WHAT THE WORLD'S BEST SALESPEOPLE ARE DOING - The Brutal Truth about Sales Podcast

Summary

In this interview, Jeff Kylie, a seasoned sales leader with a background in college football coaching, shares his journey into sales and the parallels he draws between sports and sales. He emphasizes the importance of discipline, handling rejection, and the competitive nature required for success. Jeff discusses his mentorship experiences, the significance of solving problems over selling, and the value of a robust sales process. He also touches on the traits of a successful salesperson, such as active listening, empathy, and competitiveness, and offers insights on sales leadership and the importance of a structured sales approach.

Takeaways

• 🏈 Jeff's background includes coaching college football and over 20 years in sales leadership, primarily in Professional Services and Financial Services Industries.
• 🔥 A competitive streak and camaraderie from sports can translate into a successful sales career, focusing on team environment, consistency, and handling failures.
• 🚀 Jeff was introduced to sales by his brother, which led to a significant career shift and a move to Florida to open a new office.
• 🌱 A key mentor, Jim, emphasized the importance of understanding personal motivations and anxieties, and adopting a problem-solving approach rather than traditional selling.
• 🤝 Trust and relationships are central to sales success, with the belief that one should not sell but solve problems, even recommending competitors if it benefits the client.
• 🧗‍♂️ Sales professionals should be well-versed in the industry and competition to uncover and address client challenges, avoiding the commodity trap by focusing on service advantages.
• 🔍 Active listening, empathy, ego drive, and competitiveness are traits of a successful salesperson, with an athletic background often correlating with sales success.
• 📈 Consistent effort in prospecting and disciplined sales processes are critical for building a robust pipeline and achieving sales goals.
• 🛠️ Sales leaders should focus on growing their team's skills, providing field coaching, and ensuring consistent sales practices rather than just managing CRM reports.
• 🔗 Having a proven and repeatable sales process is essential for guiding sales reps and achieving consistent success across different industries.

Q & A

What was Jeff's background before he entered sales?

Jeff was a college football coach for four years and had two other jobs while coaching. He then transitioned into sales after a suggestion from his brother who was in sales.

How did Jeff's experience in college football influence his sales career?

Jeff's competitive streak from football and the camaraderie and discipline from team sports helped him adapt to the team environment and high-performance demands in sales.

What was the turning point for Jeff to leave coaching and start a career in sales?

Jeff's brother introduced him to the president of his company, who then offered Jeff a role in sales, which led him to move to Florida and begin his sales journey.

Who was a significant mentor for Jeff in his sales career?

A man named Jim, whom Jeff met at the Tampa Airport, became his mentor. Jim took him golfing and spent the entire time mentoring and advising him on sales strategies.

What philosophy does Jeff have about selling that differentiates him from traditional sales approaches?

Jeff believes in having conversations to identify problems that he or his organization can solve, rather than traditional selling. He focuses on problem-solving rather than just making sales.

How does Jeff define success in his sales career?

Jeff defines success not just by closing deals, but by finding opportunities and problems that he can solve, navigating complex organizational challenges, and building trust and relationships.

What is Jeff's approach to dealing with rejection in sales?

Jeff views sales as a competition with oneself, handling rejections as part of the process, and focusing on the discipline and consistency required to perform at a high level.

How does Jeff avoid falling into the commodity trap when selling services?

Jeff avoids the commodity trap by having a disciplined sales process, focusing on the value of the services he sells, and ensuring that he represents offerings that have significant advantages for buyers.

What advice does Jeff give to salespeople regarding preparation before meetings?

Jeff emphasizes the importance of thorough preparation before sales meetings, comparing it to an athlete's need to warm up and have a game plan before playing.

What does Jeff believe is the role of a sales leader in supporting their team?

Jeff believes a sales leader should focus on growing their team's skill set, providing field coaching, and ensuring consistent sales processes, rather than just focusing on results and CRM reports.

How does Jeff's experience in sports translate into his approach to sales?

Jeff's sports background instilled in him the importance of consistency, discipline, and the ability to perform under pressure, which he applies to his sales approach by maintaining a rigorous and methodical sales routine.

Outlines

00:00

🏈 Transition from Football Coaching to Sales

Jeff shares his background, transitioning from coaching college football to a career in sales. He discusses how the competitive nature and team dynamics of football parallel the challenges and camaraderie found in sales. Jeff's entry into sales was prompted by his brother, leading to a move to Florida and a new career path. He emphasizes the importance of consistency, handling rejection, and the self-competition inherent in sales, drawing a direct line from his football coaching experiences to his success in sales leadership roles across various industries.

05:01

💼 Sales Philosophy and Mentorship

Jeff outlines his sales philosophy, focusing on problem-solving rather than traditional selling. He recounts a pivotal mentorship experience with a colleague named Jim, who emphasized the importance of understanding personal motivations and overcoming sales anxieties. This mentorship solidified Jeff's approach to sales as a consultative process aimed at identifying and addressing client problems. He also discusses the significance of trust and relationship-building in sales, and how his sales style has been shaped by the need to validate problems and solutions, often leading to honest recommendations even if it means referring clients to competitors.

10:01

🚀 Avoiding the Commodity Trap in Sales

Jeff discusses strategies for avoiding the commodity trap in sales, highlighting the importance of a disciplined sales process and the ability to walk away from deals that don't align with client needs or company values. He shares a memorable lesson from a negotiator involved in the Salt Treaties, emphasizing the need to care but not too much, which translates to having a robust sales pipeline. Jeff also connects this back to his football experience, drawing parallels between consistent training and the consistent effort required in sales to maintain a healthy pipeline and avoid commoditization.

15:02

📈 The Importance of Preparation and Sales Leadership

Jeff stresses the critical nature of preparation in sales, comparing it to an athlete's pre-game warm-up and strategy. He critiques the trend of under-preparedness, especially in video conferencing settings, where the lack of a captive audience requires even more meticulous planning. Jeff also touches on his philosophy of sales leadership, advocating for a focus on team growth and skill development over mere result tracking. He argues for hands-on leadership, including ride-along coaching and immediate feedback post-sales calls, to truly develop a sales team's capabilities.

20:05

🌟 Qualities of a Successful Salesperson

Jeff identifies key traits of successful salespeople, including active listening, empathy, ego drive, and competitiveness. He reflects on the importance of these traits in driving sales performance and the ability to connect with clients. Jeff also discusses the value of having an athletic background, which he's observed in many successful salespeople, possibly due to the competitive nature and discipline ingrained through sports. He emphasizes the need for salespeople to be knowledgeable about their industry and solutions, as clients expect expertise and value in the interactions.

25:05

🛠 Fractional Leadership and Building Sales Processes

Jeff shares his experience in fractional leadership, where he supports small businesses that lack the budget for a full-time high-caliber sales leader. He highlights the need for a proven and repeatable sales process, which is often missing in smaller organizations, leading to inconsistent success among sales teams. Jeff discusses the reactive nature of sales without a defined process and how providing a structured approach can elevate performance across the board. He also shares his passion for helping sales teams grow through consistent guidance and the excitement that comes from seeing a team improve with focused attention.

Keywords

💡Sales Leadership

Sales Leadership refers to the role of guiding and managing a sales team towards achieving organizational goals. In the script, Jeff discusses his transition from an individual sales contributor to a leader in sales, emphasizing the importance of consistency in effort and approach, which are key aspects of effective sales leadership. His experience in coaching college football has influenced his leadership style, highlighting the need for discipline and team camaraderie in sales, similar to a sports team.

💡Professional Services

Professional Services in the context of the script refers to an industry where expertise or skills are provided to clients, often on a consultative basis. Jeff mentions that he has spent a significant portion of his career in sales leadership roles within the Professional Services and Financial Services Industries, indicating the application of his sales skills to the business of offering specialized services rather than tangible products.

💡Sales Process

The Sales Process is the systematic approach to selling that includes various stages like prospecting, engaging, presenting, and closing deals. Jeff talks about the importance of having a robust and repeatable sales process, which is essential for guiding sales reps in their interactions with potential clients. He emphasizes that a well-defined process can help in avoiding the commodity trap and ensuring that salespeople are not just winging it but following a proven strategy.

💡Competitive Streak

A Competitive Streak refers to a natural inclination towards competition and the desire to outperform others. Jeff relates his background in college football coaching to his sales career, suggesting that the competitive nature he developed in sports translates well into the competitive environment of sales. This competitive drive is portrayed as a motivating factor that pushes him to excel in his sales endeavors.

💡Sales Coaching

Sales Coaching involves training and mentoring sales personnel to improve their skills and performance. Jeff discusses the importance of sales coaching, particularly the value of immediate feedback after a sales call. He believes that coaching should be focused on the field, helping salespeople refine their approach and tactics in real-time, which is crucial for enhancing their ability to close deals effectively.

💡Consistency

Consistency in the script refers to the regular and persistent effort required in sales to maintain a steady pipeline and achieve success. Jeff stresses the importance of being consistent in one's approach to sales, such as making a set number of calls each week or blocking out time for prospecting. This consistency is likened to the disciplined training regimens in sports, suggesting that a reliable routine is key to performance in both arenas.

💡Pipeline

A Pipeline in sales represents the collection of potential opportunities or deals that a salesperson or team is working on. Jeff mentions the importance of having a robust pipeline, indicating that it provides salespeople with the confidence to walk away from unprofitable deals. A strong pipeline is seen as a reflection of consistent effort and a critical component of sales success.

💡Fractional Leadership

Fractional Leadership is a business model where a professional leader, such as a sales leader, provides part-time services to multiple companies. Jeff explains his move into fractional leadership, where he supports small businesses that may not have the budget for a full-time sales leader. This role allows him to apply his sales expertise across various industries, helping businesses build effective sales processes and teams.

💡Sales Training

Sales Training involves educating sales personnel on the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their roles. Jeff discusses his experiences with sales training, suggesting that while classroom training can be beneficial, the most impactful training occurs in the field with immediate feedback. He emphasizes the need for ongoing training and development to adapt to the changing dynamics of sales and to maintain a high level of performance.

💡Empathy

Empathy in the context of sales refers to the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, which is crucial in building rapport and trust with clients. Jeff mentions empathy as one of the key traits of a successful salesperson, highlighting its importance in connecting with clients on a personal level and addressing their unique needs and concerns effectively.

Highlights

Jeff's background includes coaching college football and over 20 years in sales leadership.

Sales appealed to Jeff due to its competitive nature and team environment, reminiscent of his football coaching days.

Jeff's transition into sales was facilitated by his brother and a chance meeting with a company president.

A pivotal mentor taught Jeff the importance of understanding customer problems rather than just selling.

Jeff's sales approach focuses on problem-solving and building trust, rather than aggressive selling.

He emphasizes the importance of validating problems and solutions in the sales process.

Jeff discusses the rarity of 'buffoon buyers' and the need for sales professionals to understand organizational challenges.

He shares his experience of working for large companies and selling services over products.

Jeff explains how to avoid the commodity trap by focusing on the value of services and a disciplined sales process.

Consistency in sales efforts, such as regular prospecting, is key to a robust pipeline, according to Jeff.

Preparation is crucial for sales success, and Jeff discusses how many salespeople avoid this crucial step.

Jeff stresses the importance of sales leaders focusing on growing their team's skills rather than just results.

He shares his belief that sales training should happen in the field with immediate feedback, not just in classrooms.

Attributes of a great salesperson include listening skills, empathy, ego drive, and competitiveness.

Jeff discusses the importance of industry knowledge and how it can set salespeople apart in meetings.

He shares his journey into fractional leadership and the need for small businesses to have access to sales leadership.

Jeff highlights the importance of having a proven and repeatable sales process for consistency and success.

He provides contact information for those interested in connecting or following his work.

Transcripts

hey Jeff thanks for joining us today as

a way of getting started give a little

background of yourself sure absolutely

so um husband father uh been in sales

fundamentally my entire career spent

four years coaching college football and

then jumped right into sales and uh

haven't looked back uh been both in an

individual contributor role and then the

past 20 so years in sales leadership

roles in a variety of Industries but

primarily Professional Services and

Financial Services Industries yeah but

why sales for you well you know it's

interesting um you know my background I

mentioned I I coached college football

for four years and and so there's a

little bit of a competitive streak in me

I bet and

um but it's interesting the you know and

again I didn't realize this at the time

but um I

think to replace that

camaraderie from the locker room from a

team and the the discipline needed to

perform at a high level on the field is

very I mean you can just trace it back

to what you need to do to be successful

in a sales Ro right um because you're

all typically you're operating within a

team

environment it's consistency in effort

it's consistency in approach right it's

being able to handle the the failures

and the rejections and the losses Etc um

and it's about the closest thing you can

come to kind of replacing that

competitive fire right you're you're

always looking for something to compete

on and so but ultimately you know

looking back it's really you're

competing with yourself it it's because

of the the amount of rejection and and

the push back and you know you know in

baseball if you bet 300 you're making

the Hall of Fame and in s is if you bet

200 you're probably going to presence

Club yeah right it's true yeah but

college football coach did somebody kind

of tap you on the shoulder and go Jeff

this is not what you should do the rest

of your life what was actually yeah it's

a great question so I was uh uh

fortunate to um um be hired as a coach

at the school I played in and I played

at division three level football so

so I I had two other jobs back then when

I was coaching so there was no money no

money in it yeah yeah and one of my

older brothers was in sales and uh he

said hey why don't you meet with the

president of my my company and it was in

the computer industry back selling

computers to corporations back when you

could make a lot of money doing that and

uh the president and I hit it off and he

said um how do you feel about I was in

living in Pennsylvania he said how do

you feel about Florida and I I said oh I

love Florida he said 'great I want you

to move down there and open up an office

with your brother who was my brother was

down there

so the uh the Kylie boys went after it

down in uh Florida and and really had a

had a great time that kind of got me

hooked on on the whole sales process and

was your brother one of your first

mentors as far as selling or oh no no no

no he was

not he was not

did I touch he's a no no he's a great

salesperson but his style and my style

are totally different and so I actually

had a very good uh Mentor um it's a

great story if you don't mind so um I'm

living in Miami and I'm um my territory

is Central Florida so any sales meeting

I have I'm on a plane flying up to Tampa

Orlando and uh so I book

a couple full days of meetings and

there's a guy who's a sales I don't know

what his title was he just flew around

the country and and kind of rode along

with salese and it was a I was in the

networking business at the time and and

so I met him at the Tampa

Airport and um he said what's our

schedule like and I said well we have a

meeting at 10: and a meeting at 12 a

lunch and he said all right cancel the

first two

meetings and I go excuse me he goes yeah

cancel the first two meetings he goes I

got to take you some where and so we

jump in my rental car and he takes me to

the public golf course by the Tamp

airport we play around the golf and he

just preaches and mentors and talks for

the entire round of golf on just getting

to know me getting to know what my

motivations were and what my what what

any anxiety I had Etc and

so Jim was a great mentor and we we we

rescheduled those meetings for the

following day and and uh he he was just

a very interesting guy and he kind of

he's the guy who kind of put into my

head

that's you're not sell I don't sell I

I'm I'm having conversations with people

and to try and identify if there was a

problem that my organization or that I

can solve maybe it's not my organization

maybe it's another organization but

that's been my Approach in sales my

entire career so I've never I've always

been in sales but I've never felt like

I've been selling I've always felt like

I've been solving problems or

potentially solving problems for

organizations or for individuals at

those organizations yeah and is that

what you attribute your success

to um I I I certainly do because I am

definitely I'm almost a skeptic in some

sales environments

where I I really need to

validate what the problem is and more

importantly validate whether I can solve

and I have there has been many

situations and some of my former

employers probably will cringe hearing

this there were many scenarios where I

recommended someone else I didn't

recommend my company I recommended

someone else because at the end of the

day it's a relationship right no like

and Trust like I want people to trust me

I don't buy anything from someone I

don't know like and Trust never bought a

single thing right um and I just find

that what gets gets a rise out of me in

the sales environment um and I've been

doing it for a long time it's not

closing the deal for me I mean that's

great right we all want to close the

deal but what's what really gets me

excited is finding an opportunity a

problem that I know that we can solve

and it's a very complex environment have

to navigate a bunch of different

personal and organizational roadblocks

or challenges that's what gets me

excited yeah and

the if you if you find those and you

have a good

solution I I know fairly early on in the

sales process that we're probably going

to close

it do they have to have active pain or

were you good

at yeah um you know I I was having a

conversation with uh a client the other

day and and um I said to them I said you

know I don't know if there's any buffoon

buyers left right like like I I I I

don't I I haven't found any in a while

right so um I think the job of AA of a

true sales

professional is really understanding the

organization and and what the challenges

are you can create an issue right you

can uncover an issue that the prospect

didn't even know they had but in order

to do that you need to be very

well-versed and on the industry their

industry their challenges what their

competition is doing and more

importantly what your solution can

provide yeah if you if right I I mean to

to me that's that's the key that's the

mark of a true sales professional yeah

and you were selling for pretty big

companies too yes yes so I have been uh

it's funny I I I've been very fortunate

too because I've worked for

organizations where

outside of selling computers early on in

my sales career I've never really sold a

product so I've always sold services and

I think that provides a a a significant

Advantage um in terms of being able not

falling down the commoditized path right

your your products not getting

commoditized or undercut in price I mean

of course that happens in Services as

well but I've been fortunate to work for

organizations where I truly felt that

what I was representing the service I

was representing really had significant

advantages for the buyers of that

service right so it was easy to get

behind it easy to easy to be proud of

what you were doing Etc and I've met

salespeople that haven't been able to be

in those situations in the past and I'm

sure that's pretty challenging but um

but yeah I mean the big companies um

that I've worked for it called on large

organizations and I think that's

something that probably excites me or

attracts me to the complexity of the

sale the larger the organizations the

more complex and especially today I mean

it's buying committees for the most part

right it's very very rare that there's

single single bu for one

person

unfortunately yeah I mean typically

there's one person who really

cares oh there's always one person that

really cares there's you just have to

find that first

first now how did you avoid the

commodity trap s Services because I got

to believe that you're whoever you

competed against could say similar

things to

you oh sure sure absolutely I think part

of it's a discipline in the sales

process um and you know I I forget who

the individual was took a great uh it

was a we were in a a sales conference

and one of the morning sessions they

brought in a

negotiator who was actually part of the

salt treaties right right the saw two

treaties the nuclear treaties and he was

telling stories but he he it it was was

one of the most powerful things I heard

that stuck with me and this is stuck

with me for the past 15 years said when

you're negotiating you need to care but

not that

much you need to care but not that much

in other words you need to be prepared

to walk

away and you know going to try and tie

this back to it's easy to walk away when

you have a robust pipeline it's much

more difficult to walk away when you

don't have a robust pipeline which goes

back to what I said I think initially

which was the consistency in your

approach consistency in your work effort

um doing the same level of prospecting

each and every week right that if you

don't do that you won't be successful in

sales you you just won't it's it's just

the

reality and you did that obviously and

that transferred from football right

right the two absolutely it's well you

know it's it's funny and you know you

you

uh I'm a sports fanatic but football is

really interesting because you are the

players are working

out two three four hours a day for 10

games for 11

games so it people that play a

sport and their ability to remain

consistent in their training and their

diet throughout the year for a very when

you look at it's a short window I mean

baseball we put baseball aside right but

but to have that motivation and that dis

in that

persistence it's easily transferable to

the sales to a sales role easily

transferable you know someone I I

actually posted this um I this quote was

great he said the the the magic you're

looking for is in the work you're

avoiding it's true it's it's really true

right and yes um I some great

salespeople I've had on my teams and one

person

individually um he he makes a tremendous

amount of money he he's always the top

salesperson he's not on my team anymore

um but we stay in touch and to this

day he has a paper C like a you know

daytim or paper calendar that's what he

uses and you look at his calendar and he

has an hour blocked off Monday through

Thursday for prospecting he doesn't work

on Fridays he golfs on Friday which he

should be golfing on Friday but every

sing single day he spends an hour now he

may not be co- calling he might be

networking he might be what whatever but

he blocks out an hour every day and I've

always told people on my team if you

just do

that you you will have a pipeline that

you can rely on to meet your goals yeah

just if you do

that what are some of the other work

that people

avoid um I think people avoid meeting

prep yes so you've you've got the salale

it took you forever you got the sales

meeting maybe you're you're going down

the level selling path and you're

bringing your sales manager sales leader

and you decide to prep five minutes

before you walk into the

building it's just it's

not it the the the odds of success go

down dramatically and the success in

converting first meeting to the next

meeting in the sales process yeah I

believe yeah go Ahad well it it's a big

thing because you wouldn't think about

playing

football going on that field without

warming up

without having a game plan right let's

see how let's see what they want to do

right I had a manager used to say that

to me let's see what they want to do and

I'm like well I think I know what they

want to do it's one of two or three

things let's come up with a

plan and a lot of people no well I've

been doing this forever I know how to

sell imagine a player coming up to you

and saying you know Jeff I've been

playing football for almost 10 years I

know football back and

forward you're laughing right so watch

absolutely absolutely but I I think it's

and again I'm I'm not throw you know I

don't throw anyone any organization

under the bus but I've seen it actually

increase in the past five years six

years um and I think part of it you know

during co co there was some pros and

cons not many Pros but one of the pros

was you could you could have five or six

sales meetings in a day during Co

because everyone and the prospects have

embraced Zoom or video conferencing

right so but I think one of the

downsides was that was oh it's a zoom

call

I'm like it's even more important to

prepare yes right like who you don't

have captive

audience right who's going to be

watching reactions who's going to be

like like there's all kinds of uh

intricacies on a video sales call that

you need to think differently about but

I think because it was a video call a

lot you know I heard a lot of times like

it's a zoom call we'll prep you know I

have a 12:30 Zoom call I'll see you at

12:20

no

no but but I think also Brian and

again you know sales leadership the

there's so much focus

on report

CRM what's your call activity what's all

that and you know from my perspective a

sales leader has two jobs it's to

deliver results and to grow your team

yeah and

what I have learned that may not work

for everyone but what what I've learned

is if I really focus on growing my team

and by growing my team that doesn't mean

adding more salesp people it means

growing their skill set the results

always take care of

themselves but I think a lot of sales

leaders are focused on the results and

making sure that the CRM is

updated and did you get your call

reports

in I asked um I had a a conversation

with a with a business owner and um and

it was great it's just someone I know

we're just catching up and I he was

complaining about his sales results and

I he has a sales leader and a sales

manager I said well how many how when's

the last time the sales leader went on

calls with the sales reps goes I don't

think he does that and I'm like he

should do that that's his job that's his

job I don't know um you know Ride Along

um coaching you know sales coaching and

and I don't know how many sales training

classes you've participated in your

career I've participated in a lot I

think I've walked away with some stuff

from sales training but I think what a

lot of people fail to realize that

salespeople have very different

attention spans and retention is not

their strong

suit um and where the where the sales

training come in comes in is in the

field it's not in the classroom it's not

in the med it's it's doing it and then

immediate feedback after that sales call

you should have pivoted here why did you

say this that's sort of thing so um I'm

I'm a bit of a stickler in terms of

getting in the field with the troops and

driving their skill set improving their

skill set their recognition their

conversational skills their ability to

read a room right prepping all that sort

of thing if you take care of that I

strongly believe the results will be

there and most are sponges for that oh

oh they love it they love it the the

biggest challenge that that that I I

Coach sales leaders on is don't take

over the call yeah don't hijack

it don't hijack the call because

everyone knows you can sell you want to

get your salesperson to sell yeah that's

what you want so yeah maybe save it but

don't take it

over right right

right and what do you think makes a

great

salesperson I mean you know what makes a

great football player what makes a great

salesperson yeah I think um you

know you have two ears in one mouth

right so I think the ability to

listen is is extremely important I think

a high level

of empathy and ego Drive I think are

important

um I think quite frankly you need to

have some competitiveness within you in

order to be successful in a sales um I I

don't think you can avoid that um if the

successful salespeople can't avoid that

um and it's really interesting how many

people are in sales

and I don't know it'd be interesting to

to if they went through a um a

personality assessment dis you know one

one of those types of things i' I've

done that and it's been I've been amazed

at how many people sales is not the

right fit for

them it's not the right fit for them

they happen to fall into it they just

took the first thing that came out um I

I've I've had a an opportunity to to

hire a lot of young

people moving in that want to get into a

sales R in the funan services industry

in my career

and the ones that were really successful

and again it it sounds like this entire

call is about this but the ones that

were really

successful

they they all had an athletic background

they all were very

competitive um and they all had

um a high ego drive and empathy right

that they all had that yeah now I've had

other salespeople that had been very

successful that didn't have

that but I think you improve your odds

if you can be really really thoughtful

on the on the interview process I see I

see a lot of check the boxes on

interview processes and boy if you could

double the amount of time you you spend

on interviewing your

salespeople you probably reduce your

churn by 40 50 per. yeah I think it's

it's really

important well that

competitiveness that's what creat the

caring yes right you either exactly you

want to win internally you want to be

the top of the leaderboard and you want

to win the account from your

competitor exactly you have to have some

kind of emotional drive to do

that right otherwise you go home right

you go home or you you you you don't

make you you don't do the Outreach each

day that you're supposed to do or you

don't really work that networking event

or you it's just you're going through

the motions you checking in at 8 you're

leaving at 5: and um you almost have to

eat and live and breathe this stuff to

be to be successful you pick an industry

but the the other thing I think to be

really successful in a sales role is you

really need to

embrace um the opportunity to build your

knowledge about the industry yeah right

about the the the industry and the and

the solution sets Etc you have to invest

in

that because as I said there's I haven't

found a buffoon buyer in several years

and so when you're meeting with a

prospect they've done a lot of research

already yeah right that they're they're

way down the

path

and this much interest in your product

and this much interest in the industry

and what other people are doing and

right right and you know it's the uh

it's the great great line it's not a

great line it's a bad line but it's just

like hey I want to come in and learn

more about your company or I want to

learn more about your industry it's

like I don't have time to educate you

anybody I want you to bring me something

right

right and that meeting you get an hour

they don't want to hear about the

product for an hour they want hear about

A New Perspective a different

perspective a knowledge because we have

that vantage

point they don't talk to five or 10

companies a

day and they don't have exposure to five

or 10 companies that are already using

my solution that have reap the benefits

yeah right um you know so so the the

ability

to you said it bring something new to

the table Tell Me Something I Don't Know

yeah that's that's really important

right especially the higher up you go in

the organization yeah they rely on

product knowledge or sports and weather

which okay they don't need a weather

man right and yeah you can talk sports

but is that progressing anything a

little bit of Rapport is good yeah you

build Reports look but and again I I can

remember

back booking first sales meetings with

prospects on and we're going to go

goth right like it was great I people

don't have the time to do that they

don't appear to have the time to do that

now on once they're a client they might

yeah right um so yes you want to do

small talk you want to build rapport

right establish some credibility build

some Rapport Etc but don't take the

whole meeting talking about the game or

or you know

whatever and what got you into

fractional

leadership so it's interesting so I was

um I just I have a couple of um uh I'm

involved in a couple small businesses um

on the side and

um what

I what attracted me to that was I I I

have a lot of uh friends and

relationships small business owners

who they need that

$250,000 sales leader yeah but they

don't have a budget for a $250,000 sales

leader and they a lot of them are

managing their sales teams on their own

yeah and it's really not the best

solution um you know it's kind of like

running a a manufacturing plant four

hours a day it's not the most efficient

way to right um and what I found too is

that um I mean for me personally it's

just the the variety right so I have you

know a manufacturing uh client right

have a financial services client have a

Solar Company right so it the

interesting thing though is all those

various and different Industries um but

they

don't none of them have a proven and

repeatable sales process so it's very

difficult for their salespeople to be

consistently successful because they

don't have a plan there's no plan to

follow there's no path to follow um plus

I I I just love I love uh seeing the

excitement in in a sales team

when there's

some

attention uh you know applied to them

right um and there's someone there

that's willing to help on a consistent

basis right maybe it's just someone to

even bounce some ideas off they want off

ledge yeah right right so it's it's been

it's been a lot of fun it's been a lot

of fun to to for me to do it yeah and

you hit on process do you find a lot of

people without a sales leader kind of

just in reaction mode instead of

proactively guiding somebody through a

process yeah I think there's two things

there's there one is it there's no paths

so I think organizations where there's

not a sales process a proven sales

process in place um most of the reps are

winging it right

like they're trying different things Etc

or you have the other scenario where

you're the there's a top sales rep who

Clos 80% of the business

and everyone else tries to follow that

person and what they do but they it's

incap they're incapable of doing it

because that person is

a cowboy right that person it works

whatever that person Wings it for them

it works for them yeah and they're not

good at articulating why they're

successful right right and so if you

have a process that's proven and

repeatable that you've built you've seen

success

from your top salesperson can follow

that or not most of the top sales people

are Cowboys which is fine but all your

your your B and C players can follow it

and maybe your D player becomes a c or a

B by following that process because now

there's a plan there's a road map yes if

you get this response this is what you

do right if you get this response this

is what you do um I

it it's the opportunity to build

consistency in your sales results and to

elevate your sales team yeah cool hey

Jeff really appreciate your time today

where can people go to connect and

follow you

um accelerate to win.com Jeff at

accelerate towin or I'm on LinkedIn um

Jeff Kylie so it's uh easy to find me