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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!

Stop Researching, Start Connecting: An AI-Powered System for Warm Introductions

Most sales teams begin the week by opening a dozen browser tabs and grinding through scattered research, LinkedIn, Google News, company websites, and databases. Hours later, they emerge with a few generic talking points and a cold list that still feels cold. The deeper issue isn’t inefficiency; it’s invisibility. Warm introductions already exist across your company’s network, in email histories, calendars, and executives’ LinkedIn connections, but you can’t see them on Monday morning.

The Relationship-First approach changes that default. Before a single cold call or email, you perform a deliberate “Warm Path Check.” You ask, “Who do we know who knows them?” This question transforms prospecting from random outreach into a repeatable, data-driven process that prioritizes relationships. When you start as a referred conversation rather than an interruption, skepticism drops, credibility rises, and the sales cycle compresses dramatically.

The Hidden Network You’re Not Using

Every organization has an untapped network, a web of past colleagues, vendors, and clients who could open doors to your dream accounts. The problem is that this network is hidden in plain sight. It lives in the collective memory of your company’s communication patterns, but there’s no easy way to access it manually. That’s where KnowledgeNet comes in.

KnowledgeNet serves as your organization’s “relationship intelligence” layer. It analyzes communication data (emails, meetings, messages) to reveal who knows whom, and how strong those connections really are. Instead of guessing, you can instantly see that a colleague in engineering once worked closely with the CFO of a target account. That’s a warm path waiting to be used.

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Two Tall Guys Talking Sales – How Sales and Marketing Partnerships Drive Lead Generation and Sales Success – Episode 155

As the year draws to a close, sales leaders and professionals are already looking ahead to the next year. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, hosts Sean O’Shaughnessey and Kevin Lawson dig into the perennial challenge of lead generation, the importance of collaborating with marketing, and why proactive planning is essential for sales success. From refining your messaging to building thought leadership, this conversation is packed with strategies to help you drive revenue generation and sharpen your sales processes.

Key Topics Discussed

  • Why Salespeople Always Say “I Need More Leads” (01:00)
  • The Importance of Partnering with Marketing for Effective Sales Strategies (03:40)
  • Going Beyond Marketing—Referrals, Networking, and Thought Leadership (05:07)
  • Leveraging LinkedIn and Personal Branding to Generate Leads (06:25)
  • The Three Things Every Salesperson Really Sells (09:00)
  • Planning with Intention: Mapping the Next 12 Months for Sales Success (12:57)

Key Quotes

  • Sean O’Shaughnessey (01:48): “You as a salesperson… it’s your job to sit with the marketing people you have and map out the next 12 months of how to get better leads and cover your territory more effectively.”
  • Kevin Lawson (03:40): “Go down the hallway, knock on the door and say, here’s what I’m working on, what are you working on, and how can I help? Be a resource, be a partner to marketing.”
  • Sean O’Shaughnessey (09:24): “There are three things you sell: your product, your company, and—most importantly—you.”
  • Kevin Lawson (13:16): “If you’re only giving 50% effort to your professional practice, you can’t expect championship-level results.”

Additional Resources

  • B2B Sales Lab Community – A peer group for sales professionals to exchange best practices and strengthen their sales management and revenue generation capabilities. Go to https://b2b-sales-lab.com/

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast

Schedule a working session with your marketing team this week. Map out the next 12 months of sales and marketing activities, focusing on how you’ll generate leads, build messaging, and increase visibility in your target accounts. Even if it starts with a simple spreadsheet, writing down the plan creates accountability and aligns sales strategies with marketing efforts.

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Turning Competition into Opportunity: A Guide for Success in Sales

Competition in B2B sales isn’t your enemy. It’s your greatest catalyst for growth and innovation in today’s dynamic market landscape. Have you considered how viewing competitors as opportunities rather than threats could transform your sales approach? Let me show you why this mindset shift matters for your bottom line.

Think beyond the obvious when identifying your competition. Your real rivals aren’t just companies selling similar products or services. They’re anyone competing for your prospect’s budget allocation. This includes businesses offering solutions with capabilities or price points different from yours and other priorities within the prospect. The competitive landscape extends far beyond your direct market segment.

The most formidable opponent often lurks in the shadows of customer inertia. This “no-decision” competitor manifests as your prospect’s resistance to change. It’s the comfort zone that whispers, “Maybe later,” or “What we have works fine.” Understanding this psychological barrier is crucial for your sales strategy.

You need a systematic approach to analyzing and outmaneuvering your competition. Start with an honest assessment of your position in the market. What unique value do you bring to your customers? Where do you consistently outperform others? This self-awareness forms the foundation of your competitive strategy.

Know your competition inside and out. Study their strengths, weaknesses, market positioning, and customer relationships. Your competitive analysis must go deeper than surface-level observations. Map out how their strengths align with your weaknesses. This intelligence helps you craft more compelling value propositions and sales approaches.

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Segmenting Target Market: Categorize potential clients to tailor strategies effectively – Driving New Sales: Transforming Small Businesses into Sales Powerhouses – Episode 7

In this episode, Sean O’Shaughnessey has provided valuable insights into market segmentation, demonstrating its critical role in a successful sales strategy. Implement these actionable steps and witness a transformative impact on your business. Stay subscribed for more insightful episodes exploring practical strategies to drive new sales and enhance your company’s growth.