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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!

The AI Sales Process Map: The Ten-Stage Sales Process Framework

Sales leaders today often fall into the trap of using artificial intelligence tools randomly rather than systematically. This sporadic usage is like owning a Swiss Army knife but only using the bottle opener; you miss out on ninety percent of the available value. AI’s real power comes not from isolated tools but from integrating capabilities across every stage of your sales processes. When mapped correctly, AI accelerates every interaction, shortens sales cycles, and makes revenue generation more predictable.

Random AI adoption leads to inconsistent results. Some reps use it effectively, while others revert to manual methods under pressure, resulting in uneven performance. Systematic AI integration, however, compounds improvements across the entire sales cycle. Data captured at one stage strengthens the next, creating a virtuous cycle of sales success that is scalable, measurable, and sustainable. The outcome is not just faster deals, but stronger business acumen and more consistent revenue management.

The ten-stage AI sales process framework provides a structured way to apply AI:

  1. Prospecting,
  2. Outreach,
  3. Qualification,
  4. Scoping,
  5. Presentation,
  6. Economic Buyer meetings,
  7. Validation Events,
  8. Proposals,
  9. Closing,
  10. Onboarding/expansion.
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AI Isn’t Replacing Salespeople, It’s Giving Them a Competitive Edge

AI isn’t replacing salespeople, it’s making them more effective. The real risk isn’t losing your job to AI; it’s losing to a competitor who uses AI better than you do. Sales professionals who integrate AI into their workflow will outperform those who don’t. 

It’s not about technology taking over but about using technology to gain an edge. The market is becoming increasingly competitive, and the most efficient salespeople will emerge victorious.

Time is a salesperson’s most valuable asset. 

Every minute spent on administrative tasks is a minute not spent selling. AI helps reclaim those lost hours. Tools that automate writing, scheduling, and research allow salespeople to focus on what matters: building relationships and closing deals. If you’re not leveraging AI to increase productivity, you’re leaving opportunities on the table.

Sales emails need to be clear and professional. AI-powered writing assistants ensure your messages are polished and effective. A poorly written email can cost you a deal. AI tools catch grammatical mistakes, improve clarity, and even suggest more effective phrasing. This isn’t just about looking professional; it’s about being understood. 

If your message isn’t clear, it won’t convert.

Presentations are another time-consuming task. AI can generate professional decks in minutes. Instead of spending hours designing slides, salespeople can focus on developing effective strategies. AI-powered tools create branded, structured presentations based on simple inputs. This ensures consistency while saving time. Sales professionals who utilize AI for presentations can focus on delivering insights rather than formatting slides.

CRM systems are the backbone of sales operations. AI enhances CRM by automating data entry, tracking customer interactions, and suggesting next steps. Salespeople often struggle with keeping CRM data updated. AI reduces this friction by automatically capturing and organizing information. A well-maintained CRM leads to better forecasting and stronger customer relationships. 

If your CRM doesn’t have AI capabilities, it’s time to upgrade.

AI-driven insights enable sales managers to make more informed decisions, rather than relying on instinct. Managers can use AI to analyze performance trends, identify coaching opportunities, and predict revenue outcomes. AI doesn’t replace leadership; it enhances it. 

Sales managers who adopt AI can build stronger teams and achieve better results. Ignoring AI in sales management is a strategic mistake.

Lead generation is another area where AI adds value. AI-powered tools can analyze vast amounts of data to identify high-potential prospects. Instead of spending hours researching leads, salespeople can receive AI-generated recommendations. This allows for more targeted outreach and higher conversion rates. AI doesn’t just find leads, it finds the right leads.

Sales follow-up is often inconsistent. AI ensures follow-ups happen at the right time with the right message. Automated reminders and AI-generated responses keep deals moving forward. 

A well-timed follow-up can be the difference between closing a deal and losing it. AI helps salespeople stay on top of their pipeline without relying on memory.

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Unlocking Sales Success: The Power of KPIs in Sales Processes

Are your sales KPIs helping your team succeed? Many sales leaders focus solely on closed deals. This narrow view misses crucial elements of sustainable sales growth.

The journey matters more than the destination. Sales excellence follows a similar path. Your team’s daily actions and behaviors create the foundation for lasting success.

Effective sales measurement requires a comprehensive view of your team’s activities. Top performers consistently execute vital behaviors that drive results. They prospect strategically, nurture relationships, and expand their presence within existing accounts. These leading indicators paint a clearer picture of future performance than lagging metrics alone.

Your KPI framework must evolve beyond historical analysis. Forward-looking metrics help you spot opportunities and challenges before they impact revenue. What’s happening in your pipeline right now? How are your teams finding new prospects? Which accounts show growth potential?

Experience levels significantly impact appropriate performance measures. New salespeople face different challenges than seasoned veterans. A rookie might need help with fundamental sales behaviors while learning your company’s approach. They need clear operational guidance and structured metrics that reinforce proper execution.

Veteran salespeople bring established skills and proven track records. Their KPIs should emphasize continuous improvement and cultural alignment. How are they advancing their capabilities? What value do they add to the broader sales organization?

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From Micro-Manager to Leader: Fostering Growth in Your Sales Team

Are you unknowingly sabotaging your sales team’s success? The answer might surprise you. The actual cost of micromanagement extends far beyond immediate productivity concerns.

Trust forms the bedrock of every high-performing sales organization. Yet many sales leaders unconsciously undermine this foundation through micromanagement. You’ve seen the signs – constant check-ins, questioning every decision, and hovering over your team’s shoulders. The culture you’ve worked so hard to build is slowly eroding.

Your best salespeople are leaving. Team morale is plummeting.

Let’s be clear about what constitutes micromanagement in sales. It’s not about being involved or interested in your team’s work. The real issue emerges when you start dictating every move and creating an atmosphere of constant surveillance.

Consider the cost of replacing top sales talent in today’s market. Beyond the substantial financial investment, you’re losing institutional knowledge and client relationships. Your organization can’t afford this drain on resources, and the impact reverberates throughout your entire sales ecosystem.

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Overcoming Ghosting and Other Modern Sales Challenges: A Proactive Approach

Many salespeople, sales managers, and company CEOs grapple with the unique problem of adapting their sales strategies to ever-changing market dynamics. This problem stems from an old-fashioned practice in which sales leaders tend to offer the same advice that made them successful when they were nascent salespeople. However, to remain competitive and productive, realizing that this traditional advice may no longer hold relevance in today’s sales world is crucial.

Let’s consider a sales leader who made his mark when the internet was still in its infancy, and email and mobile phones were not part of the sales process. If this sales leader continues to advise their team based on those past experiences, they will likely be setting them up for failure. Today, the sales world is no longer about physical gatekeepers but about navigating spam filters and phone blockers. The sales environment has evolved, and it’s time sales strategies do, too.

A typical issue salespeople face today is being ‘ghosted’ by potential clients. Ghosting, a relatively modern term, refers to the situation where the person you’re trying to reach is not returning your calls or emails. It’s a frustrating experience, but it also indicates a salesperson’s failure to be proactive and do the right things earlier in the sales cycle. Modern salespeople need to think ahead, plan better, and ensure they set up the next meeting before leaving the current one. This proactive approach can help prevent ghosting, keep the sales conversation going, and indicate progress.

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Designing Sales Compensation Plans That Drive Performance

The success of any sales-driven organization in the business-to-business (B2B) space hinges on the sales team’s compensation plan. Over my four decades in B2B sales, I’ve observed that nothing influences the performance of sales personnel more directly than the design and implementation of their compensation plans. Compensation is not merely about rewarding sales achievements but crafting a strategy aligning individual salespeople’s goals with the company’s broader objectives.

A well-structured compensation plan acts as both a motivator and a guide. It compels sales teams not only to meet but exceed their targets, fostering an environment where continuous improvement is not just encouraged but becomes a natural byproduct of the system. For small business CEOs, understanding this dynamic is critical for sustaining and driving growth. Sales compensation is more than just a cost; it’s an investment in the company’s future.

In any sales environment, whether the market is brimming with potential or tightly contested, the compensation plan must be a living document that evolves in response to market conditions, company goals, and team performance. With this adaptability, companies can avoid stagnation or regression in their market positions. As businesses strive to scale and adapt, constructing a compensation plan that genuinely drives the right behaviors becomes all the more pertinent.

To delve deeper into this vital subject, CEOs should consider the immediate impacts of their compensation strategies and their long-term implications on sales culture and employee retention. For those ready to explore the intricacies of effective sales compensation and ensure their strategies are well-suited to their specific business contexts, I am here to lend my expertise. With extensive experience tailoring compensation plans to enhance sales productivity and company profitability, I invite you to reach out for further guidance on crafting a plan that meets and exceeds your strategic goals. You can set a time to talk to me using my link above Book Appointment With Sean.

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The Blueprint for Sales Efficiency: Crafting a Repeatable Sales Process

Sales teams are at the forefront of driving revenue and fostering client relationships. However, without a structured approach, the efforts can become disjointed, leading to missed opportunities and inefficiencies. This is where the importance of having a documented sales process becomes undeniable. A well-defined sales process streamlines operations and ensures consistency and effectiveness in pursuing and managing sales opportunities. The heart of effective sales management lies in understanding and implementing a repeatable sales process. This… The Blueprint for Sales Efficiency: Crafting a Repeatable Sales Process

Setting Clear Sales Objectives and Goals: Establish targets to drive sales team efforts – Driving New Sales: Transforming Small Businesses into Sales Powerhouses – Episode 6

Today’s episode with Sean O’Shaughnessey has been a deep dive into setting clear objectives and goals, a compass guiding sales teams to remarkable success. As Sean pointed out, crafting a well-orchestrated sales strategy where every element harmoniously contributes to your business’s success is essential.

Monitoring Client News and Updates: Stay informed about client updates to address their changing needs  – Driving New Sales: Transforming Small Businesses into Sales Powerhouses – Episode 5

The latest episode of “Driving New Sales”, sponsored by “Two Tall Guys Talking Sales”, features sales consultant Sean O’Shaughnessey. He discusses the importance of staying updated with client news and updates for enhancing B2B sales strategies. He elucidates the use of tools like Google Alerts, social media, analyzing client data, and market trends to gain insights, improve sales outreach timing, and align efforts with sales objectives.