Skip to content

Leadership

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!


Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Destination Success: Mapping Your Sales Strategy with Precision – E97

Join hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey as they dive into the intricacies of sales strategy, drawing parallels to planning a family vacation. As we edge closer to our 100th episode, this session unpacks why having a well-documented and aligned business plan is crucial—akin to knowing your vacation destination to ensure everything goes smoothly. Whether you’re a business owner or a sales professional, this episode provides vital insights into simplifying and aligning your sales strategy… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Destination Success: Mapping Your Sales Strategy with Precision – E97

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Leading with Generosity- The Servant Leadership Approach to Sales with Tom Daly – E93

Welcome to another enriching episode of “Two Tall Guys Talking Sales,” where hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep into the art of sales with special guest Tom Daly from Focus Insights Group. In this episode, we explore the concept of servant leadership in sales and how giving more can ultimately lead to receiving more in business and personal growth.

Key Topics Discussed:

  • Servant Leadership in Sales [00:01:00 – 00:10:00]: Tom Daly discusses the importance of building productive referral networks and how servant leadership has helped him succeed in sales.
  • The Power of Giving Freely [00:05:00 – 00:08:00]: A detailed exploration of how giving without expecting immediate returns can foster long-term business relationships and personal satisfaction.
  • Balancing Generosity with Business Acumen [00:05:20 – 00:06:30]: Kevin probes the delicate balance between generosity and ensuring business viability.
  • Community and Collaboration [00:06:43 – 00:07:33]: The significance of a supportive community within the sales acceleration network, emphasizing collective success over individual gains.
  • Sales as a Helping Profession [00:08:21 – 00:09:52]: Sean reflects on the philosophy that sales should focus on helping and solving problems rather than just transactional interactions.
Read the rest of the article…

Driving Sales Success through Collaborative Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Aiming to increase revenue and boost productivity in sales processes, sales managers and company CEOs are constantly searching for effective strategies to streamline their operations and ensure optimal results. One such strategy involves conducting sales meetings for educational purposes. These meetings focus on enhancing knowledge and skills, and this is where the real game begins. 

Imagine a sales meeting where, instead of a mundane round-up of weekly activities, there’s an engaging discussion about a new book that can potentially revolutionize the sales process. Picture a team of four or five salespeople, including you, each reading two chapters of a book overnight. The next day, everyone shares the high-level takeaways from their assigned chapters. This practice allows the team to consume an entire book’s content in a day and empowers each member to become an authority on the subject matter because they’re teaching others. The exercise is educational, promotes team collaboration, and enhances communication skills. 

This approach can be extended beyond books to other areas, such as market research. For instance, if a company is looking to enter a new vertical, different aspects of the industry, like market influencers, challenges, and political, economic, and legal factors, can be assigned to team members for research. Each member returns their findings to the team, comprehensively understanding the new market. This practice is not merely busy work; it’s sales-driving work that benefits the entire team and accelerates learning about the new market.

Read the rest of the article…

Using Value Propositions to Stand Out in a Competitive Market

Understanding and effectively communicating your value proposition is crucial for success in B2B sales. It can be the difference between winning and losing a deal. Whether you’re a salesperson, a sales manager, or the CEO of a small company, this topic is extremely relevant.

A value proposition is not merely a catchy slogan or a well-crafted elevator pitch. It is a broader collection of reasons why a potential buyer should choose your product or service. A value proposition identifies the customer’s needs and goals and demonstrates how your product or service can address these.

One key aspect of a value proposition is its ability to resonate with the customer. This involves deeply understanding the customer’s needs and tailoring your proposition to their specific situation. This allows the sales team to find the match between the customer’s needs and your offer. To resonate effectively, you need to answer two key questions for the customer: Why act? And why now?

The ‘why act’ question establishes the need for your product or service. If the customer doesn’t see a need, they won’t be interested, no matter how great your offering is. The ‘why now’ question creates a sense of urgency. Without this, a customer may acknowledge the need for your product or service but see no reason to act immediately.

Read the rest of the article…

Maximizing Sales Team Productivity: The Importance of Effective Sales Meetings

Numerous factors can contribute to a sales team’s success or failure. Two key aspects that are often overlooked yet hold immense importance are the structure and content of sales meetings. These gatherings are not just about reporting numbers or discussing targets. They are platforms for learning, sharing, and strategizing that can significantly boost a sales team’s performance.

One of the fundamental principles of a productive sales meeting is having a clear plan. This doesn’t mean having a rigid agenda without room for spontaneity. On the contrary, it’s about having a framework that guides the discussion and ensures that the meeting stays focused on the key topics at hand. 

A common mistake many sales leaders make is covering too many topics in a single meeting. In an attempt to address every issue, they often skim the surface of each topic without delving deep into any. The result is a meeting lacking depth and tangible insights or solutions. Limiting the number of key topics to one or two per meeting is advisable to avoid this. This allows for a more in-depth discussion and a better understanding of the issues at hand.

Read the rest of the article…

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – The Four Pillars of Sales Success with Veteran Advisor Chris Goade – E89

Join Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey in this compelling episode of “Two Tall Guys Talking Sales,” featuring seasoned sales acceleration advisor Chris Goade. As a pioneer in the field from Dallas-Fort Worth, Chris brings a wealth of experience from top companies like Dr. Pepper, PepsiCo, and 3M. Delve into the intricacies of building effective sales processes and learn firsthand about the transformative power of structured sales strategies.

Key Topics Discussed

  • Building Effective Sales Teams: How creating structured processes can accelerate sales performance.
  • Sales Process Fundamentals: Chris outlines the critical pillars of a successful sales process, including lead generation and customer relationship management.
  • Transitioning from Corporate to Consulting: Chris shares his journey from corporate sales to starting his own consulting business and the lessons learned.
  • The Evolution of Sales Tools and Techniques: Discussion on how sales strategies have adapted over time, especially in response to technological advancements.
  • Maintaining Customer Relationships: The importance of nurturing existing relationships to foster long-term business growth.
Read the rest of the article…

Enhancing Sales Performance Through Effective One-on-One Coaching Meetings

The effectiveness of sales management is paramount, particularly in how sales managers support their team members to enhance performance. The nuanced relationship between a salesperson and their manager can significantly influence their success, a topic that is gaining traction among CEOs and sales leaders seeking to maximize their team’s capabilities. One-on-one meetings between sales managers and salespeople are not just routine check-ins but pivotal moments that can define a sales team’s success trajectory. These interactions… Enhancing Sales Performance Through Effective One-on-One Coaching Meetings

From Crisis to Control: Managing Expectations in Sales Leadership

The concept of “managing up” emphasizes the importance of aligning a sales team’s objectives with the expectations of upper management. This approach is particularly crucial during periods of sales turnaround, where the usual metrics might falter and innovative, agile responses are required. “Managing up” involves treating higher management as an internal customer whose needs must be understood and met with the same diligence as those of external clients. For sales leaders, this means crafting a… From Crisis to Control: Managing Expectations in Sales Leadership

Proactive Coaching: The Key to Unlocking Exceptional Sales Performance

A shift is occurring away from simply correcting problems after they’ve happened toward a more proactive and developmental approach to coaching sales teams. This evolution in strategy empowers sales leaders, CEOs, and managers to not only meet but also exceed their targets through effective team management and personal development. The concept of continuous improvement in sales begins with a focus on coaching. Unlike traditional reactive methods, modern sales leadership emphasizes coaching as a tool for… Proactive Coaching: The Key to Unlocking Exceptional Sales Performance