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Skinned Knees Blog

What An MBA Didn’t Teach You About Sales

The sales profession is challenging. You need to work hard at it to succeed. You need to learn from the best. You need to improve your skills continuously. If you think you can sell since you are a hit at parties and have a lot of friends, you may soon find that you are a failure as a salesperson. Blunt truth:

because the sales profession is so hard, you have to focus on doing everything in sales very well, or you will be considered a failure.

I call this blog, Skinned Knees because I try to relate all of the learning that I have done over the past 4+ decades (while skinning my knees in the learning process).

I hope that you learn from my mistakes so that your business will grow!

Four of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Analyzing Customer Goals: Understanding Competitive Landscape: Recognize your client’s relationships with your competitors to better position your offerings.

Crafting the Perfect Sales Strategy: Understanding the Competitive Landscape In the world of sales, understanding the competitive landscape is as vital as the seasoned chess player’s ability to predict their opponent’s moves. Think of the business landscape as a grand chessboard. Each company, akin to a player, tactically moves, adjusts to threats, and seeks positions of influence. These moves signify their strategy, and a crucial part of this strategy revolves around their competitive dynamics. For… Four of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Analyzing Customer Goals: Understanding Competitive Landscape: Recognize your client’s relationships with your competitors to better position your offerings.

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Know Your Customer: Mastering Buyer Personas in Modern Sales – Episode 48

Welcome to another episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales with your hosts, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey. In this riveting episode, we take a deep dive into the often talked about but seldom mastered topic: Buyer Personas. Whether you’re listening on a Tuesday drive back home or on a Wednesday morning commute to work, this episode is packed with actionable insights to set you up for the rest of your week, month, and quarter. Tune in… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Know Your Customer: Mastering Buyer Personas in Modern Sales – Episode 48

Three of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Analyzing Customer Goals: Understand customer goals and their desire to achieve them to tailor your solution

The Art of Tailored Sales: Aligning with Customer Goals In the sophisticated arena of modern business, it’s essential to view sales as less of a transaction and more as an art form akin to bespoke tailoring. Visualize the meticulous process a tailor undertakes: measuring every contour, considering every preference, and ultimately delivering a piece that feels personal and perfect. This analogy is apt for sales professionals who prioritize understanding their clients’ distinct goals, like crafting… Three of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Analyzing Customer Goals: Understand customer goals and their desire to achieve them to tailor your solution

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Mastering the Competitive Landscape: Insights and Strategies for Sales Success – Episode 47

Dive deep into the world of competitive analysis with Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey in this engaging episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales. In the fast-paced world of sales, it’s not just about knowing your product, but about understanding your competition, your customers, and the nuances that drive decisions. Let Kevin and Sean guide you through actionable insights to elevate your sales game. Key Topics Discussed: Key Quotes: Additional Resources: Summary:In the competitive realm… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Mastering the Competitive Landscape: Insights and Strategies for Sales Success – Episode 47

Two of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Identifying Key Decision Makers: Know who holds influence to target presentations and pitches effectively.

Precision in Sales: Identifying Key Decision Makers Navigating the labyrinth of modern sales requires more than just a sharp understanding of your product. It requires clarity about your audience – the pivotal decision-makers who shape the trajectory of business deals. Drawing an analogy, consider a seasoned archer. The archer’s prowess is not merely in the pull of the bow but in the precision with which he identifies and hits the target. For those vested in… Two of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Identifying Key Decision Makers: Know who holds influence to target presentations and pitches effectively.

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – From SWOT to Success: Navigating the Competitive Sales Landscape – Episode 46

In this invigorating episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep into the realm of competition in sales. From understanding the various forms competition can take to harnessing the power of artificial intelligence in competitive analysis, this episode is packed with insights and actionable advice for sales professionals at all levels. Key Topics Discussed: Key Quotes: Additional Resources: Don’t be a part of the 57% that remains oblivious… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – From SWOT to Success: Navigating the Competitive Sales Landscape – Episode 46

Ace of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Researching Industry Trends: Stay updated on shifts in the market to provide relevant solutions.

Sailing Through the Business Sea: The Imperative of Understanding Client Industries In the intricate dance of sales management, salespeople often become profoundly attuned to their own products, services, and performance metrics. However, they sometimes lose sight of an elemental cornerstone: genuinely understanding the client’s business. This omission is akin to a sailor venturing into the sea without comprehending its currents and tides. A lack of this depth of knowledge can lead one astray, making the… Ace of Spades: Understanding your client’s business: Researching Industry Trends: Stay updated on shifts in the market to provide relevant solutions.

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Driving Sales Success: Why KPIs Are More Than Just Numbers – Episode 45

Get ready to unlock the secrets of mastering the sales game with Two Tall Guys Talking Sales! This episode delves into the nuances of key performance indicators (KPIs), their significance in measuring sales efficiency, and the art of mentorship among salespeople. Listen as our hosts Sean and Kevin uncover the analogy of KPIs and share insights about setting the right measures for salespeople at various career stages. Key Topics Discussed: Key Quotes: Additional Resources: With… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Driving Sales Success: Why KPIs Are More Than Just Numbers – Episode 45

August Newsletter

I hope you enjoy my August Newsletter Posts Subscribe I hope you enjoy my August Newsletter Published: Tue, 08/15/23 I hope that you enjoy my latest newsletter View the online version of this email. Football is starting at your local school and in the NFL. That used to mean that we were in Autumn, but now it means that we are simply in the dog days of summer. I hope the summer has been great… August Newsletter

The McDonald’s Lesson: Why a Diverse Sales Team Matters for Small Businesses

In the annals of American business history, few stories are as captivating as the rise of McDonald’s, immortalized in the 2016 biographical drama film “The Founder.” The story of Ray Kroc, a struggling milkshake machine salesman who transformed a local drive-in into a global fast-food empire, is a classic tale of ambition, innovation, and, controversially, ruthless business acumen. However, behind the gripping narrative lies a valuable lesson for small businesses today. The McDonald brothers, Richard… The McDonald’s Lesson: Why a Diverse Sales Team Matters for Small Businesses