Force Management

We’ve all worked for someone who we didn’t think was that great as a manager. How do you, a seller, handle the scenario in which you’re working for a bad manager but aren’t quite ready to leave? John Kaplan shares some advice on how to improve your work experience when in such a situation and what to look for in your next company.Here are some additional resourcesHow to Ensure You're Selling For A Great CompanySigns You're Working for a Company That's Staged for GrowthCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Today, Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos joins Rachel for a conversation on the uncertainties reps often face in trying to discuss metrics with prospects. Pouli’s advice provides clarity on when and how to discuss the finer details of the deal with the customer. He talks about:Getting past the fear of disrupting the flow of a conversation.Remaining curious throughout a sales cycle.Coaching reps to embrace the uncomfortable conversations.Viewing different individuals in the prospect company as rungs of a ladder.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Negotiation Foundation & Mindset | Ascender CourseManaging Challenging Negotiation Tactics | Ascender CourseKey Questions to Ask in Your Sales Discovery Conversations | Ascender ArticleAsking the Tough Questions in Your Sales Conversations | Ascender VideoVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with ins

As we move into Q3, some of you may find yourselves struggling to get deals over the line. In today’s episode, John Kaplan gets you refocused on the fundamentals in order to reopen closed doors and get deals moving. He discusses:Getting the buyer to understand how your solution increases revenue, decreases cost and mitigates risk.Connecting technical pain to business pain to create urgency.The importance of multi-threading.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Achieving a Collective Yes | Ascender CourseHesitant Buyers? Aligning Your Solution to Corporate Initiatives | Ascender ArticleMoving Buyers to Action | Ascender ArticleThe Coat of Pain | Ascender VideoPodcast: How to Engage Other Departments in Your Sales Process | PodcastGetting Different Departments to Agree | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you

Do you have customers delaying their signature? Do you have deals that are moving forward, but then stall right before the finish line? Force Management’s Tim Caito walks through action steps to reignite the stalled deal, including: What areas to assess to determine how you can reignite the dealThe people you should be using to help you drive urgencyHow to prevent the situation next quarter. Other Assets with Tim CaitoMaking QBRs Valuable | PodcastAnchors and Give-Gets | PodcastThe Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations | PodcastShifting the Negotiation Away From Price | PodcastNegotiating Value – Presenting Multiple Options | PodcastHow to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe her

Though we have many tools and strategies to help us qualify deals, sometimes the simple questions are enough to steer us in the right direction. Today, John Kaplan covers three key questions to ask yourself in every deal. They are:“Do we belong in the deal?”“What are our strong and weak points in the deal?”“What are the necessary steps to move the deal forward more efficiently?”Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Watch: MEDDICC Maturity ModelProspecting Certification | Ascender Course SeriesKey Questions to Ask in Your Sales Discovery Conversations | Ascender ArticleThe Sales Conversations You Need for Great Qualification | Ascender ArticleAscender’s Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticleUsing MEDDICC When Your Company Doesn’t | Ascender VideoAsking the Tough Questions in the Sales Process | Ascender VideoBuilding Your Pipeline | Ascender VideoBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own

Understanding the needs of the buyer is the critical component of any sales process, and successfully doing so encompasses a wide spectrum of sales best practices. Joining us to shed light on this topic is Force Management Facilitator John Boney. In his first appearance on the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, John hammers home the strategies necessary to get to the root of a customer’s pain. He discusses:The importance of active listening.Identifying patterns while refraining from assumption-making.Conducting a thorough needs assessment during a customer conversation.Dealing with a buyer’s resistance to questioning.The need for quantifiable metrics.The WAIT acronym: “Why Am I Talking?”Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Selling to the CPO (Chief People Officer) | Ascender Insights EventAttaching to the Biggest Business Problem | Ascender Insights EventSelling to the CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) | Ascender Insights EventActive Listening | Ascender CourseExecuting Your

Every buyer has a unique personality, which requires a nuanced approach to every sales conversation. Today, Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos joins us to highlight the value of discerning different buyer personas and adapting the way you sell accordingly. He discusses:How a familiarity with different types of buyer personalities helps sales professionals.Common patterns in buyer personalities.How DISC assessments can be beneficial to reps.Adapting to the buyer’s personality during conversation.The specific motivations of different personality types.Check out Pouli’s book, How to Be a Well Being: Unofficial Rules to Live Every Day.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Getting to the Economic Buyer | Ascender CourseNavigating the Political Landscape | Ascender CourseBuilding Rapport Through Virtual Channels | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Discovery | Ascender ArticleSelling in a New Category | PodcastFinding Your Motivation as a Seller | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform design

In today’s quick discussion, John Kaplan sheds light on a challenging decision for many reps: walking away from a deal. As ever, John shares the no-nonsense approach to sales qualification that has brought value to so many. This episode’s talking points include:The importance of voracious qualification.Signs that you should consider leaving an account.Common gaps in deals that require sellers to take action.Generating a significant enough pipeline to prevent the need to cling to a lost cause.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Prospecting Certification | Ascender Course SeriesImprove Sales Qualification: Know When to Walk Away | Ascender ArticleThe Sales Conversations You Need for Great Qualification | Ascender ArticleAscender’s Best Content on Decision Criteria | Ascender ArticleBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | PodcastBeing Confident in Your Selling Process | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audi

Finding a true Champion remains one of the biggest stumbling blocks for sales reps, as evidenced by the number of requests we continue to receive on the topic. Today’s special guest, Force Management facilitator Jim “Pouli” Pouliopoulos, has observed a great deal over the years about how sellers typically go about pursuing Champions, and he would like to share his insights with you. In this episode, Pouli clarifies a number of misconceptions commonly held by reps related to Champions, and he offers advice to help set you on the right track. Points of discussion include:Why reps often think they have a Champion when they do not.Indicators that you have a true Champion, and questions to help you determine whether someone is a Champion.How to move forward in your relationships with those you have come to realize are not truly Champions.The concept of “Champions Amnesty.”Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Building Champions for Life | Ascender CourseValidating Champions | Ascende

A comprehensive knowledge of sales fundamentals means nothing if you fail to apply it consistently. Today, John Kaplan discusses five areas that demand consistent application of reps looking to be elite. They are:Pipeline generation.Building relationships.Discovery.Qualification.Avoiding excuses.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!John’s LinkedIn Post About Commitment and ConsistencyBuilding Rapport Through Virtual Channels | Ascender CourseExecuting Your Discovery Strategy | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Discovery | Ascender ArticleThe Sales Conversations You Need for Great Qualification | Ascender ArticleMerchants of Change: The Excuse Department is Closed | Ascender VideoBuilding a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check

If you’re trying to exceed your quota this year, you need to make sure you’re spending as much time as possible on high-value sales activities. Elite salespeople execute in a way that helps them efficiently qualify and advance deals. In this episode, Antonella O’Day runs through three key ways you can save time as a rep. Visit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content of a similar nature every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

How do you approach an account into which competitors are already firmly ingrained? How do you break a continuous cycle of rejection in favor of your competition? John Kaplan tackles these ever-pertinent questions in this episode. Today’s talking points include:John’s personal experience in surmounting competitors embedded in deals.Why ingrained competition is not a deal-killer.Approaching the buyer with an honest and patient discovery process.Offering the customer a strategic discount.Building Champions in a competitive account to give you the edge.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Navigating the Competitive Landscape | Ascender CourseExpand Your Understanding of the Competition | Ascender CourseBuilding Champions for Life | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Discovery | Ascender ArticlePlan to Make the Plan | PodcastPlan to Make the Plan |  ArticleVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast

Regardless of the length of your implementation window in an opportunity, you must show your value. Brian Walsh joins us today for a quick discussion about how to successfully demonstrate value. He discusses:Developing a roadmap with short-term metrics.Helping the customer to see the business-wide benefits of your solution.Setting expectations that are high but realistic.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!The Currency of Value | Ascender ArticleArticulating Value and Differentiation After the Sale | PodcastProviding Value in Discovery | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/PlanComparisonCheck out this and other episodes of the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast on Apple Pod

Join Force Management's Ascender team for our webinar THIS FRIDAY as we cover "Common Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Articulate Value". Hosted by Diana Sheley, Force Management's Director, Facilitation & Consulting, we'll cover common challenges and ways to course correct when it comes to: Understanding and Articulating DifferentiationHow to Stack Rank the Required CapabilitiesKeeping the Focus on ValueAligning your Proof Points to Your BuyerThe session will be recorded. Click Here to Register

In this episode, we talk through the value of creating Mutual Action Plans with your customer, including: When you should use MAPsWhat a good MAP should do for both the seller and the buyerHow you get buy-in from the customer to create oneHow do you use them throughout the sales process and into your negotiations? Here are some additional resources:Ascender Course: Developing Mutual Action PlansOther Assets with Tim CaitoMaking QBRs Valuable | PodcastAnchors and Give-Gets | PodcastThe Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations | PodcastShifting the Negotiation Away From Price | PodcastNegotiating Value – Presenting Multiple Options | PodcastHow to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out content every day with insights to help you level up in your sales career.Check out the platform here: https://my.ascender.co/Ascender/Subscribe

Whether you’re making a career change or just joining the sales game, save this episode. Good selling is good selling, no matter your experience or age. John Kaplan joins us to share best practices for green reps who sell to people with more experience. He shares lessons he wishes he learned earlier in his sales career. Here are some additional resources:Selling to More Experienced ProfessionalsOvercoming the Seller Deficit DisorderGetting Comfortable with Uncomfortable ConversationsCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Sales is a game of inches, and great discovery gives you an edge over the competition. A well-executed discovery process helps not only you, but also your customer. In today’s episode, John Kaplan shares his best insights on leading mutually beneficial sales conversations. Topics under discussion include:The importance of two-sided discovery.On-ramps to customer conversations.The three buckets that salespeople must fill in every customer conversation.The need to meet customers where they are.Keeping abreast of your standing with the customer and observing their level of engagement in conversations.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Discovery Process | Ascender CourseDeepen Your Discovery | Ascender CourseThe Currency of Value | Ascender ArticleArticulating Value and Differentiation After the Sale | PodcastOwn the Next Step in Your Sales Meetings | PodcastClosing the Sales Conversation | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you

Getting your initiative to stand out in a sea of competing priorities is no small task, but it can be achieved with a proper understanding of the client’s most urgent business needs. Today, Antonella O’Day joins us once more to share strategies that will help you rise above the noise and assert your solution as a must for the customer. She goes over:Ways to continually assess the priority of your initiative as a deal progresses.Questions to ask your customer that will give you a sense of the standing of your deal among the customer’s other priorities.Maintaining relationships with key individuals in an account to achieve broader buy-in.Remaining on the lookout for red flags indicative of an unvalued solution.Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Achieving a Collective Yes | Ascender CourseAscender’s Best Content on Champions | Ascender ArticleRise Above the Noise | Ascender VideoHandling Competing Initiatives | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople wh

In this episode, we discuss keeping your value top of mind for the client throughout the entire customer engagement process. Joining us once again for today’s conversation is Tim Caito. He covers:The basics that need to be in place so you can create and capture value after the initial deal.How to stay tethered to the account and multi-thread yourself during the customer success phase.How to approach conversations in implementation and ongoing use to make sure value is top of mind.The importance of a quarterly value review.Here are some additional resources:Negotiation Mindset | Ascender CourseMaking QBRs Valuable | PodcastAnchors and Give-Gets | PodcastThe Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations | PodcastShifting the Negotiation Away From Price | PodcastNegotiating Value – Presenting Multiple Options | PodcastHow to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution | PodcastVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender i

In many cases, your biggest competitors are not those trying to solve the same problem, but those geared toward the customer’s other initiatives. In today’s episode, John Kaplan explains how to set your own solution above competitors focused on competing priorities. Topics under discussion include:Aligning your solution with the customer’s challenges.Using your discovery process to answer key questions about the customer.Leveraging MEDDICC to account for competing initiatives.Going against “do nothing.”Here are some additional resources:Get MEDDICC Certified on Ascender!Navigating the Competitive Landscape | Ascender CourseExpand Your Understanding of the Competition | Ascender CourseDealing with the Competition | Ascender VideoRise Above the Noise | Ascender VideoThe Coat of Pain | Ascender VideoMaking Your Competitor Nervous | Ascender ArticleVisit Ascender, a platform designed solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perfect for you! We put out conte