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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!

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Winning Without Discounting: Mastering Value Selling at Premium Prices – Episode 135

When it comes to holding firm on pricing, many salespeople stumble at the finish line, undermining their value and margin in pursuit of a quick win. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey explore the essential topic of value selling, especially when offering a premium-priced solution. They break down how business acumen, sales strategy, and relationship-based selling contribute to sales success—and how to confidently command the price your… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Winning Without Discounting: Mastering Value Selling at Premium Prices – Episode 135

The Three Pillars of Sales Success: Ideal Client Profiles, Effective Messaging, and Aspirational Offers

Let’s start this article with a rhetorical question to the sales professionals, sales managers, or CEOs: Have you ever found yourself guilty of sending messages to prospects without fully considering their specific needs or how your offer aligns with them?

If so, you’re not alone—this is a common pitfall in sales. The good news is, it’s entirely fixable by developing a straightforward, strategic approach.

An effective sales strategy hinges on three core components: defining your ideal client profile (ICP), crafting a resonant message, and presenting a compelling offer. These elements are interconnected. Mastering their alignment will significantly enhance your sales effectiveness.

Ideal Client Profile

Let’s start with the ideal client profile. How well do you know the companies you’re targeting? Identifying your ideal customer is foundational to your entire sales approach. It’s not enough to say that your market is “small businesses” or “tech companies.” Instead, think about your best clients—the ones you genuinely enjoy working with, who value your product, and who generate profitable, sustainable business. Think about companies that rarely devalue your product or service by asking for a discount. What do these clients have in common?

Now that you have your favorite customers from above, reflect on your top five or ten accounts. Are they in the same industry? Do they share similar challenges or company structures? Perhaps they all have common goals that your product consistently solves. Pinpoint these commonalities. This process will help you create a precise and actionable ideal client profile.

But don’t stop at company-level characteristics. Remember, even in B2B sales, you’re ultimately selling to individuals. Identify the specific roles or buyers within these organizations that are responsible for making buying decisions. Who are these decision-makers? What motivates them personally and professionally? Do they all have the same kind of college education? Do they all have similar career paths? Understanding the people behind the logo makes your outreach more personal, targeted, and effective.

What is your message?

Once you’ve developed a clear picture of your ideal client and the people within those companies, the next step is crafting a message that reflects your value-selling message. This message is how you communicate your value proposition—it’s the bridge between your product and your prospect’s needs. Too often, sales messaging falls flat because it focuses heavily on the seller rather than the buyer. Statements that emphasize “we,” “I,” or “our product” rarely resonate deeply. Instead, effective messaging highlights the customer’s perspective, clearly communicating the benefits they will experience.

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How to Create an Elevator Pitch That Opens Doors

In business, every introduction matters—especially when time is short. This post explores how to craft an effective elevator pitch or Unique Selling Proposition that captures attention, sparks curiosity, and opens the door to future conversations. Learn the key elements of a winning pitch and how to use real-world success stories to make a lasting impression.

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Sales Prospecting: Are You Chasing Leads or Cultivating Success? – E127

In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive into the art of sales prospecting using an unusual but powerful analogy—chasing butterflies versus building a garden. Are you tirelessly running after leads or cultivating an environment where ideal prospects naturally come to you? Learn how to create a long-term strategy for consistent revenue growth by positioning your business as the go-to solution for your ideal customers. Key Topics Discussed:… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Sales Prospecting: Are You Chasing Leads or Cultivating Success? – E127

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Mastering Time Management: Essential Strategies for Sales Managers – E123

Time is the most valuable resource for any professional, but for sales managers, it is the linchpin of success. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive into the critical strategies for effective time management as a sales leader. Whether you’re a new sales manager, an aspiring leader, or a business owner overseeing a sales team, this discussion is packed with insights to help you optimize your calendar,… Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – Mastering Time Management: Essential Strategies for Sales Managers – E123

Understanding Your Customers: The Role of Buyer Personas and Quarterly Business Reviews

Want to know the real secret behind successful sales? It’s not just about knowing what your customers need. The true power lies in understanding who they are at their core.

Have you ever wondered why some sales professionals consistently outperform their peers? The answer often comes down to their mastery of buyer personas and detailed profiles that capture the essence of your ideal customers.

Think of buyer personas as your secret weapon in the sales battlefield. These aren’t just random customer profiles thrown together in a rushed afternoon meeting. They represent carefully crafted composites of your most valuable clients, built from real-world data and insights. Your company might need several of these personas, each targeting different market segments with laser precision.

Creating effective buyer personas demands more than just surface-level observation. Start with a thorough analysis of your business landscape. Examine your strengths and weaknesses. Map out the opportunities that excite you and the threats that keep you up at night. This foundation helps you understand exactly where you fit in your customers’ world.

What makes your top customers tick? The answer lies in meaningful conversations with your best clients. These discussions should dig deep into both quantitative and qualitative factors. Demographics tell part of the story – age, position, education, family status. But the real gold comes from understanding their motivations. Why did they choose you? What problems do you solve that keep them coming back?

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Unlock Revenue Growth with a Fractional VP of Sales

Are you feeling stuck trying to grow your company’s revenue? Do you find yourself juggling too many responsibilities, struggling with outdated sales methods, or unsure how to take your sales team to the next level? You’re not alone. Many business owners face these challenges, and at New Sales Expert, we’re here to help. I’m Sean O’Shaughnessey, founder of New Sales Expert, and we specialize in helping B2B companies accelerate revenue production by implementing proven sales… Unlock Revenue Growth with a Fractional VP of Sales

Roadblocks, Detours, and Destinations: The Intricate Art of Sales Strategy

There’s an ongoing conversation about the importance of strategy, process, and anticipating potential challenges in B2B sales. There’s an analogy that encapsulates this perfectly – imagine you’re on a road trip. You have a destination in mind but are unfamiliar with the route. This is where tools like Waze, Google Maps, or Apple Maps come into play. They direct you to your destination and alert you about potential roadblocks, construction, traffic, or other unexpected events that might delay your journey. 

This is precisely how a sales strategy should work. It’s not just about getting from point A to point B but also about understanding the complexities of the journey and preparing for potential roadblocks. For salespeople, managers, and CEOs, understanding the strategy is critical to increasing revenue and improving productivity.

Understanding that a strategy involves more than just the turns along the way is vital. It also involves how to navigate through different areas, understand the speed limit, and anticipate any warnings that might come up. Many salespeople don’t fully grasp these challenges and tend to take them as they come rather than anticipating them and planning accordingly. 

Like Waze uses real-time data to adapt to changes on the road, a sales strategy should adjust to new information and circumstances. For example, if there’s construction up ahead or a detour is required, Waze will adapt and provide a new route. Similarly, salespeople should be able to adjust their strategies based on new information or unexpected challenges. 

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Mastering Sales in the Digital Age: A Case Study on Megan O’Hara

The sales landscape constantly evolves, and the tools and techniques used to reach potential clients are continually refined and reimagined. One such innovative approach to sales and marketing is pioneered by salespeople and sales managers leveraging technology to add value to their client relationships and boost their sales figures. 

Megan O’Hara, an executive solution specialist in Columbus, Ohio, is at the forefront of this movement. She has developed a unique method of reaching out to clients that adds value to their lives, increases her customer access, and builds her credibility. This method is simple yet impactful: Megan sends a weekly tech tip in a short video format every Monday.

This approach is designed to keep her name at the top of her clients’ minds. In a world where attention spans are increasingly limited and competition for customer attention is fierce, being the first person a client thinks of when they need a product or service is vital. By sending out these tech tips, Megan is providing a valuable service to her clients and ensuring that she remains at the forefront of their minds.

The success of this approach is evident in the response Megan has received from her clients. Many have contacted her after receiving her tech tips, expressing appreciation for her added value to their lives and initiating further business conversations. This is a clear testament to the power of this approach in building strong client relationships and driving sales.

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Maximizing Productivity in Sales Meetings: Key Principles and Best Practices

Sales meetings are the lifeblood of any sales-driven organization, providing an essential forum for communication, collaboration, and strategy development. Yet, despite their significance, many salespeople, managers, and CEOs struggle to conduct productive and efficient meetings. This issue often stems from a lack of understanding of key meeting principles and best practices, particularly in the areas of time management, content planning, and participant engagement.

The adage “time is money” holds especially true in sales. Every minute counts, and wasted time equates to lost opportunities. This is why punctuality is of the utmost importance. A meeting that starts late or runs over time is disrespectful to participants and detrimental to the team’s overall productivity. 

To avoid this pitfall, sales leaders should ensure they always arrive early to meetings and start them on time, without exception. This requires careful planning and preparation, as well as a commitment to respecting the time and schedules of others. The same principle applies to the end of the meeting. Sales leaders should always strive to conclude meetings on time, which requires careful meeting agenda management and a willingness to keep discussions focused and on track.

Content planning is another crucial aspect of effective meeting management. Just as a ship needs a compass to navigate the seas, a meeting needs an agenda to guide its proceedings. A well-crafted agenda provides a clear structure for the meeting and helps to keep discussions focused and productive. It also sets clear expectations for participants and helps to ensure that all relevant topics are covered.

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