The Great Courses and Audible, an Amazon Company. 📖 In 2018, she co-founded RNMKRS, a ground-breaking platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to simulate realistic sales conversations and provide instant feedback and scoring to trainees. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: 🔺Why you should invest in self directed learning 🔺The importance of allowing your reps to have some control over their training 🔺Why role play and practice helps close more deals As Stefanie says: “People need to apply the skills that they are learning. When it comes to practicing conversations we've found it takes about 40 conversations to really have a high level of mastery on that conversation. Think about how many opportunities your sellers get to practice conversations with feedback.. If they are having one role play a month, how many months is it going to take for that seller to ramp up their conversation skills? What ends up happening is sellers just end up churning through their leads." Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

You have so many distractions from things like your tech stack, right? 😖 Upcoming deadlines, meetings etc never end! Some in your team can multi-task. But some of your team will naturally have shorter attention spans. 🤔 So, how can you make sure your whole team can stay focused? This week I'm chatting with Bobbi Jo Frazier, Director of Revenue Enablement at ActivTrak. Bobbi Jo has a real passion for Enablement and believes in fostering a culture of learning and development among sales and revenue professionals. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: ❗️ How to develop Attention Strategies for your team's Enablement Distractions ❗️ How you can use Engaging Enablement Techniques to bring focus back ❗️ The importance of Retention and Reinforcement As Bobbi Jo says: “Not everyone is going to see things the same way, or will learn things the same way. As much as we like to make things to scale, there has to be some personalisation there too." Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this! 🎧

Many of the people I talk to in enablement land in a position where the infrastructure of a company is already in place. But what do you do if you need to build a function from the ground up? This week I'm chatting with Matt Cohen, Senior Sales Enablement Manager at Dotmatics. Matt's passion for alignment is why he is in Enablement. He focus on proactively identifying gaps in the buyer journey and prioritizing solutions that optimize people, processes, and technology. To advance the Enablement community, Matt sits on the board of the Sales Enablement Society's Boston Chapter and co-founded the San Diego Chapter. He frequently shares thought leadership in various forms, including articles, podcasts, and webinars. In 2023 Matt was recognized by SalesHood as an Enablement Leader Making It Happen. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: As Matt says: “I think it's really important to keep in mind that you have to align to the priorities of your organisation. Even if that function doesn't exist, even if you are building it from scratch. There needs to be a bit of give and take, and a willingness to expand the function to your vision of what it should and could be.” Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this!

By the very nature of your industry, you are in service. You feel a tendency to say yes to everything. But this causes burn out for you and your team. This is where ruthless prioritisation comes in. This week I'm chatting with Sheevaun Thatcher, VP of Strategic Enablement at Salesforce. Sheevaun is a people focused enablement professional and a passionate thought leader. Sheevaun's playbook includes an infrastructure of proven methods she has developed over the years. Along with tools, systems, metrics and tactics which will help you to increase sales velocity and performance. Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: As Sheevaun says: “It’s about recognising who you are. You are not a bartender taking orders as they come in. You are a coach, a part of the team that is in the background making sure that the team on the field are in the best shape of their lives.” Tune in to the full episode today and subscribe to get more episodes like this one.

It's important that as sales leaders we are providing our reps with the support they need to be successful. This week I'm chatting with Katie Kentner Swick, Global Sales Enablement Lead at Stripe. 💕 Katie is passionate about helping people and has helped the businesses she has worked for optimize their sales processes, streamline their operations, and increase revenue. She believes that investing in people is key to achieving business success, and enabling team members to achieve their professional goals. 👉 Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: 🤔 What organisations demand of their enablement teams at different stages 🤔 The role managers can play in enablement and how you can get them involved 🤔 How you can get the most out of a small team Tune in to the full episode today for insights into coaching, leading through change, and more. 🎧

Revenue enablement seems to be constantly evolving. As an enablement professional you'll know how important it is to stay up-to-date with news, updates and insights from experts in enablement! 🏹 So, this week I'm chatting with Enablement expert, Jerry Pharr, a man with many strings to his bow. Jerry is the Founding Member & Former Chapter President of the Revenue Enablement Society, Advisor at regie.ai, Playboox, and OneView, and Owner of Sales Excellence Advisors. 🤯 Since 2015 Jerry has been behind the scenes as a sales enablement & sales ops leader, exclusively in venture-backed, high-growth tech startups. He currently leads a team of sales enablement practitioners who are responsible for helping internal sales teams have better conversations. 👉 Tune in today and you'll learn the following, plus MUCH MORE: 🎉 Why measuring behaviour change is superior to measuring learning or business outcomes 🎉 How separate cadences for manager-led coaching can work (and why they typically don't) 🎉 What most sales leaders get wrong about sales stage exit criteria 🎧 Tune in now for industry expert views on the changing landscape of enablement and don't forget to subscribe to get more episodes like this one.