The Advanced Selling Podcast: Sales Training | Leadership Coaching | B2b Sales Strategy | Prospecting Tips

Ever had a huge account you were pursuing (or are pursuing)? And you get so wrapped up in the pursuit that you forget the fundamentals of selling? Well, it may not happen to you, but it does happen often. This week's sales training podcast is an interview with Brooke Green, one of our consultants who recently coached one of her clients helping them win a multi-million dollar deal. Brooke talks about what went into the coaching and how it might help listeners who have large accounts they are pursuing.

We have been thinking about what the future sales force will look like lately. Why? Well, there are a ton of trends that are beginning to impact sales forces and sales people – globalization – googlization – commodity pricing – readily available information on the web - etc. So we went out and looked for someone who had studied this from the perspective of: what do customers want from the seller? We found Ben Ball (Senior VIce President, Dechert-Hampe & Co.). So in this interview, you’ll hear what his study told us about what the sales person of the future might look like – act like. Sales managers/leaders: listen carefully.

Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale share a "how to" for proposal writiing and discuss what components every good proposal should (and shouldn't) contain.

In keeping with the fact that 80% of sales success has to do with how you think and your selling strategy, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale take on the issue of “How Do You Need To Think?” in order to be successful.

This is the initial voyage of the Sales Managers episode which we’ll release the first Thursday of the month. If you’re not a sales manager, forward this on to those appropriate for this. The premise for this episode is that most sales teams don’t work - or at least they aren’t optimized. We’ll talk about how to look at, and assess, your sales team so you know where to focus your attention – and how to grow your business. This is for Sales VP’s, Sales Managers, Regional Managers or anyone who manages/oversees a sales team.

Have you ever taken a sales course where you learned how to “close”? Or, maybe you learned the “‘trial close.” Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale address The issue of closing skills in this podcast – yet they don’t address it in the traditional way. In fact, they lay to rest - hopefully forever – the idea that by delivering certain techniques you can “get someone to make a decision.” That’s not the way it works – and to reinforce those worn out sales tactics does you more harm than good. This podcast will rewire your sales mind a little – which will allow you to operate from a different mental position when getting decisions.

Have you ever wondered why the prospect wants to control the sales process? Other than the fact that we’re all “control freaks” to some extent, it’s no wonder the prospect thinks – because he has the money – that he should control the sales process. But the fact is, he shouldn’t. You should control it. And in this week’s episode of the Advanced Selling Podcast, Bryan Neale and Bill Caskey tell you exactly how to do that.

Ever have problems talking to your prospects about money - fees - prices? Did you know it might be something much deeper in your soul? (It seems these guys think everything is 'deeper in your soul'). Well, this one just might be. Bill and Bryan talk about the importance of money in how you earn and how you price your services.

Leadership should be on every sales person's mind. In this interview, Bill and Bryan talk with new author, Kevin Eikenberry, who has written a book called REMARKABLE LEADERSHIP. Listen to this podcast if you are a sales leader/manager or have any inclination to be one someday.

In this episode, Bill and Bryan address the China import issues that are making news. Is it possible that part of this is a breakdown in selling skills? That might be a stretch - or not. As you listen to this, think about how you would modify your sales approach if you were to compete against low priced competitors. This applies to sales professionals who don't just compete against off shore vendors - but to the vendor right down the street as well.

Ever wondered why your prospects sometimes just don't act on your offer? Could it be you just aren't getting them to admit their problems to you? Well, this podcast episode with Bill Caskey and Brooke Green deals with exactly how to do that. Most sales strategies forget about that very thing - how to understand the compelling reasons a prospect has for changing.

Ever been sold to by an "old world sales person?" Kind of frightening, isn't it? In this week's episode of the Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale discuss some of the many differences between the old and new way of selling. It's a good gut-check to see if you slip back in to old beliefs and tactics when you're in pursuit of a sale. Use this episode in your sales training since it addresses some of the core problems today's sales professional faces.

Ever wondered where the line was between being persistent and being a pest? You're not alone. Most sales people have. In this week's episode of the Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale read a letter from a listener who is concerned with how persistent he should be toward the end of the deal. You see most sales strategies are built on the premise of 'convince and persuade.' And with that misaligned orientation, the sales professional sometimes pushes too hard in an effort to close the sale. This episode has many tips and good ways to follow up with your prospect--in a way that won't push them away.

In this week's episode of the Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey interviews a special guest, Dan Heath, the author of the Made to Stick. He joins us today to share his insights on helping OTHERS understand your ideas and helping YOU communicate them better. It seems in most sales training, we talk about communication skills, but spend little time talking about the thinking behind communicating ideas. Dan has researched why/how some ideas stick and others don't. And since professional selling revolves around how compelling you make your ideas for the prospect, Dan was the perfect guest. These are skills that you can learn and apply immediately to your sales strategies to help increase sales. Make sure to go buy Dan's book, Made to Stick. Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.

In this week's episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale answer those "what do I do when?" questions that sales professionals have every day. This is an episode that helps sales people new and old who are curious about what to do in certain situations. Business-to-business sales training and development isn't always about "theory." Sometimes it's just about practical advice. This episode will help you to say and do the right things in those places where your deal might be on the line. Sometimes just a third party--like Caskey and Neale--can shed just enough light on a subject to give you a new way to think about old problems.

In today's podcast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale address the New York Times piece on Income Inequality--and how sales professionals are in the right spot to be at the correct end of the income spectrum. They address the core competencies of the "top one percenters" (those who earn over $340,000/year)--and where to go to get that training. This sales podcast is a good way to check your own skills in the entire domain of business--not just selling. This podcast will expand your thinking about your self, your future and the possibilities that exist when you grow your skills.

In this week's episode of the Advanced Selling Pocast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale discuss stalled deals. A lot of sales people find themselves stuck in the middle of a deal, where they have the potential buyer interested in their product or service, but they can't seem to close the deal. Have no fear, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale are here to help you jump start those stalled deals with their innovative techniques and tips. This will help sales people of all levels spend time closing more deals instead of wasting their time and money on a deal that isn't going anywhere. Don't miss it.

In this episode of the Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale address the mental side--inner game--of sales. "How you think determines how you act" is one of our favorite sayings. And Caskey and Neale discuss new possibilities in thought which will immediately change your behavior--and ultimately, your results. Want to be massively successful in sales or business? Then, this is one of the most critical pieces of information you need to learn in order to become great. For you sales managers, forward this on to every one of your people--and use your next sales meeting to discuss your opinions on this piece.

In this week's episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale discuss how to appeal to the economic buyer. In their consulting practice, it never fails that one of the biggest challenges for sales people is "selling to groups." The bottom line is that everyone in the group MUST be on the page. However, the economic buyer (the person in charge of money) is one most likely to have their own style of buying that may or may not match up with yours. Bill and Bryan give you new ways to think about these problems that come up over and over to help the economic buyer get away from the price page, and onto everyone else's page. This is a very crucial part of the selling cycle that can make or break most deals. If you want to call in and have your question answered by Bill and Bryan, call 317.722.6299. Use your first name only.

Ever wondered if the sales training you're getting was actually the best available? Or whether what you were learning was actually making you better? In this week's episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale discuss the mistakes that sales trainers make that mess up sales people and how they sell. Have no fear though--if you find that you are a victim of 'sales training malpractice,' Bill and Bryan have plenty of tips to get you on the right road to better selling. This is an eye opening episode that you don't want to miss. Also, email us at listener@advancedsellingpodcast.com if you want to be considered for our one hour coaching call. We'll then take the best of those private calls and put in a podcast episode.