Generated by All in One SEO Pro v4.9.6, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # The Harris Consulting Group Sales Training and Coaching ## Posts ### [Blog](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/blog-sales-tips-and-training/) **Published:** August 20, 2013 **Author:** analia.panella@outdoassistant.com **Content:** Sales tips, best practices, and tools. \[LoginRadius\_Share type=”vertical”\] --- ### [Why You Need Personalized 1:1 Sales Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-you-need-personalized-11-sales-coaching/) **Published:** January 15, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the fast-paced and dynamic world of sales, staying ahead of the competition requires continuous improvement. One powerful tool that has proven to be highly effective in boosting sales performance is personalized 1:1 sales coaching. Unlike generic [training programs](https://youtube.com/shorts/qjPGRhKuxDc), personalized coaching provides targeted guidance, tailored to individual strengths and desired areas for improvement. This approach leads improving the courage and confidence of the sales person based on their specific goals and needs. ## **The Power of Personalize 1:1 Sales Coaching** Sales teams are diverse. Each member possesses unique skills, experiences, and areas for improvement. A one-size-fits-all approach to trainingis great in establishing a common language and frame work. This can be easily adopted and implemented. The challenge is that some people may need more help in a particular area than others. While it is up to the sales leader to provide this sales coaching, often in a 1:1, having an outside voice is extremely helpful. Personalized 1:1 [sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/giving-feedback-is-terrible-try-sales-coaching-instead/), recognizes and leverages these differences to create a customized learning experience. Sales coaches work closely with sales reps to identify their specific challenges and goals. This enables them to design work at a genuine and authentic level that caters to the individual sales rep. This accelerates learning but also ensures that the training is directly relevant to each salesperson’s role and responsibilities. ## **Building Trust and Confidence With Personalized 1:1 Sales Coaching** Sales coaching fosters a trusting and personal relationship between the sales coach and the sales representative. This trust is crucial for open communication. Sales professionals must feel able to discuss challenges, seek guidance, and share insights without fear of judgment. When sales reps feel supported and understood, they become more confident in their abilities. This boost in confidence translates into more assertive and effective sales interactions. A confident salesperson is better equipped to do better discovery, handle objections, negotiate deals, and build strong, lasting relationships with clients. ### Skill Development and Continuous Improvement When hiring a sales coach it’s important to dig into how the sales coach can guarantee success. The best sales coaches know that a lot of [role playing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-role-play-in-sales/) is critical to the success of the sales coaching program. The best sales coaches can tailor their guidance to the specific needs of each sales professional by: - refining communication skills, - mastering objection handling, or - enhancing closing techniques. Continuous improvement is at the heart of successful sales teams. Through regular coaching sessions, sales representatives can receive timely feedback on their performance. The best sales coaches understand that role playing allows them to make real-time adjustments and refine the approach and focus on specific skill improvements. This iterative process ensures that the sales rep is always adapting to changing market conditions and evolving customer preferences. ## **Accountability and Goal Achievement With Personalized 1:1 Sales Coaching** Best in class sales coaches understand coaching establishes a clear framework for goal setting and achievement. Coaches work with sales representatives to define realistic and measurable objectives. By doing so, leaders create a roadmap for success. This structured approach not only sets clear expectations but also holds sales professionals accountable for their own development. Regular check-ins and progress assessments help ensure that goals are on track and adjustments can be made as needed. The combination of personalized sales coaching and goal-setting creates a powerful synergy that drives continuous improvement and long-term success. In a highly competitive sales environment, the value of personalized 1:1 coaching cannot be overstated. By recognizing the unique strengths and challenges of each sales professional, coaching programs can deliver targeted and effective guidance. This type of coaching elevates performance to new heights. As organizations increasingly prioritize the development of their sales teams, personalized coaching emerges as a key differentiator. It drives success and ensures that sales representatives are not just meeting but exceeding their targets. Elevate your sales performance by investing in the power of \[personalized sales coaching [1:1 coaching ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/one-to-one-coaching-services/)and empower your team to achieve unprecedented levels of success. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Training **Tags:** sales coaching, sales leader, Sales Team --- ### [Consultative Selling Best Practices: Why N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training Delivers Superior Results](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-consultative-selling-why-n-e-a-t-selling-training-delivers-superior-results/) **Published:** March 21, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sales training and consultative selling are such a buzzwords. Everyone says they want them, yet they cannot easily articulate what that means. Often the first thing we hear is, “Well, we mean ‘[relationship selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e26-st-john-craner-you-have-to-sell-slow-to-sell-fast/)’”. Oh, boy, yawn, another fun buzzword. Hear me on this, after delivering sales training to thousands of sales professionals across the globe, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern: traditional consultative selling training often falls short in today’s complex B2B environment. And what is wrong it you might ask? Well, and wait for it, another buzzword, storytelling. People do not buy words, they buy the pictures in their head. And so often they cannot even describe their own pictures. That is where [mastering storytelling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-game-changing-benefits-of-sales-training-and-why-its-your-secret-weapon-in-2025/) is a fundamental of any selling remain crucial, modern sales professionals need a more structured approach. We saw this challenge years ago and recognized selling training programs needed to evolve for lack of a better word. Which is where we came up with N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology. ## **The Gap in Traditional Consultative Selling Training** Most sales training programs focus on basic relationship-building and needs analysis. Having conducted countless sales training sessions, I’ve observed that while these fundamentals are important, they’re just the beginning. Many sales professionals who complete traditional consultative sales training still struggle with: - Quantifying business and [economic impact](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-economic-impact-of-delaying-sales-training-by-30-days/) - Accessing key decision-makers - Creating genuine urgency - Managing complex stakeholder relationships - [Storytelling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-storytelling-in-sales-transforming-conversations-into-connections/) These gaps in traditional sales training led us to develop the [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) methodology, which we now incorporate into all our advanced consultative sales training programs. ## **How Modern Consultative Selling Training Has Evolved** Today’s effective sales training must go beyond the basics. At [The Harris Consulting Group](http://www.theharrisconsultinggroupp.com/), our sales training programs integrate N.E.A.T. Selling™ principles to address modern sales challenges. Let’s examine how NEAT Selling enhances traditional consultative selling approaches: ### **N – Need (Enhanced Need Analysis Training)** Traditional consultative sales training teaches basic need identification, often called surface level pains. Our advanced sales training teaches your reps how to get to core pains by: - Identifying critical business needs that drive urgency - Connecting needs to strategic business objectives - Quantifying the impact of unresolved needs - Mapping needs across multiple stakeholders ### **E – Economic Impact (Financial Acumen Training)** Modern sales training must include robust financial analysis skills. Our programs teach sales professionals to: - Calculate [ROI](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/explaining-roi-the-dumbest-phrase-buyers-use/) and TCO - Build compelling business cases - Speak the language of finance - Present solutions in terms of business outcomes ### **A – Access to Authority (Stakeholder Management Training)** Advanced consultative sales training now requires sophisticated stakeholder management skills. We train sales professionals to: - Map complex organizational structures - Navigate political landscapes - Build consensus among diverse stakeholders - Develop multi-level relationships ### **T – Timeline (Strategic Opportunity Management Training)** Effective consultative selling training must address timeline management. Our programs teach: - Creating urgency through business impact - Managing complex buying cycles - Aligning with customer budgeting processes - Accelerating decision-making ## **Consultative Selling Training Comparison: Traditional vs. NEAT Selling** Let me share a real example from our consultative selling training programs: ### **Before Advanced Consultative Selling Training** A technology company’s sales team was using traditional consultative selling approaches: - Asked about challenges - Discussed features and benefits - Presented solutions - Followed up regularly ### **NEAT Sales Training as Consultative Sales Selling Training** The same team, after completing our enhanced consultative selling training: - Quantified economic impact of challenges - Built detailed business cases - Mapped and engaged key stakeholders and determined the skeptics - Created urgency to the timeline by addressing real economic impact and internal stakeholder goal alignment ## **Key Components of Modern Sales Training** Our consultative sales training programs focus on developing these critical skills: ### **1. Financial Analysis Training** Modern consultative selling training must include: - ROI calculation methodologies - Business case development - Financial metrics understanding - Value proposition quantification ### **2. Stakeholder Management Training** Effective consultative selling training covers: - Organizational mapping techniques - Political navigation strategies - Consensus-building approaches - Executive communication skills ### **3. Strategic Questioning Training** Advanced consultative selling training teaches: - Impact-focused questioning - Financial impact discovery - Timeline exploration - Stakeholder motivation analysis ## **Implementing Advanced Consultative Selling Training** When organizations implement our enhanced consultative selling training programs, we recommend: ### **1. Assessment Phase** - Evaluate current sales skills - Identify specific training needs - Set measurable objectives - Define success metrics ### **2. Custom Training Development** - Design role-specific training modules - Create relevant case studies - Develop practical exercises - Build reinforcement tools ### **3. Implementation Strategy** - Deliver structured training programs - Provide ongoing coaching - Monitor progress - Adjust approach based on results ## **Measuring Consultative Selling Training Success** Our consultative sales training programs track: - Deal size increases - Sales cycle reduction - Win rate improvement - Forecast accuracy enhancement ## **The Future of Consultative Selling Training** As B2B sales continue to evolve, consultative selling must adapt. Future training programs will likely focus more on: - Digital engagement strategies - Virtual relationship building - AI-enhanced sales processes - Complex stakeholder management ## **Selecting the Right Consultative Selling Training Program** When choosing a consultative sales training program, look for: - Structured methodology (like NEAT) - Practical application exercises - Real-world case studies - Ongoing reinforcement tools - Measurable outcomes ## **Conclusion** While traditional consultative sales training programs provides a foundation, today’s complex sales environment demands more. N.E.A.T. Selling™, integrated into modern consultative sales training programs, delivers the structure and skills needed for success in contemporary B2B sales. The Harris Consulting Group’s advanced sales training combine the best of traditional consultative selling with the enhanced capabilities of [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/). Our training programs have helped thousands of sales professionals achieve better results through this integrated approach. Ready to transform your sales team’s performance with advanced consultative selling skills? [Contact Richard directly](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) to learn how our enhanced sales training programs can help your team achieve better results. **Categories:** Blog, Consultative Selling, Sales Strategy, Sales Training --- ### [AI-Driven SaaS Enablement Best Practices (and Pitfalls to Avoid)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ai-driven-saas-enablement-best-practices-and-pitfalls-to-avoid/) **Published:** October 3, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ### Why AI-Driven SaaS Enablement Matters [AI-Driven SaaS Enablement](https://www.salesforce.com/ap/sales/ai/ai-sales-enablement/) is more than just a buzzword these days. In fact, AI isn’t just a shiny tool anymore. For SaaS sales and revenue teams, it now shapes prospecting, deal inspection, and coaching. But here’s the truth: AI doesn’t fix broken sales enablement—it simply ACCELERATES THE SUCK! If your team struggles with pipeline consistency, objection handling, or [time management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/time-management-as-a-sales-leader/), AI will only make those gaps more obvious. That’s why AI must be built alongside live sales training as a [structured sales training program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) that reinforces the fundamentals, like “Earning The Right To Ask Questions” ### What AI-Driven SaaS Enablement Should Deliver When done well, AI driven saas enablement helps SaaS companies: Be customized to the individual needs of each rep. Save time on admin so reps can sell more. Improve forecast accuracy by flagging risks early. Surface better discovery questions to deepen buyer conversations. Give managers leverage to coach, not just inspect. When done poorly, AI creates: Generic outreach and phrasing making your reps sound like everyone else. Forecasting hallucinations that mislead leadership. Surveillance dashboards that erode trust. Data overload instead of insight. Makes sales leaders worse thinking the machine can do all the coaching ### Best Practices for AI Driven SaaS Enablement **1. Align AI With Your Sales Methodology** AI must reinforce your process and methodology—whether that’s N.E.A.T. Selling™, [Challenger Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/n-e-a-t-selling-vs-meddic-vs-bant-what-sales-framework-modern-sales-teams-actually-need/), or another model. **Good Example:** AI suggests discovery prompts tied to Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline (N.E.A.T. Selling™). **Bad Example:** AI spits out “top 10 sales questions” with no relevance to SaaS or your ICP. 👉 If you’re still using outdated scripts, see [SaaS Sales Training Crisis: Why Your Team Needs More Than Just Scripts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/saas-sales-training-crisis-why-your-team-needs-more-than-just-scripts/). **2. Train AI on Your Own Data** Generic prompts create generic results create generic sales people. For best in class ai driven sales enablement leaders must feed AI with your value propositions, sales methodology, call transcripts, deal reviews, and case studies, competition, objection handling, and closing techniques. **Good Example:** AI analyzes high-performing discovery calls and suggests phrases reps can borrow. **Bad Example:** Asking ChatGPT to “write me a cold email for SaaS buyers” and hitting send. **3. Make AI a Coach, Not a Crutch** AI should guide reps to think critically—not robotize or replace them. **Good Example:** AI flags missing CFO-level questions on a discovery call. **Bad Example:** AI generates a full discovery script, leaving reps sounding robotic. For reinforcement drills that build real confidence, try [Boosting Closing Rates: Sales Training Exercises That Get Results](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/boosting-closing-rates-sales-training-exercises-that-get-results/). **4. Use AI for Forecast Support, Not Decisions** AI is a second set of eyes, not the CRO, not the VP of Sales, not the Sales Director or Sales Manager. **Good Example:** AI surfaces anomalies: “This deal skipped stage 3 exit criteria.” **Bad Example:** AI predicts 100% close probability based only on CRM updates. Strong forecasting still requires manager inspection, as outlined in [How to Choose the Best Sales Training Companies](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-choose-the-best-sales-training-companies-a-comprehensive-guide/)[.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-choose-the-best-sales-training-companies-a-comprehensive-guide/) **5. Automate Admin, Elevate Selling Time** AI should give reps time back, not more busywork. **Good Example:** Auto-generating call notes and highlighting next steps, drafting messages and setting reminders. **Bad Example:** Forcing reps to check five AI dashboards daily. This ties to [time management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/time-management-as-a-sales-leader/) in sales—[Time management skills best practices for a sales team.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-sales-training-can-improve-time-management-skills-a-guide-for-modern-sales-teams/) **6. Guardrail AI for Compliance & Context** Reps need boundaries to avoid data risks. **Good Example:** AI prompts are built with clear compliance filters—no customer PII ever enters the tool. **Bad Example:** A rep pastes an entire contract into ChatGPT. ### Pitfalls to Avoid with AI Driven Saas Enablement Over-reliance on automation → reps stop thinking. One-size-fits-all prompts → ICP personalization disappears. AI used for surveillance → trust collapses. No coaching → reps misuse tools. Tracking “AI adoption” as success instead of KPIs. ### Rolling Out AI-Driven Saas Enablement (Step by Step) Audit your sales enablement stack. Start with one high-value use case (e.g., call summaries). Create guardrails and prompts. Train managers before reps. Pilot, measure, iterate. Expand use cases over time. ### When AI Hurts More Than It Helps I’ve seen SaaS teams burn bridges with AI-blasted emails that sounded robotic and repetitive. But I’ve also seen teams win by using AI to role-play objection handling—new hires practiced with simulated CFO pushback, building confidence faster. ### The Future of AI-Driven SaaS Enablement The next phase isn’t about more AI tools; it’s about orchestration: CRM hygiene (auto-updates, not auto-inflation). Manager coaching supported by AI flags. Sales Enablement libraries where AI delivers the right asset at the right time. Training loops where AI suggests reinforcement based on deal gaps. ### TL;DR AI is an amplifier. It makes good sales enablement great—and bad sales enablement worse. The best SaaS teams embed AI into their enablement rhythms: discovery, objections, forecasting, and coaching. ### **Want to Stop AI From Accelerating the Suck? Let’s Talk.** If you’re serious about aligning AI driven saas enablement—not just tools, but transformation—[contact us today](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** AI Sales, Blog, SaaS, Sales Enablement --- ### [The Resurrection of Conversational Selling: Strategies for Success in 2024](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-resurrection-of-conversational-selling-strategies-for-success-in-2024/) **Published:** April 2, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the dynamic landscape of sales, conversational selling has marked a significant shift in how businesses engage with customers. As we move into 2024, this approach has become more than a trend. It’s a fundamental strategy that aligns with the evolving expectations of buyers. Conversational selling prioritizes creating a safe space for buyers and sellers to communicate in a meaningful way that builds mutual trust. In our mind, trust is rapport. Rapport is not trust. Let’s explore why conversational selling is critical for success in 2024 and share effective strategies to help you excel in this new era. ## **Understanding Conversational Selling** Conversational selling is the art of using conversations to move buyers through the sales funnel with an exceptional Buyer’s Experience. It’s about engaging with customers on a personal level and meeting them in their headspace. Moreover, it’s about using dialogue-based techniques in the words and phrases they use to discuss their own business objectives. Conversational sales are not about reading PowerPoint or collateral generated by the marketing team that aligns more with your company’s desire for expression. Besides, it is often better when it aligns with customer’s needs to feel heard and what they want you to hear. This is a piece of adding value that is often overlooked. When done right it will help you close more deals. Behind are the days when sales tactics prioritized the seller’s agenda over the buyer’s needs. In this increasingly digital age, where face-to-face interactions have become less frequent, conversational selling bridges the gap. It brings a human touch to sales processes. It leverages the power of storytelling, active listening, and personalized communication. This enables sales professionals to connect with customers in a more meaningful way. By focusing on the customer’s needs and preferences, sales professionals can craft tailored solutions that resonate on a deeper level. It allows salespeople to foster loyalty and encourage them to repeat business. In short, we can help our prospects and customers fall in trust with us and our potential solutions. This collaborative approach demystifies buying decisions, making them feel more like a natural conclusion than a pressured pitch. As buyers increasingly seek authenticity and transparency, conversational selling becomes a necessity for companies aiming to stay relevant and competitive. It’s a paradigm shift that redefines success in sales, emphasizing the quality of connections over the quantity of transactions. ## **Why Conversational Selling Is More Important Than Ever** ### **Buyer Expectations Have Changed** In today’s market, the expectations of buyers have evolved significantly. Modern consumers demand more than generic sales pitches. They seek personalized, relevant interactions that speak directly to their unique needs and preferences. They wish to engage in conversations that make them feel understood and valued, not merely as targets for a transaction. This shift underscores the importance of adopting a more nuanced, customer-centric approach to sales strategies. Here understanding and meeting the specific requirements of each buyer is paramount. Your buyers are seeking an outstanding Buyer’s Experience through the Seller’s Journey. ### Technology Enables Deeper Engagement The advancements in technology, particularly in [Artificial Intelligence (AI)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/artificial-intelligence-and-its-current-state-in-sales/), chatbots, and various messaging platforms, have revolutionized the way businesses can interact with their customers. These tools facilitate real-time, [personalized communication](https://youtu.be/audCCGfgqJA), allowing for more dynamic and engaging conversations that can happen at any time, from anywhere. This accessibility to instant, tailored communication enhances the customer experience, making it possible for sales professionals to connect with their audience in a more meaningful and efficient manner. The integration of these technologies into the sales process not only streamlines interactions but also provides valuable insights into customer preferences, enabling even more [personalized engagement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-you-need-personalized-11-sales-coaching/). ### **Building Trust Is Key in Conversational Selling** In a competitive marketplace brimming with alternatives, the ability to build and maintain trust with your customers is a definitive edge. Trust and authenticity are the cornerstones of successful relationships between businesses and consumers. In fact we believe authenticity is the key component to building trust. Conversational selling plays a vital role in establishing these elements by encouraging genuine, transparent interactions. This approach helps in demystifying the sales process, making it more about mutual discovery and less about persuasion. Generally speaking authenticity is a combination of prioritizing honesty, integrity, and empathy. Businesses can foster a sense of trust that transforms one-time buyers into loyal customers. In the long run, these genuine connections not only contribute to a positive brand perception but also to sustained business success. Conversational selling aligns perfectly with this desire for authenticity. Moreover, it requires a shift in mindset from seeing sales as a transaction to viewing it as a collaborative process that values the buyer’s journey as much as the outcome. This philosophy is rooted in trust and genuine connection. It sets conversational selling apart and makes it an indispensable strategy for businesses aiming to thrive in today’s consumer landscape. ## **Strategies for Success in Conversational Selling** To thrive in the age of conversational selling, adopt these strategies: ### 1. Prioritize Listening and Empathy - Understand before being understood: Focus on truly understanding the customer’s needs, challenges, and goals. Active listening and empathy are your greatest tools in achieving this. - Tailor your approach: Use insights gained from conversations to personalize your interactions. This shows that you value the customer’s unique situation. ### 2. Leverage Technology Wisely - Understand AI and Chatbots will not sell for you. When done right they will enhance the Buyer’s Experience. - Use AI and Chatbots for efficiency: Automate initial interactions without losing the personal touch. Use these tools to qualify leads and gather information, freeing up time for deeper, more meaningful conversations. - CRM integration: Ensure your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system integrates seamlessly with your conversational tools. This keeps all customer interactions and insights in one place, enabling better follow-up and personalization. ### 3. Focus on Providing Value - Educate and inform: Use your expertise to educate your customers. Providing value through knowledge helps build credibility and trust. - Solve, Don’t Sell: Approach every conversation with the mindset of solving a problem, not just making a sale. This often leads to better outcomes for both parties. ### 4. Be Authentic and Transparent - Authenticity builds trust: In conversational selling, being genuine is more effective than any sales script. Authentic interactions foster stronger relationships. - Transparency encourages confidence: Be open about what your product can and cannot do. Honesty in conversations builds confidence in your brand. ### 5. Train and Develop Your Team - Skill Development: Ensure your sales team is trained in conversational selling techniques, including active listening, empathy, and effective questioning. - Continuous Improvement: Encourage [ongoing learning and adaptation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/). The conversational selling landscape will continue to evolve, and so will your strategies. ## **The Future of Sales With Conversational Selling** As we look toward the rest of 2024, it’s clear that conversational selling will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of sales. This approach meets the modern buyer’s expectations and enhances the selling experience. It makes the process more effective and enjoyable for both sellers and buyers. By embracing these strategies, you can ensure your sales processes are ahead of the curve. Furthermore, you will position your business for success in the new era of sales. In this transformative period, focusing on genuine connections, leveraging technology, and continually enhancing your skills will be key to mastering conversational selling. The goal is to create a sales environment where authenticity, personalization, and value lead the way, ensuring lasting success and customer satisfaction. Welcome to the future of sales, where conversations lead to success. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** personalization, Sales, sales training --- ### [Sales Training vs. Sales Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training-vs-sales-coaching/) **Published:** September 5, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When building a sales culture there are two very important components one must consider, sales training and [sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/giving-feedback-is-terrible-try-sales-coaching-instead/). While they feel like they could be the same thing, understanding the distinction between sales training vs. sales coaching is crucial for any organization aiming to enhance its sales performance. Both are integral to a sales strategy, but they serve different purposes and are implemented in various ways. What you will learn: - Why sales training and sales coaching are so important - What is [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/) - What is [sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-for-sales-professionals-unlocking-your-potential/) - What is the difference between sales training vs. [sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-consulting-what-it-actually-takes-to-drive-revenue/) - Best practices for sales training vs. sales coaching ## **Sales Training** Sales training is typically a more structured, formal approach to improving sales skills and knowledge. It involves specific sessions or workshops where sales techniques align with your company’s product knowledge, and industry insights are taught. Sales training is often curriculum-based, providing a foundation of knowledge all team members need to understand and apply. And specifically, sales training should be driven to specific skills at a strategic and tactical level. For example, a company may want to improve their sales teams’ discovery skills. While that is simple enough, it’s important to drill down the specific use case of where you want [discovery skills](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/achieving-powerful-discovery/) to improve. Sales training for initial discovery, such as first calls which are very different than a sales training program built around a demo. A demo is not just a product show up and throw up. [A good sales demo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/a-good-sales-demo-vs-a-bad-sales-demo/) speaks to your prospects’ specific needs in their world as it relates to you products or services. This means the discovery skills that need to be utilized, while similar to those of an initial sales call, need to be tweaked and adjusted. You may want your team to understand how to do discovery around the approval process, the contracting process and so on. When you think of building a sales training, remember to get into the weeds of your specific sales process and sales motion. Work to understand where your [deals are stalling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/3-reasons-a-deal-stalls-and-dies/), and then build a sales training curriculum around those very specific use cases. Another example could be when a company wants to implement a [customized sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/customized-sales-training-why-one-size-fits-all-approaches-fail-and-what-works-instead/) process or methodology like the [N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/), which focuses on teaching sales reps how to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when to ask them to drive urgency and revenue. In this case, it’s important to take a look at a higher level view of what you are trying to accomplish to make sure the sales training program you are thinking about is the right one for you. Now the shoe is on the other foot. You are the buyer this time, and yet, you need to do your discovery for your sales team to ensure the right sales training program is chosen. After all, if you choose the wrong one it’s going to tarnish your relationship if not actually cause you to lose your job. In addition to defining the specific sales skills you want your team to get better at as mentioned above you want to [find a top sales training program for your team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/finding-a-top-sales-training-program-for-your-team/). We recommend you come up with a list of high level specifics you want the sales training program to include. This could include things like customization, sales training sessions, as well as reinforcement sales coaching sessions after the initial sales training is complete. It could include things like onsite vs virtual, it might include having some of your sales team speak with the sales trainer before making a decision to get their feedback on whether they think this person will gel well with your sales team. One of the things we hear from prospects and clients about sales training and sales coaching is that, in addition to everything else, they also want a common language. While authenticity matters and each rep needs to sound like themselves, one can still have a common language, a common thread that aligns within the sales training. Now here is the ultimate best practice. Once you come up with the specific strategic and tactical ideas, you could then ask each sales trainer to prove to you they can do all of this. And yes, a shameless plug, we do everything mentioned above. [Contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) if you want to discuss your specific needs. Now, let’s move from sales training to sales coaching. ## Sales Coaching Sales Coaching on the other hand, is more personalized and ongoing. It involves one-on-one or very small break out sessions between a sales manager or coach and the salespeople. Sales coaching focuses on developing the individual according to their unique strengths and weaknesses. The best sales coaching programs use real-play and role-playing techniques. Real play is discussing conversations that have already happened. Breaking them down and then coaching on the good part as well as the areas for improvement. Role-playing is often about a unique situation that was taught in a sales training program or it could be role-playing an upcoming sales conversation. In many ways a sales coaching session role-play feels like you are rehearsing like an actor or actress, practicing, figuring out the right words, the right phrases, the right way to handle specific objections. One of the most important parts of sales coaching is providing the right feedback based on the person receiving the feedback. Sales coaching needs to be customized to the salesperson and the way they like receiving feedback. Some reps want their sales leaders to just be direct and that’s it. Other reps may want to receive the feedback, and then role-play it a few more times to make sure they are comfortable with the suggested changes. One of the best ways to figure out the right way to do sales coaching with each rep is to simply ask, “How do you want to receive feedback in our sales coaching sessions?”. Leave the question open-ended and let them answer you. And remember, when you are considering a sales trainer it is important to ask them what type of reinforcement and sales coaching support they offer after the initial sales training is done. One final thing to consider for sales coaching is that some companies provide a stipend for people to get their own sales coaching. This is when a sales rep can hire an outside [sales coach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) for [professional sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) to help them to improve their own sales skills. ## Sales Training vs. Sales Coaching – Which Is Right for You? Here are a few more examples of sales training vs. sales coaching to help you figure out what’s best for you. ### **Sales Training Example:** - **Scenario:** A tech company launches a new product and needs its sales team to effectively communicate its benefits and features to potential customers. - **Implementation:** The company organizes a series of sales training workshops focusing on product features, market positioning, and effective sales strategies and discovery questions someone could ask your prospects about in relation to the new product. This might include role-playing exercises to practice pitching and handling objections. ### **Sales Coaching Example:** - **Scenario:** A sales rep has been underperforming, not because they lack knowledge, but because they struggle with closing deals. - **Implementation:** A sales coach works with this rep in one-on-one sessions to role-play sales scenarios, focusing on the closing phase. They provide feedback on the rep’s approach, discuss different strategies, and set goals for improvement. And in most cases, there should be more than one sales coaching session to support this rep. Rarely does an underperforming sales rep improve enough with just one sales coaching conversation. In a comprehensive sales strategy, both sales training and coaching are essential. Sales training provides the necessary foundation and standardization across the team, ensuring everyone has the same baseline of knowledge and skills. Sales training helps to create a common language within the sales team. Sales coaching personalizes this knowledge, adapting it to fit the individual’s style and needs, which promotes continuous development and improvement. If you only focus on just one of these you are setting yourself and your sales team for failure. Nobody gets great at everything unless you focus on all things in a specific and strategic way. If you’re team is in need of sales training or sales coaching feel free to [contact us here.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) And if you are on a tight budget, feel free to check out [The Seller’s Journey](https://www.thesellersjourney.co/the-sellers-journey) which includes specific sales training and sales coaching tactics. We even offer a money back guarantee. If you don’t like the book, let me know, I will Venmo your money back and you can keep the book. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Coaching, Sales Training --- ### [Guidelines For NEAT Selling™ Even When You Use Another Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/guidelines-for-n-e-a-t-selling-even-when-you-use-another-methodology/) **Published:** March 23, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We have a different approach than most do when it comes to ideas around sales processes and sales methodologies. We don’t believe someone should simply rip and replace one methodology for the other. Sadly, this is one of the first things new sales leaders do to try and “put their stamp” on the organization. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, and a good VP of Sales will know when the right time is to do this. If the current sales process does not work, it has more to do with the lack of consistent coaching to the team to actually follow it than it does anything else. So simply replacing it may not be the only thing that needs to happen. This is why we call [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) a philosophy first, and yes, it can become your process, and yes, it can become your methodology. The idea behind is to focus on the right EXIT CRITERIA for each stage in your sales process. Once you define your EXIT CRITERIA, you can then use the concepts of [N.E.A.T. Selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling-online-sales-training)™ to earn the right to ask questions, and then have the right questions ready to ask. If you are using something like MEDDIC, [GAP Selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e179-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-selling-into-europe-with-thibaut-souryis-of-saleslabs/), or SPIN Selling, N.E.A.T. Selling™ can be an easy bolt-on without causing any disruption or requirements to change your whole CRM layout and reports. **Here’s how to view N.E.A.T. Selling™** **NEED** – What are the pains the prospect/customer feels in relation to their specific roles and tasks and based on how your company can solve the pain? It’s not about talking about what your company does, it’s about talking about their pain(s) first. Identifying them Done via [Respect Contract](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/respect-contract/), Open/Closed-Ended Questions, And/But, Multiple Choice, etc. **ECONOMIC IMPACT** – Understanding how painful the pain is that’s been identified. Is it a simple headache or is it a migraine? Driving to economic impact through the qualification techniques, etc. And driving back to a specific $. In many cases you can help them realize they don’t have a headache, they have a migraine. **ACCESS TO AUTHORITY** – Through account planning, whom do you think is involved, whom are you talking with currently, who else do you need to talk to? Driving the Economic Impact to be a migraine so deeply, they want to get others involved. **TIMELINE** – If they have a headache or migraine, using ECONOMIC IMPACT drives greater urgency. If you don’t solve this pain by (future date), what would happen? You can choose the date based on your sales cycle. If not painful enough, that’s good data, and you can go back to NEED and ECONOMIC IMPACT. --- We’d love to know your thoughts about N.E.A.T. Selling™, even if you disagree with us. We can take it. Share your thoughts in the comments below or contact us [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) **Published:** July 10, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** # Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders *Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The Seller’s Journey* ## What You Will Learn - Why most sales coaching doesn’t work, and the specific reasons it fails - The real differences between sales coaching and sales management - A strong sales coaching framework any manager can implement - Running effective 1:1s focusing on sales skills, not just reviewing the pipeline - The sales coaching skills that separate great sales managers from the mundane - How to build a sales coaching culture in your sales organization - A sales coaching FAQ you will want to keep ## Sales Coaching Done Right: Most Teams Are Managed, None Are Coached You cannot manage people, you can only lead them and coach them. If they don’t have their own internal drive then you have an accountability issue, not a sales coaching issue. Those things ‘check the box’ that sales leadership wants to see. Unfortunately many executive sales leaders, and founders are misinformed about what’s really important. There are two primary types of front line sales managers and leaders: **1. The Dashboard and Data Sales Manager.** This sales leader is metrics driven, loves sitting behind a dashboard and giving commands like they are the Captain Picard of the Enterprise. They lead with numbers first, not humanity. They call them 1:1s but in reality they are just pipeline reviews. They pay little attention to the actual growth of their sales team members unless it’s about their revenue growth. Their primary focus of sales coaching is about inputs and outputs. Not the skills utilized to actually affect those inputs and outputs. And occasionally they will do some call reviews that are basic feedback on what someone ‘should be doing’ and not engage with the rep to actually help coach up a skill that needs particular focus. Their ego thinks that being the Sales Handywoman or Mr. Fix-It is actually developing skills. In reality it’s developing a co-dependency relationship. They have often not been in the sales trenches recently, and let their ego drive their leadership style. Sales coaching is not a priority because they think sales people should just ‘know how to do the job.’ **2. Lead From the Front Sales Manager.** These are the sales managers and sales leaders that employees remember forever. They are the sales leaders that when they leave, their entire team wants to go with them. This is the sales manager or sales leader who likes getting their hands dirty. They understand that metrics matter in terms of giving some direction and that there is more to the metrics than just the numbers they represent. They make sure they know the different types of 1:1s from sales skills development and coaching to life skills development, and leadership development. They even know a non-business related 1:1 brings value and loyalty. And most importantly, they have regular coaching sessions with their sales teams. Whether it’s call review, role playing, or [sales training for the entire team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/), they understand that improving the input skills has a direct correlation and causation to the outputs achieved. So how do we break this down? It’s not as hard as we think it is, and in many cases people already know this is the best practice; they simply have a hard time getting out of their own way to actually execute. Sales leaders are better off thinking about revenue growth based on the following: - Developing the individual skills of their reps - Making this deliberate and consistent - Documenting where they are, where they need to be, and specifically stating the gap - Creating a list of 3 items they should focus on - Training and coaching only one at a time This is the gap seen consistently across all sales teams. And even on the best teams, these gaps still exist. Nobody is above learning more. The distinction between managing and coaching is not semantic. Sales management is defined by focusing on capacity, the sales process and directing work flows, and tracking outcomes. Sales coaching is about developing capability at the individual and the team level. Both are necessary. And the one that actually moves the needle on long-term performance is sales coaching, and it’s the one that gets deprioritized almost every week, on almost every team, in almost every company. An example of this is forcing managers to manage 10-12 reps not 6-8 because somebody doesn’t want to pay another salary. Another example is executive leadership thinking manual processes like dialing, finding contact information, and updating the CRM system all in the interest of ‘saving money.’ Just remind your sales leaders that leaving money in the bank does not actually help the company grow. This guide is for sales leaders, managers, directors, VPs of Sales, and CROs who are serious about building sales teams that don’t just hit a number this quarter. If that sounds like you, explore our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) to see how we build this capability from the ground up. ## Sales Management vs. Sales Coaching: Why the Difference Matters The confusion between coaching and managing is one of the most expensive errors made by founders, executive leadership, and yes, even sales leadership. When managers conflate the two, they end up doing neither well. And it all rolls downhill to the sales reps. Sales ManagementSales CoachingDirects day-to-day activityDevelops individual skillsTracks KPIs and pipelineIdentifies root causes of performance gapsSets quotas and targetsBuilds rep confidence and capabilityResolves immediate problemsAsks questions instead of giving answersEvaluates current performanceInvests in future performanceRuns forecasting callsCreates safe space for growthAdministers the sales processBuilds the coaching relationship over timeProvides ideation of sales strategiesGreat sales leaders do both because they know the difference. You understand your most valuable commodity is their time, and you protect time for coaching the same way you protect time for forecasting. You are relentless about time management. You control your calendar, you do not let your calendar control you. Without coaching, your forecast is just a guess built on a team that’s as good as it was last quarter and smoking a whole lot of hope-i-um. ## Why Most Sales Coaching Programs Fail Sales Managers Let’s name the problems before we talk about solutions. In my work training sales managers and leaders across hundreds of organizations, I see the same patterns over and over: ### Problem 1: Sales Coaching Is Reactive, Not Proactive Most coaching happens after bad things happen. A deal falls apart, a rep misses their number, a call recording surfaces a problem. And worst of all, no planning for training and skills coaching through the whole year. None of this is coaching, it’s simply reactive corrections. And worst of all it’s driven by ego based on their own panic and self-job preservation. Real coaching happens before the problem, not in response to it. It’s a part of your sales forecast, it’s preventive, it’s developmental, it’s called ‘ever-boarding’, and it’s customized developmental activities at both the sales rep and sales team levels. ### Problem 2: Sales Managers Tell Instead of Ask These leaders ‘should on you.’ Don’t ever let someone ‘should on you.’ When a rep describes a problem and the manager says ‘here’s what you should do,’ that’s controlled manipulation and problem solving, not sales coaching. The rep doesn’t develop their own critical thinking, their capabilities, they just follow instructions. The next time they face a similar problem, they’ll ask the manager again instead of thinking through it themselves. Good coaches ask questions that help reps develop their own insight. ### Problem 3: Sales Coaching Has No Structure ‘It will happen when it needs to happen.’ If this is your mindset as a sales leader you should not be a sales leader at all. Effective coaching is scheduled, consistent, and structured. It has a clear relevancy and a clear purpose. It has a defined format with specific expectations and desired outcomes, and it is documented. Improvised coaching is better than no coaching, but it’s nowhere near as effective as a deliberate, repeatable process. ### Problem 4: Sales Managers Don’t Know What to Coach Most sales managers and sales leaders were promoted because they were great individual contributors, could follow a process, knew their numbers, and maybe they helped with some interviewing and early on-boarding. Nowhere in this list is anything about their ability to manage and navigate the human element with soft skills. In reality, the soft-skills are the hard skills. Without that diagnostic capability, coaching becomes generic, and generic coaching doesn’t move the needle for any specific rep. ### Problem 5: No Follow-Through A sales coaching conversation without documented commitments and follow-through is really just a conversation, not sales coaching. Real behavioral change requires repetition, accountability, and reinforcement. If the only time a rep hears about a skill is in a 30-minute 1:1, they won’t change. You have to close the loop, which means assigning responsibilities in both directions, defining what it means to be accountable, regular check-ins, making adjustments, and celebrating progress. If you do not provide positive feedback on successes, then all your rep will hear is critical parenting. ## A Sales Coaching Framework That Works: PREP-OTC for Sales Managers At The Harris Consulting Group, we teach a simple coaching framework that managers can use consistently: PREP-OTC. It stands for: Prepare, Reality Check, Explore, Plan, Observe, Transfer, Celebrate. ### P, Prepare: Know What You’re Walking In to Coach Prepare with the end in sight. No successful leader ever just wings it. Before any coaching session, review the rep’s recent activity, performance data, and call recordings. Identify one to two specific behaviors or skills you want to develop based on the outcome of this conversation. Then go deeper. If you say ‘discovery’ define what type of discovery. Is it a first call discovery? Is it during a demo? Is it during commercial conversations? Yes, there is an element of discovery during commercial conversations. Don’t go into a coaching conversation with a vague sense that ‘things could be better.’ Be precise. ‘In your last three discovery calls, you moved to the demo 10 minutes in without asking about economic impact.’ That’s coachable. ‘Your discovery needs work’ is not. And when you share economic impact, ask them to workshop the conversation with you. Mini role play and real play conversations are the glue to making the sales coaching stick. ### R, Reality Check: Start With Their Perspective Before your conversation share the specifics of what you would like to cover with them. Highlight the calls and deals you are pulling this from and give them time to review. Get specific on the topics you want to review and that you will be asking for their feedback to start, not just you pontificating. Something like: ‘When we catch up I want to discuss \_\_\_ and here’s what I am noticing. I want to hear how you feel about this topic and see if we can work on it together.’ Your 1:1 and sales coaching sessions should never feel like a ‘gotcha.’ Reps will already be on the defensive so it is incumbent upon you to reduce that anxiety for them and let them know it’s about improving their skills and their paycheck and they are not in any kind of trouble. All of this serves three purposes: it tells you whether they have accurate self-awareness, it ensures the rep is mentally engaged rather than just receiving feedback, and reps who can self-diagnose their own problems are far more likely to fix them. ### E, Explore: Ask Questions, Don’t Give Answers Actually one of the easiest parts of management but it is the least exercised muscle when managing humans. In sales, exploring, also called discovery, is crucial. This is a cross-over skill when managing others. Instead of solving the problem for them, it’s critical you teach them to explore solutions beside them. You ask the exploratory questions to the issue at hand and it teaches them to be better at self-assessment and self-accountability. Resist the urge to say ‘here’s what you should do.’ Instead, ask questions like: - ‘When you’re in that moment in the call, what’s going through your mind?’ - ‘What do you think would happen if you asked that economic impact question earlier?’ - ‘What would you do differently if you ran that call again?’ Questions build awareness. Directives build dependency. ### P, Plan: Commit to Something Specific Every coaching conversation should end with one specific, concrete commitment based on what you defined under the prepare section. This is also the beginning of accountability for both parties. You want your sales rep to define their outcomes. It cannot simply be ‘I’ll work on my discovery in future sales calls,’ that’s meaningless. A better definition would be: ‘In my next three discovery calls, I’m going to ask the cost-of-inaction question before we get to the demo.’ Then you have them write it down. Yes, old school, write it down, not take a note on their device or computer. Humans remember things better after they write something down. Date it. Both of you sign off on it. That’s a coaching commitment. When you commit to them, they will commit to you. > *Want PREP-OTC installed in your managers’ actual 1:1s — not just bookmarked?* > *Schedule a free sales training assessment.* ### O, Observe: See It in Action You can’t coach from behind a monitor. The best sales leaders act and lead with intent on helping their sales team members. This includes listening to recordings, live call coaching with the rep’s permission, and shadowing them in a customer meeting. A great sales leader needs to observe the specific behavior you’re coaching before you can assess whether it’s changing. And when you observe it improving, say so, specifically, immediately. Instant feedback helps assure a sales rep will want to repeat what they’ve done and therefore continue to exercise the new muscles. ### T, Transfer: Create Independence, Not Dependence Ultimately a strong sales leader wants to develop a self-reliant sales person through sales coaching. The goal of sales coaching is for the rep to internalize the skill so they no longer need your direction. Or at least need less direction over time so other skills can be developed. A rep who, six months later, is still coming to you with the same problems means the coaching didn’t transfer. That’s not a rep problem, that’s a coaching method problem. ### C, Celebrate: Assures Reinforcement Celebrating the little wins are as important as celebrating the big ones. Every closed sale is based upon a lot of little things done right. It’s these little things that you have been coaching on. When you hear them make one of the little changes you suggested, or ask that deeper discovery question, call that a win and let them know. No matter what anyone says, every human being wants to be seen, heard, and understood. Celebrating these wins incorporates all three. ## How to Run a Coaching-Focused 1:1 So often the 1:1 is simply thought of as a task that needs to be completed. Something that is merely done to ‘check the box.’ If this is your approach, then you are part of the problem, not a solution. The best sales leaders know the true value of one on ones, which are to: - Improve Relationships - Improve Performance - Support Accountability - Drive Recruitment - Drive Retention - Build TRUST The 1:1 is the most underutilized tool in sales management. In most organizations it becomes a pipeline review, the manager asks ‘what’s going on with this deal,’ the rep summarizes, and they move to the next one. That’s not a 1:1. That’s a status update. In reality there are several types of 1:1s: - Skills Review and Coaching - The Week Ahead - Career Conversations - Life Conversations - Feedback to Manager No, you cannot do all of these in a single session. Recognize some 1:1s are more important than others. Recognize each type of 1:1 needs to happen. Define a schedule of 1:1s so both you and the sales reps come prepared. For example, you could break your quarter down across 13 weeks: 5 Skills Reviews, 2 Weeks Ahead, 2 Career Conversations, 2 Life Conversations, and 2 Feedback to Manager conversations. ### First 5 Minutes: Personal Check-In How is the person doing personally? Not the pipeline, the person. Sales is a mentally demanding job. Starting with the human, not the numbers, builds trust and gives you information about the rep’s mental state that affects everything else in the conversation. ### Next 10 Minutes: Their Topics What does the rep want to discuss? What skills would they like to work on based on where they feel their pipeline is stuck? Why do they think that’s the right skill? What ideas do they have around improving the skill? This signals that the 1:1 is their time, not a reporting mechanism. Reps who feel the 1:1 exists for them will actually prepare for it. ### Next 10 Minutes: Coaching Topic This is the one thing you came in to coach. Based on your preparation, bring one specific observation. Use the PREP-OTC framework here. Ask, explore, plan. ### Last 5 Minutes: Commitments and Appreciation This is where you assign accountability for both of you. Confirm the one commitment each of you are making based on this conversation. Confirm what success will look like. Write it down. Be sure to include something you have seen the rep is doing well. Reps who only hear what they’re doing wrong start to believe that’s all there is. > **Pro Tip:** Keep a coaching log, even a simple doc, for each rep. Document the skill you coached, the commitment they made, and whether they followed through. This turns coaching from a conversation into a development program. Over six months, you’ll be able to show a rep exactly how far they’ve come. ## Coaching Different Rep Profiles No two humans are exactly the same, and no two sales reps are exactly the same. One of the most common mistakes in sales leadership and sales coaching is applying the same approach to every rep. Great sales managers know how to coach the individual based on their unique desires and motivators. ### The New Rep (0-6 Months) Newbies need a bit more structure in the beginning, even reps with lots of sales experience may need some additional help when first getting started. Each needs a different level of structure, clarity, and frequent check-ins. They don’t know what they don’t know. Over-coach the fundamentals: discovery, objection handling, how to describe your product in the customer’s language, qualification based on their unique skill set. Build their confidence with specific, genuine praise when they execute well. ### The Developing Rep (6-18 Months) They now know the basics and are developing judgment and improving upon self-awareness. Your job here is to up-skill them. Expand their mindset. They probably need more sophisticated discovery, deal strategy, multi-threading, negotiation. Push them toward independence. Ask more questions and give fewer answers. Celebrate when they solve their own problems. ### The Veteran Rep (18+ Months) This is where we see sales managers falling into a trap. We believe these veterans no longer need or want coaching. In some cases they will even tell you they don’t need or want more coaching. Most veterans need a new and different type of challenge. They often need help with consistency, applying their skills every single call instead of coasting on past success. And one of the biggest issues is they try to short-cut something in their sales process. Make sure this is not happening. It’s usually the sign of a slump. ### The Struggling Rep Is it skill? Is it will? Is it life? This is where sales coaching gets hardest. Remember, the soft skills are the hard skills. A skill issue means more coaching, more practice, more observation, more feedback. A will issue is a management conversation about expectations, consequences, and support. Mixing up these two responses is how you keep struggling reps too long and lose great managers to burnout. ## How to Build a Sales Coaching Culture Your Team Believes In Having strong individual coaching conversations matter. Having a strong team culture matters just as much. A great sales team coaching culture, where development is expected, mentoring is normal, learning is celebrated, and vulnerability is safe is worth everything. It makes everything easier, from recruiting and retaining, to building trust, to achieving revenue targets. Here’s what I’ve seen in the best sales cultures I’ve worked with: ### The Sales Stack If you do not have the right sales stack for your sales organization it’s time to find a new place and leadership team who gets it. The following are table stakes in 2026: - Accurate Prospecting Data - Call Recording and Reporting - Video Call / Zoom Recording - Auto Populate the CRM - A CRM (yes, still worth saying) - Sequence / Cadence Tools - Asynchronous Communication Platforms - Sales Navigator - AI Tools to Analyze and Make Recommendations ### Leadership Models the Behavior It all rolls downhill. If the VP of Sales isn’t being vulnerable and actively learning and openly talking about sales skills improvements, then why should the sales team? Leaders who talk about their own development, who share their mistakes, who celebrate a manager’s coaching improvement as much as a revenue milestone, those leaders build teams that develop. Nobody wants to hear your war stories of success. They probably will appreciate your stories of failure and what you learned from them. ### Coaching Is Inspected If you aren’t measuring it, you cannot coach it. Build manager 1:1s into your cadence. Review coaching logs quarterly. An executive leader needs to ask sales managers what they coached last week the same way you ask reps what deals they’re working. ### Feedback and Mentoring Is Normalized Feedback is transactional. Mentoring is a lifetime. People want to be mentored more than they want feedback. A great sales coaching culture has mentoring happen not just to people but for each other. Build peer feedback, group call reviews, and shared learning into your team rhythms. When feedback becomes part of the air that includes mentoring rather than a special event, people stop being defensive and start being genuinely curious about how they can get better. ### Failure Is a Learning Event Do not sweep this under the rug. Sales is a place where failure happens on a regular basis. A strong sales coaching culture treats failure as data, not verdict. ‘What’s the one thing you could have done better on that deal?’ is the single best question to ask a rep. They will find many more than one thing, and that’s good. Start with one, and see where it takes you. ## Business Case for Sales Coaching: What It Costs When You Skip It Let’s make the business case, because you’re going to need it when you’re asking your CFO or CEO to invest in a sales training, reinforcement, or sales coaching program. Nobody is simply good at their job because they have a title. That includes any founder, CEO, CFO, CRO, CMO, or anything else. They all had to develop their skills over time. It took time, experience, mistakes, and mentors. The research is consistent: companies with structured coaching programs significantly outperform those without. Recruitment is easier. Ramping new reps is shorter. Attrition is lower. Sales cycles shorten, win rates are higher, deal sizes trend larger because reps who are well-coached do better discovery, which leads to more quantified opportunities that are harder to discount. A single bad hire simply from the cost side costs you 6-12 months in salary, and it compounds by 3x on any expected deals you were hoping they would close. It’s not the lost revenue of the first deal, it’s the renewal and upsell revenue on the future deals. A manager who coaches effectively reduces attrition and improves performance simultaneously. If you’re evaluating what great looks like, our [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) page covers what that investment produces in practice. The question isn’t whether to invest in sales coaching. The question is whether you have a system for doing it consistently, or whether you’re leaving it to chance and hoping your managers figure it out on their own. ## Frequently Asked Questions About Sales Coaching ### How is sales coaching different from sales training? Sales training is an event that introduces skills and frameworks in a concentrated setting. In contrast, sales coaching is a process that reinforces, applies, and develops those skills over time through individual attention, feedback, and practice. Both are necessary because coaching is ultimately what makes training stick. ### How much time should a sales manager spend on coaching? High-performing sales managers typically spend at least 30-40% of their working time on development activities, including 1:1s, call reviews, ride-alongs, and skill practice. You must be ruthless in managing your calendar so your calendar does not manage you. ### What should you coach first? Part of the answer is defined by which type of sales rep you are coaching. Is it a newbie or a veteran? Generally speaking the best practice is to start with the activities that will have the most immediate impact on revenue. This does not mean start a newbie with negotiation and closing training. It means start at the beginning so you can get to that part of the training sooner and reduce early stage mistakes. ### Can you coach remotely? It’s 2026. If your organization does not have the tools needed to coach remotely then it’s time to find a new organization. Call recordings, videos, 1:1s, Slack, Zoom, all of these items are table stakes when it comes to building a coaching culture. ### What if a rep is resistant to coaching? Expect and plan for this. Especially with veteran reps who interpret coaching as criticism or micro-management. The solution is to separate coaching from performance evaluation explicitly. ‘I’m not here to judge how you’re doing. I’m here to help you get better at something specific.’ Keep the conversation focused, non-threatening, and specific. Resistance often dissolves when the rep realizes you’re genuinely invested in their development rather than building a case against them. ### How do you measure whether coaching is working? Track the specific skill you coached over a defined time period, typically no longer than 4 weeks. This timeline will be based upon your sales cycle. If you run a transactional sales team this can be done in hours or days. Larger deal cycles may take longer. Try to define metrics around what you’ve been coaching. Are talk ratios improving on calls? Are there fewer bad deals getting in the pipeline? Of the new deals in the pipeline, how much better qualified are they? ### How do you coach a rep who is consistently hitting quota but has skill gaps? Many think you do nothing. What’s better is to ask them what’s going so well. Remember, quota attainment at 100% can mask problems that aren’t showing up now but could cause a slump in the future. Sometimes the question you ask this rep is to make sure they remember something they haven’t had to address in some time. That’s no fault of their own, it’s simply the way the pipeline is working in their favor right now. ### What is the N.E.A.T. Selling™ connection to sales coaching? N.E.A.T. Selling™ is the methodology that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. When you know your reps should be uncovering Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline on every call, call reviews become easy to structure. You’re not asking ‘was that a good call?’ You’re asking ‘did we get to economic impact?’ That specificity is what makes coaching stick. Learn more about [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) and how it anchors every coaching conversation to a measurable outcome. ### Where can I learn more about sales management training? Our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is built specifically for first and second-level managers, AE Managers, SDR Managers, Sales Ops, and Sales Enablement leaders who want to get better at coaching, not just managing. It’s a half-day session available virtually or onsite. ## The Bottom Line on Sales Coaching Nothing beats sales training or sales coaching. While AI can help, we are all still humans. And humans actually need human to human interaction. Sales coaching is the best activity available to a sales leader. Nothing else you do, not a new CRM, not a better deck, not a new compensation plan, will develop your team’s capability the way consistent, skilled coaching does. The organizations I’ve seen build truly great sales teams are the ones that treat sales coaching as part of the infrastructure. It is not considered a bolt on activity. It is not something you do once a year at a kickoff. It’s scheduled. It’s measured. It’s expected of every manager. It’s modeled by leaders. It’s celebrated when it produces results. If your team isn’t where you want it to be, ask yourself: when did I last sit with a rep and develop a specific skill, not review a pipeline, not discuss a deal, but work on a skill? If the answer is longer than two weeks, you’ve found the problem. Now let’s go fix it. **Schedule your free sales training assessment** **→** and we’ll start with how your team coaches today. ***Work With The Harris Consulting Group:** Sales coaching is at the heart of everything we do at The Harris Consulting Group. We work with sales managers, directors, VPs, and CROs to build the coaching skills, structures, and cultures that drive long-term performance. Our [Sales Management and Leadership Bootcamp](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is designed specifically for frontline leaders who want to become great coaches.* ## Related Resources From The Harris Consulting Group - [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) — Built for AE Managers, SDR Managers, and Sales Enablement leaders ready to coach, not just manage. - [1:1 Coaching Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) — Individual and team coaching for reps, managers, leaders, and founders. - [4-Week NEAT Selling Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) — The complete training program with weekly coaching sessions built in to prevent the Forgetting Curve. - [NEAT Selling Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) — The qualification and discovery framework that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. - [Sales Training Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) — Customized training for SDRs, AEs, Inside Sales, Field Sales, and Customer Success. - [Best Sales Training Companies 2026](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) — An honest comparison of the top sales training companies and how to choose the right one for your team. - [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) — What it means to sell consultatively and how we train teams to diagnose before they prescribe. *Richard Harris is the founder of The Harris Consulting Group and creator of the NEAT Selling™ methodology. He is a bestselling author of The Seller’s Journey, a multiple Salesforce Sales Leader Award winner, and AAiSP Top Sales Leader. Richard has trained thousands of sales professionals across global organizations in manufacturing, software, SaaS, hardware, and financial services.* **Categories:** Blog, Sales Coaching, Sales Management Training **Tags:** coaching sales teams, how to coach sales reps, PREP-OTC coaching framework, sales 1:1s, sales coaching, sales coaching culture, sales coaching framework, sales coaching vs sales training, sales management training, sales manager coaching --- ### [Sales Strategy vs. Sales Plan](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-strategy-vs-sales-plan/) **Published:** September 10, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ## **Don’t Screw This Up, People!** Today, we’re gonna dive into a topic that makes me want to pull my hair out every time I see people messing it up: the difference between a sales strategy vs. sales plan. And let’s face it, since I don’t have any hair on my head left, you know it’s got to be true. Look, I’ve been selling since the 1900’s and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a company where the leadership is running around like chickens with their heads cut off, confusing these two critical elements. So, buckle up, buttercup – we’re about to set the record straight. ## **What the Heck is a Sales Strategy?** Alright, let’s start with the big kahuna: [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-strategy-coaching-isnt-just-for-newbies/). This is the high-level, big-picture stuff that frustrates the C-Suite constantly. The issue is them though, not us. They often confuse the two. They think they are the same thing, and they allow them to overlap which just causes more confusion, forcing us deep into the rabbit hole of ambiguity and further confusion. Setting the record straight, a sales strategy is like the GPS for your entire sales operation. It’s telling you where you want to go and why you want to get there. Here’s what it typically covers: 1. **Long-term vision**: We’re talking years here, not months. What’s the endgame? 2. **Market positioning**: Where do you fit in the grand scheme of things? Are you the Rolls Royce or the Toyota of your industry? And no, you probably are not the Rolls Royce any more than you are the world leader, next Uber of, or anything of the sort. 3. **Ideal customer profile (ICP)**: Who are you selling to? And don’t give me that “everyone” BS. Be specific! And if you are just getting started you are not allowed to pick more than three ICPs. 4. **Value proposition**: What makes you special? Think specific use cases. People buy pictures of pains, not words. Here’s a bad example, “we’re passionate about customer service”. 5. **Sales methodology**: Are you solution selling? [N.E.A.T. Selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/)? Value selling? Pick a lane! Your sales strategy should answer questions like: - How big is our [Total Addressable Market](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/total-addressable-market/) (TAM)? - Who are we trying to sell to? - Why would they buy from us instead of others? - How do we want to be seen in the market? - What’s our overall approach to winning deals? If your [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-steps-for-developing-a-winning-sales-strategy/) doesn’t answer these questions, congrats! You’ve just identified why your missing your targets month after month or quarter after quarter. *Not sure whether your problem is the strategy or the plan? [Schedule a free sales training assessment](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/).* ## **What’s a Sales Plan, and Why Should I Care?** Now, let’s talk about the sales plan. If your strategy is the GPS, your plan is the turn-by-turn directions. It’s the nitty-gritty, down-and-dirty details of how you’re going to make that beautiful sales strategy a reality. A solid sales plan includes: 1. **Specific goals**: We’re talking numbers, people. How many deals? What’s the revenue target? Average sales cycles? 2. **Action items**: What are you actually going to DO to hit those numbers? 3. **Territory and account plans**: Accountability is critical. Who’s responsible for what? And how will you hold yourself accountable? If you hold yourself accountable then it flows downhill from there. 4. **Timelines**: When does this stuff need to happen? 5. **Resources needed**: What do you need to make it all happen? Budget, headcount, tech stack – spell it out! Your sales plan should answer: - What are our specific targets for this quarter/year? - How many leads do we need to hit our numbers? - What activities are we focusing on? - Who’s doing what? If your plan doesn’t get this specific, you might as well be throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. ## **Why People Screw This Up (And How Not To)** Alright, here’s where things usually go off the rails. People confuse strategy for tactics, or they think having a plan means they have a strategy. Let me break it down for you: 1. **Tactics ain’t strategy**: Deciding to “make more cold calls” isn’t a strategy, folks. It’s a tactic. A strategy would be deciding to focus on outbound prospecting to break into a new market segment. 2. **Short-term thinking**: If your “strategy” doesn’t look beyond the next quarter, it’s not a strategy. It’s a panic attack. 3. **Inflexibility**: Your strategy should be stable, but your plan needs to be flexible. The market changes, and so should your tactics. 4. **Misaligned resources**: I once worked with a company that invested in a fancy new CRM without any clear idea of how it fit into their overall strategy. Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well. 5. **Confusion in communication**: If your sales team can’t clearly articulate your strategy AND their role in the plan, you’ve got a problem. Here’s a real-world example: I once consulted for a SaaS company that proudly told me their strategy was to “increase sales by 50% this year.” That’s not a strategy, people – that’s a goal. We had to take a step back and figure out their actual strategy: focusing on enterprise clients in the healthcare sector with a value-based selling approach. Then we could create a plan to make that 50% growth a reality. ## **How to Get This Right (And Crush Your Numbers)** Alright, let’s wrap this up with how to actually do this right. Here’s your game plan: ### **Craft Your Strategy:** 1. **Know thyself** (and thy market): SWOT analysis, competitive landscape, all that jazz. 2. **Define your ideal customer**: Get specific. I want demographics, firmographics, psychographics – the works. 3. **Nail your value prop**: [What makes you special?](https://salesconsultant.io/qa/how-do-you-differentiate-your-approach-in-a-highly-competitive-market/) And I mean really special, not what your mom says makes you special. 4. **Set long-term goals**: Think big and be realistic. 5. **Choose your battleground**: Direct sales? Channel partners? Both? 6. **Pick your weapons**: What’s your [sales methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-process-vs-methodology/)? What is your sales process? ### **Build Your Plan:** 1. **Break it down**: Turn those lofty strategic goals into specific, measurable objectives. 2. **Get detailed**: I want to see activities, responsibilities, and deadlines. 3. **Resource up**: What do you need to make this happen? Be specific. 4. **Set your quotas**: Make them challenging but achievable. 5. **Document your process**: From lead gen to closing, I want it all spelled out. 6. **Create your tools**: Sales collateral, pitch decks, battle cards – arm your team! 7. **Train ’em up**: Your team is only as good as their skills. Invest in them! 8. **Track and measure**: If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it. 9. **Manage that pipeline**: Keep it clean, keep it moving. 10. **Always be improving**: Review and adjust regularly. The market doesn’t stand still, and neither should you. Look, at the end of the day (uggh, I hate buzzwords), your sales strategy is your game plan, and your sales plan is how you execute that game plan. Keep them aligned, keep them clear, and for the love of all that is holy, keep them separate! Remember, a good strategy without a solid plan is just a dream. And a detailed plan without a clear strategy is just busy work. You need both to win in this crazy world of sales. Now get out there and crush it! And if you need help sorting out your strategy and plan (and let’s face it, many of you do), [you know where to find me](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). This is Richard Harris, signing off. Stay hungry, stay foolish, and most importantly, stay strategic! A strategy without a plan is a wish; a plan without a strategy is busywork. If you want both built to work together, **[schedule your free sales training assessment →](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/)**. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Process, Sales Strategy --- ### [How to conduct cold outreach on #LinkedIn?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-conduct-cold-outreach-on-linkedin-even-when-you-dont-know-them/) **Published:** October 18, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** I work with a lot of sales teams, especially inside sales teams, and very often people early in their sales careers. One of the most common questions I get is how do I approach someone on LinkedIn who I know would be a great fit for our service? So here is what I tell everyone. And by all means if you have data to support something different please share in the comments below, I’d love to learn from others as I am sure others would love to hear your approach as well. 1. It’s not a best practice to request a meeting in an invite request. 2. It’s not a best practice to request a meeting in a first InMail. 3. If someone is a total stranger, your best bet is to request an intro from someone who is connected with them on LinkedIn. Now here’s what we all know. We have tons of LinkedIn connections, in many cases we don’t know them all. However, we have connected with people in the hopes of networking and sharing when appropriate. That is the frame of reference we are talking about when you try this approach. In short, this is how you leverage the “you never know” mentality and ask for help without you or the person you are asking having to feel slimy or cheesy. It respects the person I am contacting, it’s direct, it’s honest, and allows them total control of the process. While my data set is small, 100 attempts, 55% of the people I’ve contacted have taken a meeting. 95% of all people actually responded even if they don’t want to have a meeting. Whether I am an inside sales rep, outside sales rep, SDR, or seasoned sales veteran, this is the message I would be asking my senior leadership team or someone I do know who is connected to my desired contact and sent on my behalf via LinkedIn. Rep to Richard —- Hey Richard, hope all is well, I see you are connected to \_\_\_\_\_ on LinkedIn. I was wondering if you’d be open to sending the following message to them on my behalf. It’s ok if you don’t know them because this message addresses that in a way that I think is respectful of you and them. Sincerely, Sales Rep Sara ——- Subject Line: Request for intro Hey \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, We connected on LinkedIn for sharing information and mutual networking. This could be one of those moments, but I will let you decide. I currently work with \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ at \_\_\_\_\_\_ and they are helping organizations solve the following problems. 1\. 2\. 3\. They have asked me to see if you’d be interested in a conversation. If so let me know and I will gladly facilitate. If not, that’s ok, I can politely tell them you are not interested. There is no commission or payout for me on this, it’s just me putting some good karma out in the world. Let me know how you’d like to proceed. Richard 415.596.9149 PS – If I can ever do this type of messaging for you and your team to a contact let me know, I am happy to do so on your behalf. —— There you have it. Simple, honest, sincere, respectful, and most importantly not slimy. One final tip. If you are going to send a request to someone like me or an exec in your office please write the email so its merely a copy/paste. Folks are always happy to help but making it easier for them to help you, is always a nice touch. Curious how others handle the “[cold-outreach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e102-the-3-sentence-cold-email-approach-james-bawden/)” via #LinkedIn? \#SalesTips, #SalesTraining, #ColdCalling #InsideSales Feel free to share your comments below on your successes with this or other techniques. **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [S7E5 - The Brutal Truth About Layoffs, Severance Negotiation & Why High Performers Still Need Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching/) **Published:** May 18, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese unpack one of the most honest conversations they’ve had on the Surf and Sales Podcast. From sales layoffs and negotiating severance packages… to why even top sales leaders struggle to see their own blind spots… this episode dives deep into the realities nobody talks about in SaaS and sales leadership. Topics include: - The hidden value of mastermind groups and peer feedback - Why successful people still get stuck - How to structure a high-impact mastermind - ZoomInfo layoffs and the controversy around termination-by-text - Negotiating severance packages the smart way - What sales professionals should do immediately after getting laid off - Why sales careers may need to expand beyond SaaS - The psychology of feedback, ego, and career growth - Richard finally switching from PC to Mac after 30+ years Plus: an update on the next Surf and Sales in Costa Rica and why attendees call it “life changing.” If you work in sales, leadership, SaaS, consulting, or startups — this episode will hit close to home. \#Sales #SalesLeadership #SaaS #Layoffs #SalesTraining #SurfAndSales #RichardHarris #ScottLeese #SalesCareers #Negotiation #FounderLedSales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How to Set a Sales Training Budget](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-set-a-sales-training-budget/) **Published:** March 6, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One of the biggest challenges happening right now is setting budgets, especially knowing how to set a [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) budget appropriately. This post was inspired by a thread via [Modern Sales Pros](https://modernsaleshq.com). If you haven’t joined, I’d encourage you to do so. The [best sales trainers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-choose-the-best-sales-trainer-what-the-best-sales-trainers-in-the-world-actually-do/) not only know all of this, the best sales trainers will actually help you figure it out. In fact, we will gladly help, and if we aren’t in the right budget for you, we can easily refer you to others we know in the space. **The original questions posted were:** 1. Is the [sales training budget](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/financial-modeling-%e2%80%93-how-to-budget-for-2022/) % of the total salaries of SDR/AE? Would love to hear how you have structured it internally. (e.g. $X/year/SDR) 2. How is the budget divided between software products vs [coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-3-mistakes-that-kill-your-sales-coaching-potential/) agencies/third-party training? 3. How do you define the ROI of these activities? (Given they have a 2nd-degree effect on revenue) **This was my response:** 1. When we implement [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) for the XXX team, we expect them to be better at \_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_. 1. When you fill in those blanks with buzzwords like “prospecting”, you have to define that… 2. Prospecting means generating a pipeline by being better at cold calls, email prospecting, etc. 1. When you say cold calls you define that as “Live Pick Ups, VMs, Gatekeeper, etc.” 2. When we say emails we mean, “Subject Lines, Awareness Statements, CTAs, Cadence/Sequence, etc.” 2. We will define improvements as an increase or decrease in \_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_. 1. Sometimes less equals more. 2. You could have more meetings set with the right persona, yet fewer meetings. 3. You may have fewer meetings, but a higher show-up rate. 4. You could have less pipeline generated, but it’s better qualified. 3. True/False – We have the current metrics to contrast from answers to 1 and 2. 1. If True, then good. 2. If False, then you have to say, “We will give ourselves 2 full sales cycles to establish true baselines.” 1. If someone tells you that have you have 2 weeks or 2 months, first spit your coffee out at them, then use #BlameRichard. ### **Question #1** **Is the** [**sales training**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) **budget % of the total salaries of SDR/AE? Would love to hear how you have structured it internally. (e.g. $X/year/SDR)** - - Recommend defining budget vs. stipend. - Budget for team training. - A stipend is a set amount given to each rep to learn on their own, recommend $1,000/year per rep, and it’s a use-it-or-lose-it approach. - Determining a budget without researching costs will hurt you in the long run. - No [sales trainer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/choosing-a-sales-trainer-that-elevates-your-team/) will “discount” because of your budget. - Whenever someone asks me for a discount, I explain, “Appreciate the ask, but our pricing is based on what the market will bear. How does our price compare to other trainers?” - I recommend you ask the trainer for additional coaching sessions for the price they offer. That is worth 10x the discount you are seeking. - BTW, if you’re looking for an AI native LMS, my friends at [Disco](http://www.disco.co) have hit the dance floor with something pretty cool ### **Question #2** **How is the budget divided between software products vs coaching agencies/third-party training?** - - Do you mean software, like online training? - It depends on how your individual team members like to learn. - Some can learn from a portal and connect the dots to your sales world. Others are not. It’s not a question of intelligence, it’s a question of the best way to retain information. - The advantage of an online solution is self-paced. - The disadvantage of an online solution is that it is not customized. - The disadvantage of an online solution is that you have to give them time during the work day, or you have to pay them overtime if they do it outside work hours. SDRs are non-exempt. And no, “it’s for their benefit” is not a legal argument that holds any weight. - The advantage of [in-person training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) is customization. - The advantage of in-person training is that it should include reinforcement after the initial training. ### **Question #3** **How do you define the ROI of these activities? (Given they have a 2nd-degree effect on revenue)** - - Pfffttt. ROI – worst phrase ever. It’s just a power phrase execs and CFOs like to use to scare you and give them a false-belief system that they are being rational. - Whatever words and numbers are given after someone asks about ROI is never believed. NEVER!! - It’s about proving the Economic Impact. - AE’s should attend this training AND be expected to generate 15% of their own business. - Show the current pipeline generated. Show expected pipeline growth after training. - Showing the close ratio of the net new pipeline. - Showing the revenue in LTV (Lifetime Value) of the new business. - Specifically, do not allow anyone to force this number into ACV (Average Contract Value) - Showing the net new LTV and what it does to the valuation of your company for the next round of funding. - Now, you have an Economic Impact, which is better than [ROI, also known as the dumbest phrase buyers use](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/explaining-roi-the-dumbest-phrase-buyers-use/). - Finally, the real Economic Impact will be based on the ability of the sales team to close the new pipeline, not the SDR team. And this MUST be articulated when fighting for your budget. Because the sales team will blame the SDRs, they always do. If you are having trouble setting budgets for [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/choosing-a-sales-trainer-that-elevates-your-team/) or want to see how sales training might benefit you or your team, [schedule a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog, Sales Trainer --- ### [What Star Wars Taught Us About Sales Scripts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-star-wars-taught-us-about-sales-scripts/) **Published:** December 28, 2015 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you haven’t seen Star Wars, The Force Awakens I can assure you there is a high chance you will be very, very satisfied. After running our consulting business, The Harris Consulting Group, and being the Director of Sales Training and Consulting at Sales Hacker it dawned on us one of the most important lessons we have been teaching our clients over the last several years. The value of a sales script. More often than not the word “script” is considered blasphemy and a 4-letter world in the inside sales team vocabulary. We’ve noticed it tends to come from newer sales people such as SDR (Sales Development Reps) or Lead Gen Teams. When pressed as to why people feel this way we get the same lame and meaningless excuses we used to use in our own sales careers; things like, “I am not a telemarketer.” or “I am not a Time Life Operator.” or our favorite “But I don’t want to sound like I am reading a script.” Yeah we used these them too, but then we switch it around on them. The good news is that in most cases after a few [calm conversations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e21-the-motorcycle-queen-of-sales-acronyms-with-cherilynn-castleman/) people usually understand our point of view and are convinced that a sales script is not such a bad idea after all. Here is what we usually remind folks. 1. If people don’t use sales scripts how come every inside sales person mimicks each other when they “hear something good”? That’s a sales script. 2. If you say “Hi, this is \_\_\_\_\_\_, and I am calling from \_\_\_\_\_\_.” That is a sales script. (Extra Hint: STOP saying this! You sould like everyone other inside sales person!) 3. If your training has ever been to “Go listen to our best inside sales person and do what they do.” Then you are being told to just “follow the sales script” (See #1). So you may be asking yourself, what exactly does this have to do with Star Wars – The Force Awakens. Well let me put it to you this way and tell me if it sounds familiar. 1. Orhpaned hero(ine) on a desert planet. 2. “Recruited” to help a resistance, unwillingly at first. 3. A massive weapon the size of a planet or moon designed to destroy entire planets. 4. A father (figure) killed by the dark side of the force. 5. A hero who goes to a seedy bar to get safe passage. 6. A cute little color character full of wisdom. Yeah, we’ve all bought into this script about 3x now. And as you can see the value of a good script will always help you sell your story and please your prospects. If you we are wrong we have one name for you… Jar-Jar Binks. So the next time someone suggests you “write it down” or “follow a script”, we would encourage you to consider the value of a good sales script. Work your script, role-play (rehearse) it, and do it over and over again until it no longer sounds like you are reading a script. May The Force Be With You…Always. Feel free to share your experiences with sales scripts. If you need help writing or re-writing your sales script, feel free to contact us: - [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) - [Sales Hacker](http://www.saleshacker.com/consulting-and-training/) **About The Author** Richard brings 20 Years of Technology and Saas sales experience and training tohis role as a consultant with [The Harris Consulting Group](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) and as the [Director of Training and Consulting Services at Sales Hacker](http://www.saleshacker.com/consulting-and-training/). Clients ask Richard to help with definining, implementing, and measuring sales as it relates to **The Four P’s: People, Performance, Planning, and Process.** Experience and clients include Mashery (acquired by Intel) Gainsight, PushPay, SocialChorus, TopOpps, Spanning (acquired by EMC), Outbound Engine, Udemy, and many others. Learn more about **The Harris Consulting Group** by [clicking here.](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) Learn more about **Sales Hacker** and Sales Training by [clicking here.](http://www.saleshacker.com/consulting-and-training/) **Categories:** Blog, Sales Training **Tags:** Enterprise Sales Team, inside sales, Inside Sales Team, Lead Generation Team, sales scripts, Sales Team, sales teams, sales training --- ### [S7E4 - The Death of Inbound Leads](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads/) **Published:** March 30, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Several important topics discussed including the crazyness of the 2026 sales hiring market. A dive deep into the current state of sales and marketing, exploring the surprising collapse of inbound leads and the chaos that’s unfolding in the outbound world. The role of sales training and coaching in the modern sales organization, as well as the concerning trend of tool bloat across the industry. This episode is a must-listen for founders, CROs, VP of Sales, and sales professionals navigating the evolving sales landscape. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S7E3 - Selling Against the Competition and Sales Interviewing Best Practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e3-selling-against-the-competition-and-sales-interviewing-best-practices/) **Published:** March 9, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Handling objections is more than just memorizing the battle card. Richard and Scott go head to head on how they would sell against each other giving you the perfect objection handling best practices without bashing the competition. They then dive deeper in how to score more interviews, improve your resume and tell your story in the competitive job market of the sales industry. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s7e3-selling-against-the-competition-and-sales-interviewing-best-practices?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [To Script or Not to Script, That Is the Question](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/to-script-or-not-to-script-that-is-the-question/) **Published:** June 1, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Every. Single. Sales. Person. Uses. Scripts. Daily. EVERY! SINGLE! ONE! THIS. MEANS. YOU! Remember, [there is a difference between having a script and sounding scripted.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/to-script-or-not-to-script-that-is-the-question-2/) Nobody should sound scripted, ever. That being said, every rep I know and teach, uses repetitive words over and over at different points in their conversation. Those are scripts. Might they change 10% each time, sure. There is no way you can do a completely different demo every time and be good at it. There is no way you can do completely different disco calls every single time. Let me go one step further. As a sales leader, manager, director, VP of Sales, CRO, etc., I would never let someone, regardless of age, with no sales experience, to simply “figure it out”. That’s not leadership, that’s lazy. Can they get creative later? Sure. They should absolutely find their own authentic voice. The challenge is, nobody knows that early on. By early on, I also mean someone with 10 years experience, and moving from one company to the next. They need to understand how to shift their experience(s) based on a new customer, market, product, service. And they will [use scripts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/saas-sales-training-crisis-why-your-team-needs-more-than-just-scripts/) to get there. \#LongLiveSalesScripts. What’s your opinion on scripts? Let us know in the comments. And if you think I am wrong, [check out our post on the Saas Sales Training Crisis and Why Your Team Needs More Than Just Scripts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/saas-sales-training-crisis-why-your-team-needs-more-than-just-scripts/) **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Announcing 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling Training and Reinforcement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/announcing-5-week-n-e-a-t-selling-training-and-reinforcement-program/) **Published:** August 12, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve basically states that, after 30 days, someone only retains about 20% of what they’ve learned. We’ve always focused our [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-game-changing-benefits-of-sales-training-and-why-its-your-secret-weapon-in-2025/) to include [coaching for managers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) and reps both before *and* after the initial training. And it’s worked. Then came Covid-19, and the idea of a “single day of training” has been left in the dust. So we started thinking, *“How do we pivot? And if we pivot, how do we better support our customers? Could we address the forgetting curve?”*. We interviewed sales leaders and sales reps, including VPs of Sales, Sales Managers, Inside Sales Reps, Field Sales individuals, and Customer Success. What we discovered is that people wanted a longer term solution that didn’t take reps off the phone for a whole day. So we birthed our [4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/). It helps to grow revenue through proven qualification, discovery, and prospecting tactics customized for your buyers’ journey, along with additional coaching to implement reinforcement. If you look at the [Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve](https://examstudyexpert.com/ebbinghaus-forgetting-curve/), it makes sense (of course). ![forgetting-curve](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/forgetting-curve-460x322.jpg) Learn more about our new [4 Week](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5-week-n-e-a-t-selling-thank-you/) N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training and Reinforcement Program [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks). **Categories:** Blog, Customer Success Training, Discovery Skills, Field Sales, Inside Sales, Inside Sales Training, Online Sales Training, Sales, Sales Trainer, Sales Training, SDR Training, WFH, Work From Home --- ### [S7E2 - Sales Strategies, Trends, and Insights: Shifting to RTO](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e2-sales-strategies-trends-and-insights-shifting-to-rto/) **Published:** February 25, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese discuss the return to office debate – exploring how company size, sales team experience, and deal sizes are impacting remote vs. in-person work policies. We also tackle the challenges of learning new cloud coding skills amidst busy schedules, and the temptation to simply avoid it. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s7e2-sales-strategies-trends-and-insights-shifting-to-rto?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [The Economic Impact of Delaying Sales Training By 30 Days](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-economic-impact-of-delaying-sales-training-by-30-days/) **Published:** April 10, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One of my principles is teaching discovery toward real Economic Impact for the prospect/customer. One thing is true and withstands the test of time: **waiting and delaying sales training, you are delaying more and new revenue (as of right now, this means delaying new revenue until September 1, 2023).** ## **Delaying Sales Training** Here’s the math to prove my point: - **Hiring – A few months** - - New VP start date, May 1 at the earliest, June maybe more likely. - $10,000 hard cost internally before they get hired. - Interviewing People Hours - Your Economic Impact of Time - 2 hrs per interview, the prep, the interview, and the post interview discussions - Assume 5 interviews - 10 hours of your time at $250/ hr - **$2,500 hard costs** - 3 other people in your org - **Another $7,500 hard costs and that’s conservative** - **VP – First 30 days** - $30,000 hard costs - Review and redefine the process and exit criteria - Assess the team - No real training, maybe some call coaching, but only if they are on the call - If they choose to engage me, or another trainer (only because they have used them before): - That will take a few weeks to vet the situation - Then meet with you and others - Request budget, get the budget approved - **Training starts June 1 (if it works perfectly)** - Reminder, 90-day sales cycle (September 1 revenue closes) - Reminder if it’s EOM or EOQ, you may delay to July (if calendar system) - **Mid-July Training (vacations?)** - Reminder 90 day sales cycle (October 15, revenue closes) - **Now, if the VP also wants to hire a few new reps, that will delay further because they want to get them onboard** - **Current Sales Team** - Underperforming now - Morale issues - The compounding effect of nobody giving enough of the right coaching - Even if it’s you, you don’t have the time - This also means you hurt cash flow - **Economic Impact based on our conversation** - Avg Sales Cycle – 90 days - ARR – $30k - LTV- 3+ years - Each new customer is worth $100k - Each rep closes 1 new customer each year, that’s a minimum $600k of LTV - Each rep closes 6 more deals/ year, that is $3,6m - Valuation of company increases by $20m-$30m ## **On The Flip Side** - [Sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) starts the week of April 15 - Current deals in the pipeline will either be moved out or closed faster - New deals that start the week of April 15 close on July 15 - You have 6 full months of the year to drive more revenue - Better valuation by December 31 ## **Reinforcement Concerns** - My [4 weeks of reinforcement training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks) is better than what they are getting now. - Guaranteed behavior changes - Guaranteed stickiness - Guaranteed more revenue - Hypothesis: - They are not getting any training now - They are not getting real coaching - Sorry, not sorry, if that were the case we would not have had a conversation about their skills. - They are getting deal coaching on the “low-hanging fruit.” - They are getting deal coaching on the “what can we get over the finish line” - There is little to no stickiness So yes, you can press pause on training or you can spend $15k ([with anyone](https://www.outreach.io/resources/blog/sales-training-11-effective-programs-and-how-to-choose-the-right-one)) and start making improvements now. [Happy to chat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) when you feel the time is right. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Enter: Sales Prompt Specialists and Analysts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/enter-sales-prompt-specialists-and-analysts/) **Published:** June 26, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** They say, “evolve or die”. And this couldn’t be more relevant than it is in sales right now. These are the new titles: Sales Prompt Specialists and Analysts and Sales Prompt Engineers. Think: - Sales Prompt Specialist - SDR Prompt Specialist - Sales/Revenue Ops Prompt Specialist - AE Prompt Specialist - CS Prompt Specialist This is now part of the job description. Of course, you can interchange the words specialist, analyst, and engineer as you feel it best describes your needs. But, these are about the ability to prompt [AI tools](https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/ai-in-sales) with the right information and data set to yield a better response as it relates to the ideal customer profile. Let’s look at an example of a prompt: Please tell me the best way to approach a \[insert name, title\] at \[insert company/vertical\] based on their pains around \_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_. Include the [value props](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e1salesrants-intro-foundertitles-valueprops/) of our company \_\_\_\_ and make sure it’s written in a way that aligns with their personality type and how they like to receive information. Please provide the right use case and ROI information they should expect after implementing our services. Then you will get an answer back and will then need to continue to drill down and keep getting more and more specific. Now what’s really cool. Not only do you have better messaging. But, you, as a human, have more knowledge you can use when speaking with all prospects and customers. Unsure about [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) with these new roles? [Schedule a time to chat about it here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [20 Ways to Build a Winning AI in Sales Strategy: Transactional vs. Strategic AI in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/20-ways-to-build-a-winning-ai-in-sales-strategy-transactional-vs-strategic-ai-in-sales/) **Published:** September 5, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you’re still freaking out about how AI is going to affect your sales career, it’s time you get over it. Easier said than done, I know. Whether you are a sales leader or a rep, here’s a guide to help you. Artificial Intelligence has changed the game for B2B sales teams. You won’t be able to win in sales without it, but here’s the truth: simply adding an AI tool to your sales stack doesn’t mean you have an [**AI in sales strategy**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e66-why-we-havent-truly-reached-ai-in-sales-yet-with-howard-brown-of-ringdna/). In fact, right now I am not sure anything is an AI tool. I think they are just enhancements to the existing tools. Don’t let the marketing hype scare you. The most successful B2B sales leaders understand the difference between using AI in a **transactional** way—just automating tasks—and taking a **strategic use of AI in sales** to drive better conversations, stronger relationships, and measurable revenue growth. And that’s what we are going to discuss here. ## **Why This Difference Matters in Modern Sales** Let’s start by defining the word **“transactional”**. I believe [transactional sales](https://www.zendesk.com/blog/transactional-selling/) is defined by the speed at which something happens. In sales that means closing quickly, perhaps a one to three call close, smaller price points, fewer decision makers, and not as much rapport building when compared with strategic sales. Contrary to a transactional model is the strategic model. In a strategic model the focus on the customer is more long term, requires stronger relationships, a deeper understanding of the customers’ challenges, navigating multiple stake holders and has a significantly higher price point than a transactional model. So let’s translate this into definitions for [AI in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-limits-of-ai-in-sales-what-it-cant-do-and-how-you-can-fill-the-gaps/). **AI in sales strategy in Transactional Sales** is when we use [AI in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ai-in-sales-your-selfish-ai-fears/) to handle the important and often mundane tasks around the work flow. For now they are fairly simple tasks like calendar scheduling, follow up emails, reminders, or bringing all data from various sources into the CRM for tracking and analysis. Not the actual analysis. At least not yet in most cases. The mistake that many sales leaders are making here is thinking that the transactional approach to AI in sales can replace the actual sales person doing the job. Essentially thinking AI means we can reduce headcount. This often feels like the same theory that was applied when sales engagement tools first came on the scene. So, let that one be a lesson to you. **AI in sales strategy sales** is when companies train their teams on prompt design, using **both external and internal conversations** into the CRM and engagement platforms, and then use AI to provide a more strategic approach to the opportunity. This could be everything from providing forecasts, how to train the rep on the conversation they need to have with parties, or telling the organization what information is missing from the client that would better ensure the deal will move forward. Other things it could include are competitive challenges (prospects/customers or even your own competitors), market conditions, and all publicly available information. You might recognize this as a way to improve territory and account penetration and planning which so many mid-market and enterprise sellers are required to do. The difference is that when we do account penetration plans they are often ‘one and done’. They are never updated. Now they can be updated in real time. This means an AI in sales strategy is going to enhance the rep, not replace them. And if you are an AE, I would 100% start using AI to build and update your territory and account plans. Here’s the kicker: 👉 Customer communications are **not transactional. 👉 Tone of voice, empathy, and timing matter just as much as data. If you’ve invested in sales training but haven’t addressed your **AI in sales strategy**, you’re leaving revenue on the table. For example, see our insights on [modern sales training methods](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-choose-the-best-sales-training-companies-a-comprehensive-guide/) that emphasize tone and buyer experience. This is where [sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-resilient-and-empathetic-sales-person/) are critical. ## **🚀 Top 10 Ways to Leverage an AI in sales strategy for Transactional Sales** These are quick wins that help you automate repetitive tasks: 1. **Automated Note Taking** – Let AI summarize meetings so reps can focus on selling. 2. **CRM Data Entry** – Push call notes and activities automatically to your CRM. 3. **Lead Routing** – Score and assign leads instantly. 4. **Simple Email Drafting** – Respond quickly to straightforward questions. 5. **Call Scheduling Assistance** – Let AI handle calendar coordination. 6. **Sales Forecast Reports** – Generate weekly roll‑ups with AI analytics. 7. **Automated Follow‑Up Reminders** – Trigger nudges based on inactivity. 8. **Proposal Boilerplates** – Auto‑fill standard templates with account data. 9. **Territory Insights** – Pull quick geographic or vertical data. 10. **Competitor Mentions** – Flag keywords during call transcriptions. 👉 These save time, but they’re still **task‑oriented**. If you want real revenue impact, you need to go deeper—see our [sales pipeline management tips](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-vertical-profile-to-grow-pipeline/) for examples of integrating tools and strategy. ## **🌟 Top 10 Strategic Ways to Use AI in Sales** Here’s where an **AI in sales strategy** starts to separate high‑performing teams from the rest: 1. **AI‑Augmented Discovery Questions Train reps on prompts that surface deeper qualifying questions. (Check out how [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) helps with discovery for inspiration.) 2. **Context‑Aware Deal Coaching Upload pipeline reviews into your engagement platform so [AI can](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-limits-of-ai-in-sales-what-it-cant-do-and-how-you-can-fill-the-gaps/) suggest next moves. 3. **Persona‑Based Messaging Guidance AI recommends tone and messaging that resonates with different buyers. 4. **Holistic Email Review Have AI draft comprehensive outreach—then let a human fine‑tune tone and nuance. 5. **Meeting Strategy Planning Pre‑call plans generated from CRM data, past notes, and internal insights. 6. **Dynamic Sales Playbooks Let AI update playbooks based on live deal data rather than static PDFs. 7. **Buying Committee Mapping AI identifies who else in the account you need to engage. 8. **Approval Process Insights Surface legal and budget blockers earlier through data analysis. 9. **Cross‑Deal Pattern Recognition AI highlights which pitches or case studies worked in similar deals. 10. **Internal Conversation Mining Upload internal calls, Slack threads, and team brainstorms so AI can coach with context. 👉 These aren’t just efficiencies—they’re part of a **comprehensive AI in sales strategy** that enhances your team’s ability to connect, qualify, and close. ## **Training Your Team on AI Prompts** Teach your reps: ✅ What makes a good prompt vs. a bad prompt. ✅ The difference between a transactional prompt (“write a quick follow‑up”) and a holistic prompt (“suggest three questions to uncover hidden decision makers”). With this kind of training—similar to what we cover in sales coaching programs—AI becomes a true partner in your sales motion. ### **Transactional and Strategic AI in Sales Guidelines** One of the biggest gaps we see is that companies hand AI tools to reps without **prompt training**. A good way to think about **transactional AI prompts in sales** is the traditional Google search. You would ask Google for something. And then you would often refine it one step at a time. One transaction at a time. Or maybe you ask Siri what’s the weather forecast. Those are transactional. And often no more than 1-2 sentences. In terms **prompts for an AI in sales strategy** it does need to take a bigger picture look as one might for strategic or [consultative selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-consultative-selling-why-n-e-a-t-selling-training-delivers-superior-results/). It’s more like asking a question of multiple layers based on different people involved in the decision and including additional insights that you may have or may want to request of the AI model you are using. Often these prompts might be multiple sentences if not paragraphs. You don’t have to write War and Peace but you can’t write Green Eggs and Ham either. ## **Avoid the Common Pitfall with an AI in sales strategy** Having AI write any email beyond a simple response without review is still transactional. A **strategic use of AI in sales** means: - AI drafts the content. - Humans give the context. We ensure tone, empathy, and personalization are correct before sending. ## **Bringing It All Together** ✅ **Transactional AI in sales** automates repetitive tasks. ✅ **Strategic AI in sales** provides holistic support, enhances discovery, and strengthens your ability to engage buyers. ## **The BIGGEST MISSED opportunity:** Here’s something I have been screaming for the last few years, most companies are not recording and uploading their internal conversations about client strategies into their engagement platforms. Why are you not recording your internal deal pipeline conversations and putting them into the CRM for the AI to utilize?!! Pipeline reviews and team brainstorms are happening—but the AI never sees them. That’s leaving valuable insights untapped. When you build an **AI in sales strategy** that blends automation with human insight, you create a sales engine that’s smarter, faster, and more aligned with the way modern buyers actually buy. ### **Ready to Transform Your AI in Sales Strategy?** If you’re ready to move beyond the transactional and start leveraging AI strategically, let’s talk. 👉 Schedule a free consultation with The Harris Consulting Group or call/text me directly at **415.596.9149**. Together, we’ll make sure your AI isn’t just saving time—it’s driving revenue. **Categories:** AI Sales, Blog, Sales Strategy --- ### [Simple Tips to Become a Sales Winner](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/simple-tips-to-become-a-sales-winner/) **Published:** November 14, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the fast-paced world of sales, finding inspiration and motivation is essential for success. At The Harris Consulting Group, we’re here to help you harness the force and finish the year on a strong note. Let’s explore the top ten tips to **elevate your game and become a real sales winner.** ## Tip 10: “Do or do not, there is no try in Sales.” In the world of sales, half-hearted efforts won’t cut it. Commit fully to your goals, and you’ll find the power to overcome any challenge. Believe in yourself, and let that conviction guide your actions. ## Tip 9: “Any fool can learn from his mistakes; a wise salesman learns from the mistakes of others.” Wisdom lies in recognizing that learning from others’ experiences can be just as valuable as learning from your own. So, it is crucial to seek out mentorship, study success stories, and [leverage the collective knowledge](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-6-stages-of-growth-in-your-sales-team/) of your team. ## Tip 8: “The Truth Will Set You Free…but it might sting at first. “ Avoiding costly mistakes is paramount in sales. Thus, take the time to think through your actions, seek feedback, and avoid impulsive decisions that may hinder your progress. Then, take a deep breath, exhale, and choose to move forward with what you have learned. ## Tip 7: “When you think you are done, you are really only 40% of the way there.” True success requires going the extra mile. Thus, push yourself beyond your comfort zone, and you’ll uncover untapped potential that can make a significant difference in your results. ## Tip 6: “Many mistakes in the sales process can be seen and felt while they occur, but salespeople often don’t want to do anything to f\*ck up the deal.” Your mind is your worst enemy. Usually, our fear of making a missteps means we keep doing bad things over. By overthinking everything, your actions may get worse and you may not realize the change needed for improvement. In other words, your limiting beliefs will hold you back. On the contrary, addressing challenges head-on and finding solutions will ultimately lead to stronger and more successful deals. ## Tip 5: “The fear you bring into a sales call will often be the very reason you lose the deal.” This is not about fake it til you make it. It’s about continually learning your craft and knowledge. Often, real life and sales overlap, this is where we can build our courage and confidence. Improving the courage and confidence in sales is ongoing and never stops. The more you learn, the more you will believe in yourself and the value you bring to the table. When you approach a sales call with courage and confidence, it resonates with your potential client. This [sets the stage](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/navigating-sales-cycles-and-processes-in-your-go-to-market-strategy/) for a successful [sales call](https://hbr.org/2021/03/when-ceos-make-sales-calls). ## Tip 4: “Dedicating time to help newbie reps on the inside sales team actually makes you better at closing your own deals.” This will also help with mental health. Scientists say that the act of giving boosts production of three brain chemicals — dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin (sometimes called the “happiness trifecta”). Increasing these brain chemicals can improve your mood. In addition, volunteering provides a sense of purpose and appreciation. So, supporting your colleagues not only fosters a positive work environment but also sharpens your own skills. > In other words,sharing knowledge and collaborating with your team leads to collective success. ## Tip 3: “You can earn far more respect as a leader by sharing your knowledge around hitting sales goals over merely hitting your goals.” Leading from the front and with [vulnerability](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e35-what-growth-doesnt-want-you-to-hear-with-keith-daw/) is what will inspire others around you to succeed as well. True leadership is about empowering others to succeed. This often includes being vulnerable to the mistakes you have made in your own career. By sharing your experiences, insights, learnings, and strategies with your team will not only help them, but help you too. You’ll not only hit your targets but also inspire others to reach new heights. ## Tip 2: “Yes, we are talking about sales practice” Dedicate time to honing your craft. Practice, refine, and develop your skills to become a true master of your trade. Embrace continuous learning and improvement and you will continue to hit sales targets ## Tip 1: “It’s ok to be proud of what you have done “ Just because you are proud about something does not mean you are not also humble. Too often when people say to be humble about your success they mean don’t brag. What happens is we often interpret that as feeling bad for being successful. You can be proud about achievements in sales, or anywhere for that matter. Just don’t be a jerk about it. Celebrate your achievements, recognize that success is a journey, and there’s always room for growth and improvement. [Embrace your accomplishments and use them as fuel for future success. ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fsimple-tips-to-become-a-sales-winner%2F&text=Embrace%20your%20accomplishments%20and%20use%20them%20as%20fuel%20for%20future%20success.&related)[Share on X](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fsimple-tips-to-become-a-sales-winner%2F&text=Embrace%20your%20accomplishments%20and%20use%20them%20as%20fuel%20for%20future%20success.&related) ## Conclusion As you set out on your path to becoming a true Sales Champion, remember to keep these valuable tips in mind. Do you have any additional insights or strategies you’d like to contribute? If you need extra help, I invite you to check [our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Sales Training & Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) or simply [book a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The 30 Unforgivable Sins of Founder Led Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-30-unforgivable-sins-of-founder-led-sales/) **Published:** April 11, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** *In Founder Led Sales, everyone is guilty!* *Yes, even YOU!* *Is your founder guilty? Are YOU the guilty founder? Let’s be honest – all founders commit these sales crimes. The only question is: how many are YOU guilty of?* When I first wrote about the [Top 16 Crimes Founders Commit When Transitioning From Founder-Led Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-16-crimes-founders-are-guilty-of-when-moving-off-founder-led-sales/), I had no idea how many more transgressions I’d uncover. Turns out, the rap sheet is much longer. My hypothesis remains unchanged: [Founder led sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-founder-led-sales/) is critical to the success of any new start up. However, every founder is guilty of at least 51% of these sales atrocities. Your employees would convict you in a heartbeat if they served on your jury. And frankly, your opinion doesn’t matter – you’re biased because your mom told you that you’re special. ## **The Indictment List of Founder Led Sales** So, you’re doing founder led sales. You’ve got what, 10, maybe 20 clients and you think you’re ready to scale? Well, maybe you are, and maybe you aren’t. Let’s see how this goes for you. **30. GUILTY!** You believe hiring that fancy sales leader from BigCorp (who’s never actually built a process or team from scratch) is your golden ticket. **29. GUILTY!** You’re delusional about equity – thinking a microscopic sliver of ownership and some distant IPO fantasy will hypnotize top talent into working 80-hour weeks. This isn’t founder led sales, this is indentured servitude. **28. GUILTY!** Your expectations are divorced from reality – believing sales reps should ramp in two weeks and turn profitable within 30 days on a $100K ACV product. This isn’t founder led sales, this is called smoking hope-i-um. **27. GUILTY!** You demand forecasts to be crystal ball accurate, 100% of the time. **26. GUILTY!** You claim to treat employees “like family” – but forget you’re actually the crazy uncle we tolerate for exactly four hours at Thanksgiving before we’ve had enough until next year. **25. GUILTY!** You believe that hiring a hotshot AE with a list of previous clients will magically bring immediate business. Spoiler alert: it rarely brings ANY business. **24. GUILTY!** You think you’re being fiscally responsible by keeping VC money in the bank while forcing your team to do everything manually. This isn’t founder led sales, this is simply stupidity. **23. GUILTY!** You obsess over building the perfect CRM sales process before you even have 20 customers. This isn’t founder led sales, this is indication you are a micro-manager. **22. GUILTY!** You think you’re ready to go up market with 15 SMB or MM customers and maybe 1 Enterprise logo. This isn’t founder led sales, this is ego led sales. **21. GUILTY!** You fail to recognize your founder title opens doors that regular sales titles simply can’t. **20. GUILTY!** You don’t understand delegation means actually LETTING GO, not continuously jumping back in because you think you’re the Virgin Mary and created this company through immaculate conception. **19. GUILTY!** You believe your horizontal solution should target every vertical simultaneously instead of dominating 2-3 key verticals early-on. This isn’t founder led sales, this is ego and greedy led sales. **18. GUILTY!** You refuse to accept that sales will never, ever move as fast as your fantasies suggest. Your projections are hallucinations with Excel formulas. **17. GUILTY!** You think you’re the exception to rule #18. You’re not. Direct that energy elsewhere. **16. GUILTY!** You read one sales book over a weekend and suddenly think you created the [4-Week NEAT Selling Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/). Hint, you didn’t, I did. ## **The Value Proposition Crimes of Founder Led Sales** **15. GUILTY!** Your value prop focuses on what you DO, not what PAINS you SOLVE. Nobody buys words, they buy pictures. You gotta [Bob Ross this stuff through storytelling.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-storytelling-in-sales-transforming-conversations-into-connections/) When I say “Tylenol,” you don’t picture a white pill – you visualize someone clutching their throbbing red forehead (the same red as the bottle, by the way). **14. GUILTY!** Your value prop reflects what YOU think it should be, not what customers tell you. When’s the last time you asked clients why they purchased and then actually used their words in another [discovery call](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/achieving-powerful-discovery/)? **13. GUILTY!** Your value prop relies on meaningless buzzwords: Effective, Efficient, Fast, AI-powered, World-Class. Newsflash: your competitors use identical language. That’s not founder led sales, that’s copy cat selling. **12. GUILTY!** Your value prop lacks concrete examples. It should always follow with “…and this is good because \[insert specific use case that makes prospects nod in recognition\].” ## **The Team Building Felonies** **11. GUILTY!** You underestimate how EXPENSIVE building a revenue team truly is. SDRs, AEs, CS, Account Management – it all adds up fast. **10. GUILTY!** You hire salespeople one at a time because you think that’s better for your budget. That’s not founder led sales, that’s stingy led l[eadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e27-nigel-green-how-to-hire-elite-salespeople-the-only-sales-leadership-skill-that-matters/). **9. GUILTY!** You hire [Sales Operations and Revenue Operations](https://pages.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/building-a-revenue-operations-rocket-ship) too late. They should come first alongside your Head of Sales. **8. GUILTY!** Your AE count exceeds your SDR count – another red flag you’re guilty of most crimes here. **7. GUILTY!** You keep new reps chained to their desks instead of meeting clients to truly understand the value your solution delivers. **6. GUILTY!** You haven’t documented your success stories beyond Zoom recordings. Where are the transcribed, digestible versions? ## **The Capital Crimes** **5. GUILTY!** You obediently follow VC advice about needing “someone who’s done it before.” Here’s the truth: hire for “can do” versus “has done.” Look for hustle, grit, and that chip on the shoulder. **4. GUILTY!** You treat sales teams as disposable while giving product teams an endless runway for missed deadlines and marketing teams forgiveness for missed lead goals. **3. GUILTY!** You expect VCs to provide this guidance when most haven’t been in the trenches for years. Not their fault – just reality. **2. GUILTY!** You undermine your sales team by caving on discounts after deadlines, then blame them – despite never giving them [negotiation training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/where-negotiation-skills-training-often-fails/) on pricing strategy or negotiation tactics. **1. GUILTY!** You’re panicking because you now realize you’re guilty of 70% of these crimes, not just the hypothesized 51%. If you or someone you know may be guilty of these crimes please [contact us ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/)directly so we can hopefully reduce your bail. **Categories:** Blog, Founder Led Sales, Sales Leadership --- ### [Deal Scoring: What Is It About?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/deal-scoring-what-is-it-about/) **Published:** March 27, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We are often asked a few questions about deal scoring, sales forecasting, [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/), and [sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-3-mistakes-that-kill-your-sales-coaching-potential/). So we decided to document them and share them. - **Is deal scoring used for forecasting and coaching? Or just forecasting?** - It’s all of the above. - Senior Execs/Board want it more for forecasting and forecasting accuracy. - This then means VPs/Dir/Mgr/ICs would be wise to embrace. - I am not sure how people could expect a forecasting tool to be used properly if it was not used to actually help reps become better at different parts of the sales motion. - **Do you base your scoring criteria on a sales methodology?** - Another “it depends”. - What is a clear definition of “scoring” in your organization? And can that definition make sense from the top of the org to the IC inputting the data? - If not, it may not be the right definition. - The key to any successful sales methodology and/or forecasting comes down to a few of the following items: - Clear naming of stages (Suspect, Prospect, Qualifying, Discovery, Selection, Negotiation, Closing) - NOT STAGE NAMES: Demo, Proposal Sent, etc. - Clearly defined Exit Criteria. Often, a specific activity, such as meeting scheduled, meeting occurred, demo scheduled, demo occurred, title engaged, commercial terms discussed, commercial terms verbally agreed upon, resources available, commitment to introductions, etc. - **Is there automation that scores deals effectively?** - A specific definition for “effectively” must be written out and again agreed upon throughout the organization. People will become frustrated if it’s only for the execs to use to report to the board. - If you are tracking specific activities, this could be automated to a degree. - Biggest gaps continue to be: - Capturing details of omnichannel conversations, including call recordings, [Zoom](https://zoom.us) recordings, email, text, and LinkedIn. - This includes conversations with prospects, as well as our own internal conversations around the deals in pipeline reviews. - Capturing sentiment, including pace, tone of voice, and eye contact, emails opened, click-throughs on information shared, time spent on documents shared with the prospect, etc. - Taking it back to the team for a discussion. *“We aren’t there, so the best we can do is teach the reps how to make discoveries of the non-present influencers/deciders/skeptics.”* - **Tools – Garbage in = Garbage Out** - If these tools are not fully owned, coordinated, and shared between teams they will simply fail. - Probably between Revenue Ops and Sales Enablement Teams. - If they are not properly implemented with the right integrations, definitions, and consistent sales training, they will not be worth what is paid for them. - Tool fatigue and bloatedness are real. - **Tools I like:** - Salesforce, [Salesloft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/salesloft-did-it-again-rainmaker16/)/Outreach, Regie.ai, Atrium, Gong/Chorus, Humantic, Sybill (actually does some sentiment scoring of conversations), and Zoom. - Yes, I am an advisor for some of these, so be sure to do your due diligence, have your clear definitions of needs, and then make them prove they can solve them. On the other hand, if you don’t know, then you should judge those reps by their ability to help you figure it out. And ultimately, this all comes down to having a strong sales process that aligns with everything mentioned above. Just [don’t over-engineer your sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/don%e2%80%99t-over-engineer-your-sales-process/). If you feel something is off feel free to chime in on the comments. We want to hear it! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Cracking the Code: Why Most Sales Reps Are Missing Goals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-why-most-sales-reps-are-missing-goals/) **Published:** August 30, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the never-ending world of sales, there’s a curious conundrum that keeps both sales leaders, sales reps, and companies awake at night: “why do so many sales reps fall short of their targets?” The scenario isn’t just about missed opportunities; it’s a puzzle that holds the potential to reshape strategies and more importantly, help identify if the gap is in the business or in the rep themselves. It isn’t uncommon that the root of a sales rep missing is actually a gap in the enablement of the business. To decipher this problem, let’s dive into the labyrinth of sales statistics, where each data point holds a clue to the mystery. **The Paradox of Goals** Imagine goals as intricate puzzles, constructed with numbers and ambition. On the surface, they might appear rational (or absolutely not rational, and the company’s management team and CFO are taking crazy pills), a product of calculated assessments. Yet, beneath this veneer lies the dance of human behavior, turning rationality into a delicate back and forth fight to get a deal done with urgency and at the right price point. The quest for objectivity transforms into a subjective narrative, driven by desires that quietly pull the strings. Goals that seem logical become an intricate tapestry woven with the threads of irrationality. **Aim for the Stars: The Mirage of High Targets** Welcome to the high-wire act of sales goal setting, where aspiration and reality teeter on a delicate balance. Where sales reps fear what the executives and [VCs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-become-the-next-unicorn/) feel fuel revenue growth expectations and market fervor, often set their sights sky-high. Yet, ambition’s ascent can lead to goals that stretch the bounds of reality. Unattainable targets loom like distant stars, taunting and demoralizing sales reps. A tug-of-war between ambition and execution ensues, and as frustration mounts, the vision of success starts to blur. Only 23% of sales reps hit quota in Q4 2022 – that isn’t a rep problem, that’s an executive and sales leadership, company and industry, and target problem. \**(Source )* **The Chasm of Understanding: The Sales Pitch Mismatch** Imagine a chasm that separates the sales rep from the customer—a gap where many missteps occur. On the surface, understanding a prospect’s needs seems straightforward, yet it’s the deeper pain points that hold the key to connection. It’s not enough to skim the surface; it’s about delving into the hidden fears, and challenges, and finding the inevitable gold of the “compelling event” that unlocks your true answer to speed. When this chasm remains unbridged, customers are left feeling like they’re handed a puzzle piece “and what is the easiest thing for a prospect to do? go back to what they were doing before, and the question echoes: why do sales reps miss the mark? **Cracking the Interview Code** Unlocking sales success hinges on an often-overlooked factor: the sales interview. It’s not just about evaluating skills; it’s a puzzle of compatibility and potential. Yet, this puzzle often remains unsolved, as interview skills are underestimated and under-taught, if they are even taught at all. The result? Wrong pieces placed in pivotal positions. The interview’s role extends beyond the individual; it’s a gateway that shapes the sales team’s DNA and sales culture. Ignoring this piece leaves a gap in the overall puzzle of sales success. **The Prism of Reasons: Unraveling the Culprits** The mystery of missed sales[ goals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?s=goals) is multifaceted, with external and internal factors intertwining. Economic shifts, market changes, and management expectations play their roles. Yet, a deeper reflection reveals the internal landscape—the overlooked causes that breed missed opportunities. Blaming external forces paints only part of the picture. It’s the mirror we hold to our own decisions and strategies that reflects the unspoken causes. **A Symphony of Responsibility** Peering beyond the puzzle pieces, we uncover a truth that calls for introspection. The core of missed sales goals lies within the organizational psyche. The solution requires acknowledging the internal mishaps that often escape notice. Embracing accountability means understanding that the narrative isn’t just shaped by external forces but is scripted within the organization’s walls. In the grand tapestry of sales, the riddle of missed goals unfolds. The culprits—irrational goals, elusive targets, communication gaps, and the interview enigma—are laid bare. This narrative of missed opportunities transcends data points; it’s a story of human nature, ambition, and adaptation. It’s a tale that extends an invitation for transformation—a narrative that beckons us to rewrite the script of success. As the curtain rises on the sales saga, mysteries begin to dissolve. What emerges is not just an analysis of numbers but an exploration of human behavior. It’s a journey that extends an opportunity—a chance to embrace accountability, to redefine goals, and to craft a new narrative where success isn’t just about achieving targets but about crafting a symphony of growth, understanding, and accomplishment. We encourage you to share your thoughts, experiences, and insights with us. Have you encountered your own unique challenges in the sales realm? Whether you have a story to share or a question to ask, our digital doors are always open. Your voice is a vital note in the symphony of our discussion. Join the conversation and let’s continue to decode the enigma together. What’s on your mind? We’re[ here to listen](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/), advise, and embark on this journey of sales transformation with you! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The Keys to Achieving Customer Success: Beyond the Sale](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-keys-to-achieving-customer-success-beyond-the-sale/) **Published:** May 20, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** **In the competitive world of sales, the true measure of success goes far beyond closing a deal.** Achieving customer success is a holistic approach that extends the seller’s responsibility into the post-sale journey, ensuring clients not only achieve their desired outcomes but also feel valued and understood throughout their entire experience. This perspective is crucial in building long-lasting relationships and fostering a positive business environment conducive to repeat business and referrals. Here are the pivotal keys to achieving client success beyond the initial sale. ## 1. Understand Client Objectives To truly grasp the essence of [customer success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-customer-success-will-earn-you-more-money/), it’s essential to cultivate a relationship built on trust and mutual understanding. This means actively listening to your clients, and asking insightful questions that encourage them to open up about their deeper aspirations and fears. Through this process, you not only gather valuable information but also demonstrate your commitment to their positive business outcomes. It’s about showing that you’re not just another vendor, but a strategic partner invested in their long-term achievements. The [N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) facilitates this by guiding you on how to engage in meaningful conversations that reveal the core of what your clients truly need. Moreover, adapting your approach based on the unique context and requirements of each client is key. No two clients are the same, and their definitions of success can vary widely. Having an adaptive approach not only enhances your ability to meet and exceed client expectations but also positions you as a flexible and thoughtful advisor. In doing so, you create a competitive edge for yourself in the marketplace, ensuring that you’re not just meeting basic needs but actively contributing to your clients’ strategic success. ## 2. Deliver Personalized Solutions In the competitive landscape of sales, [the art of personalization](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-the-art-of-personalization-in-sales-in-2024/) goes beyond mere product adaptation. It involves a deep understanding of the client’s business environment, challenges, and objectives. Engaging in meaningful conversations to uncover these layers of information allows sales professionals to position their offerings in a way that aligns with the client’s strategic goals. Furthermore, leveraging technology and data analytics plays a crucial role in enhancing personalization efforts. Advanced tools can provide insights into customer behavior, preferences, and trends, enabling sales teams to anticipate needs and tailor their communication and solutions accordingly. Everyone in the world wants to be seen, heard and understood. Adopting this philosophy is more than just the foundation of your customer success model and ensures a proactive approach guaranteeing your clients feel understood and valued. All of which leads to reduced churn, greater net revenue retention, and happier and more successful customers. In a world where customers are bombarded with choices, those who offer a bespoke experience stand out. It’s easy to lose a customer, it’s hard to get new ones or win old ones back. It’s not just about selling a product or service; it’s about creating an experience that leaves a lasting impression, driving both immediate success and sustainable growth. ## 3. Establish Clear Communication Channels Clear, consistent, and open communication forms the backbone of any successful client relationship. It’s essential to establish preferred channels and protocols for communication early in the relationship to ensure both parties are always on the same page. This openness fosters trust and confidence, ensuring that any issues or concerns can be addressed promptly and effectively. ## 4. Provide Ongoing Support and Education Customer success is an ongoing journey. Providing continuous support and education about your products or services helps clients maximize their investment, enhancing satisfaction and loyalty. If you are not providing [customer success training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/customer-success-training/) for your team, you are missing out on some easy wins. This could include regular check-ins, training sessions, or updates on new features and improvements. Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to their success reinforces the value of your relationship beyond the initial sale. Moreover, by tailoring communication and solutions to each client’s unique needs and challenges, businesses can foster a deeper connection and understanding. This [personalized approach](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=audCCGfgqJA) not only solves immediate issues but also anticipates future needs. Additionally, leveraging feedback mechanisms to gather insights directly from clients is crucial for continuous improvement and innovation. This cycle of feedback and improvement not only drives client success but also positions your company as a responsive and [client-centric](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/agile-strategies-for-responding-to-shifting-market-dynamics/) organization in the competitive marketplace. ## 6. Measure Success and Adjust Strategies Accordingly Success should be measurable. Establish clear metrics or KPIs to track client success and regularly review these metrics to assess performance. This data-driven approach allows you to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategies accordingly. It also provides tangible evidence of your commitment to achieving and exceeding client objectives. ## Conclusion Achieving customer success needs a deep understanding of the intricate dynamics of client expectations and market demands. It involves crafting strategies that are not only responsive but also proactive, foreseeing potential challenges and opportunities. By embedding innovation and adaptability into your client interactions, you’re not just meeting expectations; you’re consistently exceeding them. This forward-thinking mindset fosters an environment where continuous improvement is the norm, ensuring that your business remains at the forefront of industry developments and client preferences. Furthermore, building long-term relationships with clients is about more than just transactions; it’s about creating genuine connections. This requires a commitment to understanding their evolving needs, the industry landscape, and how external factors may affect their business. Such relationships are built on mutual respect and a shared vision for success, making your clients more than just customers—they become advocates for your business, contributing to a positive reputation that attracts new opportunities. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** customer success, personalization, Sales, sales teams --- ### [Finding Your Rep's Individual Currency (Motivating Your Sales Team)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/finding-your-reps-individual-currency-motivating-your-sales-team/) **Published:** September 26, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We have two children, one 12, and another 14. Our 14 year old wants to work in Hollywood. He is enamored with movies. [He’s a Jedi Master](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/10-easy-tips-to-becoming-a-sales-jedi-master/) He can have a conversation and tell you about the different ways [Scorsese shoots films](https://time.com/4664990/martin-scorsese-silence/). He can tell you how each director of the different Batman movies tells their story. He pays attention to the soundtrack and how it enhances a movie. And he’s seen some other movies most of his friends have not. So here’s the situation. His grades are very good – A’s and B’s. He’s more than capable of all A’s and it’s just about effort. He came to us last week and said, “You know we’ve been talking about this in school. And rather than take away things if my grades don’t improve, what if you let me watch a Tarantino movie when I get my grades to all A’s?” As a business person, yes, I love this approach. Managing the motivations of your individual employees’ desires. Of course as a parent, we have to balance that with age appropriate content. Find your rep’s currency based on their desires, not just your needs and wants. It’s the key to motivating your sales team. Kinda like sales, you know? --- If you think your team needs a some training to go along with those incentives, check out our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/). On the fence about it? Check out [these 7 ways](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) sales training can help you and your team. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [7 Steps for Developing a Winning Sales Strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-steps-for-developing-a-winning-sales-strategy/) **Published:** September 10, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Sales Coaching and consulting best practices ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-customized-sales-training-outperforms-traditional-approaches/)are always critical. And we try to share as many of them as we can with you. If you’re trying to take your company’s sales performance to the next level, developing a winning [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-strategy-vs-sales-plan/) is the key to your success. When you can create an informed plan to supercharge your sales and boost your bottom line, you have the clarity and direction to execute it with confidence. In this guide, we’ll introduce the seven steps to developing a winning sales strategy for your business. We’ll also include several excellent techniques and industry best practices for setting goals, analyzing your industry, understanding your target client, and much more! ### **Step 1: Know Yourself, Know Your Environment** Before you even think about creating and executing a winning [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-strategy-coaching-isnt-just-for-newbies/), you must thoroughly understand how your business fits into the macro sales environment in your industry. In other words, you must figure out where you are, what you’re doing, and what is and isn’t working. Analyze both the external and internal factors that determine your company’s performance. For your external evaluation, look at your industry as a whole. How many competitors do you have? Is the market composed of a few large competitors or countless small businesses? Does the government heavily regulate your industry? For your internal assessment, analyze your company from both an objective and subjective standpoint. How many employees/sales reps do you have? Do you have an inside sales team, field sales team? What about customer success? Are you planning to introduce any new products in the future to grow upsell and cross-sales revenues? How many resources can you afford to invest in this sales strategy, sales stack, and sales training? The better you understand your environment and how your company fits into it, the better you can plan and execute your winning sales strategy. ### **Step 2: Understand Your Customer (ICP vs. IPP)** The next step to building a winning sales strategy is understanding your target/ideal customer. Many factors – from demographics like age and gender to psychographics like behavioral tendencies – influence how your prospects react to your product and sales strategy. In general, the best practice with client research is to measure and track everything that you reasonably can, with demographics being the best place to start. Be sure you understand your ICP Formula (Ideal Customer Profile) [ICP = Ideal Company Profile](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/) + Ideal Persona Profile - Ideal Company Profile – What types of companies are your targeting, industry, titles, and the pains the company have at the micro level? - Ideal Persona Profile – Which titles from decision maker down to the end user of your product or service have? What pains do these people have at their unique position as it relates to your product or service? Once you understand your Ideal Customer Profile, it’s time to start having authentic conversations. If you want to find out what is and isn’t working in your sales process, you must speak with three groups of people: 1. **Best Customers –** Ask them why they bought it, how it helped them, and what influenced them to work with you over the competitor. 2. **Worst or Problem Child Customers –** Ask them why they bought it, why they haven’t used it, what problem they were hoping to solve, and how you can help them. 3. **Lost Leads –** who looked the other way or chose a competitor. Ask them what problem they were hoping to solve, what influenced them to work with a competitor, and whether or not their problem has been solved. With the information obtained from demographic and psychographic research and direct client feedback, you should have a clear picture of what your target customers want. Now you can apply this knowledge to intelligently developing a winning sales strategy! And a positive side effect. You can take this information back to your product team, engineering team, and marketing team to help create greater alignment. ### **Step 3: Create Your Sales Process** If you’ve followed the first two steps of this guide, you should have a thorough understanding of your business, your industry, and what clients want when they work with you. Equipped with this knowledge, you can start setting the foundation of your winning sales strategy by building your sales process. When developing a sales process getting a clear picture of your target outcome will help you create tactics and track your opportunities through the sales funnel and pipeline Unfortunately, most people have a faulty approach to creating a sales process, which makes it nearly impossible for them to work toward their objective. When creating your sales process be sure to target use the SMART Goal System. This goal-setting technique helps you set informed, trackable, and achievable goals that keep you motivated and focused. SMART is an acronym for the five crucial aspects of any successful goal or target: **S**pecific: Your goal must be simple and concise. The more straightforward it is, the easier it will be to work towards. Any person on your sales team should be able to immediately understand the objective without any confusion. **M**easurable: You must be able to measure your performance objectively. Measuring your goal progress by subjective standards nearly guarantees that you won’t be able to achieve it. **A**chievable: Ambition is great, but you need to be realistic. If you run a company with less than a hundred employees, your revenues won’t be rivaling those of brands like Apple or Disney any time soon. Planning ambitious but *achievable* goals is the key to staying motivated and on track! **R**esults-Based: At the end of the year, there shouldn’t be any mystery about whether or not you achieved your objective. Either you did, or you didn’t. If the answer isn’t a simple yes/no, your goal wasn’t specific and measurable enough. **T**ime-Restricted: Procrastination kills goals. If you want to achieve your sales goals, you must put a time limit on them. Whether your objective has a lifespan of a month or a year, creating time constraints helps your team stay on track and engaged. So the first step in creating your [Sales Process comes to Staging and Naming](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/your-2021-sales-process-and-staging-update/). Once you have your stage and names created, then you define the proper exit criteria from one stage to the next using SMART. **Exit Criteria – SMART Examples:** 1. First Meeting Set 2. First Meeting Completed 3. Second Meeting Set 4. Second Meeting Completed 5. Demo Completed ### **Step 4: Find Your Competitive Edge** Your targets are set and well defined. It’s almost time to put your winning sales strategy into action. But before you can do that, you must determine your company’s competitive strengths and weaknesses. The best way to achieve this is with a quick SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis to determine where your business is strong and where it might be vulnerable: The first step to a SWOT Analysis is assessing your strengths and weaknesses. These vary widely between companies, but factors like finances, employees, number of customers, and assets all play a role in determining your strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve found your strengths and weaknesses, you can use this information to determine your competitive opportunities and threats. Let’s suppose you have a small business with few employees and customers, but your finances are excellent. You have the opportunity to invest in assets, people, and technology that improves your sales performance. But you should be aware of the threat of bigger, more established businesses in the industry who can use their existing resources more efficiently. Finding your competitive advantage is a crucial step in developing a winning sales strategy. Once you understand your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you can create a sales plan that leverages your assets while avoiding your weak points! Finally, be sure you teach your reps how to ask about the competition before the customer brings it up. It’s rare anyone spends money without at least looking at what else is in the marketplace. This is a very specific and nuanced sales training conversation. It should be customized and role played to the extent your inside sales team is “Certified” in speaking about yourself and competitors in the proper way. ### **Step 5: Assemble and Train an All-Star Team** The final step before planning your mission is assembling an all-star sales team. In other words, your sales reps must have the skills, courage and confidence to engage with clients and close sales. If your sales team isn’t prepared to handle the strain of implementing a new [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-process-vs-methodology/) or sales strategy, they won’t be able to reach revenue targets. Whether you’re using internal coaching techniques, our [LIVE Sales Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5weeks), our [Negotiation Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/negotiation-skills-training) or online sales training tools like our [N.E.A.T. Selling™ Online Sales Training](https://jbarrows.com/programs/the-neat-discovery-process-7c7844), make sure your sales team has the requisite skills and knowledge to implement your winning sales strategy is a must. Invest in your people, and they’ll invest back into your bottom line! ### **Step 6: Create Your Strategy** With your internal and external knowledge, your new or updated Sales Process, strong Sales Training, and SMART Goals, along with competitive edge, and an all-star sales team, you’re ready to go. Look at the goals you created in Step 3 and compare them to your company’s current state. Using your competitive analysis and internal/external knowledge, start planning a strategy to achieve your goal. Communicate often with your C-Level company executives and keep them informed about the plan. You may also include your front-line sales managers and salespeople through each step. While they might not be as informed about the general state of the company, they can provide some valuable insights into the daily challenges they face on the sales floor. Remember, the sales strategy you create today isn’t set in stone. It’s a dynamic plan that should shift with the needs of the company or changes in the industry and your customers. The most important task at the moment is creating a straightforward, easy-to-follow outline of how your business plans to achieve its goals. In other words, do your best and feel free to make changes later. ### **Step 7: Execute** If you’ve followed all the steps in this guide, putting your [winning sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-strategy-coaching-isnt-just-for-newbies/) into action is the easiest part of this process. Simply follow your plan and make any necessary changes when you run into obstacles. If you have a large sales team, you might want to implement a performance tracking system to monitor who’s on track and who needs some extra [sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-strategy-coaching-isnt-just-for-newbies/) and support. Once you are three months into your sales plan (assuming your plan is based on a yearly timeline), take an in-depth look at your sales strategy and see if anything requires revision. There you have it! The seven simple steps for developing a winning sales strategy. If you follow the techniques in this guide, you’ll immediately have more clarity and purpose in how you plan and execute your sales tactics. If you want to learn more about creating a winning sales strategy, [ask us about our sales consulting service](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/), where we help you navigate the process of taking your sales to the next level! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Artificial Intelligence and Its Current State in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/artificial-intelligence-and-its-current-state-in-sales/) **Published:** February 12, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Artificial Intelligence (AI)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5-myths-about-ai-you-still-believe-in-2022/) has undeniably revolutionized various industries, and the sales domain is no stranger to its transformative impact. The infusion of **AI into sales** processes marks a significant shift, ushering in an era characterized by heightened efficiency, personalized interactions, and a foundation built on data-driven decision-making. This paradigm shift is more than a technological upgrade. It represents a fundamental change in how businesses approach sales strategies and customer engagement. In the following article, we will delve into the current state of AI in sales. Let’s examine the key advancements and strategies that organizations and customers employ to harness the power of AI. By understanding how businesses leverage this transformative technology, we can gain insights into how everyone navigates an increasingly competitive landscape. This information is crucial to position yourself strategically to stay ahead in the ever-evolving market dynamics. ## The Benefits of AI in Sales **The evolution of technology means significant advantages for the niche of sales.** These are just some of the most popular benefits experienced by salespeople when implementing AI into their sales strategies. ### Time Management A study in 2022 by Salesforce indicated that a sales rep only spends 28% of their time selling. The high-level understanding is that AI can reduce the manual processes that waste a reps time and allow them to spend time thinking strategically about their prospects and customers. The immediate impact can be felt when it comes to updating the CRM with quality data from emails, phone calls, chatbots, and other communication sources. ### Enhanced Customer Insights: AI has revolutionized the way businesses gather and analyze customer data. Through machine learning algorithms, [the best sales teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-best-sales-teams-are-built-upon-the-5-cs/) can gain deeper insights into customer behavior, preferences, and buying patterns. Where this used to be manual, AI can actually do it in seconds. Now a sales rep can highly target and personalize sales strategies. This ensures that each interaction is tailored to meet the specific needs of every customer. [\#HumanityInSales](https://youtu.be/uheEvTJEwnI) ### Predictive Analytics for Sales Forecasting: One of the most significant contributions of AI in sales is its ability to predict future trends and outcomes. **Predictive analytics powered by AI algorithms can analyze historical sales data, identify patterns, and forecast future sales performance.** This practice aids in making informed business decisions, as it empowers sales teams to address potential challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Also, it strategically positions teams in the market to stay ahead of competitors in an ever-evolving landscape. ### Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: We’ve already been using these for quite some time. And now they will only get better. AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants have become invaluable tools in the sales process. These intelligent systems can engage with potential customers, answer queries, and even assist in the initial stages of the sales funnel. By automating routine tasks, sales teams can focus on more complex and strategic aspects of the sales process. This results in increased conversions of the right opportunities in the pipeline. ### Automated Lead Scoring: AI has simplified the lead-scoring process by automating the evaluation of leads based on various criteria. Machine learning algorithms analyze data to determine the likelihood of a lead converting into a customer. This saves time and ensures that sales teams prioritize leads with the highest potential. This implementation leads to more effective and targeted sales efforts, ultimately fostering a streamlined and optimized sales pipeline. Thus, **it enhances overall productivity and increases the likelihood of achieving sales goals.** ### Dynamic Pricing Optimization: Surge pricing for Uber or Lyft? Shopping on Amazon? Yes, we’ve already felt the impact of AI on our purchasing decisions. For now, it has mostly been B2C (Business to Consumer). We believe this will start happening in the B2B (Business to Business) world soon. It may happen first at PLG companies (Product-Led Growth), where there is less human interaction during the sales process. ### Artificial Intelligence Algorithms Dynamic pricing optimization fueled by sophisticated AI algorithms has emerged as a transformative tool. This innovative approach enables businesses to dynamically adjust prices in real-time, considering factors like demand fluctuations, competitor pricing dynamics, and evolving market conditions. By leveraging this agility in pricing strategies, businesses can stay competitive. Moreover, they can also maximize their revenue potential by aligning prices with market dynamics and customer behavior. The real-time adaptability of AI-driven dynamic pricing proves particularly advantageous in navigating the intricacies of today’s fast-paced markets. **Businesses can swiftly respond to shifts in demand, competitor actions, or other external variables. By doing so, they ensure that prices remain both competitive and reflective of market realities.** This responsiveness enhances the overall flexibility and resilience of pricing structures. Thus, it allows businesses to optimize their revenue streams by capturing opportunities and mitigating risks in an ever-changing business landscape. The current landscape of AI in sales reflects remarkable advancements that are reshaping the dynamics of customer interactions. The integration of various AI tools, ranging from predictive analytics to chatbots and automated lead scoring, has become instrumental for businesses seeking to elevate their sales processes. These technologies contribute to heightened efficiency. They provide sales teams with valuable insights and enable them to establish more profound and personalized connections with customers. The transformative impact of AI in sales is not merely a passing trend but a strategic shift. This is redefining the way businesses approach customer engagement and revenue optimization. ### The Fear Factor The biggest factor everyone should pay attention to when it comes to AI in sales is customer behavior. While there is legitimate concern about AI replacing salespeople, the answer is in the customers’ hands. When the customer becomes more comfortable purchasing without human interaction, this is when the real concern will happen. **As AI technology continues to evolve, its role in sales is poised to expand further, unlocking new possibilities for innovation and growth.** The ongoing evolution of AI in sales signifies a dynamic landscape where businesses can stay at the forefront of technological advancements. In this rapidly evolving scenario, embracing and harnessing the power of AI in sales is no longer a discretionary decision but a strategic imperative. Those who integrate AI seamlessly into their sales processes enhance operational efficiency and position themselves to adapt to emerging trends and meet evolving customer expectations. Help your sales team to evolve with [personalized training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/) and reach the top of the sales industry! **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** AI, Sales --- ### [Stop Handling Objections in Sales, Marinate in Them](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/stop-handling-objections-marinate-in-them/) **Published:** February 14, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alright, settle in and buckle up buttercup, because this isn’t a quick fix, it’s a fundamental shift in how you approach one of the biggest challenges in sales. We’re talking about [handling objections](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/handling-%e2%80%9ccall-me-back-next-year%e2%80%9d/) in sales, and I’m going to drill this into your skull if I have to. Because frankly, most of you are missing the boat. And you’re missing the boat because you’re at the airport. Or you’re paddling upstream with a hole in your canoe and using a spatula as a paddle. You’re clinging to outdated tactics and tired scripts when you should be diving deep, understanding the real currents, and navigating with finesse. Let’s be clear: “handling” objections is an awful term. It conjures up images of manipulation, of slick sales tricks, of trying to pull a fast one on the prospect. And let me tell you, nobody wants to be “handled.” In fact, you can ask my wife, she will definitely tell you she doesn’t want to be “handled”. On a side note, if you’ve cracked this code in your relationships, hit me up. I’ll take the advice. People want to be seen, heard, understood, and respected. They want to know that you genuinely care about their needs and concerns, not just your commission check. Remember, it’s about the Buyer’s Experience through [The Seller’s Journey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-sellers-journey/). There is no [Buyer’s Journey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-buyers-journey-is-a-lie/). ## **Objections Aren’t Roadblocks, They’re Road Signs** They point you in the direction of the real issues, the underlying anxieties, the unspoken questions that are preventing the prospect from saying yes. They’re breadcrumbs on the path to a closed deal, and you’re ignoring them at your peril. An objection means you’re still in the game. It means the prospect is engaged, they’re considering your offer, and they’re giving you a chance to prove your worth. It’s an invitation to a deeper conversation, a chance for them to [fall in trust](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/earn-the-right-to-ask-questions-with-n-e-a-t-selling/) with you and provide a map along with a compass to a win-win solution. Now, let’s dissect the three cardinal sins of handling objections. Commit these to memory, because they’re the root of most sales failures. ## **Sin Number One: Superficial Understanding** You hear an objection – “Your price is too high,” “I need to talk to my boss,” “We’re already working with someone else” – and you immediately jump to a pre-programmed response. You’re treating the symptom, not the disease. You’re reacting instead of reflecting. You’re putting a band-aid on a broken bone. You need to become a sales psychologist. Marinate in the objection, don’t go into handling objections mode. Dig deeper. Ask them to explain more. What are your concerns in relation to price over the Economic Impact we’ve already discussed? Is this your concern or is this coming from someone else on the team? Don’t just accept the surface-level objection. There’s a picture in their head and we want them to help paint that picture so we can understand. Unearth the underlying concern. “Your price is too high” could mean anything. Maybe they genuinely have a tight budget. Maybe the pain isn’t just about the price, maybe it’s because they are nervous to ask for approval? Or maybe something was tried recently that failed. Maybe they’re comparing you to a competitor who’s cutting corners. Maybe they’re just testing you. You won’t know until you ask. “Tell me more about that,” “What’s your biggest concern about the price?”. And by all means don’t get sucked into the ROI conversation, which is the dumbest thing our prospects bring up during negotiation. You can [read more about that here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/explaining-roi-the-dumbest-phrase-buyers-use/). ## **Sin Number Two: Misidentified Stakeholders** So often you’re talking to someone who’s relaying objections from someone else, and you don’t even know it. You’re fighting a phantom enemy. You’re addressing the messenger instead of the message sender. You need to identify the real decision-makers, the influencers, the budget holders, the skeptics. Who are the key players in this drama? What are their individual perspectives? What are their priorities? Don’t waste your precious time and energy on someone who doesn’t have the power to say yes. It comes down to a few simple questions. “When you take this back to your team, who are the skeptics on your team on what are they typically skeptical about?” Knowing this allows you to pre-address some of the unforeseen issues. It will help turn your contact into a [champion](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-practices-for-champion-definition-and-multi-threaded-sales-qualification/) because they will understand you have their back. And after this question and conversation this is the next one to ask. “So, let’s say you love it and they hate it, what happens next?” Now you understand who has the real power. And you will also understand more about how decisions are made within the organization. In many cases it allows you figure out your roadmap to a closed won deal. ## **Sin Number Three: Objection Aversion** You’re afraid of objections. You see them as a threat, a rejection, a personal insult. You try to avoid them at all costs. This is a recipe for disaster. I assure you, this belief system is futile and you will not be in sales much longer. Objections are inevitable. They’re a natural part of the sales process. And the sooner you embrace them, the sooner you can address them and move the deal forward. The best salespeople anticipate objections. They pre-handle them. They bring them up themselves before the prospect even has a chance. They create a safe space for the prospect to voice their concerns. They turn objections into opportunities. How do you pre-handle objections? It’s simple, but powerful. Again, back to the previous example, knowing the skeptics is more important than knowing the decision maker. Here are some other suggestions. At the beginning of the sales process, ask questions like., “What are the biggest obstacles you foresee in getting this approved?” “What happens if you don’t meet the timeline we discussed?” “What are the other competing projects that could influence this decision?” These questions not only help you identify potential objections, they also give you valuable insights into the prospect’s decision-making process, their team dynamics, and their organizational culture. They also position you as a proactive problem-solver, someone who’s thinking ahead and anticipating potential challenges. ## **Conclusion** Forget the “Big Book of Objections.” It’s a relic of a bygone era. Instead, develop a “Big Book of Questions.” Become a master of inquiry. Be genuinely curious about your prospect’s needs, their challenges, and their concerns. Don’t just listen to their words, listen to their meaning. Don’t just hear the objection, help them explain more about the emotional feeling they have around these objections. Stop handling objections. Start marinating in them. Let them soak in. Analyze them. Understand them. And most importantly, use them as fuel to drive the sale forward. This isn’t about manipulation, it’s about genuine connection. It’s about building trust, demonstrating value, and helping your prospect find the best solution for their needs. And if you do it right, the objections won’t just disappear, they’ll transform into opportunities. They’ll become the very reasons why the prospect chooses you over the competition. They’ll become the stepping stones to a closed deal. And that, my friends, is the real art of handling objections in sales. Need help training your team on objection handling? [Contact us](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) for a free 30 minute consultation. I promise I’ll give you a few nuggets you can use for free. **Categories:** Blog, Objection Handling --- ### [Sales Enablement Strategies That Actually Work: A Modern Playbook for Scaling Sales Teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-enablement-strategies-that-actually-work-a-modern-playbook-for-scaling-sales-teams/) **Published:** June 6, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Sales enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup33816.ac-page.com/thcg-highspot-how-to-win-2023-with-sales-enablement) is no longer just a buzzword or a department buried under marketing or sales. It’s not something that you just check off the to-do list. [Sales enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-enablement-consulting-fixing-whats-really-broken-in-your-sales-engine/) needs to have a seat at the table. It’s a mission-critical strategy that determines whether your sales team thrives—or merely survives. As the B2B sales landscape becomes more complex, more digital, and more buyer-centric, your sales enablement strategies must evolve accordingly. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the core components of modern sales enablement, the sales training approaches that maximize its impact, and actionable ways to scale it for fast-growing companies, especially startups, mid-market organizations and enterprise organizations. **What You Will Learn:** - What is Sales Enablement - The Four Pillars of Effective Sales Enablement - Why Sales Enablement Fails and How to Fix It - Sales Enablement for Startups vs. Enterprise - Metrics That Matter in Sales Enablement - The Role of Leadership in Enablement Success ### **What Is Sales Enablement (Really)?** At its core, **sales enablement** is the process of [equipping your sales team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/customized-sales-training-why-one-size-fits-all-approaches-fail-and-what-works-instead/) with the tools, content, training, and support they need to engage prospects effectively at every stage of the buyer’s journey. It’s not just about “making decks look better” or building a content library. It’s about aligning your entire sales ecosystem around what actually drives results. A strong [sales enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-enablement-consulting-fixing-whats-really-broken-in-your-sales-engine/) strategy connects: - Content creation and utilization - Onboarding and [**sales training**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) - Sales process optimization - Performance measurement and feedback loops - Cross-functional alignment with marketing, product, and leadership ### **Why Sales Enablement Fails — And How to Fix It** Many companies fall into the trap of investing in flashy tools or [playbooks](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/) without fully aligning them with their sales process or [sales training strategy.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-sales-training-programs-in-2025-what-sets-them-apart/) This leads to: - Content that goes unused - [Sales Training that doesn’t stick](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-customized-sales-training-outperforms-traditional-approaches/) - Sales processes that reps don’t follow - Leaders unsure of what’s actually working If you want **sales enablement strategies** that move the needle, you need three things: 1. **Clarity** – on your process, your buyer, and your metrics 2. **Consistency** – in [sales messaging,](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-messaging-training-master-your-message-close-more-deals/) training, and execution 3. **Coaching** – because content without context is just clutter ### **The Four Pillars of Effective Sales Enablement Strategies** 1. **Sales Process Clarity and Exit Criteria** Your sales process is the foundation of your enablement strategy. But if it’s written from your perspective instead of your buyer’s, you’re setting your reps up for failure. We recommend structuring your pipeline using **prospect-focused stage names and** [**exit criteria**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/creating-an-effective-repeatable-and-scalable-sales-process-a-guide-for-startup-founders-and-sales-leaders/). Each stage should answer: “What does the buyer need to accomplish before we move to the next step?” This not only creates internal alignment, but it also makes sales training, forecasting, and coaching far more accurate. 2. **Sales Training That Sticks** Enablement without effective **sales training** is like giving someone a Ferrari without teaching them how to drive. We’ve worked with companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500s, and the most common issue is *generic training*. That’s why we focus on [**customized, consultative training**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-sales-training-programs-in-2025-what-sets-them-apart/) rooted in real scenarios your reps face. Whether you’re a founder doing your own selling or a sales leader scaling a 20-person team, you need a **structured sales training program** that’s built for your unique sales motion. We use frameworks like **N.E.A.T. Selling™**, which helps reps earn the right to ask deeper questions, and prioritize buyer-centric discovery over pitch-heavy presentations. **How N.E.A.T. Selling™ Supports Sales Enablement [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-consultative-selling-why-n-e-a-t-selling-training-delivers-superior-results/) reinforces enablement by giving reps a structured discovery framework they can use across all stages of the sales cycle. This drives consistency in how reps uncover real buyer needs, which in turn informs the kind of content, messaging, and tools enablement teams need to provide. When reps are aligned to N.E.A.T., your enablement content becomes more relevant—and your training actually gets used. 3. **Sales Content with a Purpose** The best [sales enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-enablement-consulting-why-training-alone-fails-and-how-high-growth-teams-fix-execution-at-scale/) teams don’t just dump content into a portal. They curate materials that match key moments in the sales cycle. Every piece of content should have a specific use case, a clear owner, and defined messaging. Examples: - Discovery call decks vs. demo decks - Case studies segmented by industry or buyer persona - ROI calculators for late-stage deals Pro tip: Build a content audit and map assets to the **stages of your sales process**. Make it easy for reps to know *when* and *how* to use them. 4. **Coaching and Reinforcement Loops** Even the best playbooks don’t work without coaching. Great sales enablement strategies include consistent [**sales coaching**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training-vs-sales-coaching/) that reinforces skills, spotlights gaps, and drives accountability. This is where most enablement teams stop short. You train. You distribute. But you don’t *follow up*. Every rep should know what “good” looks like — and managers must be trained to coach to that standard. We recommend frameworks like: - Call reviews with structured scorecards - Objection-handling role plays - Deal debriefs (wins AND losses) **Another Way N.E.A.T. Selling™ Supports Enablement N.E.A.T. Selling™ provides a coaching framework that managers can use during pipeline reviews and deal debriefs. By aligning coaching conversations to the core N.E.A.T. elements—Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline—sales leaders can coach more consistently, reinforce best practices, and drive higher adoption of your enablement strategy across the team. ### **Sales Enablement for Startups vs. Enterprise** **Startup Sales Enablement Tips:** - Prioritize foundational training over tooling - Use real calls to create enablement content - Build your first playbooks around high-performing reps - Lean into **founder-led sales coaching** to codify what’s working **Enterprise Sales Enablement Tips:** - Align enablement to buyer committee dynamics - Incorporate **multi-threading strategies** into every training module - Scale through LMS platforms but maintain human reinforcement - Benchmark performance across geos, verticals, and roles ### **Metrics That Matter in Sales Enablement** If you’re not measuring the impact of your sales enablement strategy, it’s just activity—not impact. Track KPIs like: - Ramp time for new hires - Content usage vs. effectiveness - Time spent selling - Win rates by stage - Margin retention in competitive deals - Training adoption and completion Make sure your enablement programs are directly tied to **sales team performance metrics** — not vanity numbers. ### **The Role of Leadership in Enablement Success** Sales enablement is not a departmental function. It is not something to check off the list. Sales enablement is a leadership commitment. Waiting to bring sales enablement into the conversation after strategic decisions have been made is a horrible mistake. If you’re a [Founder](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-30-unforgivable-sins-of-founder-led-sales/), CRO, Head of Sales, or CEO, your job is to **champion** enablement — not just fund it. Here’s what that looks like: - Sit in on enablement sessions - Coach your managers to coach better - Model the behaviors and language you want reps to use - Partner with marketing to align messaging - Work with your **sales operations team** to automate where possible ### **Real-World Enablement Strategy Example** Let’s take a real example from a fast-scaling SaaS company we worked with. They had just raised their Series B and were hiring 20+ reps over 6 months. But their reps were: - Inconsistent in discovery - Stuck [discounting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/end-of-quarter-discounting-playing-the-blame-game/) to close - Lacking confidence in C-level meetings We implemented a full sales enablement strategy built around: 1. Redefining their pipeline stages and exit criteria 2. Launching a **N.E.A.T. Selling™**-based training program 3. Creating call templates and objection flashcards 4. Running weekly call reviews for managers 5. Setting up dashboards to track ramp and win rates The result? They reduced rep ramp time by 35%, increased win rates by 18%, and improved deal size by 22% in six months — without adding new tools. ### **Final Thoughts: Enablement Is Your Sales Culture in Action** **Sales enablement strategies** are not just about decks, tools, or training agendas. They are a reflection of your **sales culture** — how you prioritize buyer understanding, continuous learning, and execution excellence. Done right, enablement builds more than high-performing reps. It builds confident teams, predictable growth, and scalable systems. It’s how companies move from founder-led heroics to repeatable revenue engines. If you’re ready to turn your sales enablement into a true growth lever — whether you’re a startup founder, VP of Sales, or sales enablement leader — let’s talk. 📞 Schedule a [free consultation ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/)or text me directly at 415.596.9149 or you can check out our [Sales Training Frequently Asked Questions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/frequently-asked-questions/) **Categories:** Blog, N.E.A.T. Selling™, Sales Enablement, Sales Strategy --- ### [S7E1: Front Row Frankie - The Secrets to Achieving 'No Bad Days'"](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e1-front-row-frankie-the-secrets-to-achieving-no-bad-days/) **Published:** January 12, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Back for Season 7! Special guest Front Row Frankie joins us dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship, sales, and personal growth. Discover Frankie’s unique “No Bad Days Mindset” and learn how to build a thriving business while overcoming life’s challenges. This insightful conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to take their career and mindset to the next level. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s7e1-front-row-frankie-the-secrets-to-achieving-no-bad-days?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Navigating Excellence: The Art of Choosing a Sales Trainer that Elevates Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/choosing-a-sales-trainer-that-elevates-your-team/) **Published:** September 1, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the ever-evolving and often cut-throat world of sales, the search for the perfect sales trainer and [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/true-cost-of-delaying-sales-training/) program can often resemble an exhausting Google search, eye-rolling, and frustration from all the marketing and acronyms everyone throws around. Whether you stand on the brink of a game-changing Sales Kickoff (Yes, you’re already late planning if you plan to have one in January) or are poised to empower your sales team with the tools to conquer their inevitable tough quota that will be set by the business, the choice of a sales trainer holds the power to define the trajectory of your team’s success. Drawing from my extensive and sometimes very funny experiences crafting impactful training sessions for industry giants like Google, Zoom, Gainsight, PagerDuty, Visa, and [SalesLoft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/inside-sales/), I’m pumped to unveil a comprehensive guide that seamlessly melds SEO mastery with a harmonious blend of simplicity, creativity, and accessibility. This guide is your trusted companion, ensuring that you embark on this transformative journey equipped with the tools to forge ahead with the clarity you need and the clarity your reps need. 1. **Clarity Breeds Success: Mapping Out Sales Goals and Targets** Embarking on this journey requires more than mere determination; it necessitates a crystal-clear vision. Before you tread the path of selecting a sales trainer, it’s essential to define your team’s goals. Whether your aim is to refine negotiation finesse, amplify communication prowess, improve negotiation skills, or propel closing rates to new heights, your intentions must be etched in stone. However, this isn’t just about articulating aspirations; it’s about grounding them in tangible metrics and kpis that will effectively measure your progress. Perhaps your sights are set on achieving heightened lead conversions that fuel exponential revenue growth. Alternatively, you may be striving to bridge the gap between missed targets and consistent triumphs. The bedrock of your journey’s success lies in this initial step – one that ensures your compass aligns unerringly with the guiding star of achievement. [51% of Gen Z employees](https://www.nsls.org/blog/how-the-pandemic-impacted-gen-z-soft-skills) say that their [education](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/10-tips-for-selling-into-the-k12-and-education-market/) has not prepared them to enter the workforce. \**(Source )* - TL;DR – You and your team must decide on a set of clear goals and outcomes from the trainer and not waiver from those – it creates decision-making criteria and simplifies the process. - **Step 1 – Define your sales teams specific needs and pains.** And if you know me, you know I hate buzzwords so here is how to go beyond the buzzwords. – “At the end of the sales training we expect the team to be better at \_\_\_, \_\_\_, and \_\_\_. And if you say things like, discovery, negotiations or closing skills you need to dig even deeper. Think in a use case mindset. \*When we say improving discovery skills, we mean \_\_\_, \_\_\_, and \_\_\_. When we say improving negotiation skills, we mean \_\_\_, \_\_\_, and \_\_\_. When we say improving closing skills, we mean \_\_\_, \_\_\_, and \_\_\_.\* Tip – Ask 1-2 of your top reps, and your VP of Sales/ CRO, CEO the same initial question. At the end of the [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-economic-impact-of-delaying-sales-training-by-30-days/) we want the team to get better at \_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_. Do this in a vacuum, not a Reply All email. When you get the answers from those above you, your answers, and the answers from your sales people. You now I have a great visibility of where the sales skills gaps truly exist. \*\* - **Step 2 – Define specific success metrics and kpis.** We will claim that success will be an increase (or decrease) in \_\_\_, \_\_\_, and \_\_\_. Often times its about an increase in the sales pipeline. Ironically it can also mean a decrease in the sales pipeline but an increase in pipeline quality. when you first start. Once a sales rep gets better at discovery, they will no longer allow fluff in the pipeline. And, after training, its very normal for a lot of deals that are in the pipeline to be wiped out because they never should have been there in the first place. Just remember, a decrease in new pipeline growth is not always a bad thing. We don’t have to like it of course, its simply something to be considered. - - **Step 3 – Confirm you baseline** True or Fales – We have a baseline of \_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_ where we can start? If True, then good, move forward. If False, hold your horses. You will now need to make a decision about getting enough data to establish a baseline. If you do not already have a realistic, I repeat, a realistic pipeline then you will have to commit to the following statement. Since we do not have a strong baseline we will give ourselves \_\_\_\_ months to gather baseline data. If you think running the experiment with 1-2 months of data will give you a baseline you are simply rationalizing an irrational belief. In short, you are lying to yourself. We understand that in today’s economic environment and desire to grow pipeline and sales revenue you want to move fast. Newsflash fo you, it doesn’t matter how fast you want to move, it only matters how accurately you move. 1. **Transforming Intentions into Achievements: Tailored Insights and Customization.** Armed with the insights garnered from you, your leaders, and your team it’s time to it’s time to navigate the expansive landscape of potential sales training organizations sales trainers, and even sales methodologies. However, this isn’t merely about ticking boxes of qualifications and credentials; it’s about establishing a profound resonance with your unique requirements. This selection process transcends routine; it’s an expedition to discover a partner who not only comprehends your vision but also possesses the tools to manifest it into tangible reality. And remember whatever sales training or sales trainer you choose should be able to customize the sales training to your sales process and ideal customer profile. And the sales training should always include both real play and role play scenarios based on your sales motion, prospects, verticals, and sales process. It is critical you mention and ask how each sales trainer includes and implements role playing and customization in their sales training program - TL;DR – Bring key team members along to help evaluate the trainer you decide to short list. 1. **Conquering Skepticism: Crafting a Strategy for Skeptics** Every team houses its skeptic, often characterized as the “Grumpy Gus” who seems impervious to change. As you engage with potential trainers, delve into their strategy for effectively dealing with these skeptics. A skilled trainer should wield a transformative approach, one that transmutes Grumpy Gus into a fervent advocate like those speeches that make you pumped to go on a 30-mile run after watching them. The ability to tackle skepticism head-on, bridging communication gaps and metamorphosing dissent into collaborative engagement, truly defines a trainer’s prowess. It’s within these strategic maneuvers that you unearth the true artistry of a trainer – the finesse to inspire change even within the hearts of the most resolute skeptics. - TL;DR – Is this someone you yourself would buy from and are motivated by? 1. **Stars of Credibility: Embracing Reviews and References** Much like a discerning traveler meticulously reviews accommodations before booking, your expedition to select a sales trainer demands thorough validation. In the digital realm, platforms such as G2 Reviews serve as invaluable treasure troves of insights from pioneers who’ve ventured this path before. Seek out customer references aligned with your sales process, dealing magnitude, and customer relationships – these narratives hold the key to unlocking a trainer’s genuine mettle. In the ever-evolving world of sales, credibility is far from a mere luxury; it’s a vital lifeline that ensures your collaboration with a partner capable of transforming well-intentioned goals into tangible achievements. - TL;DR – The proof is in the pudding, as they say, research the validity by asking your peers. 1. **The Virtue of Referrals: Integrity as a Guiding Light** Amid the plethora of choices, a trainer’s integrity stands as a steadfast guiding star. The best sales trainers and sales training organizations acknowledge their limitations and, with unwavering honesty. And they will steer you toward a trainer better aligned with your unique prerequisites, even if it means stepping aside themselves. The pursuit of excellence transcends the boundaries of mere success; it’s about forging alliances with individuals wholeheartedly invested in your team’s growth and prosperity, even if it necessitates ceding the limelight for the greater good. - TL;DR – Trust and buy in before you do any buying. Do you feel this trainer is in it for the value? A good way to see is if they speak in a very honest way to you – like we always say the THCG “get to the point, let’s establish value based on Economic Impact – not noise.” 1. **Fostering Sustainable Growth: Pre and Post-Training Support** The journey isn’t confined to a singular event; it’s an ongoing odyssey toward perpetual growth. Delve into the mechanisms governing pre-training groundwork and post-sales training reinforcement. A seasoned trainer not only equips managers with preparatory resources for seamlessly executed training sessions but also orchestrates post-training guidance, thereby perpetuating momentum and consistency. This level of commitment forms the bedrock on which achievable goals and revenue expansion flourish. Look for a sales training and reinforcement program, not just sales training. - TL;DR – If the trainer just steps in and out on training day, chances are you’ve set yourself and the team up for failure – do not be cheap, and ensure they are there for prep and post-training exercises. 1. **Crafting an Unforgettable Saga of Success** As you traverse the intricate labyrinth of selecting a sales trainer, remember that this guide transcends its role as a mere compass; it’s an intricate strategic map guiding you toward invaluable treasures. Whether you’re in pursuit of an SKO luminary to lead your team or seeking to bolster your marketing arsenal, every choice you make forms a pivotal brushstroke on the expansive canvas of success. Your journey isn’t just a pathway; it’s a story, waiting to be etched onto the annals of achievement. And should you encounter a crossroads, remember that The Harris Consulting Group isn’t merely a partner; it’s your unwavering compass and trusted guide, poised to chart a course toward your team’s ultimate triumph. To embark on this collaborative quest, reach out to us at [Contact Us Today | The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). Let us together weave an enduring tale of sales excellence. And yes, if we cannot help you, we will gladly point you in the direction of others once we understand your specific needs. - TL;DR – Grab 15min with us to walk you through how we can craft all of this for you, after all we have done it for hundreds of the leading sales teams around the world. In a realm where triumph hinges on astute choices, allow the intricacies of selecting an ideal sales trainer to serve as your guiding beacon – steering towards amplified revenue growth, tangible achievable goals, and uncharted realms of achievement. And read this if you want to learn [how to set a sales training budget. ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-set-a-sales-training-budget/) **Categories:** Blog --- ### [SalesLoft Did It Again! #Rainmaker16](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/salesloft-did-it-again-rainmaker16/) **Published:** March 22, 2016 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** **Last year started with a bang** **This year started with soul.** ![SalesLoft Rainmaker](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Rainmaker.Blue_.png)If you are in the inside sales, sdr, and frankly any part of the sales community and missed Rainmaker16 hosted by [SalesLoft](https://salesloft.com/), then you surely missed another amazing inside sales showcase. We specifically use the word showcase because to call it an event cannot do it justice. In just two short years Rainmaker has become a leading destination for anyone wanting to learn about starting or growing their [inside sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-the-art-of-handoffs-elevating-inside-sales/) and SDR sales teams with precision, accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness. 2015 started with a beat by incorporating the Atlanta Falcons drumline. 2016 started with soul led by the Voice of Atlanta. They set the stage for not just a conference but an amazing reminder “of what life is all about.” And they were not singing about making money. Their set list included: - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Man In The Mirror They were there to remind us that while we all love sales it is important to ground yourself. It’s ok to be passionate about your work but it is important to focus on your life outside of work. In fact studies show that giving back and helping others will actually help you be better at your “regular job” because it will energize you and help propel you to learn more, work harder, smarter, and passionately. When you do those things, goals are surpassed, walls broken down, and yes, commissions can be made. While there may be no description on a paycheck of “how”, you will always carry the emotional quotient from your own of accomplishments. After the music subsided. [SalesLoft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e52-how-an-extreme-extrovert-learned-to-sell-remotely-w-blanche-reese-of-salesloft/) did something completely different. They kept it mellow. There was no great fanfare, no big light show or whoo-guy yelling. They gently walked us through a few customers who use Salesloft to change the world. One of the most inspiring stories was from a woman,[ Tina Lai,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/upworkaholic) from UpWork. Her story was amazing touching and sincere. She attended Rainmaker last year in 2015 and went on to build and lead the SDR team which she came back from Rainmaker with the vision for doing so. Her passion for SDR success goes way beyond building a team. Upwork truly has the impact not only on the companies who use them, but more importantly the hard workers who do the tasks. Upwork has the ability to give people opportunity in life they may not have been able to achieve even just a few years ago. Thanks for sharing not only the story of Upwork, but the journey you encountered along the way to success, very inspiring. As Kyle Porter took to the stage the only thing you could not help but notice the shoes. (@benioff, you’ve got step up your game!) Seriously though Kyle launched into the big news of the day, the Sales Development Cloud. If you’ve been engaged with [inside sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/inside-sales/) in the last few years there has been a growing concern or too many. And of too many working in silos without easy access. This is the first step towards greater coordination at the top of the sales funnel many of us have been waiting. With the vision portion taken care of the conference moved into the more strategic and tactical arena. It started with Mr. Funnelholic [Craig Rosenberg](https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigrosenberg) of[TOPO](http://topohq.com/) delivering the Account Based Everything. In typical TOPO style Craig brought a strategic vision backed by research, insight, and practical advice everyone could use immediately. Then came Game of Thrones…well, sort of… After an amazing video introduction that let you the sales world isn’t shifting but in fact morphing at a rapid pace, the Bruce Springsteen of the [inside sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/inside-sales/) revolution, [Jacco](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaccovanderkooij) took the stage. Jacco reminded us that our customers do not want to be sold, led, or manipulated. They merely want to be educated. If you can educate them in a meaningful and purposeful way then the deal will close that much more easily. And for the last main session before lunch [John Barrows ](https://jbarrows.com/)took the stage.. John showed us all exactly what personalization means. He pulled back the curtain and exposed not only the technique he teaches, but the ones he practices himself. Afternoon breakout sessions were equally fun and exciting. As much as we’d love to go into detail on each one because we know they were all good based on the feedback, we simply won’t be able to. So for now, check out the topics, speakers, and either a) be glad you were there or b) start booking your calendar for next year so you don’t miss it! - How to Balance the Art of Science and Sales Development - The Real Story Behind Scaling Modern Revenue - Using Sales Loft to Build A World Class Sales Development Organization - How The Hell Do You Get More Leads - How Not to F-Up ABSD - Breaking Bad Habits With [SalesLoft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e52-how-an-extreme-extrovert-learned-to-sell-remotely-w-blanche-reese-of-salesloft/) - Measuring The Pulse of The Culture of Your Team - Founders’ Perspective: The Importance of Investing In Your Sales Development Team inside sales, sdr - Sh\*t My SDRs Do: A SalesLoft Power User Session - The Sales Development Playbook Bill Belichick Would Steal - How To Specialize Your Sales Team So You Can Actually Scale - SalesLoft And That Hotline Bling And yeah, that was the end of Day 1. Day 2 of course kicked off fabulously as well. Albeit a little later in the morning. Thanks SalesLoft for recognizing that! **Amazing Main Stage Sessions** - ****[Rob Forman ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/robforman)and [Kyle Porter](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleporter) discussing. How [Sales Loft](http://salesloft.com/) Does Sales Development**** - **[Trish Bertuzzi ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishbertuzzi)and Highlights From The Sales Development Playbook** - **[Steve Richard](https://www.linkedin.com/in/saleskickoffspeaker) of [Exec Vision](https://www.execvision.io/): Live Call Recording Analysis** *(Shout out to the the two members of SalesLoft who allowed their own live calls to be played and coached in front of 600+ people!)* - ****[Derek Grant ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekgrant1)– The Art of War for Sales**** and finally - [****Gary Vaynerchuk****](http://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/) Gary reminded us that if you are in sales. You are not just a transctors. He also reminded us not be headline readers, but to be the one who makes the headline. Our interpretation of this means you must always be learning. More specifically, as you continue to learn and hone your craft you will move yourself not only to the center of the curve but eventually be ahead of the curve. This is what separates good from great. **Conclusion** If the conversations that occurred outside of the sessions are any indication. It seems like Rainmaker17 will be something to plan for next year! If the conversations that occurred outside of the sessions are any indication. It seems like Rainmaker17 will be something to plan for next year! Here are a few of the comments heard during the two days. 1. OMG, I am so glad I came here 2. I was just brought on board to build an SDR team about a month ago. I decided to come to Rainmaker first just to be sure I am focusing right. Boy am I a glad I came. 3. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories of success and mistakes. This is going to help me stay focused and hopefully make fewer of my own mistakes. 4. Dude, that session about not F-ing up ABSD was the best EVER! 5. I wish there were more sessions about Account Based Everything 6. I was hoping to leave with a handful of ideas, I’ve got about 25! 7. I typically hate conferences, this one changed my mind. Thank you again to Kyle, Rob, [Sean Kester](https://www.linkedin.com/in/theseankester), [Katie Rogers](https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelinrogers), [Tami McQueen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamimcqueen), and the whole friggin SalesLoft Crew. We were fortunate enough to attend Rainmaker last year and it blew us away. This year you blew our minds! See you at #RM17 Were you at #RM16? Feel free to share your favorite moments. If you’re looking to improve your sales teams performance, be sure to [check out our Sales Training and Reinforcement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) program or [check out our FAQs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/frequently-asked-questions/) about what we do and how we do it. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Don’t Over Engineer Your Sales Process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/don’t-over-engineer-your-sales-process/) **Published:** March 9, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Is your sales processed QDSNC’d? Don’t worry, its a lot simpler than it sounds. When you are creating a sales process for your inside sales team many people make a few standard mistakes that we see over and over. Here are some tips for creating the right [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e168-how-to-sell-in-a-highly-competitive-market-diana-hamister/). **Proper Stage Naming** - Demo, Proposal, etc, are not stage names. They are activities within a particular part of a stage. - Stage names are holistic in sound but easy to comprehend. - Each stage must have Exit Criteria. - Exit Criteria is the minimum amount of information confirmed, activities conducted, or process understanding confirmed. - Sales Processes are not as linear as the CRM tries to make them. - Review your [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/improving-sales-forecasting-by-crafting-a-winning-sales-process-and-cycle/) every 6 months. Here is the sales process we recommend. With some specific milestones and [exit criteria](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/deal-scoring-what-is-it-about/) from one stage to the next. Introducing the best sales process, QDSNC. - **Stage 1 – Qualifying** - ICP Requirements – - Ideal Company Profile - Right company, in right vertical with right metrics - Ideal Customer Profile - Title, Access to Authority - Pain Level 1 – - Have expressed that a Use Case they feel is something you solve for. - Interested in a trial - **Stage 2 – Discovering** - Confirming Pain - Identify Economic Impact of not solving the need - Case Studies - Demos - Successful trial criteria discussed - Trial begins - Competition discussed - Decision Making Criteria confirmed - Who will say yes - Who will actually sign - Who can say no - Confirmed all those influenced by the decision - **Stage 3 – Selection** - You have been shortlisted - Trial underway - Decision Making Process Confirmed - Legal Process discussion has begun - **Stage 4 – Negotiations** - Competitors neutralized - Commercial Terms discussed and agreed upon - Barriers for commercials have been identified - **Stage 5 – Contracting** - Contracting Timeline Confirmed (When will you get it back) - Proposal out with confirmed next steps - Closed Won/ Lost **Things to be aware of:** 1. Some things will not follow the exact order as shown 2. Define your specific exit criteria for your business. 3. If exit criteria is not met, you cannot advance to next stage 4. Take copious notes on the process as much as you do the deal. 5. Remember, activities in a stage are not stage names Now that you see this, what’s missing? What did we overlook? Want help designing your [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/improving-sales-forecasting-by-crafting-a-winning-sales-process-and-cycle/)? [Contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [Improving Sales Forecasting by Crafting a Winning Sales Process and Cycle](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/improving-sales-forecasting-by-crafting-a-winning-sales-process-and-cycle/) **Published:** October 27, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the realm of sales strategy, the foundation lies in a well-structured sales process and an efficient sales cycle. These components serve as the bedrock of any successful go-to-market strategy, regardless of the size or age of your enterprise. And of course, it’s meant to create a successful [sales forecasting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-strategy-coaching-isnt-just-for-newbies/) machine. Let’s dig into the best practices for creating a sales process and cycle that can drive your business to unparalleled heights. Exit Criteria – What makes it all work To begin, let’s start at the end. The primary reason for tracking a sales process through stages is to allow everyone the visibility and accuracy to a [sales forecast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-forecasting-is-wrong/). Every sales process will have stages. The challenge is knowing when to move from one stage to the next. What are the mini-milestones and conversations that you should confirm in order to leave one stage and go into another. These are called the Exit Criteria. Exit Criteria clears up ambiguity about the reality of where sales opportunity really is in its life cycle. This helps to determine the [sales forecast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-closing-and-forecasting-best-practices/) of the deal as it relates to revenue for the sales rep and the leadership team. They are specific activities that happen in each stage. It’s important to remember that they are not always in the exact order and may be in one stage but happen sooner. As you review sales stages, try to think about the Exit Criteria you might want to include in your sales process. You will learn the main exit criteria later on in this article. Now, let’s focus on some practices to create a successful sales process and cycle. ## Naming and Staging: Defining Your Sales Journey The first crucial step in creating an effective sales process is to delineate the stages that a lead progresses through. Here, we introduce the concept of Stage 0, which we believe can encompass two options concurrently: ### Stage 0: Suspect This initial stage is akin to identifying your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). It often involves gathering information about a company and, in some cases, a specific individual within that organization. ### Stage 0: Prospect Prospects are individuals who you know should be targeted based on their titles and roles within their organization. This stage can even encompass C-level executives, although their involvement may occur at a later juncture. ### Sales Stage 1: Qualifying #### Separating the Wheat from the Chaff The Qualifying stage involves all the activities undertaken to ascertain whether a lead is genuinely the right fit. This often includes top-of-the-funnel emails, cold calls, and may also encompass the first crucial meeting. In some instances, a first meeting can seamlessly transition into the Discovery phase. ### Sales Stage 2: Discovery: #### Driving to Economic Impact Here is where the rubber meets the road. The discovery stage is all about engaging in a deep-dive conversation with the prospect. It’s perfectly acceptable for a single call to encompass both qualifying and prospecting. This is the pivotal juncture where product demonstrations often take center stage. It’s worth noting that qualifying calls are typically in charge of SDR/BDRs, while Discovery calls are handled by Account Executives. Great discovery is when you ask the questions and the prospects respond with their specific use cases and pictures of pain. Then, you go deep to get them to quantify their pain in terms of hours, dollars, and additional costs. This also includes what projects are delayed based on these numbers, and how the delayed projects affect revenue, company growth. Moreover, for start-ups and founder doing founder led sales, discussing their valuation and the ability to raise the next round of funds. ### Sales Stage 3: Selection #### Navigating Towards the Shortlist As the journey progresses, the selection stage comes into play. This is when you begin to move beyond the demo phase. Additional stakeholders are introduced, and discussions around competitors they are looking at and pricing take on a more serious tone. Here, you start to confirm the approval process, legal requirements, duration estimations, and the key players involved. It’s important to note that some of these discussions can also take place during the Discovery phase. This is also where discussing the actual timeline of implementation gets serious, and defining the timeline of approval and signature process begins. Remember the approval process is the emotional and actual commitment to a purchase. The signature process is after the approval process. They often get lumped together and seen as the same. They are very different ### Sales Stage 4: Pending #### Fine-tuning the Details The pending stage typically arises when there are intensive discussions regarding pricing and the approval process and finalized. It’s important to remember that if pricing is discussed, but the approval process remains uncertain, nothing is deemed pending. This is also where procurement may enter the picture. However, when a proposal is on the table, even in a competitive scenario, it shifts into a pending status. Here is where executives want to know if it’s really committed. They will also want the confirmation of anything that could derail the project from happening as well as the date you can expect a signed document back. A word to the executives reading: pending means pending. It does not mean “closed won”. ### Sales Stage 5: Closed Won #### Sealing the Deal Finally, the culmination of the [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/don%E2%80%99t-over-engineer-your-sales-process/) leads us to the Closed Won stage. This is the momentous occasion when the signed contract makes its way back to your team, signifying a successful conversion. Incorporating these best practices into your sales strategy can revolutionize your [go-to-market approach](https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/gtm-strategy). Remember, the key to sustained success lies in periodic audits and adaptations. This will ensure you that your sales process and cycle continue to align with your evolving business goals and customer needs. ## Exit Criteria – What makes it all work Now, let’s go back to the Exit criteria. The accuracy of your [sales forecasting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-bring-humanity-back-into-sales-forecasting-updated-for-2025-2026/) is truly based upon your exit criteria. As you review the suggested sales stages, its important to think about the Exit Criteria you might want to include in your sales process. Here are some Exit Criteria examples: Next Steps Confirmed (Every stage should have this) 1. 1st Meeting Set 2. 1st Meeting Completed 3. 2nd Meeting Set 4. 2nd Meeting Completed 5. Demo Conducted 6. Skeptics discussed and addressed 7. Decision-making process confirmed 8. Legal process confirmed 9. Pricing discussed 10. Pricing verbally agreed upon 11. Proposal sent Note 1 – And yes, there can be a ton more. Note 2 – Next Steps Confirmed is often the most overlooked exit criteria. It’s a confirmation that enough of the mini-exit criteria have been done in order to move out to the next state. So, what did I get wrong? If you need extra help to boost your sales cycle and process, I invite you to check [our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Sales Training & Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/), where we can help with customer focus. Or simply [book a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). We’ll help you transform your approach to customer engagement and fuel your journey towards exponential growth. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Forecasting --- ### [How to Hire Killer Sales Reps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-hire-killer-sales-reps/) **Published:** October 27, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Hiring sales reps for your growing company can be challenging. From finding people with the right skills to make your sales performance grow to organizing your sales team into a cohesive force, recruiting can be a nightmare. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be! In this guide, we’ll give you the knowledge you need to evaluate prospective hires, organize your sales team, specialize your reps, and guide them to success. Let’s get started. ### **Skills Recruiters Overlook When Hiring** Although your new sales hires must have the requisite sales hard skills that all sales reps need (like product knowledge, industry awareness, and an understanding of how to use and apply sales tech technology), there are also several less noticeable attributes that make an outstanding salesperson. Here are three essential skills and abilities to look for when interviewing potential sales reps for your business: #### Grit/Hustle The world of sales is tough. If your sales reps are to create long-term, sustained growth for your brand, they must have the grit and hustle to overcome difficulty. From subduing objections to dealing with tough prospects and lost sales, mental toughness is a must-have skill for new sales hires. When interviewing a sales hire, ask them about times when they closed a difficult sale or overcame an obstacle during the sales process. Their answer will give you a great measure of their mindset and grit. We even encourage leaders to ask, “So what’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever overcome?” We specifically don’t ask for business, we let them decide. We actually want them to respond with, “Do you mean personally or professionally?” This is a small indication of their active listening skills, ability to adapt in a sales conversation, and tell a compelling story. So yeah, their numbers matter, but this is what helped them get there. And for the record, if you’re hiring someone new to sales. Don’t hold it against them if they can’t tell a good story yet. That’s your job as a sales leader to help them grow that skill. #### Communication Skills Sales are about more than finding clients and getting them to buy. Salespeople must have the communication skills to build trust. It’s our goal in sales to get our prospects and clients to “Fall In Trust” with us, not merely like us. The experience a customer has is as important as the product or service they are purchasing. Have you ever bought something but you went to a different place because you had a bad buying experience? Reps will need to leverage this to overcome objections, negotiate deals, and interact with clients in a purposeful and tactful way. Communication skills come in many shapes and sizes – from being a great speaker to having excellent writing abilities, having sales reps who are masters at communication will make a difference in your bottom line. #### Adaptability In the modern sales landscape, business moves at a lightning-fast pace. These days, the internet has connected the world, and business deals can close in a matter of minutes. Deals that are six and seven-figures are closing without actually meeting someone face to face. And before the pandemic, they were being done over the phone, without the help of Zoom. With that being the case, sales conditions can change in the blink of an eye – and your sales reps must be able to adapt. The better your salespeople can adjust to dynamic sales conditions, the less likely they are to be thrown off their game by an unexpected change. Adaptability is the mark of a confident and capable sales rep. ### **Own Your Process – Everyone Sells Differently** You cannot control people, you can only influence them. You can however, control a process. With the world connected by the internet, sales are no longer just about calling prospects and closing sales. Many more possible channels of communication have opened where you can reach out to potential clients and get them interested in your product. As such, there are also many different types of salespeople, each with a unique style of closing deals. For example, one type of salesperson you will encounter is the *social seller*. These are extroverted, energetic sales reps who love reaching out and building relationships with clients. These are powerful, charismatic communicators who thrive in fast-paced and unpredictable environments where their wit and adaptability can shine. On the other hand, another type of salesperson you will find is the data analyst. Unlike the [social seller](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/social-selling/), these salespeople prefer numbers and graphs to conversations. They take an empirical, objective approach to sales and use mathematics and statistics to target clients and close sales. For data analysts, chaos is the enemy – the more predictable their work, the more effective they are. Depending on your personality and temperament, you might start subconsciously favoring a certain kind of salesperson. When this happens, it’s important to remember that all types and [generations of salespeople](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-teams-motivation-with-multiple-generations/) can be extremely effective if they are put into positions where they can thrive. After all, you wouldn’t make a social seller manage database spreadsheets all day, and you wouldn’t want to put a data analyst into a cold calling job. Creating an effective sales team is just as much about managing your talent as it is about hiring the right people! It’s about building a sales process that everyone can use, and still allow the sales team members to be their authentic selves. ### **Winning the Recruiting War** There are countless strategies you can employ for a sales recruitment campaign. But there is one overarching law that you must remember when executing any business strategy: **Success and failure are always the leader’s fault**. If you are in charge of recruiting for your sales department, you must take full ownership of the performance of your hiring campaign. Since success or failure depends on the superior, it makes sense that you should coach your sales leaders to do recruiting the right way. Here are two key principles to keep in mind when looking to build up your sales department. #### Retention is Step One in Recruiting. We all know its easier to upsell or cross sell a current customer. The same can be said for holding onto good talent. When someone good decides to leave and you go miserly on them, you are actually losing more money than the raise they were asking for in the first place. You lose momentum in current deals, you lose time associated with interviewing which means you cannot get other things done which affects your revenue. And then you are stalled waiting on ramping a new sales rep. So yeah, when they ask for an extra $5000-$10,000, don’t be stupid. #### Always Be Interviewing Even when you don’t have an open headcount, you should be conducting 2 interviews each week. Be honest about it with the candidate. But if you don’t have a bullpen of potential hires ready during the Great Resignation, you are starting even further behind. Besides, when you find that one rep, that one you’ve been looking for, its time to go to bat and make some important management decisions. It may be time to hug someone out the door. Which could mean finding the lowest performing rep for a new gig in your organization. Don’t waste the tribal knowledge. Additionally, every department needs help these days. Why not do everyone in the company a favor and see if something can be worked out. #### Creating a Balanced Team Having a sales department balanced in its skills and temperaments is crucial for your company’s success. Remember the different types of salespeople we mentioned earlier? You must find the right ratio of these sales reps to maximize your team’s efficacy. For example, if you only have social sellers, you’ll have a highly communicative sales department. But it will be chaotic and without direction. Conversely, if your sales team is full of data analysts, they’ll know exactly *who* to contact but there won’t be anyone on the team who can do the actual contacting! Take a look at your current sales team’s skill distribution and performance. Talk to your salespeople and other sales leaders to figure out where your team needs improvement. If they’re having trouble finding the right clients to contact, you might want to bring a few more data analysts on board. On the other hand, if your team is contacting the right people but having trouble communicating, it may be time to hire some powerful, outgoing social sellers! Your sales department needs people who are digital, modern sales reps. But it also needs fighters who will push through challenges and close difficult situations. #### Activate Your Sales Special Forces With the internet connecting you to an increased selection of potential recruits for your sales team, you have the opportunity to diversify and specialize your sales department to a greater extent than ever before. While we’ve already covered the overarching sales archetypes like social sellers and data analysts, you can also sub-categorize these people into highly specialized sales reps. For example, imagine you just hired a social seller who’s a powerful communicator. While they may have great all-around communication skills, chances are that they specialize in a specific facet of their field. If your newly recruited social seller is an excellent writer, you can sub-specialize them to focus solely on written outreach and correspondence with clients! That way, not only are they focusing on their macro skill niche (social selling and communication), but they are also operating in their ideal environment (written communication). When you segment your salespeople into highly-specialized *sales operators*, you turn your sales department into sales special forces – a highly specialized, efficient, and effective sales machine. ### **Coaching Your Reps for Top Performance** Once you’ve hired the ideal salespeople for your team, you must coach them. Whether a recruit is brand new to the sales game or they’ve been in the industry for over a decade, they’ll still need to undergo some onboarding and training before they can start selling. Every company has a unique approach to sales, so taking the time to get your new hires up to speed is crucial. This is why the sales process we mentioned above is so critical. [Here’s our ebook](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5-sales-coaching-tactics-your-team-can-start-using-today) on 5 coaching tactics you can start using today. Unfortunately, recruit training is not only challenging, but it can also be incredibly time-consuming. The longer it takes to onboard your people, the more potential revenue you’re losing by not having them closing sales. How can you get your recruits onboarded and trained as fast as possible, you ask? By making their training as realistic as possible. This includes drilling sales concepts, peer coaching, mock/role-playing calls with coworkers, and live call coaching. In essence, the sooner you can get your salespeople into their position, the sooner they’ll become independent in that job. ### Diversity and Inclusion Mostly white. Mostly male? Yes, that’s often what we see in the sales world. Sales is not a career most people choose as a career. As a friend of mine once said, its often a bit of a dumpster of folks who have tried other things, never “wanted to be a salesperson”, and in fact may have intentional bias to it. So look in different places. I’ve hired a ton of waiter-staff in sales, they are great. Teachers who want to make more money, they are the BEST. Working with local veteran organizations, community organizations supporting LGBTQ, and BIPOC. Here’s the secret part of the formula. No matter someone’s race, gender-identity, religion, all human beings will support those that give them a chance. They will work harder for you because nobody else gave them a shot or taught them things. In many cases you will help them elevate their life and lifestyle beyond their wildest dreams. And isn’t that what we all strive for ourselves? When you step forward, hold the hands of two others behind you and help them get to their dreams. This is what makes sales an amazing profession. Finally, Sales coaching never ends – things just get layered on. With every newly discovered best practice, strategy, or piece of sales tech, you will need to coach your salespeople on how to use it. Coach effectively by avoiding [these 3 mistakes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-3-mistakes-that-kill-your-sales-coaching-potential/) that kill your sales coaching potential. Unfortunately, keeping your sales team updated with the newest emerging best practices is tedious. That’s why we created the [4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) – to teach your salespeople the industry-leading sales strategies for prospecting, qualification, discovery, and negotiation. Check it out or book a time to chat with us [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Financial Modeling – How to Budget for 2022](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/financial-modeling-–-how-to-budget-for-2022/) **Published:** August 27, 2021 **Author:** Michelle Lesh **Content:** Please meet, [Michelle Lesh,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelesh/) Chief Commercial Officer at Alfen, and former Chief Commercial Officer at [GE – Grid Solutions](https://www.gegridsolutions.com/). She’s been in the [sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-saas-sales-training-in-2025-what-best-really-means-and-how-to-choose-it/) game a long time. So when we decided to write something about annual budgeting, we decided to get an expert. Pay attention, you are going to learn something. Richard ======== From determining where to allocate finances to creating an effective financial strategy, [budgeting is a challenge](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-set-a-sales-training-budget/). When you build a budget for your business, you are effectively playing a large-scale game of economic chess. You need to understand the current state of your business, observe the market, and make a financial strategy that will both grow your company and make you money! Not to mention the business politics that can often get involved as some departments get a smaller allowance than they expected. Luckily, we’re here to help! In this guide, we’ll give you the strategies and tactics you can use when creating your 2022 budget. Let’s get started! ## **The Budget Dichotomy: Long-Term Game Plan vs Immediate Reality** Before we dive into the specific strategies for building a financial plan, we need to understand the two-faced nature of budgeting. When a budget is created, there are two opposing forces at play. On one hand, there is the Long-Term Financial Gameplan (also known as the Top-Down Approach). This is the vision that company directors have for the business’ budget. They strategize by looking at the big picture – trying to figure out how to make this year’s budget fit into the organization’s long-term goals. On the other hand, you have the Immediate Reality (also known as the Bottom-Up Approach). This is the market reality that the front-line workers like salespeople and marketers face on a daily basis. Although these individual departments don’t have a clear view of the big picture like the corporate directors, their input on the current state of the business can be invaluable. As a result of this dichotomy, budgeting is about more than simply making financial goals. It’s about finding a delicate balance between long-term strategy and short-run efficacy. If you can establish an equilibrium between these two forces, your business will benefit both in the coming year and also for many years to come! ## **Divide and Conquer** When it comes to budgeting, there aren’t many hard and fast rules that you must obey. Every company has its unique strategies, procedures, and priorities when budgeting for the new year. After all, a small business with five employees will create its budgets much differently than an immense, publicly traded corporation with offices around the globe. With that said, there is one rule that you should follow if you don’t want to panic while budgeting: *don’t leave it to the last minute*! Like most things in business, budgeting often takes longer than expected. Unless you hit the financial strategy jackpot on your first try, your budget will likely need to be approved, revised, rejected, recreated, and reapproved multiple times before you finally have a definitive plan. In other words, it’s always better to start budgeting earlier than later – so get started now! In the next section, we’ll be demonstrating two month-by-month strategies that you can look at as inspiration for how to create your next budget. The first approach is the Top-Down Approach – the financial plan is founded on the company’s long-term goals, and the various departments are aligned to make them happen. The second approach is a Bottom-Up Approach – individual departments are considered earlier in the budgeting process, and the strategy is less rigid. ## **Month-by-Month Strategy: Top-Down Approach** #### **July – August: Long Term Game Plan** Create your macro strategy. In a perfect world, where will your brand be in the next 5-10 years? What will its finances look like? Will it acquire any new significant assets? Figure out what financial moves you need to take to achieve your objectives. The rest of your budget strategy will be based on this plan. #### **September: Create Market-Based Strategies** Now, it’s time to look at the state of the current market and adjust your strategy. For example, perhaps the market demand for your product has temporarily decreased. It might be time to consider putting a greater emphasis on sales and marketing to put those numbers up and keep your financial goals on track! #### **October: Allocate and Debate the Financials** With your long-term goals set, start looking at your individual departments. Determine the portions of the budget that each team will get. Naturally, this phase will result in some discontent among departments – negotiate with departments and explain the reasons behind the budget allocation. Listen carefully to your departments. They’ll likely bring up some perspectives that you might not have considered in the previous steps. This is where powerful leadership and communication skills are a must-have. #### **November: 90% Done – Ironing Out the Wrinkles** With all of your company’s departments happy (or at least relatively content), it’s time to iron out any final wrinkles that appear in your budget. Look closely at your financial strategy and eliminate any small discrepancies between your goals and tactics. Are your products ready? Are consumers willing to buy? Identify and overcome these budding obstacles before they have the chance to turn into serious problems. #### **December: Link Reality to Theoretical Macro Strategy** As the new year approaches, make minute adjustments to the macro strategy you created in July. There’s a good chance that the market underwent some unexpected changes since your initial planning phase. Validate reality and make your financial targets more precise. #### **January: Finalize and Adjust Based on Reality** Finalize your year’s targets based on your end-of-year performance. Ensure that your plans and strategies are realistic and achievable. You should not be making any new decisions at this point – just tailoring your approach. ## **Month-by-Month Strategy: Bottom-Up Approach** #### **July: Create Your Macro Goals** This strategy starts similarly to the Top-Down one. Begin by setting your macro long-term financial goals. In the Top-Down approach, we used July to create our macro *plan* and sculpt the budget around it. This time, we’re just setting goals – our financial strategy remains dynamic throughout the process. #### **August: Set Bottom-Up (Departmental) Strategy** Here’s where the Bottom-Up strategy shines! As early as August, start bringing your company departments into the mix and involving them in the budgeting process. Use this month to determine each department’s financial strategy and discuss things like vacation time. #### **September: Lock In Top Strategy** Once you have your departments’ strategies locked in, craft your Top (macro) strategy so that it complements your Bottom strategies and helps you achieve the goals you set in July. #### **October: Debate and Determine Other Financials** With your Top and Bottom strategies secure, hammer out any other financials that aren’t locked down yet. As would be expected, this part of creating a budget will come with its fair share of disagreements and debates, but there should be less friction than with the Top-Down strategy. #### **November/December: Finalize Strategy and Make Adjustments** Use the last two months of the year to analyze the market and make small adjustments to your budget and financial strategy. No massive changes – just optimizing. ## **Making Your Budget Functional** Creating a budget for your business isn’t just about thinking of strategies and putting numbers on paper. The few months when you craft your financial policy can often result in some of the most emotionally tense moments in your organization. Scarcity is at the core of business and economics – there is never enough for everyone to be satisfied. The same is true when building your budget. For every department that’s happy with the financial strategy, there will be another that feels it’s not getting a fair piece of the pie. The question is, how can you ensure that creating a budget doesn’t result in a mutiny for your departments? In other words, how can you keep your people productive and satisfied while they feel left out? The answer: through powerful leadership skills. The reason why departments get disgruntled over budget allocation usually isn’t because they’re in desperate need of funding – it’s because they start feeling undervalued by their leaders. Luckily, there’s a solution! Show your people that you care. If you’re a top-end manager, don’t only check in with your departments when you need something from them. Be proactive in your leadership and support your people! If you want to learn more about creating functional, effective, and reliable financial strategies for your business, click here to connect with the author of this post, [Michelle Lesh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellelesh)! ## **About The Author – A Message From Michelle Lesh** How can you help support this process? Think about how you coach your team, how to understand their challenges so you can move forward together. When people ask me for advice, this is what I suggest for people still finding their path forward to understanding and navigating the budget battle. Our job as leaders is to provide context and enable our teams to connect dots between the macro and the front line. And once the dots are connected, we have to find the right balance of asking for more, pushing, and stretching while simultaneously supporting the organization to achieve the goals. There is one major pitfall I encourage people to conscious about. Sometimes, those front-line sales and sales leaders, often default to salesperson mode, blinders on, and may struggle to see the big picture, only what I need for my customer right now. Or what I need for my team right now. I encourage people to practice stepping back, practice having empathy for your internal organization and its challenges just like you do for customers. Every department is feeling it too. If disconnects remain, try to understand “the why”. And it is encouraged to ask your leadership in a private 1:1 moment to help you understand. Share your confusion, and see if they can help part the clouds and improve visibility. Even if you do not agree with them, it still sends a strong message about your commitment to the organization. This doesn’t mean stop pushing or asking, just understand your customer (internal). Advice for upper management, sales is not a cost center, it’s a revenue stream. Realizing any manual activity that prevents your sales reps from actually contacting or speaking to prospects and customers has a 3x factor of the time spent on the activity. First the lost time itself, then the impact of what they could have been doing talking to a customer, and third, the compounding interest on those customer facing activities. In short, listen to your sales leaders, and sales reps. Make sure they have a seat at the table. Help connect the dots between their market reality, the strategy, and what’s possible! And finally, if it’s not clear, ask them to explain “the why”. Ignoring a [best in class sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-sales-training-programs-in-2025-what-sets-them-apart/) will cost you far more than paying for it. --- For more 2022 planning, check out our 2022 Sales Management Planning Guide on-demand webinar [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/2022-planning). You’ll learn all about what to do when it comes to your goal setting, headcount, sales stack, coaching stack, [sales training budget](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/crafting-a-sales-training-budget-for-maximum-impact/), and navigating the conversation with C-Suite. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Multi-Threading in Sales: Best Practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/multi-threading-in-sales-best-practices/) **Published:** October 11, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Listen up, today we’re about to dive deep into a game-changing [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/multi-threading-…s-best-practices/) that’ll supercharge your sales process. We’re talking about best practices for multi-threading in sales, or as I like to call it, “getting your tentacles all over that damn org chart.” So buckle up, get real or lose deals. ## **What the F#$\*! is Multi-threading Anyway?** Multi-threading isn’t some fancy tech jargon – it’s about *not* putting all your eggs in one lousy basket. In sales speak, it means you’re not relying on just one contact in a company to close a deal. In your sales strategy you want to spread your bets, building relationships with multiple decision-makers, influencers, and buying committees, as well as the buy-in committees. And all of this gets wrapped up in a pretty package creating a web of influence that’s harder to break than a single thread. ## **Getting Multi-Threaded: Best Practices** 1. **\*\*Do Your Homework, yeah, HOMEWORK! \*\*:** Before you even think about reaching out, know that org chart inside and out. Who’s got the power? Who’s got the pain? Every time someone new is added to the conversation, do more research. **EXPERT TIP** – Research the titles and roles you know who are often influenced by a decision if your product is chosen. Early in your discovery calls, ask your contact something like this, *“Hey, a lot of times our most successful clients involve these titles \_\_\_\_\_. How does this work at your organization?”* This helps you create your map and map legend. You don’t have to ask for intros, you are simply confirming information you know you need. 2. **\*\*LinkedIn is Your Best Friend\*\*:** Use it like a heat-seeking missile. Find connections, spot alumni, join groups. It’s not stalking; it’s smart selling. If I have to give you an example here, then perhaps you are better suited for a transactional 1-call close. 3. **\*\*Warm Intros or Bust\*\*:** Work the angles. Get your foot in the door with a warm intro. It’s like showing up to a party with the host’s best friend – instant cred. **EXPERT TIP** – Yes, it’s ok to send a LinkedIn request. Be honest, tell them who you are speaking with and that you want to connect. And tell them specifically you are not trying to go around anyone, simply trying to do your research. 4. **[ \*\*Customize or Die\*\*](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/customized-sales-training-why-one-size-fits-all-approaches-fail-and-what-works-instead/):** One-size-fits-all is for cheap t-shirts, not for sales pitches. Tailor that message like a bespoke suit for each stakeholder. 5. **\*\*Give Before You Get\*\*:** Bring value to the table before you ask for anything. Insights, trends, case studies – be the smartest person in their inbox. 6. **\*\*Omnichannel Isn’t Just a Buzzword\*\*:** Email, phone, [social selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/social-selling/), carrier pigeon – use whatever works. Just don’t be a one-trick pony. 7. **\*\*Timing is Everything\*\*:** Coordinate your outreach like a military operation. Create a buzz, not a confused mess. **Staying Multi-Threaded: Keep Those Plates Spinning** 1. **\*\*Communication is Key\*\*:** Keep everyone in the loop. No one likes to feel left out, especially when there’s money on the table. 2. **\*\*Cross-Pollinate Like a Bee\*\*:** Share insights between contacts. It shows you’re paying attention and adds value across the board. 3. **\*\*Be the Puppet Master\*\*:** Encourage internal discussions about your solution. Give them the tools to sell it for you when you’re not in the room. 4. **\*\*Track Everything\*\*:** If it’s not in your CRM, it didn’t happen. Period. 5. **\*\*Adapt or Die\*\*:** Companies change, people move. Stay on your toes and adjust your [strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-steps-for-developing-a-winning-sales-strategy/) faster than a chameleon in a rainbow factory. 6. **\*\*Visualize the Battlefield\*\*:** Create a stakeholder matrix. Know who’s who, who likes who, and who’s got the real power. 7. **\*\*Bring the Party Together\*\*:** When the time is right, get multiple stakeholders in one room. It’s like hosting a dinner party where the main course is your solution. ## **Dealing with Roadblocks, Posers, and Liars** **The Indecisive Contact or Gatekeeper** 1. **\*\*Diagnose the Problem\*\*:** Are they waffling or just powerless? Know the difference. 2. **\*\*Arm Them\*\*:** Give them the tools to make a decision. ROI calculators, comparison charts – whatever it takes. 3. **\*\*Find Another Way In\*\*:** If they won’t introduce you, introduce yourself. Just don’t be a jerk about it. 4. **\*\*Confront the Fear\*\*:** If they’re scared to make intros, find out why. Address it head-on. 5. **\*\*Make Them the Hero\*\*:** Show them how expanding the conversation makes them look good. 6. **\*\*Apply Gentle Pressure\*\*:** Let them know multi-threading in sales is your standard process. FOMO is a powerful motivator. 7. **\*\*Sometimes, You Gotta Go Around\*\*:** If all else fails, go direct. Just be ready to explain yourself if called out. **When Your Contact Goes Dark (And You’ve Got Other Contacts)** 1. **\*\*Don’t Panic, Escalate\*\*:** Try all channels before moving on. But know when to call it. 2. **\*\*Use Your Network\*\*:** Reach out to other contacts. Ask for help reconnecting. 3. **\*\*Create FOMO\*\*:** Introduce time-sensitive info or offers. Nothing motivates like missing out. 4. **\*\*Flaunt Your Success\*\*:** Share wins from similar companies. Make them wonder what they’re missing. 5. **\*\*Get Face Time\*\*:** Hit up industry events. Sometimes, you gotta press the flesh. 6. **\*\*Give Them an Out\*\*:** Let them pass you to someone else if they’re not the right contact anymore. 7. **\*\*Stay Classy\*\*:** Always be professional. You never know when they might pop back up. **When You’re Left in the Cold (No Other Contacts)** 1. **\*\*Persistence Pays\*\*:** Keep at it, but mix up your approach. Sometimes, the 20th touch is the charm. 2. **\*\*Dig Deeper\*\*:** There’s always more intel out there. Find it. 3. **\*\*Content is King\*\*:** Create stuff they can’t ignore. Be the thought leader they didn’t know they needed. 4. **\*\*Get on Their Radar\*\*:** Use [account-based marketing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e130-at-6-i-decided-to-be-the-boss-with-rvp-of-sales-catie-ivey-of-demandbase/). Make them come to you. 5. **\*\*Network Like Crazy\*\*:** Find mutual connections outside the company. Someone knows someone who knows someone. 6. **\*\*Social Selling is Real\*\*:** Engage in their online spaces. Be helpful, be present, be memorable. 7. **\*\*Know When to Fold ‘Em\*\***: Sometimes, you gotta start from scratch. Take what you’ve learned and reset. ## **The Harris Bottom Line** Multi-threading in sales isn’t just a tactic; it’s a mindset. It’s about being smarter, more strategic, and more resilient in your sales approach. It’s about not putting your commission check in the hands of one person who might ghost you faster than a bad Tinder date. Remember, in sales, like in life, you don’t get what you deserve – you get what you negotiate. And negotiating from a position of multiple relationships is always stronger than relying on a single point of failure. So get out there, spread those threads, and weave a web of influence that’ll have deals falling into your lap like ripe fruit. It’s not easy, but neither is missing your quota. Choose your hard. Now, what are you waiting for? Get multi-threading. Go make it rain or [contact me here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) for help. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Process --- ### [Sales Teams Motivation with Multiple Generations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-teams-motivation-with-multiple-generations/) **Published:** January 8, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Motivating your sales team can be totally challenging. However, this part of leadership is totally important and necessary. Additionally, if you have team members belonging to different generations, you need to pay attention to it as well. When it comes to sales recognition, it requires understanding their unique values, preferences, and expectations. Here are some key differences in motivating these generations. ## Sales members – Gen X (born 1965-1980) - **Sales Recognition Preference:** Gen X values recognition that is more private and sincere. They appreciate personal praise and acknowledgement of their contributions. - [**Sales Motivational Factors:**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/finding-your-reps-individual-currency-motivating-your-sales-team/) Offering them tangible rewards like bonuses or promotions can be effective. They also appreciate job security and work-life balance. - **Sales Communication Style:** Gen X prefers face-to-face or direct communication. They are not as reliant on digital platforms for recognition. **Richard’s Thoughts** – Gen X was a part of the STFU get back on the phone sales upbringing. And yes, it is interesting that oftentimes Gen X didn’t like the public praise. This is due to the fact that we were taught (wrongly), to be embarrassed by public praise. ## Millennials (born 1981-1996) in your Sales Team - **Recognition Preference:** Millennials seek both public and private recognition. They want acknowledgment from peers and supervisors but also value personalized feedback. - **Motivational Factors:** Millennials are motivated by career growth opportunities, skill development, and a sense of purpose in their work. They value workplace flexibility and work-life integration. - **Communication Style:** Millennials are digital natives, so using technology and social media for recognition can be effective. They appreciate frequent feedback and recognition in real-time. **Richard’s Thoughts** – I truly believe all the blame millennials have suffered at the hands of Gen X leaders was really about the Gen X leader being jealous. We were (some still are) jealous of the love, support, training, and coaching Millennials get that we wished to have. ## Sales Teams with Gen Z (born 1997-2012) members - **Recognition Preference:** [Gen Z](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-millennials-vs-gen-z-work-culture/) prefers quick and public recognition. They prefer to receive instant feedback and validation through social media. - **Motivational Factors:** Gen Z is motivated by opportunities for advancement and learning. They also prioritize meaningful work that aligns with their values related to diversity and inclusion. - **Communication Style:** Gen Z is highly tech-savvy and prefers digital communication channels like instant messaging and social media. They are likely to respond well to gamified or interactive recognition platforms. **Richard’s Thoughts** – I often wonder if Gen Z will be the loneliest generation. The self-isolation of social media is taking its toll. Since people only post their best selves it can create a false belief system around life, joy, and happiness. ## Sales Strategies for Different Generations Motivation If you have multi generational sales team, take into consideration these strategies to effectively [motivate you team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-motivate-your-sales-team-in-2024/) and grow your business. ### Customize Recognition Tailor recognition efforts to each generation’s preferences. For Gen X, focus on personalized, private recognition. In the case of Millennials and Gen Z, incorporate public acknowledgment and social media sharing. ### Offer Varied Incentives Provide a range of incentives that align with each generation’s motivators. For Gen X, consider bonuses and job security. Millennials may appreciate skill development opportunities, and Gen Z may value experiences or events as rewards. ### Foster an Inclusive Culture Create an inclusive workplace culture that values diversity. Also, provide opportunities for personal and professional growth. These are strategies universally appreciated across all generations. In an era where workforce demographics are more diverse than ever, foster an environment that celebrates differences and promotes equality. This will be crucial for attracting and retaining talent. For Gen X, it signifies a departure from traditional workplace structures which emphasize a more collaborative and open-minded atmosphere. Millennials, on the other hand, actively seek workplaces that align with their values. Here, inclusivity and growth opportunities are key factors in their job satisfaction. Moreover, for Gen Z, entering the workforce with a heightened awareness of social issues, an inclusive culture is not just a preference but an expectation. Companies must prioritize diversity and create an environment where individuals from various backgrounds feel heard and valued. These organizations are more likely to attract and retain the younger generation’s dynamic talent. ### Embrace Technology Leveraging digital platforms and technologies for employee recognition is a contemporary approach. This aligns with the technological advancements of the modern workplace. However, it is crucial to be mindful of the preferred communication channels for each generation to ensure effective and resonant recognition strategies. For Gen X, who witnessed the rise of technology in the workplace, use email communications or company intranets. These channels align with their familiarity with technology while respecting their inclination towards more formal and structured communication methods. Providing personalized, well-crafted emails or recognition through an internal portal can cater to their preferences. It ensures that the recognition efforts are not only seen but also appreciated. On the other hand, Millennials, who are digital natives accustomed to instant communication, favor more dynamic and interactive channels. Utilizing social media platforms, instant messaging, or dedicated recognition apps aligns with their preference for real-time feedback and constant connectivity. For Gen Z, born into a world immersed in social media and digital communication, incorporating video messages, gamification elements, or utilizing trending platforms can enhance the impact of recognition efforts. These approaches not only resonate with their tech-savvy nature but also add an element of fun and personalization to the acknowledgment process. ## Solicit Feedback Regularly gather feedback from your [sales teams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgjOSYq4kSU) to understand what recognition strategies resonate with them and make necessary adjustments. 2024 is going to be one of the toughest years on record when it comes to achieving sales goals. Thus, a critical piece of this will be keeping your sales team motivated. And it’s important to understand the various perspectives different people on your sales team include. Recognizing and catering to the unique motivations and preferences of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z can lead to a more engaged and motivated salesforce, ultimately improving sales performance. [Contact us](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) and lets’s create together a effective strategy to motivate your team. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** sales leaders, sales motivation, Sales Team --- ### [The Millennials vs Gen Z Work Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-millennials-vs-gen-z-work-culture/) **Published:** June 20, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Recently, I’m seeing some trends when it comes to [millennials vs Gen Z](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e105-the-difference-between-millennials-and-gen-z-in-sales-dr-howard-dover-university-texas-dallas/) work culture: 1. Millennials want to know the promotion path. Whereas, Gen Z wants to understand why they are getting a promotion after 6 months and if they even want it. 2. Millennials want collaboration spaces. Gen Z wants a cubicle. 3. Gen Z is much more coin-operated. 4. And truthfully, we cannot ignore the Boomer generation as much as many might like to. [I’ve shared some thoughts on that here.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-teams-motivation-with-multiple-generations/) So what does this all mean? From my understanding, it means leadership is going to have to re-tool the work culture again. It means leadership is going to have to learn how to lead and communicate better. We millenial-ized the work and compensation, so now what do we change and introduce for Gen Z? What are other sales leaders experiencing with Gen Z that was not in the “big management handbook”? Let us know in the comments or [book a time to chat about it here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Building a Process for Time Management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/building-a-process-for-time-management/) **Published:** April 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Time Management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/meet-for-coffee-stop-wasting-our-time/) is one of those things I know lots of folks struggle with, myself included. By no means am I a master, but I do strive to get better. Rather than beat myself up day after day, I created a process that gives me the space to manage my time. Whether you are a sales rep, SDR, Customer Success, VP or Executive, this stuff matters. And by all means, one should incorporate their family into this. I share these tips with you. If you have one that works, please share in the comments as well. 1. **Color Code your calendar** – Red, Yellow, Green. For me Green is about revenue, Yellow could become revenue, Red everything else. For family things, from kids’ activities, practices, date night with my wife, or Dr. Appts. Those things are in Blue. And yes, I have built in “chill family time” in blue to make sure I am not letting something else take a priority over family. 2. **Build in dead time to your calendar.** I have 12-1pm every day blocked in Red as lunch. Sure, sometimes I work through lunch but I am in control of this time. Nobody can set a meeting during this time. 3. **15 minute sprints** – I do build in 1 hour each day, broken into 15 minutes. Each a separate meeting, and I do them all in one hour. So I can do the little things. Sometimes I get it all done in 15 minutes and then I have 45 minutes left. Sometimes I don’t get it all done, and then it just moves to the next day. This last part allows me to “exhale” and not worry about it the rest of the day. Yes, sometimes I leave 15 minutes and meditate, or just think, write, or even get up and walk around. 4. **Afternoon off.** Similar to Lunch, I have from 2pm-5pm on my calendar every Friday to go play golf. Do I every week? No, of course not, but again, if I don’t build it in, then I won’t ever try to make the time. --- Please share what [time management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/time-management-as-a-sales-leader/) tips work for you in the comments below. And if you have any questions or need help with your own time management, please contact us [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Time Management as a Sales Leader](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/time-management-as-a-sales-leader/) **Published:** August 15, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Do you really understand how to do time management? This is a simple exercise you can do for yourself and, of course, can easily be taught to your sales team. Like anything, before teaching others, teach yourself. 2,600 hrs/ year (50 hrs/ week x 52 weeks) -150 hours (3 weeks vacation) = 150 hours = 2,450 hours/ year 25%: time to your direct reports = 612.5 hrs to your direct reports = 12.5 hrs/ week (612.5/ 49 weeks) 2.5 hrs/ day for your direct reports Learn more about building a [time management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/meet-for-coffee-stop-wasting-our-time/) process [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/building-a-process-for-time-management/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Meet for coffee? Stop wasting our time.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/meet-for-coffee-stop-wasting-our-time/) **Published:** November 19, 2018 **Author:** WhatarmyDev **Content:** So tired of the “we should meet for coffee or a drink” or “pick your brain” requests from people who clearly have not looked at each of our profiles to recognize the obvious… the only reason you want to meet with me is to try and leverage my network. Come on, stop wasting our time. If you want to ask for advice, great, just remember to make it a two way street though. To be brutally honest, I see very little value in meeting unless it’s of equal value to me. My intent is not to come off rude but be directly honest instead of making up some lame “I’m too busy” excuse. If you claim to value transparency then you should most likely agree. I wish you well but I just don’t see the value and feel you deserve an honest answer. Seriously if we tried to meet with everyone no real work would get done. And, when someone does actually agree to meet with you, please say this at the end, “Hey Richard, thanks for taking time to answer my questions. What can I do to help you?” This simple question back will raise YOUR value in the eyes of the person you spoke with. They will appreciate the reciprocal gesture. In many cases there may not be anything you can do for someone. Still, the simple offer is well received and elevates your stature as a good human. And yes, one day this person will remember you and perhaps you can help them out. Remember, everyone’s time is valuable, and we are all working to [improve our time management.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/building-a-process-for-time-management/) The simple ask is you be aware of this and make it [worth everyone’s time](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/time-management-as-a-sales-leader/), yours, and theirs. **Categories:** Blog --- ### ["I hate sand": Surf & Sales X](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/i-hate-sand-surf-sales-x/) **Published:** June 13, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** *“I hate sand.”* This is an objection [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese) and I received 2x in the last 2 weeks regarding [Surf and Sales](https://www.surfandsales.com). Needless to say, that one caught us off guard. Where is the [resilience](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resilience-in-sales-surf-sales-style/)? And then we marinated in the objection. We asked them what it means? We asked them if they prefer the mega-conferences in Des Moines (they don’t). We asked them their favorite things about being part of sales communities. And then we were able to explain how they get all of their favorite things, plus more, at [Surf & Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-moments-in-between/). We explained that not everyone even surfs (or wants to). We explained that some people don’t even want to go in the water. We explained the lifelong bonds are created. We explained how the variety of roles, even some marketing and product folks, attend. We explained the infamous “closing hammock”. If you MUST take a sales call, do it in the hammock. Everyone closes in that hammock. And yes, that’s a true story. We explained how people get hired. And, we explained how over $2m in side hustle business starts there. So, whatever excuse you have for not attending, stop believing the lies in your head and put down your deposit for [Surf & Sales X](https://www.surfandsales.com). And be sure to check out some episodes of the [Surf and Sales Podcast like this one with Madison Butler.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e131-why-your-diversity-and-inclusion-program-is-all-wrong-with-madison-butler-the-blue-haired-recruiter/) Sincerely, [Richard](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) and Scott **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The Moments In-Between](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-moments-in-between/) **Published:** May 25, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** **Updated for 2026 – It’s still the little things that matter most.** After hosting over 12[ Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resilience-in-sales-surf-sales-style/) events since 2018 and attending countless other sales conferences, here is the most important thing I can offer: Enjoy “The Moments In-Between”. The conference sessions are good of course, content is king. But remember, Context is the Kingdom. For me, so much of that context comes from the discussions outside of the primary sessions. We like to call them the “in-between” moments. Take the time to get to know some one, get to know them as a person. Get to know them as an individual. Not just the superficial business background conversations. Sure someone you meet at a sales conference might be a customer, but don’t treat them that way. Treat them like a potential friend first, everything else stems from that. Don’t simply ask someone, “So what did you think about the session?” Go deeper. Ask them about their experiences, what even brought them here. Where they are from, what are their interests. When you see or hear someone say something that makes you want to walk up to them and say, “Hey, I heard what you said, and I’d like to chat with you.” That moment when you are socializing, run into someone you’ve known on LinkedIn and finally get to have a conversation and learn you both have a passion for pickleball or love watching curling in the Olympics. So as the sales conference season kicks back into gear please focus on the “in-between moments”. This is where the real experiences live. And please, no more over-boozing at conferences. If that’s what you go to a conference for then perhaps you should re-evaluate your priorities. In fact, at [Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/i-hate-sand-surf-sales-x/), we make sure that while both cocktails and mocktails are available, it’s not meant to be a party-fest. It’s meant to be about connections. Human to human connections. Long term friendships that continue well past the event itself. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Integrating AI-Assisted Conversations for Enhanced Customer Engagement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/integrating-ai-assisted-conversations-for-enhanced-customer-engagement/) **Published:** May 7, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In today’s fast-paced sales environment, leveraging technology to enhance customer engagement is not just an option; it’s a necessity. **Among the technological advancements available, AI-assisted conversations stand out as a pivotal tool for empowering sales teams.** These innovative solutions can dramatically transform the way sales professionals interact with prospects and customers. **This implementation leads to improved outcomes and heightened buyer experiences.** ## The Role of AI in Sales [AI technology in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/artificial-intelligence-and-its-current-state-in-sales/), particularly AI-assisted conversations, serves as a bridge between data-driven insights and human empathy. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI can identify patterns and insights that would be impossible for humans to discern on their own. This capability allows sales professionals to understand their customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points more deeply, enabling personalized and meaningful interactions. ### Enhancing Customer Engagement AI-assisted conversations can take various forms, from chatbots on a website to intelligent virtual assistants guiding sales reps in real time. These tools are designed to enhance rather than replace the human element of sales. These tools provide sales teams with the information and prompts needed to engage customers more effectively- This way salespeople make sure that every interaction is relevant, timely, and value-driven. ### Personalization at Scale One of the key advantages of AI in sales is its ability to[ personalize interactions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-you-need-personalized-11-sales-coaching/) at scale. AI algorithms can analyze customer data, including past interactions, purchase history, and even social media activity, to tailor [conversations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-and-vs-but-in-sales-conversations/) in real-time. This level of personalization ensures that customers feel understood and valued, significantly impacting their buying decisions and loyalty. Please remember that AI is not going to do the selling for you. In most cases, it merely assists you. ### Streamlining Sales Processes Moreover, AI-assisted conversations streamline sales processes by automating routine tasks. For example, this tool can help teams to qualify leads or schedule meetings. This automation frees up sales professionals to focus on what they do best: building relationships and closing deals. Thus, AI can provide sales reps with actionable insights and recommendations. It can help them to prioritize their efforts and optimize their sales strategies. ## Continuous Learning and Improvement One of the standout features of AI-assisted conversations is their innate capacity for growth and enhancement over time. These systems tirelessly analyze and adapt to new data, honing their grasp on customer behaviors and preferences. This relentless pursuit of improvement ensures that each interaction becomes more effective and efficient, setting a new standard for customer engagement. For customers, it translates into interactions that feel increasingly personalized and relevant, directly addressing their needs and concerns. For sales teams, it acts as a catalyst for[ skill development](https://youtu.be/YmQZB1xFb0s) and strategic advancement. By continuously evolving, AI-assisted conversations provide a robust platform for sales professionals to elevate their performance and align closely with customer expectations. ## Implementing AI-Assisted Conversations Integrating AI-assisted conversations into your sales processes requires a thoughtful and strategic approach to truly harness their potential. The first step in this journey involves a careful evaluation of your sales operations to pinpoint where AI can deliver the greatest impact. Common areas ripe for AI enhancement include lead qualification and customer support. Here automated conversations can streamline workflows and provide immediate value. Selecting the right AI tools is critical; they must align with your overarching sales objectives. Additionally, they must also support your specific goals for customer engagement. This way you can ensure a seamless blend of technology and human touch. Once the appropriate AI solutions are identified, the next crucial phase is empowering your sales team to leverage these tools effectively. This involves [comprehensive training ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/)and ongoing support to ensure team members are proficient in utilizing AI technologies. Equipping your sales force with the knowledge and skills to use AI-enhanced tools will enable them to elevate their customer interactions, making them more personalized, responsive, and impactful. This strategic adoption of AI enhances the efficiency of sales processes. Also, it significantly enriches the customer experience, setting the stage for sustained success in a competitive landscape. ## **Meet RichardGPT** Ever wanted to just pick someone’s brain? Now you can actually pick my brain, please meet [RichardGPT](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/richardgpt/). Want sales skills advice? Ask Richard GPT. Want job hunting advice? Ask RichardGPT Want leadership advice? Ask RichardGPT And yes, its free. ## **Conclusion** Integrating AI-assisted conversations into your sales strategy represents a significant step forward in enhancing customer engagement and empowering your sales team. By leveraging AI’s capabilities, sales professionals can deliver personalized, efficient, and impactful interactions. As a result, this approach can drive success for both the buyer and the seller. As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of sales, embracing AI-assisted conversations will be key to staying competitive and achieving excellence in customer engagement. Empower your sales team with the tools and strategies they need to succeed in today’s digital age. By embracing AI-assisted conversations, you’re not just investing in technology; you’re investing in a future where enhanced customer engagement and sales success go hand in hand. So have some fun with RichardGPT. If you’re interested in accessing this for your sales team, feel free to set up a meeting with me. Yes, the real and live human being Richard. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** AI, conversational selling, Sales, sales teams --- ### [10 Easy Tips To Becoming a Sales Jedi Master](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/10-easy-tips-to-becoming-a-sales-jedi-master/) **Published:** December 7, 2015 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In case you haven’t heard, there is a new movie coming out in a few weeks. Hopefully some of the sales leaders reading this bought some tickets to opening day to give out as sales spiffs! Or better yet, your CEO recognizes its worth shutting the office down for an epic event and take the whole company. In the spirit of the Star Wars moment, we at The Harris Consulting Group, offer the following tips to helping you all finish your quarter and year strong! And to hope you all become better Sales Jedis in 2016. *May the force be with you…always!* 10\. Do or do not, there is no try. 9\. Any fool can learn from his mistakes a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. 8\. Stupid hurts…always. 7\. When you think you are done, you are really only 40% of the way there.6\. Many mistakes in the sales process can be seen and felt while they occur, but salespeople often don’t want to do anything to f\*ck up the deal. (See 3 & 4) 5\. The fear you bring into a sales call will often be the very reason you lose the deal. 4\. Dedicating time to help newbie reps on the inside sales team actually makes you better at closing your own deals. 3\. You can earn far more respect as a leader by sharing your knowledge and hitting your [sales goals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e146-being-the-only-with-kevin-kd-dorsey/) than if you merely hit your sales goals. 2\. Every professional sports athlete spends time practicing yet most sales professionals do not. (Embrace #7) 1\. It’s ok to be humble and be proud of what you have done at the same time. What tips do you have that can help others become a true Jedi Sales Master. Use the force or perhaps your keyboard and share your [sales wisdom](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/blog-sales-tips-and-training/) with the rest of us. Follow us: @rharris415 **Categories:** Blog, Sales Training **Tags:** BDR, Field Reps, field sales, Fields Sales Team, Inside Sales Team, Lead Generation Team, Sales, sales kickoff, sales leadership, sales management, sales manager, sales rep, sales training, SDR --- ### [All those Powerpoints at your SKO suck, and here’s why.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/all-those-powerpoints-at-your-sko-suck-and-here’s-why/) **Published:** December 18, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** First off, no, it’s not too late for this post, although many may think so. If you’re one of them, don’t read any further, it’s ok. It won’t hurt my feelings. Buh-bye now. If you are still reading, then it tells me you care. You care about your team, you care about yourself, and you care about your company. Do not let your #SKO become a presentation of presentations or a Parade of Pathetic #PowerPoints. [Slow death by PowerPoints](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-do-my-powerpoints-at-my-sko-suck-heres-why/) is something you can stop. Your #powerpoint better have some slick design elements beyond fade in and out. It needs to have killer graphics, music, good timing, videos, and flow. In fact the best PowerPoints I’ve ever seen at a [SKO](https://pages.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sko-prep) is the one I got 3 days before. That’s right, all PowerPoints should be sent to the team 3 days before SKO. All PowerPoints should be read before the SKO. Then at the SKO, have Q&A around the PowerPoints. If a different department head’s feelings are hurt by not being able to “present: their PowerPoint, sorry, not sorry. Rarely do people want to hear you talk, unless you are answering questions that will actually help me do my job. I can read about the new service. I can read about the new pricing. I can read about the competitive landscape. Give people time to digest the information so things can be more engaging, with questions, etc. Better yet, give your [PowerPoint](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-do-my-powerpoints-at-my-sko-suck-heres-why/) to a sales rep, teach them, and then have them give the presentation for you. But Richard, what happens if the reps don’t read them ahead of time? 1\) Make Accountability one of the pillars in 2020, and let this serve as the first test. 2\) It’s a #salesleadership and management issue Now here is the most important tip of all regarding your Sales Kickoff. And this has nothing to do with PowerPoint. If you haven’t properly planned to coach AFTER the SKO, then your entire SKO is going to fall flat within 30 days. That’s right, what is your coaching session for the first 3 weeks AFTER your SKO to ensure things stick? And yes, you can hire Richard for your [sales kickoff speaker](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-kickoff/) anytime. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Kickoff --- ### [S2E22 - The right hand of the CRO with Jeremy Donovan SVP Sales Strategy, Salesloft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e22-the-right-hand-of-the-cro-with-jeremy-donovan-svp-sales-strategy-salesloft/) **Published:** March 8, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jeremy is as far away from a sales background as you can get. Which makes his insights all that more valuable. With a BA and MS in electrical engineering and a Masters in economics and statistics he’s the perfect person to be heading up [sales strategies](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/salesloft-did-it-again-rainmaker16/). He includes incredible insights including: What the best AE’s do. The 7 Dimensions of Success The tactical approach to developing sales territories Navigating the “holdovers” of territory changes. Who re-tools the operational infrastructure of the sales team if its not the [role of the CRO](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e10-with-cro-troops.ai-roque-versace/) Hey > Hi Why I decided to move from engineering to sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e22-the-right-hand-of-the-cro-with-jeremy-donovan-svp-sales-strategy-salesloft?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E52 - How an Extreme Extrovert Learned to Sell Remotely w/ Blanche Reese of Salesloft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e52-how-an-extreme-extrovert-learned-to-sell-remotely-w-blanche-reese-of-salesloft/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** 1. Blanche fell into sales by accident like many of us. She actually turned down Salesloft at first, before joining them as employee #29. Now the 9th most tenured employee in the company, you’ll hear her discuss: - What she learned from her mom – the #1 realtor in South Carolina - How reverse psychology [worked to motivate](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e17-remote-selling-with-jason-mcelhone/) her - Why a progression from CS –> SDR –> SDR Mgr –> AE –> Commercial AE made sense - Why making plans and proactively seeking help are her superpowers - The challenges associated w/ [working remotely](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e44-busting-the-myth-that-sales-cannot-be-a-remote-workforce-with-nicolas-vandenberghe-of-chili-piper/) while being a self-professed “Extreme Extrovert” [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/how-an-extreme-extrovert-learned-to-sell-remotely-w-blanche-reese-of-salesloft?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How to Handle the “Not Hitting Quota” Interview Question](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-handle-the-not-hitting-quota-interview-question/) **Published:** February 14, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Dear Richard, As a [sales trainer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-choose-the-best-sales-trainer-what-the-best-sales-trainers-in-the-world-actually-do/), do you have any advice on how to handle the “not hitting quota” question will happen in one of these scenarios: 1. A salesperson starts [interviewing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/9-steps-to-hack-your-interview-process-score-more-job-offers/). At the same time, either employed or unemployed. 2. The hiring manager(s) wants to see [numbers and quota attainment.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/get-ready-to-crush-q4-on-november-15/) Sincerely, Interviewing in Panic Mode in Iowa \_\_\_ Dear Panic, Here are a few suggestions. Try to remember you are interviewing *them* more than they are interviewing you. No matter the situation. ### **Option 1** *“Like a lot of companies right now, they are realizing they projected wrong based on the economy and they did their best to try and grow the business as best they could for as long as they could. And for that, I am grateful for the opportunity they provided.* *I am curious, how have you all handled the current situation?* *I mean, it says a lot about your leadership and company culture since you are still hiring.”* Wait for the answer and then ask… *“So, based on what I explained, truthfully, on a scale of 1-10, how comfortable would you be hiring me based on that one answer alone? Oh, and you cannot say the number 7.”* Wait for the answer and then ask… *“Great, in your mind what’s the difference between a \_\_\_ and a 10?”* Wait for the answer and then ask… “Thank you for your honesty, I’m curious, of all the people you’ve ever interviewed, how many tried to close you better in the interview than I did just now?” Ok, you might be thinking, *“This last part may be too much Richard.”* But it is what we think, no? **Why it can work:** 1. You are stating the truth. 2. You are complimenting your current/previous employer. 3. You are complimenting the current company leadership and culture. 4. You are turning it around on them. 5. You are testing your potential new boss. 6. Even if you don’t get an answer you want to hear, you get an honest answer and you can move on faster. ### **Option 2** *“Before we even start I’d like to address one thing I bet you are going to ask me. It’s about quota attainment.”* They will say, *“Ok”*. *“So, as you can see I am at \_\_\_\_ to goal. The challenge at the organization is that only \_\_\_ of \_\_\_ are hitting numbers. They are good human beings there, and they mean well. AND…. I think they simply convinced themselves to believe in numbers that were out of line with reality. I’m curious, have you ever felt that way in your career somewhere?”* **Why it can work:** 1. You brought it up first and they appreciate boldness and directness. 2. You are acknowledging reality. 3. You explained a situation of creating false idols without speaking poorly about them. 4. You specifically used the word “and” not but. And is additive, but is negative. 5. You turned it back on them to answer the question because we know it’s happened to them. And if they say never, then they are lying. And this now gives you pause as to whether or not you want to work for someone like that. Feel free to comment or [DM your suggestions on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415) as well. Let’s chat! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Where Negotiation Skills Training Often Fails](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/where-negotiation-skills-training-often-fails/) **Published:** August 27, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** If you think your team needs “Negotiation Skills” Training, you could be making the biggest mistake EVER! First, people don’t define what they mean by “Negotiation Skills” when it comes to [sales training, sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-biggest-lie-in-sales/). Here is how to better define it, and be careful of buzz words. At the end of sales negotiation training, we want the team to be better at \_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_. (Hint: Cannot be “closing more deals”) Here are some examples I have seen when it comes to negotiation training, it often means doing a better job of qualifying and discovery. The [tactics in negotiations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-sales-negotiations-how-to-win-deals-without-losing-margin/) are many times the same in qualifying: How to use open/closed-ended questions, Psychological Mirroring, Emotional Labeling, earning the right to ask questions through Respect Contracts. Yes, [negotiation strategies](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-does-negotiation-training-really-mean/) do exist, but they are often fruitless if you haven’t done more before you reach that point. 1. **Ability to walk away from the deal** – If the rep, manager, C-Level will not walk away from bad deals, then sales negotiation skills training will be meaningless. 2. **Discounting Hangover** – Too many discounts reduce your teams’ courage to hold pricing and confidence to do so, and more importantly, it reduces their confidence in the leadership team. This means your team thinks you (they) plays favorites, does things on a whim, and sends conflicting messages. Then when you (they) decide not to give a discount (no matter your justification) you “blame the rep”. It’s not their fault. “It’s your (Managements’). So, before you hire “the worlds greatest negotiator” you now need to fill in the following blanks as an executive. After sales negotiation training I will STOP \_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_\_ which f’ups my team. Be sure to check out our [“Negotiator’s Toolkit”](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/pricing-conversations/) for free advice Am I right? Am I wrong? #ReactToMe! Want to learn more about negotiation and using prompts with AI? [Check out our post, Enter” Sales Prompt Specialist and Analysts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/enter-sales-prompt-specialists-and-analysts/) **Categories:** Blog, Sales Training --- ### [7 Ways Sales Training Can Help You and Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) **Published:** July 29, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Your sales team is one of your company’s most dynamic and influential departments. They are your brand’s front-line soldiers and have a direct and profound impact on your organization’s bottom line. If your salespeople aren’t equipped with the sales skills and mindset needed to overcome objections and challenges to close sales, your company will suffer. Fortunately, a high-quality, comprehensive [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/driving-results-with-sales-training-why-it-matters-more-than-ever/) program can be the solution to all of your revenue problems! In this guide, we’ll take you through five ways that investing in sales training can supercharge the success of you, your brand, and your sales teams. ### **A Sales-Ready Mindset** Your [sales department](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/enter-sales-prompt-specialists-and-analysts/) doesn’t just get products off shelves. Often, they are the first company representatives that a potential customer encounters – making them your brand’s first impression to your prospect. Having an effective team of salespeople requires them to have the right mindset for the job. They must be resilient and respectful, firm and fair, and strong, honest negotiators. The sales department is one of the fastest-paced and most stressful parts of your company. If your[ inside sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/inside-sales/) or field sales representatives don’t have the right sales mindset, they are prone to burning out, leaving, and costing your revenue. This is why [inside sales training best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-the-art-of-handoffs-elevating-inside-sales/) are so critical When choosing a sales training program, be sure you understand the trainer’s [Sales Training Philosophy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training-philosophy/) as much as you understand their process, methodology, and curriculum. The right sales training program equips your sales team with the mindset they need to engage your prospects in a human-to-human way, navigate objections, handle rejection, and gain new customers while closing sales. A strong sales training program will teach both the tactical and soft skills required to build trust with your prospects. It is this trust that makes your prospects become customers. Some examples of these soft skills include [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/inside-sales/) around the psychology of the customer’s mind. Specifically skills around Active Listening, How Humans Make Decisions, [Respect Contracts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/respect-contract/). Which then teaches your sales teams how to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when to do it. ### **Builds Understanding of the Buyer’s Experience** One of the biggest myths in sales is understanding the buyer’s journey. It’s not about the buyer’s journey, it’s about the Buyer’s Experience. People don’t buy products, they buy on emotions. When they just buy a product and don’t recognize the emotion behind the purchase, it leads to a closet full of nothing to wear. Why? Because after we make a quick purchase, we get home, try it on, and then we change. There is a dissonance between how we feel and how we expected to feel. That is the definition of buyer’s remorse. Often, the difference between a missed opportunity and a closed sale is how much the buyer feels understood and valued. In short, do they feel, “heard?” This is another example of where having strong soft skills around active listening is so important. Before your salespeople can start having productive interactions with prospects, they must first understand the buyer’s mindset. This includes understanding your ICP (Ideal Company Profile) and your IPP (Ideal Persona Profiles). If your sales department doesn’t recognize your potential clients’ struggles, pain points, and reasons for being hesitant, they can’t effectively overcome the objections and close sales. Best-in-class sales training not only helps your team listen to your prospects, encourages your potential customers to paint pictures of pain. In turn, this allows your salespeople to present a solution that takes their pains away. Going one layer deeper, when you teach your sales reps how to navigate a sales conversation painting a picture of pain, it reinforces their good sales habits like compounding interest in your 401k. Furthermore, it helps your sales teams get into the mind of your prospects and customers to allow authentic empathy to be a part of the sales process. Again, this is where your prospects and customers “fall in trust” with your organization. ### **Assists in Navigating the Sales Process** Many salespeople – especially newer additions to your team – might have trouble navigating the sales process. You wouldn’t play chess without understanding how pieces move on the board; the same goes for sales. If your team cannot recognize where they are in the sales process or sales conversation, they won’t know which next steps they should take. Should they be trying to set an appointment, exchange information, or go for the close? Knowing when to make the right move can mean the difference between winning the sale or losing it to your competitor. The world’s best salespeople are masters at understanding their position in the sales process and acting accordingly. Your sales process should have proper stage naming and specific exit criteria to move from one stage to the next. This way, salespeople know their objectives and the moves that they need to make to achieve them. If not, your company is missing opportunities and leaving money on the table. Competent sales training helps reinforce and teach your team members the various parts of the sales process. It should include the specific exit criteria at each stage to move the deal forward and the specific soft skills and tactics to use in each phase to get those answers. All of which help lead your prospects – facilitating better customer relations and more closed sales! ### **Helps Identify Different Types of Buyers** This is a place where sales and marketing don’t always get along. Despite this, understanding the buyer types, their personas, and the pains of each persona is of concern to both sales and marketing. Buyers are unique. Although the people buying your products might be similar in their industry or profession, they all have unique problems, needs, and ideals. Yes, they are precious little snowflakes, and as such, you should treat them that way. As such, different buyers are inspired and influenced by different things. Some people are motivated by growing their brand, while others want to spend more time with loved ones. Ultimately, everyone is inspired to do a good job, get promoted, and of course, make more money. Your salespeople must approach different types of buyers appropriately in ways unique to the buyer’s experience, not the buyer’s journey. A salesperson who can distinguish between the different types of buyers immediately becomes more effective at closing sales. By actively recognizing the metaphorical “sales territory” or “sales patch” in which they are operating, your sales team supercharges their influence when dealing with clients. Your sales training should include pains by persona, pains by role, and pains by those who affect the decision but never use your product or service (IT, Security, Procurement, etc.). The soft sales skills taught by your sales trainer are your secret sauce to winning more deals and losing less to going dark or the competition.. ### Building Confidence, Courage, Adaptability, and Accountability So what’s the ultimate goal of a world-class sales trainer or sales training program? It’s not about the money, or the growth, or the new customers and logos. Yes, they matter, but a lot more comes before those things. Ultimately, improving your sales teams’ sales skills will develop their self-esteem. With [greater confidence comes more courage](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/a-safe-place-to-fail.creating-successful-sales-coaching-culture/) to implement the sales skills taught. With this improved courage and confidence, your Sales Development Team, Inside Sales Team, and Field Sales Team will be more agile, have a greater ability to adapt as the sales conversations shift. Sales is a lot more like Jazz than Rock-N-Roll. It has a flow, a rhythm, but it can also turn on a dime, just like a sales conversation. Giving your sales teams confidence can make or break your company’s success. Confident salespeople are less likely to get discouraged by a challenging client when handling objections, pricing negotiations, and closing the deal. If your salespeople aren’t confident in their abilities and the quality of the products they sell, they won’t be able to make the moves that it takes to close sales. When your sales team exudes confidence and pride in what they sell, potential buyers pick up that confidence. When you combine that confidence with a conversational sales approach like N.E.A.T. Selling, your customers “fall in trust” with your team and your company. When you implement a strong sales training and reinforcement program, all those end-of-the-month, end-of-the-quarter, and end-of-the-year [discounts can go away](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/whats-the-best-day-of-the-month-to-buy-a-saas-solution-and-why/). ### **Expect and Require Customization** Two of the gravest mistakes sales leaders make when choosing a sales training program are not ensuring that it’s customized to their specific industry, customers, and services; and that the training includes a reinforcement program. With regards to [customization](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/clients/), this means more time is spent in the training session on real-play and role-play scenarios of your prospects and customers. Your sales trainer should be asking you to pull specific deals in the pipeline to role-play or lost deals to do real-play so you can practice the, “Oh, I wish I had said \_\_\_\_\_” ### **Expect and Require Reinforcement** The [Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/announcing-5-week-n.e.a.t.selling%e2%84%a2-training-and-reinforcement-program/). In short, the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve states that unless something is reinforced and practiced repeatedly, it will be forgotten. So, when choosing the right sales trainer and sales training program, whether it’s for [SDRs, AE’s](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-right-ae-to-sdr-ratio/), or Customer Success, be sure to confirm the programs include post-training [reinforcement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-is-reinforcement-so-important-to-sales-training/) coaching sessions. The best programs, like the [N.E.A.T. Selling 4 Week Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks) not only offer weekly coaching for the sales teams. But also include [weekly coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-biggest-lie-in-sales/) for the sales leadership team. ### **Conclusion** A high-quality, world-class, and comprehensive sales training program is key to building a confident, adaptable, and effective sales team. Which in turn grows your revenue. When your salespeople are equipped with the right soft skills, sales tactics, and mindset, they can supercharge your brand’s cash flow and success. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to find sales training that you can trust and that you know will benefit your brand. That’s why we created the *4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program*! In this course, your team will learn industry-leading techniques and tactics for discovery, prospecting, and qualifying in today’s fast-paced business world. [Learn more about our new program today](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks) and find out why companies like Google, Pilot, and Zoom partner with us to supercharge their sales teams! If you still have questions about our customized sales training services, [check out our FAQ page](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/frequently-asked-questions/) **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Mastering the Art of Handoffs: Elevating Inside Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-the-art-of-handoffs-elevating-inside-sales/) **Published:** November 8, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As we propel ourselves towards more AI in sales, inside sales will need to continue to adapt. A critical piece in any sales motion are the handoffs from SDR / BDR to AE. Until you have an AI service that does this for you, it’s critical to really understand the best practice. DRs still play a crucial role in the inside sales. It ensures that every interaction with a sales rep is a valuable investment of time for both the potential buyer and the seller. Specifically they are often the first touch a future customer has with your organization. This means Buyer’s Experience matters here. Consequently, this post is geared towards unraveling the intricacies of how a SDR seamlessly transitions to an Account Executive (AE). So, let’s set the stage: The BDR establishes initial contact with someone eager to engage with an AE or sales rep. It can be in the same office or a remote field location. Often, the SDR dispatches a calendar invite to the sales rep and[ prospect](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/improving-sales-forecasting-by-crafting-a-winning-sales-process-and-cycle/), complete with dialing instructions, before moving on to the next potential lead. The outcome? A successful call or a missed connection. There are two dynamic strategies to foster success, collaboration, and accountability for all stakeholders: Email Handoffs and Meeting Handoffs. ## The Email Handoffs for Inside Sales In this scenario, the SDR orchestrates a calendar appointment with the AE and prospect. Normally it stops there. Now, if you want to improve the Buyer’s Experience, here’s a suggestion. In addition to sending the calendar invite, include a pre-meeting email. - Expresses gratitude for the prospect’s time. - Confirms the appointment details, reassuring the arrival of a calendar invite. - Encourages the prospect to review and rectify any potential misunderstandings. - Extends an introduction to the AE, including direct contact information. - Clearly defines the main point of contact going forward (SDR or AE), tailored to your organizational structure. - Provides a roadmap of next steps, outlining challenges, potential solutions, resources, and intriguing insights from the call. - Reiterates appreciation for the prospect’s time. - Once received, the AE should also respond to the group thanking the SDR for the introduction. Then, AEs should introduce themselves to the prospect. It’s important to let the prospect know they can ask any questions they like, even before the meeting even happens. ## Conclusion It’s everyone’s job to help the prospect fall in trust with us. However, it does not mean they need to fall in love with us. These are two very different things. Thus, by implementing smooth handoffs between the SDR and AE you’re building trust and rapport with the prospect. Additionally, you are also fostering a more cohesive, accountable partnership between the SDR and AE. It’s a mutual learning opportunity that can greatly [enrich the sales cycle](https://blog.hubspot.com/service/sales-to-csm-handoff). It’s important to be mindful of potential pitfalls, such as an AE potentially misinterpreting the SDR’s role or attempting to shift note-taking responsibilities. Or the AE does not complete the circle by these issues are best addressed through effective management. Ultimately, mastering the sales handoff is a pivotal component of inside sales. It offers a tangible opportunity for refinement and improvement. Embrace it, and you’ll find your team soaring to new heights of success in no time. If you need extra help to increase your company’s handoffs, contact me. I invite you to check [our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Sales Training & Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) or simply [book a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** handoffs, Sales --- ### [Mastering the Art of Personalization in Sales in 2024](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-the-art-of-personalization-in-sales-in-2024/) **Published:** February 26, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The average person gets over 46 notifications on their smartphone per day according to Business of Apps. And we are lucky. The average teen gets 240 notifications on their phone per day according to the University of Michigan Health. **Connecting with prospects and customers on a personal level is more critical than ever**. In 2024, personalization isn’t merely a buzzword or a fleeting trend; it has evolved into a strategic imperative for sales professionals striving to distinguish themselves in a crowded marketplace. In this guide, we will delve into the evolving landscape of personalization in sales. We’ll explore the latest trends, technologies, and methodologies that empower sales professionals to craft tailored interactions. Understanding the dynamic nature of consumer expectations and the growing significance of personalization, we will provide actionable insights to help sales teams navigate the intricacies of this art in 2024. ## Per-fessional-ization + Persona-i-zation vs. Personalization The biggest thing missing in sales regularly is [humanity](https://youtu.be/uheEvTJEwnI). The personal connection we have as humans to other humans. When it comes to best practices for personalizing your outbound and sales practices, pay attention to these parameters. We are uniquely us. We are one person, one being, one soul. Everyone shows up to work as a whole being. We bring our entire selves to work and everywhere else we go. When we hang out with friends we still bring our “professional” selves with us. Also, when we show up to work, we bring our “personal” selves with us. One does not exist without the other. We call this the “Per-Fessional” being. This also includes personality traits like how they like to communicate. Do they prefer phone or email? Do they like to be in charge or do they like to be more passive? Understanding this about yourself and the people you prospect and sell is the foundation for understanding and creating personalized communications. However, that is not all there is. We all know the best practices around persona-based information in our prospecting and sales efforts. Which is their industry? What are they responsible for in their job? What are they typically struggling with when it comes to a solution you offer? These are the things that make up their persona. This is called Persona-i-zation. When you combine Per-fessional-i-zation and Persona-i-zation you get real Personalization. ## Understanding the Power of Data In the era of big data, **sales professionals find themselves at the forefront of an unprecedented opportunity to harness vast amounts of information, unraveling profound insights into their customer base.** Through the strategic utilization of advanced analytics, machine learning algorithms, and sophisticated customer relationship management (CRM) tools, sales teams can now delve deep into the intricacies of customer preferences, behaviors, and pain points. This data-driven approach offers a comprehensive understanding of the diverse needs and expectations of the customer base. Also, it lays the foundation for crafting highly personalized experiences. **The integration of advanced technologies enables sales professionals to move beyond generic interactions.** It allows them to tailor their strategies with precision. By leveraging insights gained from big data analytics, sales teams can create targeted campaigns. In this data-driven landscape, sales professionals armed with the right tools can transform information into actionable intelligence. Ultimately, they enhance their ability to forge stronger, more meaningful connections with customers. Consequently, they drive success in the competitive realm of contemporary sales. ## Segmentation and Targeting Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all sales strategies as we enter the dynamic landscape of 2024. Successful sales professionals in this era have honed their skills in the art of segmentation and targeting. Recognizing the diverse nature of their customer base, they understand the importance of categorizing customers based on a myriad of factors, including demographics, buying history, behavioral patterns, and personal preferences in decision-making. This strategic approach allows sales teams to craft tailored and precise approaches for different customer segments. **In 2024, targeted personalization has emerged as a cornerstone of effective sales strategies.** By customizing their interactions based on specific customer per-fessional profiles, sales professionals can ensure that communications are not only relevant but also timely. This level of personalization significantly enhances the likelihood of [customer engagemen](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/integrating-ai-assisted-conversations-for-enhanced-customer-engagement/)t and conversion. In this context, customers feel a deeper connection with the products or services offered. ## AI-Powered Personalization Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) is a game-changer in the personalization game. AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data at incredible speeds, providing real-time insights into customer preferences and behaviors. Chatbots, sales engagement platforms, revenue intelligence, recommendation engines, and predictive analytics are just a few AI-powered tools. These functionalities can enhance the personalization process, allowing sales professionals to engage with customers in a more personalized and efficient manner. ## What AI Cannot Do in Personalization (yet) In 2024, customer expectations have evolved beyond generic marketing messages. They emphasize the ascension of personalized content as the reigning monarch in the sales realm. And [AI will not be able to give it the last push](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-limits-of-ai-in-sales-what-it-cant-do-and-how-you-can-fill-the-gaps/). AI will get you 80% of the way there, the last 20% is up to you. There’s a reason airplanes still have pilots. There must be a human element involved. This is the salesperson. **Sales professionals are navigating a landscape where customers demand more than one-size-fits-all approaches.** The key to success lies in crafting compelling and tailored content that speaks directly to the unique pains our customers feel and experience every day. It’s not about what we do nor what keeps them up at night. It’s about what pains they have that we can alleviate specifically in their everyday lives. From the initial point of contact to ongoing engagement, the importance of personalized content cannot be overstated. It goes beyond mere product features and dives into the realm of addressing individual pain points, aspirations, and preferences. Sales teams that invest time and effort in understanding the intricacies of their customers’ journeys can curate content. By doing so, they not only capture attention but also foster a sense of relevance and authenticity. In an era where customers seek genuine connections, the mastery of personalized content creation has become a pivotal skill for sales professionals striving to navigate the nuances of the modern marketplace successfully. ## How to Know You Are Doing it Right While automation is a powerful ally in personalization, maintaining a human touch is equally important. **Striking the right balance between automated processes and genuine human interaction is key.** Sales professionals should use automation to streamline routine tasks and gather insights. It allows more time for personalized, one-on-one engagement with customers. The human touch brings authenticity and emotional intelligence to the sales process, reinforcing the personal connection. ## Conclusion In 2024, the mastery of personalization in sales transcends being a mere trend; it has become a fundamental and indispensable strategy for success in the dynamic marketplace. **Sales professionals are now empowered with tools and technologies to create highly personalized experiences that resonate with customers on a deeper level.** Leveraging advanced analytics provides insights into customer behaviors and preferences. The strategic use of targeted segmentation ensures that messages and offerings are precisely tailored to the diverse needs of different customer groups, further enhancing the personalization approach. Achieving a delicate balance between automation and the human touch becomes a key differentiator. Sales professionals must navigate the complexities of providing personalized experiences that are both efficient and authentically connect with customers. As the sales landscape continues to evolve, embracing the power of personalization stands out as the hallmark of successful strategies in 2024 and beyond. **The ability to offer personalized solutions not only boosts customer satisfaction but also fosters long-term loyalty.** **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** AI, remote sales, Sales, salestraining --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E100 A frank conversation about the world with John Barrows](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e100-a-frank-conversation-about-the-world-with-john-barrows/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** John is one of the leading voices of sales and leadership in the world. He’s open, honest, and direct about everything, and this episode is no different. Listen and Learn: 1. Agility is the new competitive advantage with John Barrows 2. Shrinking the delta between idea and action 3. Stop doing what you’re supposed to do 4. The phone’s not dead but it’s a nightmare right now. 5. Don’t be a lazy manager 6. Why Friday is Myday 7. EAT — Effort, Attitude, and Treat Others 8. White Privilege 9. Black Lives Matter [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/a-frank-conversation-about-the-world-with-john-barrows?tdest_id=2365394) [Learn how Richard Harris and John Barrows teamed up to share sales training best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/john-barrows-and-harris-consulting-group-team-up/) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [John Barrows and Harris Consulting Group Team Up](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/john-barrows-and-harris-consulting-group-team-up/) **Published:** November 10, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ### N.E.A.T Selling™ training, used by companies like Zoom and Google, will now be available to subscribers to the JB Sales’ “Netflix for Sales” OnDemand platform. **NOVEMBER 9 2020 — JB Sales** JB Sales announced today that they will be adding N.E.A.T Selling™ sales training, developed by the Harris Consulting Group, to the library of sales courses available on the training video subscription service, OnDemand. The agreement between these two companies was reached after CEOs John Barrows (JB Sales) and Richard Harris (Harris Consulting) agreed on the essential nature of ongoing sales training, particularly in light of this year’s events. “Sales professionals have to confront two different realities,” says Harris. “First, work-from-home business means [reps and managers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e9-lead-smarter-with-prateek-mathur/) are not able to have the immediate training, coaching and feedback they once did in the office. Second, COVID-19 has created an [active hiring market](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e65-taking-advantage-of-a-forced-actualization-with-pete-kazanjy-of-atrium-and-modern-sales-pros/) for companies at a time when some industries — like tech — are growing faster than ever. People and can prove their sales acumen with certification are the ones getting hired first. The new N.E.A.T Selling ™ course is a 10-session foundational course that teaches sales professionals how to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when to do it. Getting past surface pains to core pains by focusing on qualification, discovery, making it easier to move the customer the buyers’s journey at their pace in their own mind. All of which makes handle pricing and budget conversations confidently, and ultimately ask for the close. It is aimed towards not only sales representatives, but all professionals everywhere along the sales pipeline. “In an organization, everyone sells,” says Barrows. “It’s not *just* sales reps anymore. New revenue comes through customer success and support teams all the time. We’re excited to bring Harris’ training to the OnDemand platform because his training provides professionals with core skills that bring value wherever they are, and it’s been proven by some of the best companies out there.” OnDemand, “The Netflix of Sales,” was launched by JB Sales in 2020 and has since provided subscribers the same high quality training used by companies like Slack and Google, while also granting them access to podcasts, interviews, and webinars featuring industry experts. Sales experts featured include John Barrows, Morgan Ingram, Ashleigh Early, Jeff Hoffman and now, Richard Harris. N.E.A.T Selling™ on JB Sales OnDemand at: **About JB Sales** Founded by John Barrows, JBSales has trained thousands of sales professionals across hundreds of companies, many of which are the fastest growing technology companies in the world. Their signature programs, *Filling The Funnel* and *Driving To Close* are designed to give sales teams the structure, tools and techniques needed to drive immediate results while positioning them for long term success. **About The Harris Consulting Group** Founded by Richard Harris, who also serves as the Director of Sales Consulting and Training for [SalesHacker](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/saleshackersalestraining/), The Harris Consulting Group was founded to train SaaS organizations that have strong ideas and a solid product market fit. but struggle to build or scale their sales teams. The Harris Consulting Group’s N.E.A.T Selling™ training helps sales professionals get more qualified meetings, ask better questions, and make better projections, and is used by companies like Zoom and Google. CONTACT: Christopher Merrill, (617) 529-5252, chris@jbarrows.com SOURCE [JBarrows LLC](https://jbarrows.com) **Categories:** Blog, Sales, Sales Trainer, Sales Training, SDR Training --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E132 - The 3 Pillars of Success in Sales with Karen Dunne-Esquire from Elation Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e132-the-3-pillars-of-success-in-sales-with-karen-dunne-esquire-from-elation-sales/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A self-described nerd and book junkie. In this episode we discuss: - The passion for selling came from seeing the response - Balancing building a brand new business with a 2-month-old - How to say “No” politely. - How to go from solo-preneur to 11 employees in less than a year - The 3 pillars of success in sales - The biggest difference between sales in the United States and UK and EU - How to differentiate yourself in a crowded market - What to do if you feel you are being undervalued or underpaid - Don’t feel like an imposter before you try and fail - And we bet she doesn’t [hate sand.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/i-hate-sand-surf-sales-x/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e132-the-3-pillars-of-success-in-sales-with-karen-dunne-esquire-from-elation-sales?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E133 Understanding Scale with Paul Salamanca with Security Scorecard.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e133-understanding-scale-with-paul-salamanca-with-security-scorecard/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** - Which types of [VPs of Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e162-building-a-unicorn-with-manny-medina-of-outreach.io/) gain the most respect and promotions. - How do you build a forecast when scale is desired but hasn’t happened yet. - Why should a sales leader have a podcast? - Best ways to help someone find a job, move from SDR to AE - How to ask for a raise during a pandemic [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e133-understanding-scale-with-paul-salamanca-with-security-scorecard?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E131 - Why your diversity and inclusion program is all wrong with Madison Butler The Blue Haired Recruiter](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e131-why-your-diversity-and-inclusion-program-is-all-wrong-with-madison-butler-the-blue-haired-recruiter/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When I grow up I want to be like Madison Butler. Authentic, Self-Aware, Helpful, and Honest. We go deep on so many great topics in this episode including: - Recruiting is so broken it’s disgusting - You cannot use technology to solve human problems - It’s harder to fix things when you’ve already built a bad foundation. - Defining Code-switching and pet to threat - Why your Chief Diversity Officer is failing - Defining Unconscious bias, willful ignorance, racism - Mentor vs. Sponsor and why you need both - And I bet she doesn’t [hate sand.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/i-hate-sand-surf-sales-x/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/ss1e131-why-your-diversity-and-inclusion-program-is-all-wrong-with-madison-butler-the-blue-haired-recruiter?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-role-of-emotional-intelligence-in-sales/) **Published:** April 22, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nowadays, the sales environment, the emphasis on technical knowledge, and strategic savvy are more crucial now than ever. These elements are essential for navigating the complexities of modern sales strategies and client demands. In this post we are going to share some of the top sales training, [sales coaching, and consulting best practices.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-resilient-and-empathetic-sales-person/) However, what about emotional intelligence? This ability isn’t just another line on a resume; it’s the cornerstone of effective salesmanship, enabling individuals to forge deeper connections and achieve more meaningful outcomes. Emotional intelligence (EQ) embodies the capacity to recognize and manage one’s own emotions and to discern and positively influence the emotions of others. This skill set transcends mere interpersonal effectiveness; it is woven into the very fabric of the N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology. In essence, EQ is not just an advantageous skill. It’s fundamental to transforming all relationships including sales interactions into meaningful relationships and achieving excellence in the sales domain. Thus, our goal in sales is to help reduce the risk people feel when making a decision. And we do this by helping our prospects and customers “fall in trust” with us. We don’t need them to fall in love with us the right way, we have to earn the right for that to happen. We must get them to fall in trust with us. ## Understanding Emotional Intelligence in Sales Emotional intelligence in sales is about leveraging empathy and self-awareness to foster genuine connections with clients. This involves more than just understanding a client’s needs and pain points. We need to get into our prospects’ and customers’ headspace to truly see and feel the things they see and feel concerning the pains they are trying to solve. This soft skill is about actively listening, responding with empathy, and navigating the emotional landscapes of both the seller and the buyer. In other words, it’s about transforming transactions into interactions. And then, it’s about transforming interactions into meaningful conversations. This is where emotional connection becomes the bridge to mutual success. ## The N.E.A.T. Selling™ Approach and EQ The[ N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) methodology, which stands for Needs, Economic impact, Access to authority, and Timeline, inherently calls for a high degree of emotional intelligence. Let’s explore how EQ integrates into each component: - **Needs:** Uncovering a client’s true needs requires deep listening and empathy. By understanding not just the surface-level requirements but the underlying emotional drivers, sales professionals can tailor their approach to resonate on a more personal level. - **Economic Impact:** Discuss the economic impact of their current situation based on the needs they are seeking to solve or resolve. Additionally, a salesperson with high EQ can better align their offering with the emotional and financial outcomes desired by the client. This can be done by discussing and navigating their hopes, fears, and aspirations about a future state compared to their current state. - **Access to Authority:** Gaining access to decision-makers is a nuanced process that benefits greatly from emotional intelligence. Recognizing and adapting to a client’s organization’s different emotional dynamics and political landscapes will make or break a deal. - **Timeline:** Understanding the urgency behind a client’s timeline requires sensitivity to their pressures and constraints. A sales professional skilled in EQ can align their solution with the emotional tempo of the client’s decision-making process. ## Developing Emotional Intelligence in Sales Improving your emotional intelligence is a journey of continuous self-improvement and reflection. Here are actionable steps to enhance your EQ in the context of sales: - **Practice Active Listening:** Focus on truly hearing what your clients are saying, including the emotions behind their words. This will help you respond more empathetically and effectively. - **Self-Reflection:** Regularly assess your own emotional reactions and behaviors. Understanding your emotional triggers and responses allows you to manage them more effectively in high-stakes sales situations. - **Empathy Exercises:** Put yourself in your clients’ shoes to better understand their perspective. This could involve [role-playing](https://youtube.com/shorts/JbJDe0PQQhw) exercises or simply imagining the emotional state and motivations of your clients. - **Seek Feedback:** Ask for feedback on your interactions from colleagues, mentors, and clients themselves. This external perspective can offer valuable insights into your emotional intelligence strengths and areas for improvement. - **Continuous Learning:** Invest in EQ training and resources.[ Books, workshops, and courses ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/)on emotional intelligence can provide strategies and tools to enhance your EQ skills. ### **Conclusion** Incorporating emotional intelligence into the sales process is not just a strategy—it’s a necessity. By integrating EQ with the N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology, sales professionals can: - elevate their interactions, - foster deeper connections, and ultimately, - achieve greater success. Remember, sales is not just about meeting needs; it’s about connecting on a human level, and emotional intelligence is the key to unlocking that connection. If you need help to train your team and boost your employees’ emotional intelligence in sales, [contact me here.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) Yes, we can do this [onsite as well as virtually](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) for those with dispersed teams. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** emotional intelligence, Sales, sales tips --- ### [The Resilient and Empathetic Sales Person](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-resilient-and-empathetic-sales-person/) **Published:** December 15, 2015 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** **INTRODUCTION** One of the core values of [SalesHacker](http://www.saleshacker.com/) and [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) is our continual desire to learn. We push ourselves and our clients to be better, fail faster, iterate quickly, adapt, and improve. We believe this is essential to being successful in sales and is part of our “Warrior Training”. Like many people in sales we look to learn from others as much as we look to help others learn. In this post we are going to explore two concepts that have really struck a chord with us in 2015 as we look at the sales world. One is resilience, the other is empathy. Before we get into the topics specifically we feel it’s important to acknowledge those who helped encourage us to explore these paths. While the topic of “Empathy” in sales may have been around quite a while we were not really aware of it until we met [Sean Kester](https://www.linkedin.com/in/theseankester) from SalesLoft in January 2015. If you follow[SalesLoft,](https://salesloft.com/) Sean, or [Kyle Porter](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleporter) you will hear this word used often when discussing the right attributes of a good SDR or Sales Person. And we agree whole-heartedly. With regards to “Resilience” we began to apply a deeper thought process around this word and how it relates to inside sales while reading the book, [**Resilience, A Hard Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life**](https://ericgreitens.com/books/resilience-book/), written by Eric Greitens. To be honest, this book has absolutely nothing to do with sales, but on the other hand so much of it can be applied it’s hard not to see it. *“Resilience explains how we can build purpose, confront pain, practice compassion, develop a vocation, find a mentor, and create happiness. Mr. Greitens explores all of this drawing on both his own experience and wisdom from ancient and modern thinkers.* While we write posts specifically from the point of view of an SDR or Inside Sales perspective, we do realize that much of this post could be applied to anyone from any perspective or occupation, during any part of one’s life. **EMPATHY** So what’s the first word that comes to mind when you think about a salesperson? Go on, be honest. Often times the words we hear are: dishonest, untrustworthy, and our favorite, liar. In fact if you stop to think about the top professions that are known for lying often include the following: Politicians, Lawyers, and of course Sales People. Now let’s explore this word “Empathy”. According to Merriam-Webster, empathy is *“the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions: the ability to share someone else’s feelings”* Unfortunately a lot of sales people will think they are being empathetic but unfortunately it comes out insincere and sounding more like sympathy. It is our opinion that taking a sympathetic tone can actually create distance between you and your prospect as opposed empathy which will build a greater bond of mutual respect and trust. To be more specific, having sympathy often means feeling sorry for someone’s situation. Your customers do not want your sympathy. They do not want you to feel sorry for them. Empathy means you actually understand your customers’ feelings at the emotional level. As an example. One may lose a loved one and people will and should be sympathetic. What if you are a person who has not had that experience in your life yet, could one truly be empathetic? Some people by nature can. Others have a harder time making this connection. So now comes the hard part for sales people. Everyone has experience and experiences in life. The goal of a [good sales person](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e29-the-individual-contributor-mindset-with-taylor-lobdell-of-rollworks/) is to understand the challenges you’ve faced in your life or career. Take the emotions behind those experiences and work to appropriately identify ways to share your life with your prospects in such a way to create the right win-win situation. So here is a simple exercise for you to try. We call **“Happy & Sad Times”**. Below write down 3 experiences in your work or personal life that brought you happy feelings. In the second section write down experiences that evoked sadness. Exercise 1 – Happy Times 1. The day I closed my first 5-figure deal. 2. The day I shot a hole-in-one. 3. The day my children were born. Exercise 1 – Sad Times 1. The first time my heart was broken. 2. The time I lost a big sale to the competition. 3. The moment I found out my father had cancer. So maybe you haven’t hit a hole-in-one but maybe you hit a home-run. Maybe you’ve never lost a big deal to the competitor but perhaps you didn’t get the job you wanted. In both cases the emotions felt within the experience allow them to be shared. It’s this shared emotional feeling that allows someone to be truly empathic. So as a sales person how do you take these feelings and share them with a prospect? There are three things that will help you. 1. The words you choose 2. Your tone of voice. 3. The words you choose after you express empathy. Empathy sounds like this. “Wow, that’s awesome.” Or, “oh, wow that’s not much fun.” Often times a sales person will try to follow up their statement with something that tries to push the deal forward. We suggest that in most cases trying to move the deal forward is not the best choice at this moment. If you do, then that where the “pushy used car” salesperson stigma comes to mind for most people. It is possible your prospect will feel like you are not listening to them. If they think you are not listening, then they will not trust you, and this is where you lose the deal. What ends up happening in many cases is that the prospect will interpret the sales persons’ empathy as sympathy. And prospect do not want their sales people to feel sorry for them. They want their sales people to feel their pains. We believe that continuing to discuss how this situation is affecting the prospect will lead to greater trust and the deal will move forward naturally. Don’t get us wrong, you still have to ask for the sale or the next appropriate steps but you don’t need to push it simply because you do not know what to say next. **RESILIENCE** So now let’s shift gears and move towards our other topic, resilience. Resilience is the ability to adapt necessarily based on changing circumstances. The most important thing to remember is that you aren’t really born with resilience, it’s something you develop over time through life, through experiences both good and bad. Resilience is not given to you, it’s earned, and often times painfully. The good news about resilience is that it will always continue to develop, and nobody can take it away from you. As a sales person whether you are in inside sales, field sales, an SDR, or Customer Success, the ability to be empathetic and resilient are essential to your overall success. Your prospects and customers do not desire this, they actually expect it. Here’s an example of building resilience. Right now, as I am finalizing this post my father is upstairs in the hospital. He’s going to die in the next 24-48 hours. In the next 20 minutes, I have a business call I need to make. Some people may think that I am not doing the right thing. In my world, my reality, and my father’s world he would want me to focus on something other than himself even for a few minutes. This is resilience, this is “Warrior Training”. That even in the face of certain death of a loved one the human spirit will continue, it can grow stronger, and it will help you persevere. This experience, while tragic and terrible will build my resilience. I will have lost someone very dear to me, but I will have also gained strength, perspective, and improved my ability to be empathetic to others who lose. It could be a person they lose, it could a pet they lose, or it could be a business deal. But ultimately I can empathize with anyone who loses something they care about. **CONCLUSION** In conclusion we would like to leave you with some thoughts you can use to help you continue to build your ability to be empathetic and help you continue to build your resilience throughout your warrior training. This is actually based on something we read in Eric Greiten’s book, **Resilience, A Hard Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life**. - Begin with empathy. - Act with empathy - End with empathy. - Empathy leads to clarity. - Clarity leads to an open mind and open heart. - With an open mind and an open heart I see every as being my equal. - When I have an open mind and see others as my equal it gives me permission to let them teach me and for me to teach them in tandem. . - With every person as my teacher I grow in resilience and wisdom. - As I grow in resilience and wisdom empathy becomes a greater strength, a massive asset. - Begin with empathy. - Act with empathy - End with empathy **SOCIAL STUFF:** [@rharris415](https://twitter.com/rharris415) [@TheSeanKester](https://twitter.com/TheSeanKester) [@kyleporter](https://twitter.com/kyleporter) Contact Us [Here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) **Categories:** Blog, Inside Sales --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E108 - The Secret Birthday Episode with Scott's Mom, Dad, and Brother](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e108-the-secret-birthday-episode-with-scotts-mom-dad-and-brother/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Laughter, Tears, and Joy. Unbeknownst to Scott, I reached out to his family to learn more about him. What built his character? Was he always so competitive? Was he always the magnet he seems to be? And who should play him in a movie about his life? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e108-the-secret-birthday-episode-with-scotts-mom-dad-and-brother?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E115 - Priming your mind for the phones with Marcus Chan of Venli Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e115-priming-your-mind-for-the-phones-with-marcus-chan-of-venli-consulting-group/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How you say it is as important as what you say Teaching and coaching inflection Priming your mind M5 System Coaching on an individual basis Learning to sell by selling speedos Preparing for entrepreneurship [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e115-priming-your-mind-for-the-phones-with-marcus-chan-of-venli-consulting-group?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E116 - Understanding Social Reciprocity with Ethan Beute Chief Evangelist at BombBomb](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e116-understanding-social-reciprocity-with-ethan-beute-chief-evangelist-at-bombbomb/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The essence of the evangelist If you are innovating you must be evangelizing (5 min) Innovation is solving a known problem in a new way. Solving a problem people don’t know they have (6 min) The criteria to be a Chief Evangelist Leveraging a Chief Evangelist in a sales department What is good [video prospecting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e122-if-im-under-estimated-thats-the-best-place-for-me-to-be-with-camille-clemons-director-of-business-development-and-cohen-and-company/) Social Reciprocity [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e116-understanding-social-reciprocity-with-chief-evangelist-at-bombbomb?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E118 - From Teen Mom to SDRDefender with Nikki Ivey MTrain and SDR Defenders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e118-from-teen-mom-to-sdrdefender-with-nikki-ivey-mtrain-and-sdr-defenders/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nikki leaves it all on the table in this episode. We cover just about anything you can think of in relation to [sales and life](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e117-how-to-find-your-sweet-spot-in-sales-with-galem-girmay-of-flywire/). Gender, Race, #MeToo, TeenMom, Mental Health, and so much more. My #MeToo moment in sales The joys and pains of being in sales How my Kindergarten teacher taught me the value of communications Sales is more than just about communications. I was a teen mom of color who graduated from college How to be intentional with yourself and mindset. How to choose the right battles to fight. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e118-from-teen-mom-to-sdrdefender-with-nikki-ivey-mtrain-and-sdr-defenders?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E121 - Navigating the "blame game" between sales and marketing with Kyle Lacy CMO of Lessonly](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e121-navigating-the-blame-game-between-sales-and-marketing-with-kyle-lacy-cmo-of-lessonly/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Why your e-book downloads are not MQLs What makes companies “break down” at the top of the funnel? The reasons for bringing the SDR team under marketing What is [brand marketing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e177-the-pressure-of-success-as-a-founder-mother-and-wife-with-mary-grothe-of-salesbq/) What it means to ask for vesting shares on secondary markets What does [“scaling” marketing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e20-how-a-control-freak-can-learn-to-scale-sales-with-justin-welsh/) and sales really mean? Why you should ask your team members about the kids. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e121-navigating-the-blame-game-between-sales-and-marketing-with-kyle-lacy-cmo-of-lessonly?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E119 - From SDR to Comedian to Sales Trainer with Jon Selig](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e119-from-sdr-to-comedian-to-sales-trainer-with-jon-selig/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jon Selig, perhaps the funniest person in sales and [sales leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e194-how-i-know-when-to-go-for-the-close-with-phil-neizvestny-from-aircall/) joins us for a serious conversation about the right and wrong ways to use humor in your sales process. Join us as we discuss: Why Quebec is the Austin of Canada The difference between selling into Canada and the US Comedy in sales is about more than just prospecting. You have 12 seconds to get someone to like you. If you’re going to be in sales you need to be comfortable eating a sh*t sandwich. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e119-from-sdr-to-comedian-to-sales-trainer-with-jon-selig?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E123 Are you smarter at sales than a 6th grader with Riley H](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e123-are-you-smarter-at-sales-than-a-6th-grader-with-riley-h/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What does a kid do during a global pandemic do when he gets bored. Start a business of course. In this episode, we interview a young man who did just that. He created [www.readingbuddy.co](http://www.readingbuddy.co) to help kids, parents, and World Central Kitchen. Riley shares: Creating a business Creating a process What part the process he hates What part of the process he likes. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e123-are-your-sales-skills-better-than-a-6th-grader-with-riley-h?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E125 - Why your variable compensation plan is all wrong with Todd Caponi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e125-why-your-variable-compensation-plan-is-all-wrong-with-todd-caponi/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Todd is a self-admitted sales nerd. And we love that! He’s not only spent time [teaching people](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e167-the-skills-behind-the-skills-with-sales-strategist-linkedin-amy-franko/) how to sell, but also how to really engage a [sales mindset](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/get-ready-to-crush-q4-on-november-15/) for the 21st Century Did you know 82% of people read negative reviews first Imperfection [sells better](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e7-how-to-tell-your-story-in-30-seconds-with-ravi-rajani/) than perfection What it means to sell with empathy How to build an outbound The first 10 words in an email are the most important. Adding value without an ask [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e125-why-your-variable-compensation-plan-is-all-wrong-with-todd-caponi?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E128 - Good intentions are not enough to make a difference with Sam Nelson of Oureach.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e128-good-intentions-are-not-enough-to-make-a-difference-with-sam-nelson-of-oureach-io/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The guy with blue hair on LinkedIn, yup, that was our guest and he dropped some amazing knowledge around, startups, successes, failures and so much more, including: How to handle the hot mess of LinkedIn The quiet killer of SDR teams How is the [SDR role](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e169-being-my-best-self-day-to-day-with-anna-kosior-of-ada/) evolving How to support a culture of caring for the world What it means to take a step back to take a step up. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e128-good-intentions-are-not-enough-to-make-a-difference-with-sam-nelson-of-oureachiosurf-and-sales-s1e128-good-intentions-are-not-enough-to-make-a-difference-with-sam-nelson-of-oureachio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E139 - The definitive guide to sales leadership with David Weiss of Outreach.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e139-the-definitive-guide-to-sales-leadership-with-david-weiss-of-outreach-io/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One of the most interesting conversations around sales, leadership, and life during a pandemic. If you are still jealous when someone else wins, you aren’t ready for leadership. What you can learn about [sales working](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e16-what-does-little-league-baseball-have-to-do-with-sales-leadership-w-brandon-calley/) at a large Fortune company Why I won’t travel for sales unless its a qualified deal. The buyer should always be in charge of next steps. The goal of “Psych and Sales” You cannot outwork Covid and you need to pay attention You are not your number Open communications Redefining what good looks like The highest earning potential with lowest barrier to entry [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e139-the-definitive-guide-to-sales-leadership-with-david-weiss-of-outreachio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1 E138 - Selling the outcomes with Jake Dunlap of Skaled](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1-e138-selling-the-outcomes-with-jake-dunlap-of-skaled/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jake is a provocative thought leader when it comes to sales. He’s learned how to see the big picture and apply in tactical ways. He shares that with us on this episode, including - What you learn from transactional sales in an enterprise sales motion - Coaching to skills over everything else. - Creating social proof on your sales team. - Learning the art and applying the science in sales - The justification of scripting in sales - You cannot coach those who don’t want to be coached - Driving strong content as part of your process [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1-e138-selling-the-outcomes-with-jake-dunlap-of-skaled?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E144 - The underbelly of being a VC with Michael Brown](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e144-the-underbelly-of-being-a-vc-with-michael-brown/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The painful parts of being a VC What is the right pattern recognition VCs keep How the board / CEO dynamic that affects Understanding the present market vs future vision Is there a desire of vertical-specific type of investments The affects of COVID19 on the VC world What it means to be an entrepreneur when you pitch to the VC [Check out this episode!](https://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e44-the-underbelly-of-being-a-vc-with-michael-brown) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E145 - 2020 the year of doing all the things I don't want to do with Ashleigh Early](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e145-2020-the-year-of-doing-all-the-things-i-dont-want-to-do-with-ashleigh-early/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Why a debate and drama background to make Learning to read the judge in your sales meetings Moving from Silicon Valley to the Research Triangle It’s always about going back to the basics Work friends can be real friends [Best advice](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e55-what-with-it-means-to-be-the-first-sales-rep-at-a-start-up-with-nick-casale-director-of-sales-at-sendoso/) to women in sales [Check out this episode!](https://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e145-2020-the-year-of-doing-all-the-things-i-dont-want-to-do-with-ashleigh-early) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E146 - Being the Only with Kevin KD Dorsey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e146-being-the-only-with-kevin-kd-dorsey/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Have you ever been the only? This episode was originally recorded in January 2020, long before Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. We are re-releasing this episode because we feel its a story that needs to important not be heard for the first time or for a second time. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e146-being-the-only-with-kevin-kd-dorsey?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E154 - The best use of Slack on prospecting with Major Account Executvie Alexine Mudawar Displayr](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e154-the-best-use-of-slack-on-prospecting-with-major-account-executvie-alexine-mudawar-displayr/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alexine is a different type of IC. She believes that AE’s should be full sales cycle that includes prospecting. Not just prospecting your Top 10, but pure prospecting. She also has some amazing life and [sales hacks](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/saleshackersalestraining/) that helps her get it all done. Time blocking and [time management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e14-ceo.working-mother.superwoman.w-paige-robinson/) We are all to lazy when it comes to prospecting Breaking down the admin and real tasks of prospecting How my black degree black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do helps me in sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e154-the-best-use-of-slack-on-prospecting-with-major-account-executvie-alexine-mudawar-displayr?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E157 - Impostor Syndrome](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e157-impostor-syndrome/) **Published:** October 8, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This episode focuses specifically on what it’s like coping with [impostor syndrome](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e195-i-like-to-swing-big-with-jackie-hermes/) in sales. Seems like everyone can relate, but it is rarely spoken about. You are not alone. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e157-impostor-syndrome?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E156 - Navigating through the fear of sales with Alex Goldfayn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e156-navigating-through-the-fear-of-sales-with-alex-goldfayn/) **Published:** October 13, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alex has a different path to business leadership and coaching. He was a syndicated journalist before his current role. He’s learned some amazing lessons along the way and shares them with us. Driving accountability within a sales organization Unlearning behavior around cash spiffs. What a bad pitch looks like from a marketing perspective. What tech founders miss when creating a product pitch What’s working in selling in Covid Building perseverance as a child by watching your parents struggle How to coach people through the fear that stops them. Knowing things doesn’t do shit, doing things does. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e156-navigating-through-the-fear-of-sales-with-alex-goldfayn?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E158 Keenan on Life and Life with Keenan](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e158-keenan-on-life-and-life-with-keenan/) **Published:** October 19, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Keenan is much more than the smart sales leader most of us know him as. His depth and experiences in life provide so much more than what most of us know. He goes deep and shares some amazing stories: When I realized I don’t like working for other people I can’t stand to suck, but I’ve learned to lose Why people don’t bet on ourselves Can we ever get rid of bad salespeople? You aren’t as good as you think you are, and here’s why. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e158-keenan-on-life-and-life-with-keenan?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E159 - Understanding the difference between a sponsor and a mentor with Christine Rogers of Aspireship](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e159-understanding-the-difference-between-a-sponsor-and-a-mentor-with-christine-rogers-of-aspireship/) **Published:** October 19, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How I chose to focus my sales career focusing on people The best sales close I had with my parents It wasn’t the economy it was my decisions that caused us to fail in 2009 The value of real community. How I learned to be more empathetic as a sales leader [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e159-understanding-the-difference-between-a-sponsor-and-a-mentor-with-christine-rogers-of-aspireship?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E160 - Why I love the player-coach model with VP of Sales Amanda Volz at Born Goup](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e160-why-i-love-the-player-coach-model-with-vp-of-sales-amanda-volz-at-born-goup/) **Published:** October 26, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How many reps are too many when it comes to being a player/coach Branding yourself during your layoff to help find a job. What it’s like to onboard as a VP of Sales during Covid The cadence of building work relationships during WFH The one thing all salespeople can do to remove the negative stereotypes [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e160-why-i-love-the-player-coach-model-with-vp-of-sales-amanda-volz-at-born-goup?tdest_id=2365394) And if [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) is on your bucket list, it’s time for it to [stop being a dream](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/), and start making it a reality. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E57 - Surf and Sales Bonfire - If You Don’t Invest in Yourself Why Should a Company with Larry Long Jr](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e57-surf-and-sales-bonfire-if-you-dont-invest-in-yourself-why-should-a-company-with-larry-long-jr/) **Published:** December 13, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Larry brings the fire as always. Here’s what you are going to learn. When you invest in yourself others will notice. Controlling what you can control Where to start and how to start E – Entrepreneurial Spirit P – Preparation and Planning I -Internal Drive and Desire C – Communication And if you’ve never been to [surf and sales,](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/) now is the time to make the dream a reality. www.surfandsales.com **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E18 - Re-release Surf and Sales Season 1 Episode 1](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e18-re-release-surf-and-sales-season-1-episode-1/) **Published:** May 31, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Point Break! We’ve decided to re-release the very first episode of Surf and Sales where we simply, well, sound exactly how you would expect us to sound. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next [Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/) event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e18-re-release-surf-and-sales-season-1-episode-1?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E19 - Re-release S1E2 - The 2nd ever Surf and Sales Podcast Espisde](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e19-re-release-s1e2-the-2nd-ever-surf-and-sales-podcast-espisde/) **Published:** May 31, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shredder! Season 1 Episode 2 is re-released for your amusement. This episode is all about interviewing, and all these years later, the advice stays pretty solid. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next [Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/) event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e19-re-release-s1e2-the-2nd-ever-surf-and-sales-podcast-espisde?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E19 - Re-release S1E2 - The 2nd ever Surf and Sales Podcast Espisde](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e19-re-release-s1e2-the-2nd-ever-surf-and-sales-podcast-espisde-2/) **Published:** May 31, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shredder! Season 1 Episode 2 is re-released for your amusement. This episode is all about interviewing, and all these years later, the advice stays pretty solid. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next [Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/) event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e19-re-release-s1e2-the-2nd-ever-surf-and-sales-podcast-espisde?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E42 - Software Developer to Printer Sales to CMO with Darryl Praill, CMO of Vanilla Soft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e42-software-developer-to-printer-sales-to-cmo-with-darryl-praill-cmo-of-vanilla-soft/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** You cannot have sales training, [sales coaching, and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/) without including marketing! What do you get when you add a software developer with an SDR with an AE with a sales manager with a product marketer, VP of sales and VP of marketing? You get Darryll Praill of Vanilla Soft. One of the most interesting backgrounds when you think about the sales and marketing relationship. Check it out and learn: - What does good content mean at an industry event? - What’s more important at a show, content or experience? - What does poor content look like at an event? - How do you pitch ROI? - The Sales Engineer to AE relationship [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e42-software-developer-to-printer-sales-to-cmo-with-darryl-praill-cmo-of-vanilla-soft-0?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Dreams Become Reality](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/) **Published:** November 16, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Dreams do become real](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/dreams-become-reality/). All you need to do is [take the first small step](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/bouncing-back-from-sales-slumps/) towards action. It doesn’t have to be the final step, which is often what we focus on. Maybe the first step is asking a question. Maybe the first step is doing research. Maybe the first step throwing up ideas on a sheet of paper in no particular order. That’s what happened in 2017. ![surf and sales water bottle on the beach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/surf-and-sales-water-bottle-on-the-beach-460x613.jpeg) We are now (in fact right now) in Costa Rica at [Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e42-software-developer-to-printer-sales-to-cmo-with-darryl-praill-cmo-of-vanilla-soft/) V. If you’ve put [Surf and Sales](http://www.surfandsales.com) on your bucket list. What are you waiting for? And if you want to stay in touch about the next event just check out our [website](http://www.surfandsales.com). And no, we won’t spam you. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Why Switching From Inbound to Outbound Is a Bad Idea](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-switching-from-inbound-to-outbound-is-a-bad-idea/) **Published:** September 19, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** So you want to go from inbound to [outbound](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-switching-from-inbound-to-outbound-is-a-bad-idea/) in 2023? Here are the potholes to look out for. And no, you are not smart enough to think it won’t apply to you because you’re so unique and special. ### Why go outbound? (Red Flag) 1. **Without understanding “why” the company wants to go [outbound](https://www.outreach.io/blog/outbound-sales-strategies-best-practices-how-to) other than, “growth at all costs”, is a concern.** This means you don’t know how expensive it really is. 2. **If it’s to satisfy egos (CEO, VCs, etc), this is not rationale.** Raising money and hitting goals is not rationale. It’s emotional. It’s a fair request; it’s just not rational unless it’s realistic. ### Hunting The Right Name(s) (Red Flag) 1. **Thinking this is something a rep should do is a big concern.** The organization should be getting all the names, phone numbers, emails, geo, etc., and putting them into the CRM. Asking the reps will hurt the organization’s ability to grow. If some leader is saying “Well it’s cheaper…”, it’s not. It’s 3x-4x more expensive. ### Phone vs Email 1. It’s not one or the other, its the right balance. ### Tools 1. **Be careful here.** [Tools are needed](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/headcount-vs-technology/), but we have to be careful to not “overuse” or rely on them. ### Skills (Biggest Red Flag) 1. **These items are NOT skills. They are activities.** Hunting the right name(s), creative outreach, increasing phone outreach, and reducing reliance on email. Skills are about understanding human nature and what it takes to create interest with sincere intent and have a conversation. The soft skills are the hard skills. ### Change Management 1. **Moving inbound reps to outbound.** The team will be resistant because they don’t think it will work. Leadership has provided no evidence or proof it will work. The job is now going to be harder. They see this as a pay cut. And it is. Don’t lie to yourself. No increasing commissions, if they hit goal, will not motivate them at all. **Example:** If I am hiring someone for outbound sales, do I hire the person who worked at The Gap in the mall or the person who went door to door selling Cutco Knives? In reality, I might hire both. Even then, in most cases, my gut would bet on the Cutco Knives person. **Square Peg / Round Hole** Not every inbound rep should be doing outbound activities. They either lack the skill or the will. And in many cases, even if you give them the skill, they will simply not want to do it because it’s hard. 2. **Better define the skills they need to be better at and drill down hard on any buzzword until you get to a use case scenario.** *Our outbound reps need to be better at \_\_\_. \_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_.* *When we say cold calling, we mean \_\_\_\_\_\_\_?* *When we say emailing, we mean \_\_\_\_\_\_?* **True/False** *We will allow \_\_\_ weeks to determine a baseline.* (Recommend two full sales cycles) If you think its 1-2 weeks, unless it’s one call close, you are wrong, period. **Now here’s the ultimate question.** If you take all the money you are going to spend on going outbound, and put it into more inbound, what happens to your [revenue growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-revenue-mindset-for-all-roles/), CAC, etc.? --- If you need help building out the right approach for your reps, check out our customized 4 week training program [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [What Good Re-Entry After Time Off Looks Like](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-good-re-entry-after-time-off-looks-like/) **Published:** November 28, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Sales is personal](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/effective-sales-management-understanding-and-managing-different-personalities/), always. Whether its personal because of our emotions around winning and losing a deal, it’s also personal because, well, our personal lives matter too. Oftentimes, someone comes back from work for an extended period of time and needs to figure out what re-entry after time off looks like. The time off can be from things like maternity and paternity leave, taking care of a sick family member, and personal mental health needs. And usually, the company and the employee are excited to get back to work. If we aren’t careful though, it can create some long-term challenges and hurt your culture. Here are some recommendations for you, as an employee, and yes, as a [sales leader](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-leadership-processing-the-real-world-and-sales/) this could be your policy. 1. Start on Wednesday and make it a short week. 2. Only work 4 hours Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. 3. Day 1 – The first two hours are cleaning the inbox. NO MORE THAN 2 HRS. 4. Start with the most recent first. Not the oldest. 5. Tell everyone, and I mean everyone, in a big email to people, *“Hey, it’s my first day back. I am spending today reviewing my inbox of 13,348 emails. I will be starting with the most recent first. If there is something, you feel I MUST know, meaning the building will collapse, please send it to me tomorrow when I have my head above water.”* 6. If someone (including your company) doesn’t like your approach, oh well. That’s not your problem, that is theirs. This is the hard part because of the “guilt” we often feel for having been away so long. However, being away was the right thing to do and you do not deserve to be punished for it. Most people will be jealous and think, *“Oh, I wish I had thought of that.”* If your [sales leadership]() team is not on board, that’s a good thing. It means you just got a signal about how loyal they are to you, and based on this signal, you can decide what is best for you and your situation. We are not suggesting quitting, we are simply suggesting you put this in the memory bank. --- Going on leave, whether personal time or vacation? Check out our perfect out of office message [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-perfect-out-of-office-message/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Sales Leadership: Processing the Real World and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-leadership-processing-the-real-world-and-sales/) **Published:** May 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** I am not going to pretend it’s business as usual right now. Some of you may find solace in working and using that to block out the outside world. Some of you may not be able to do that. Whatever your way to handle things that work best for you is fine by me. This is the part of [sales training, sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-good-re-entry-after-time-off-looks-like/) digs deep with clients. We recognize this, and we do not shy away from it. A good leader will “get into the suck” with you and support the [mental health of their sales team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-support-mental-health-with-your-sales-team/). Sadly, many don’t have the know-how when it comes to [sales leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-leadership-coaching/), which may not always be their own fault. They are doing what was often taught to them. So here’s how you do it. And yes as the report-ee, I believe you can give this advice to your leader. **1. Acknowledge the reality around you.** - If you are a leader without children, be aware of those on your team with kids and ask them how they are doing and more importantly, how are their kids doing? - If you are a leader with a group of black and brown, [LGBTQ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/queering-in-sales-finding-your-hidden-superpower/), Asian, or any other culture, please make time and space for them as well. **2. Have a team conversation.** Specifically, do not say “meeting”, “stand-up”, or anything else that implies business as usual. **3 Be vulnerable.** And say something like I mentioned above or something like: - *“Hey everyone, I know we all have lots on our minds. I’d like to create a safe space for us to share how we are feeling about things. I will go first, here’s how I am feeling…”* - *“Hey everyone, I am going, to be very honest. I am still processing what’s going on, and I wish I had some amazing advice to give to help each of you. Frankly, I am still trying to figure it out for myself. I’d gladly accept any advice folks have as well.”* - *“It’s ok to be vulnerable with your clients and prospects.”* We are all in this together. Are you in need of sales leadership advice on how to help your team? [Schedule a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Sales Leadership Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-leadership-coaching/) **Published:** December 5, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sales training, [sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-good-re-entry-after-time-off-looks-like/) is not simply about improving the sales team. It also includes Sales Leadership Coaching is critical to the success of the individual, the leader, the team, and the organization. And sometimes that leadership can take on something like a “board of directors” The average person has about 5 people on their personal board of directors. And lots of times they are not helpful. These are the ones in your mind who constantly critique, judge, comment, and influence you day in and day out. They are often: **The Skeptic** – The one who says, “Yeah but…” every time you have a positive thought. **The Parent** – The one where it is often a male or female tone of criticism that makes you feel like a child for thinking something so positive. **The Hope-ier** – The one who tries to break through the noise with positive thoughts and ideas. **The Time Bandit** – The one who says that’s a great idea, but allows other less important things to take priority over the stuff you really want to do. Now, there is good news. You get to vote out and vote in those folks who are on your board of directors. And you can start RIGHT NOW! With all the layoffs, additional pressures, and challenges we are working with three fabulous leaders, Kevin Gaither, Larry Long Jr., and Scott Leese, to help those who want to help themselves, and yup, it’s free. We have started SLC (aka Sales Leadership Coaching). This is a new 2x/month live Q&A for sales leaders. It’s a place to learn all the things we are never taught as sales leaders. Essentially, it’s office hours for sales leaders to ask questions, get advice. And no, we will NOT record this because we need to create a safe place for some tough conversations. Check out our [upcoming events section here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/blog-events/) to keep an eye on upcoming [Sales Leadership Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-3-mistakes-that-kill-your-sales-coaching-potential/) sessions. If you don’t know [Kevin Gaither](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAAKXPwBcwvNZvOKZCGnxinjFoHPuRuJSI8) (KG) yet, you should. He’s the 45th-ish employee at [ZipRecruiter](https://www.ziprecruiter.com) and scaled it to over 400 person sales team. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Coaching, Sales Leadership --- ### [Life Hacking Your To-Do List](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/life-hacking-your-to-do-list/) **Published:** September 5, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** I hate my to-do List. So I learned a new hack, and so far so good. It was recommended to, rather than having a to-do list, actually put the task on your calendar. **Examples:** 1. Send a contract to a new client, I find time and put on my calendar (15min) 2. Review a chapter in my book, I find a time and put on my calendar (30 min) 3. Pay bills, I find time and put on my calendar (15 min) 4. Adjust training content, I find time and put on my calendar (15-30 min) As someone who focuses on[ sales training, coaching, and consulting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-adhd-and-sales-have-in-common/) I never realized it was also my ADHD that might be part of the issue. Now, what do I write down on the calendar description? That could be the details of something on the to-do list. Without this method, recurring tasks like paying bills or writing a book, can become extras that turn into a bigger burden outside of work, rather than implementing it into your current workflow. This is similar to the [time blocking](https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/time-blocking) concept in order to stay focused, rather than having a scattered schedule. For me, this has been a game changer in the last week. As someone with ADHD, it helps me stay focused. Also, as someone who may or may not have inhaled, I do need some extra memory support from time to time. What methods work for you when planning out your days and weeks or even [years](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/your-5-year-sales-planning-is-a-waste-of-time/)? Let us know in the comments or [DM me](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415). I’m all ears! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [What ADHD and Sales Have in Common](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-adhd-and-sales-have-in-common/) **Published:** April 24, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As the father of a child with [ADHD](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/life-hacking-your-to-do-list/), and having it myself, I am always looking for suggestions to help. In addition to ADHD I have learned to [work through my depression and made it my sales super power.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-my-lifelong-struggle-with-depression-became-my-super-power/) I ran across the following and thought, “Wow, this is perfect for salespeople.”. My mantra is that you have to earn the right to ask questions and know which questions to ask and when, and how to do it. The following advice from [Dr. Barkley](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjNuY673Jj-AhXmAzQIHS9jAigQFnoECBUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.russellbarkley.org%2F&usg=AOvVaw1Peu4gfpirNuC2QC8pgInq) (no, not that Barkley) will help you approach conversations once you’ve earned the right to ask. 1. Act don’t yak. 2. The more you blather, the more you natter. 3. The more you nag, the less influence you have. 4. Stop thinking one more sentence will tip the scales in your favor. - If you can just say it “one more time”, they still might not get it. - If you say it the 20th time and have your fingers crossed behind your back, chances are they still will not be on board. 5. I add this last point for the parents with ADHD kids. Dr. Barkley also suggests that you say it once and that a gentle touch on the arm or over their shoulder will help. For others, touching is definitely not suggested or recommended. Whether you’ve [earned the right to ask questions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) or not yet, take this advice regardless of ADHD or not. It’s invaluable for everyone in sales. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [How lifelong struggle with depression became my sales superpower](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-my-lifelong-struggle-with-depression-became-my-super-power/) **Published:** May 6, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Originally published by [UNcrushed](https://www.uncrushed.org/) “ON THE OUTSIDE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE WRONG? YET ON THE INSIDE, EVERYTHING WAS WRONG” It was March 2001. I woke up in my bed completely paralyzed. I could barely move; tears were streaming down my face. That was my low point. That’s when I accepted my depression. I had always been depressed, I just never did anything about it. I was single and could afford to live in a 1 bedroom apartment in Pacific Heights in San Francisco with a parking garage. I was working for one of the coolest publications in San Francisco as the Director of Sales and running an inside sales team, I could get into any bar or club simply by flashing my business card. On the outside, what could possibly be wrong? Yet on the inside, everything was wrong. I was working 12 hour days because I had convinced myself that’s what you do. I had no social game when it came to dating or even making friends. The people I knew and hung with at work were my only friends. Fortunately, it was a social culture, but that actually became a big part of the problem. We worked hard and drank hard- a lot! Drinking with work friends helped me to mask all my challenges, but I was lying to myself. At work, my confidence was 110%, while in the real world it was 0%. Ultimately my work was my life. I didn’t know where ‘WorkRicky’ ended – I was always ‘WorkRicky’. So back to being in bed. I did what every sick little boy does when the chips are down, I called my mom. And of course, she was there for me. Her first suggestion was “why don’t you come home” (Savannah, GA). But I couldn’t do that. I’ve always been independent, doing everything on my own. I left home for college when I was 18 and went across the country to Arizona not knowing anyone. I was so independent I wouldn’t even let my mom drive cross country with me or fly to meet me there. In the immortal words of my hero, Bruce Springsteen, “I was a tramp, and I was Born to Run”. So when she said, “Why don’t you come home.” I told her I couldn’t. She asked why, and I remember this vividly to this day. “If I come home, then the city wins. I can’t let the city win.” I was Born To Run, not Born To Run Home. Unfortunately, it took a long time to understand that’s a love song, not just a song about being defiant and independent. She did give me some amazing advice: Call in sick, you are sick and you need a mental health day. (It was 2001, the peak of the first .com bubble and there was no such thing as a “mental health day”) I did call in sick though. She reached out and found a therapist through a friend here in the Bay Area. I still see my therapist to this day. She told me to call my college roommate and see if he can meet me for a beer after work. He did. And thus began my long journey to understanding mental health, depression, facing my fears and working on rebuilding myself one day at a time. In some ways I am lucky. While many people have thoughts of suicide, I can say that I never was serious about it.. I know others can go down this dark hole to varying degrees, yet fortunately, I just see the hole and can step to the side. People have asked me to describe what depression feels like for me. These are the best examples I can come up with. In my chest and stomach, there is a string that hangs straight down from my neck to my stomach. And it feels like someone or something is pulling hard on that string which pulls the entire weight of my body closer to the ground. It makes lifting my feet to walk feel like there are extra 5lb weights on each foot. I’m not [stuck](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/are-you-feeling-stuck-in-your-sales-career-heres-how-to-get-back-on-track/), but it’s hard for me to move forward. In a social situation, I could be standing and talking to someone or a small group of people from about 2 feet away, yet I actually feel like I am having an out of body experience and watching the conversation from outside a house, looking through a window. I am watching me speak, but because of the wall and distance, I cannot “feel” the emotions or connections of a conversation. When my parents told me they were splitting up, my recollection was that it was no big deal. I was going to be moving next door to my best friend, so I was excited about that and completely ignored reality. I was 10, how could I know any better? It was the early 1980’s, my parents didn’t know any better either. The house I was “standing outside” of, was the house my mom, sister, and I moved into when my parents got divorced. I was living next door to my very best, life long friend and his 2 brothers who are still like family to this very day. I thought I was happy back then, but clearly, these are the defining moments of childhood that stick with us our entire life. Now it’s 2019. So 18 years later, countless individual and group therapy sessions I am happier. I have a wife who understands me, two amazing kids, a fantastic house, my own sales training company, and of course a dog. And yet, I am still depressed. Not like “movie depressed,” but still not what I think people would call “normal”. My therapist and I have called it “functionally depressed”. It’s not a deep sadness, but there is still a sense of “grey” hanging around. Some days it’s not there at all, other days it’s just 1%-2% and other days it’s a deep sadness. Here are the steps I’ve taken over the years to help me: The stigma is real but you can get through it. Here is what it felt like for me: **Personal**– When I first started therapy I was scared. I was scared people would judge me. I was scared it would be held against me. I was so scared that when I started therapy, I asked my parents to help me pay for it even though I had insurance. I was concerned the insurance company was going to hold it against me. Just like they hold your car accidents and tickets against you when you have too many and raise your rates, or in some cases drop you. I had friends who I confided in who simply could not understand it. They didn’t understand the constant sadness I felt. That was weird for me because now that I was admitting it, I assumed everyone felt it. Not everyone does and that’s ok. But I learned by sharing this with people that some will stick with you, while others will try to empathize, but their lack of real understanding comes out as pity. I didn’t need their pity. Don’t get me wrong, they are still some of my closest friends and I am happy they don’t have to deal with this the way I do. It’s not their fault, and it’s not my fault- it just is what it is. **Family**– When I first asked my Dad, he was very supportive. But one day he asked me this question, “Have you asked your doctor how many sessions you will need until your better?” Well, after 18 years and probably 800+ hours of therapy, I still don’t have an answer. That question from my father made me confused, angry, feel broken, and ultimately sad that he couldn’t ask how I was feeling, only how long until I “feel better”. It’s not his fault though, he didn’t know. No one really understood this as well as we do now. I’ve spent many sessions talking about my parents. I have healed a lot, but even those wounds have scars that can resurface from time to time. Ask me about the tickets to The Masters my dad had for years and I didn’t find out until the day he died. Ask me about the Superbowl tickets he had and wanted to make me pay “at the market rate”. Yeah, healing happens, but the pain doesn’t always go away. At least not for me. **Work**– Well, of course, I didn’t tell anyone at work about this. I was in sales. I was a Director of Sales, we worked hard and played harder. Any talk of therapy in my mind meant I was weak and not “able to cut it”. “Mental health day? WTF is that? Only losers need that shit.” That was the belief system, or so I thought. It was so bad for me that when I started therapy, I refused to turn off my phone in casework called. Over time I was able to reframe these thoughts in ways that helped me, instead of holding me back. I was able to recognize when these kinds of thoughts happened and learned how to retrain my brain to find the positive and not simply hear the negative. Willing to accept depression is a part of me and it may never go away entirely. I think this was one of the hardest things to accept. But the good news is I can spot triggers. After several years, I actually told my therapist I needed a break and she supported me fully. A few years later, I met the lady who was to become my wife. So I decided to go back to therapy because I knew a big life change was about to happen and I wanted to be healthy. After a few months, I stopped going again, then my wife got pregnant. Again, I recognized that life was going to change in a big way, so I called my therapist and started going to see her. It was equally valuable when my Dad passed away and lots of other things surfaced. **Medication**– There will be good days and bad days. For me, medication has been a huge help. I understand how the brain works; I understand that my brain acts differently than those who do not suffer from depression. It’s not better or worse, it’s simply different. Kind of like how some people are right-handed and others are left-handed. I’ve gone so far as to take a “medication vacation”, with medical support of course. And while I never went off the deep end, I did notice the difference. I went back on them happily, and now I need the medication. Medication isn’t for everyone, and while I am definitely not a “pusher” for meds, I do see the value. Ultimately it’s up to the individual. I suggest doing research, good and bad. Start slowly and adjust as needed. Depression is not quite like a headache where two Tylenol will help. You first have to be willing to explore the idea of medication and then decide on the amount of research you want to do. Finally, talk to the doctor and take their advice into consideration. The one thing I would caution everyone is to not just focus on the negative. Medication research is very different than Amazon research. Yes, go read the 1-star reviews on Amazon but don’t let that make up the bulk of your decision. Your decision needs to come from an internal place of “Do I think this can help me? Am I willing to try this? And the moment I recognize something is off, will I let my doctor know?” **Partner**– When my wife and I were dating, I was very clear about my time with a therapist. I felt she needed to know all of me. I told her stories, and to this day, she says, “I don’t know that version of you. If you need therapy go for it. You have my support.” She genuinely wants me to be happy as a person, not just happy with her. One of our favorite stories about each other is when we first started talking about therapy, she shared about her own therapy work. We agreed if we ever felt like one of us needed help we could go and seek it. This is what I wish for anyone who’s thinking about marriage or a life-partner. Find the one who supports you as an individual, and can support you as a unit together. **Therapy**– This is my holy grail. This is my place of zen, peace, and ultimate happiness. There are days I get to my therapist’s office and don’t have much to say, or at least that’s what I think. I sit on the sofa and just simple exhale, breathe, and I feel good. It’s a room of no judgment, a place where I can say anything, and believe me, I do. And it’s a place where no matter what I say, my therapist can help me find my patterns, and in many cases call me out on my bullshit. I absolutely LOVE going to therapy. I know some don’t. But I want to embrace myself. All of myself. My happy self, my sad self, my angry self, and my jealous self. I want to own my thoughts and feelings- good, bad, and everything in between. And no matter what happens in that room, I always come out feeling better. For whatever reason, my therapist has been the right one for me. I know that is not always the case for everyone. Find one that works for you. That may mean you have to go to more than one, and that’s ok. **Meditation**– In the last 8 months, this has become my new happy place. I discovered a service called ‘Headspace’ and signed up for their free trial. Using it every day has made such a difference- It’s calmed my mind, created greater space for me to think, improved my focus, and garnered me greater patience professionally and personally. It’s done so much for me that even my wife and kids recognize a difference, and one of them loves “listen to Andy” at night as part of bedtime. All of these benefits come from just a 10-minute session each day. It’s now 8 months later, 248 sessions, 35 hours of meditation, and I’m currently on a 45-day streak. So how does all of this equate to a Superpower? For me it’s simple. Once you know the problem you have, once you admit it’s a problem, and once you accept it as your problem it no longer becomes a problem. It becomes a part of you and something you have to deal with. I certainly do not want to trivialize depression or [mental health](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/my-suicide-note/). I see it this way. Once when I was a kid, I broke my right arm. I write right-handed. I had to adapt and for a while, I used my left hand. Eventually, I learned a new way to hold a pencil in my right hand while wearing a cast. I just adapted, and for me, that’s what I do with my depression. I have adapted. I have accepted that for me, I have shit in my closet, just like everyone else. And of course, mine, is “much worse” than everyone else’s, at least in my head of course. But because mine is worse than yours and I can “handle it”, it means it takes a lot for someone or something to put me down.. I am confident in my capabilities to just get things done. The other way I have made this my superpower, I talk about it. This is the first time I’ve written about my experiences with depression so publicly, but I am more than happy to tell friends, co-workers, strangers, and even my kids I see a therapist. Of course, the kids don’t understand the whole story of course, but they know I go talk to someone because it’s nice to have someone to talk about life with. I hope those who have read this and struggle with depression find some solace in knowing you are not alone. It’s ok to acknowledge, it’s ok to be afraid, and it’s ok to feel good, and yes, it’s even ok to feel depressed. For those who don’t have this challenge, perhaps you know someone who does and you can be supportive to them. Maybe where you didn’t understand before, you understand a little bit more now. My depression is no longer my “burden of shame”; it’s my superpower. I use it to drive me towards success. I let it remind me of places I don’t ever want to go again. I allow it to create deeper connections with my friends, family, and colleagues, and yes, even my clients. I wish you well on your journey, and if you need to talk to someone, I will always make time for you. **MY NAME IS RICHARD AND I AM UNCRUSHED!** You can find more stories like mine at UNcrushed.org. We are working to remove the stigma of mental health. There is also an amazing [resource page here](https://www.uncrushed.org/resources) in case you or someone you know wants more information. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Sales Interviews: Keep Interviewing After Taking a Job](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-interviews-keep-interviewing-after-taking-a-job/) **Published:** July 10, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Yes, keep taking sales [interviews](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e2-interviewing-skills-for-everyone/) for at least 30 days after starting a new job, *especially* in sales. I posted this advice months ago, and lots of people disagreed stating: **“What about your integrity?”** My answer to that: where was my integrity when they had to let people go? **“What about being loyal?”** Again, where was my loyalty when they had to let people go? **“What about not hurting your reputation?”** Puh-leeze! If I start a new job and quit within 30 days, who is going to know? It’s not like it’s going on my resume or [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) profile. Of course, if I left because they did not deliver, I guess I could put that on my LinkedIn profile, because I am sure my “new-old company” wants that published. I stand firm in giving the same advice. Remember, if they lied to you during the interview, it was probably one of the following. 1. The job is not what they said it would be. 2. Nobody hit goals, even after they said they were. 3. The boss does not treat employees like “family”. 4. There was no real training. When it comes to [sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-it-really-means-to-be-a-special-snowflake/), it’s not always about sales training. It’s also about teaching people to protect themselves with the following mantra. My integrity is first to me. That is self-reliance, not selfishness. My loyalty is first to me. That is self-preservation, not selfishness. My reputation is controlled *by* me. That is self-reliance, self-preservation, and yup, selfish. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [AI in Sales: Your Selfish AI Fears](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ai-in-sales-your-selfish-ai-fears/) **Published:** July 31, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When it comes to [sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-it-really-means-to-be-a-special-snowflake/), we are looking at [AI in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-ai-in-sales-really-means/) the wrong way. We are thinking of it as a task tool. How can it help us automate manual tasks? And as a sales person, that’s selfish. Yet again, we put ourselves above our prospects and customers. It’s not about how [AI in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-limits-of-ai-in-sales-what-it-cant-do-and-how-you-can-fill-the-gaps/) will affect us. It’s about [how AI in sales can enhance us and how that enhancement will affect our prospects and customers. ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-ai-in-sales-really-means/) What do they love about the process of AI in relation to their roles, what they offer, etc.? How does it affect them in the way they think about buying things? They have the same fears we have. Better to marinate in that fear together than wallow in it alone. And that is where we can [find solutions](https://www.salesforce.com/resources/articles/why-ai-will-be-your-new-best-friend-in-sales/). Then, and only then, can we figure out how we can leverage it for our roles. How are you using AI in your role today? Leave a comment or [DM me](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415) and let me know! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [What AI in Sales Really Means](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-ai-in-sales-really-means/) **Published:** April 3, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As we continue to hear about the values of AI in sales it seems to me that people are missing the bigger picture. This post is designed to help us start to address this. It will cover everything from AI vs Generative AI, AI in Sales Interviewing, using AI for Better EQ in the Sales Role, AI in Prospecting, AI in the Sales Funnel and Sales Process, AI in Sales Demos, AI in [Sales Negotiations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-sales-negotiations-how-to-win-deals-without-losing-margin/), AI in Revenue and Sales Operations, AI in Territory and Account Planning/Account Mapping. This is being written to help those of us in the sales community start to connect all the dots. It is not meant to be the final picture. And of course, this is simply my interpretation. I am more than happy for someone to call me out and tell me what I got wrong or misunderstand in my current mindset. Before we dive in, let’s make sure folks understand the difference between AI and Generative AI. I am a layperson so if someone wants to correct me, please do. To the best of my knowledge: - AI is often thought of as the ability to recognize patterns and make predictions. - [Generative AI](https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-generative-ai) is often categorized as the ability to create new content in the form of images, text, audio, etc. So, using these definitions, one example of using [AI in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-limits-of-ai-in-sales-what-it-cant-do-and-how-you-can-fill-the-gaps/) would be along the lines of recognizing patterns in various parts of the sales funnel. Easiest reference is probably in outbound prospecting as we look to get data around best subject lines, best value props, best open rates, and best response rates in relation to data. Now, if we think about Generative AI, then we are taking this one step further. Well actually, several steps. The first step might be to take the data gathered and have the tool come up with even better content. And on top of that, it’s possible to use other sources around personality profiling to create best practices for prospecting based on your ICP (Ideal Company Profile) and your IPP (Ideal Persona Profile). I am sure there is more to this and for now I think it’s a good foundation for the rest of the commentary. By the end, I will give you the one secret that I think ties all of this together and will make our jobs that much easier and make it more enjoyable to utilize AI and Generative AI in sales. So let’s begin. ## Better EQ When it comes to [sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/asking-for-a-referral-the-best-time-to-ask/) the discussion of EQ is very common. It is actually going to help with teaching everyone from the revenue team from ops to CROs, VPs of Sales, sales reps, and [SDRs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-of-the-year-of-the-sdr-got-even-better-salesstack-2015/) with their EQ. Yup, AI in Sales is going to actually make you smarter and better equipped over time. Everything from better interviewing to using AI in sales is further down the funnel. Meaning demo conversations, pricing conversations, improving negotiation skills. ## Interviewing Research So you’re a sales rep going into your first interview with a VP of Sales and you want to do your research: 1. You research the company. 2. You research the person. 3. Maybe you have a personality tool that gives you insight into the person’s personality. These are all great and things we do and yet sometimes we have a hard time connecting the dots. What if you went into your favorite AI tool and asked it write a biography on this VP of Sales you will be interviewing with? - What if you went and asked your favorite AI tool to write a summary of the personality of the VP of Sales? How would you use that in the sales interview? - What if you use AI to better understand their personality to things, such a preference to bullet points or storytelling? - To know if they prefer to be direct, or walk through things? - To know if they make decisions quickly or prefer taking their time? How would you adjust yourself in the sales interview? Now, say you have a group interview. What if you did the same thing for each person you were interviewing with? Now say you are required to give a presentation as part of the interview process in front of a group of people. Wouldn’t it be good to build your presentation with bullet points on a slide and then have a story to tell while on that slide to get through to all those attending? And finally, what if you do this for several interviews at different companies. Would your EQ in general become better? Would your skills for listening, observing, and communication become better? Not just in the business world, but in real life too? ## AI in The Sales Funnel, Sales Process, and Revenue Operations Whether you call it Sales Operations or Revenue Operations, Generative AI is going to make your job so much better and make you that much smarter. If your [AI fears](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ai-in-sales-your-selfish-ai-fears/) are it will replace you, you are probably right. And you have two options. One, bury your head in the sand and pretend like it won’t happen, or two, embrace what is happening, dive in deep, and figure out how to better use technology to your advantage. Maybe you become the best at implementing generative AI in the sales process. Someone is always going to want to hire you. Maybe you become so good you start your own consulting business and stop making everyone else a millionaire and start making yourself one. I digress… Where I see Generative AI supporting the Sales Ops and Rev Ops roles is to better examine the data collective at a higher and holistic level and then make the recommendations for change. Remember, we now have access to all kinds of data. **Personal:** First and last name, geography, education, personality insights, gender, race, age, tenure, role, language and conversational insights, etc. (Note: I am not a fan of the gender and race portion for ethical reasons. However, we cannot pretend this is not something that could be captured and utilized. Ethically, I would not want to do that or associate myself there. Simply saying what others have probably thought.) **Professional :** Education, titles, roles, tenure, verticals, sales cycles, deal size, company, company cultures, to whom they report, who reports to them, and so on. Yeah, I agree, this is some scary sh\*t. And we cannot ignore it. Now back to AI in Rev Ops and Sales Ops. With all this data around our messaging and value props, along with their personality and professional insights, and specifically data around our sales cycles, Generative AI may be able to better clarify the following: 1. Proper Sales Staging 2. Proper Exit Criteria for Each Stage 3. Better Expectations around time in Stage 4. Better answers to “What is the one thing preventing this deal from closing?” And when you put all this together, Generative AI should be able to help us better craft our messages to the personas we are speaking at the right time. And when this happens there will be fewer bad deals in the pipeline, improved forecasting and improved closing. Now from an Ops perspective, you are the one who is running this machine and taking this information and sharing it appropriately throughout the org. EVERYONE will want to see this information for many reasons, and in some cases the reasons are cross-functional. - **C-Suite** – Wants the forecast and revenue, why deals are getting lost, why deals are being won. - **VP of Sales** – Wants the forecast, revenue, and individual performance. - **Director of Sales/Sales Manager** – Forecast, closing ratios, individual performance. - **Sales Reps/SDRs and BDRs** – Performance to goal, and then what they can do to improve. - **Customer Success** – How are all current customers using the product and what is the right and next service or product to recommend based on their usage, vertical, similar companies, etc. - **Sales Enablement** – What do we need to be teaching the team specifically to help them improve? - **Product Development** – What are the customers and prospects saying about the product or service? - **Marketing** – Messaging resonation. - **Dev Team** – Similar to product development. - **HR** – Based on performance HR, this could look for better candidates for interviewing. This actual use case is probably relevant for every other title mentioned here as well. Now, can Generative AI provide all this insight to the right people in the right teams in your organization without you? Probably, above my pay grade. My hope is, maybe, and it will actually still take some human element to help break this down. At least for now. And so, as I mentioned before, this is what I think you need to embrace if you are looking to understand how Generative AI is going to affect your Sales Operations or Revenue Operations role. Could you get replaced? Sure. Remember, especially in the start-up ecosystem, AI and Generative AI in sales is just getting started. Someone needs to be an expert, why not you? Embracing AI in your Ops role will allow you to have the most knowledge of how to execute a Gernative AI solution with best practices. You become the most sought after skill for the next 5 years, at minimum. ## AI in Sales Prospecting AI during prospecting in sales is pretty much table stakes at this point. If you’re company is not doing this, well, it’s time to find a new company. Of course, your SDRs and BDRs should be using AI in prospecting. Now, what about your AE’s? The good AE’s are already doing it. As for the “Grumpy Gus” sales people who think prospecting is beneath them, well now they have nothing to complain about. The message is written for them. The email is written for them. The voicemail is written for them. And if they don’t get on board, they can use AI to write their resignation letter or you can use it to write the severance agreement. Yeah, don’t be surprised, I’ve seen some people do this actually. ## AI is Sales Qualification and Discovery So imagine this. You are going into a sales qualification or discovery call with someone you have never met. You have done the basic research of the organizaiton, them as an individual, and if wise, perhaps who you think they report to. Then you go and pull the AI information on personality traits, how they like to receive and interpret information, how they like to make decisions. 1. If they prefer to read something, do you send something before the meeting? 2. If they prefer to hear something, do you make sure you have the right story? 3. If they prefer to use data and evidence to make decisions, you use that properly? And perhaps AI can even tell you the best way to ask these questions. And better yet, exactly how to say it based on their personality. This is what AI in Sales really means. ## AI is Sales Demos So imagine this. You had your first sales call and now your champion has gotten you a demo with key stakeholders. In attendance will be a C-Level Exec, a VP or Director, a manager, and an end user. Just like the interview example. You do your research and now you have personality traits for all the attendees. You can now do the following: 1. Build a better presentation/demo. 2. Know which things may matter more to the different people. 3. Know how each person likes to absorb information: Bullet Points, Stories, Seeing It, Hearing It, Touching It. Now, over time, with many conversations does your EQ improve your sales skills? Does your EQ improve your life skills. Yes, there are probably some more structured sales training and EQ training available and those should definitely be explored. And as we say in [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/), we need more role-playing, more at-bats, using AI in sales in such a way does this, and there is no better experience than the real-world. ## AI in Pricing and Negotiations Now imagine, you have to deliver pricing to your champion. Yes, do your research and figure out how to present for them to absorb and understand. AND… then do your research to understand how their boss, and the head of their finance department likes to see, hear, and absorb information. Now, when you deliver pricing, you can build it in such a way that could give you a leg up. In fact, if you share this knowledge with your champion and explain to them what you know, and get them to tell you if it’s correct about the other people in the buying committee, you just made their job that much easier. You just helped to get them to “fall-in-trust” with you. They will not see you simply as a sales person. They could now start to see you as a true ally and someone they want to do business with. ## AI in Territory and Account Planning Let’s face it. Territory planning and account planning is an old-school, manual, and essentially a guessing game process. We look for facts that we want to believe are true, and then justify and rationalize them to be true. When in fact they are just guesses. Then, SURPRISE, when they are wrong, executive leadership wants to get angry at us. Now for those selling into the Enterprise space here is what AI should be able to help with if not now, then very soon. And for enterprise sales I am defining this as 12-18 month sales cycles, $250,000+ deal sizes, etc. Your company requires you to build a plan and/ or an account plan. 1. What if AI can help you determine which companies in your patch are most likely to be looking for a solution such as yours? 2. What if AI can help you determine which companies most likely will have budget for a solution like yours? 3. What if AI can help you determine which companies are the early adopters of technology and most likely to be open to your solution? How could you better use this information for your Sales Territory and Sales Account Planning Strategies? ## What Everyone is Getting Wrong About AI in Sales So, as you can see, AI and in particular, Generative AI in Sales, is not really about prospecting. It’s about a whole lot more. It will touch every part of the sales cycle and sales funnel. It will touch every part of the organization from marketing to IT, and to HR. So here’s the big secret I mentioned at the beginning. One of the biggest mistakes I see in sales is the lack of [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) and coaching around Pre-Sales Preparation. Everyone claims to do this, and everyone wants to do it. And yet, 99.9% of the time when I ask someone to show me their pre-call planning worksheet, nobody has one. If you don’t have one, it’s ok to build your own. Heck, ChatGPT can do it for you now. Imagine this, you just set a meeting for next week with your champion and 3 additional stakeholders. Their emails are in the calendar invite. And then, within 15 seconds you have an email sent to your inbox: **Subject Line:** Pre-Call Prep for Meeting XXX Company. **Paragraph 1 – The Hard Data:** Basic bio of each person who will be in attendance, name, title, tenure, education, geography, etc. **Paragraph 2 – The Company Culture:** This is the stuff mentioned above about their internal culture, probability of needing the solution, are they early adopters or laggards generally, financial health. And perhaps, even something around who will be the decision makers and who will be the skeptics in the decision making process. **Paragraph 3 – The Soft Skills Data:** Specifically, how they like to absorb information, visual, auditorily, and kinesthetically. AND it includes the specific language and words (yes, a script) that will resonate with each personality. **Paragraph 4 – The Objections:** Yes, I want a list of the objections I should expect overall, and based on the people attending the meeting. I then want to know exactly how to address these based on the person who is most likely to ask them, and finally, I want the exact words and phrases. A +1 to this would be to know when, where, and how to bring these up in the conversation BEFORE the prospect brings them up. **Paragraph 4 – Power Point(s):** First, I want all of this also in a PowerPoint for me to easily digest and make it easier to share with my team internally. And if I need to present a PowerPoint, I want the PowerPoint created based on the personas of the people who will be in attendance, including all the notes and little stories for each slide of the presentation. **Paragraph 5 – The Demo:** Just like the PowerPoint, I want the system to give me the outline and flow of a demo based on attendees, expected objections and where they would occur, what to say based on this, and, of course, what things to probably avoid. **Oh, and one more thing.** Let me conclude by explaining why I love AI and Generative AI in sales. Assuming we can get that email from a system. And assuming over 6 months I use it regularly, what happens to my Sales EQ? What happens to my life EQ? I am willing to bet, as mentioned before, this is what will improve our sales skills, and yes, continue to make us invaluable. And sadly, there will be the one thing, the “Yeah But-ers”. The one thing will be the people who will claim they are smarter than the machine. You know the ones, they are the ones who say, “Yeah, but there was this one time when I was right and the machine was wrong.” Those folks are going to be weeded out very quickly. Another way to recognize the “Yeah But-ers” is simple. They are the ones who take the personality tests and say, “Oh yeah, that’s me, that’s me, they nailed me there. AND then they say, but they got all this other stuff wrong.” Please stop that silliness. So, what do you think, are you onboard with AI in sales or you going to be an ostrich? Oh, and to all you AI in sales companies who use this to build your product roadmap, you owe me $$$, my venmo is rh415. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Coaching, Sales Consulting --- ### [Asking for a Referral: The Best Time to Ask](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/asking-for-a-referral-the-best-time-to-ask/) **Published:** January 9, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When it comes to [sales coaching and consulting best practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/types-of-sales-negotiation-saas/) one of the most common requests we get is about knowing when to ask for a referral. Sometimes, it seems like salespeople are more comfortable cold calling than asking for a referral. What I have learned is that salespeople, and often all humans, create false belief systems, such as the one mentioned above. The reason is [fear](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e156-navigating-through-the-fear-of-sales-with-alex-goldfayn/). And that fear is often not wanting to sound “needy” or weak. And sometimes, that fear is driven by the concern that the customer may tell you they have buyer’s remorse, are unhappy, and want a refund. Now hear’s the thing. Unless you have evidence of this, it is just your mind playing tricks on you. If your customer is unhappy, believe me, they will let you know or your customer success team knows, and sometimes the [Twitterverse](https://www.techopedia.com/definition/29186/twitterverse) knows. Now what it all boils down to is timing. So when is the right time to ask for a referral? We believe it is within 30-45 days. While they may not be fully ramped, and yes, it’s fully possible they may be frustrated by something, it’s a great time to ask. Often, the response will be “we haven’t used it enough”, which is a great response. This now opens the door for you to say, “Great, can I call you back on \_\_\_\_\_\_ to get your feedback and see about a referral?”. Another time to ask is after the renewal. If they’ve renewed, they should be able to provide, not only positive feedback, but perhaps someone else who can benefit as well. So here’s the challenge. Ask for one referral each week for the next four weeks. See what happens. We are pretty sure you and the world will not end and your company will not go bankrupt. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The Negotiator's Toolkit: Pricing Conversations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/pricing-conversations/) **Published:** September 13, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Engaging in pricing conversations is an indispensable facet of the sales process, with the potential to exert a profound influence on the final outcome. Among the various challenges that sales professionals encounter, one recurrent hurdle emerges when prospective customers voice concerns regarding pricing, perceiving it as either too high or incompatible with their budget constraints. This blog post embarks on a journey to explore a nuanced and strategic approach in addressing these objections, underscoring how astute communication can unveil concealed intentions. By assimilating the subtle cues and employing this invaluable insight, sales professionals can further hone their negotiation skills, potentially redirecting prospects towards a more reflective and deliberate decision-making trajectory. ## **The Power of “Matter of Fact” Responses** First, we will introduce a compelling response to pricing objections, such as your product being too expensive or they don’t have much budget. Speaking in a Matter of Fact way is in basics terms, speaking in a direct and factual way to the customer. One way of doing this is like so, “Understood. The thing is, our pricing is based on the market as a whole. The demand for our service and the value they get (insert some value driver) has made us a high quality tool that also means a high level of service goes into maintaining it. Will this hold you back from making a decision?” This simple, yet strategic answer serves as a trigger, prompting an immediate subconscious reaction from the prospect. Within mere seconds, critical cues emerge that can signal whether the objection is genuine or if there’s more to the story (aka, the prospect will divulge if this really is a concern of theirs or are they just programmed to negotiate price.) ## **Identifying Subtle Clues in Pricing Conversations** The heart of the approach lies in detecting specific behavioral patterns exhibited by the prospect within those initial 5 seconds: 1. **Scattered Speech:** A hesitation mixing of reasoning in their speech can be a revealing indicator that the prospect might actually be hesitant on the reason behind why price is a topic at all. 2. **Increased Speaking Speed:** Rapid speech could signify nervousness or discomfort, hinting at potential dishonesty. 3. **Grasping Subjective Arguments:** If the prospect diverts attention to trivial details like competition, it might be a diversionary tactic to mask their true reservation. Now, it is important to remember, just because you disagree with the fact that the prospect is pushing on this doesn’t mean you should discount their opinion or disrespect their point of view – you should always take serious the emotions and concerns a prospect gives. ## **Understanding the Power of Clusters** While each of these cues in isolation might present an ambiguous portrait, their significance is magnified when observed as a cluster. Research substantiates the assertion that these behavioral clusters frequently manifest within the[ initial 5 seconds](https://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2018/02/10/how-to-spot-a-lie-in-5-seconds-and-why-it-matters-in-pr/?sh=3a7437205959) of an interaction. Consequently, they emerge as an invaluable toolkit for sales professionals, enabling them to expeditiously gauge the prospect’s authenticity and intentions. ## **Turning Insights into Action** Salespeople can leverage this insight to guide the conversation towards a more productive direction. Armed with the recognition of subtle cues, sales professionals can directly address the prospect’s concerns. For instance, when confronted with a prospect who expresses hesitations, try probing deeper with questions like: “We are slightly apart here. I am curious, do you envision involving multiple decision-makers and investing substantial time in evaluating other options?” For some companies, this can mean 6 different people and 5-7 hours of time invested. By using your cues and guiding people back to a meaningful discovery question about the process you can maintain control and also continue to challenge the process. ## **The Hidden Costs of Delay** Delays caused by extended evaluation processes can translate into other hidden costs for the organization. These costs include deferred implementation of a solution, rescheduled priorities, and missed opportunities. By emphasizing the broader economic impact, sales professionals can encourage prospects to reevaluate their decision-making approach. We spoke about this in a previous blog – the hidden cost of waiting for sales training, this is a prime example. Sales Ops and leaders, you can read that [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/true-cost-of-delaying-sales-training/). ## **Empowerment through Training** Embarking on a journey to enhance qualification and negotiation skills is a commendable pursuit, and the [best training programs ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-sales-training-programs-in-2025-what-sets-them-apart/)offer a comprehensive toolkit. These programs delve into the intricacies of prospect behavior and communication dynamics, equipping sales professionals with the mastery needed to decipher intentions within a mere 90 seconds. Such a skillset amplifies negotiation efficacy, empowering sales personnel to not only navigate pricing conversations adeptly but also to guide prospects toward an enlightened and methodical decision-making process. Pricing conversations are a critical battleground where deals can be won or lost. Navigating objections about pricing demands finesse, and the ability to uncover hidden intentions can be a game-changer. By responding insightfully, identifying subtle cues, and understanding the power of behavioral clusters, sales professionals can reshape these conversations. They can turn objections into opportunities, guiding prospects towards more informed decisions and fostering meaningful connections. However, mastering these skills takes time and practice. That’s where training programs like the Next Level Qualification and Discovery Sales Skills come in. They offer a deeper understanding of prospect behavior and communication dynamics, empowering salespeople to enhance their negotiation effectiveness. Remember, every pricing objection is an opportunity in disguise. With the right approach, you can turn objections into [closed deals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/deal-scoring-what-is-it-about/) and build lasting relationships with your clients. So, are you ready to unlock the power of pricing conversations? Visit[ The Harris Consulting Group](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) and book a time to chat with me. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S6E36 - Navigating the Shift from Remote to Hybrid: Strategies for Sales Teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e36-navigating-the-shift-from-remote-to-hybrid-strategies-for-sales-teams/) **Published:** November 24, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode of the Surf and Sales podcast, Scott Leese and Richard Harris sit down with Victor Vatus, the CEO and founder of TrackRec, to discuss the evolving landscape of sales hiring and the challenges facing both employers and candidates. Victor shares insights on the growing demand for industry-specific experience, the shift from remote to hybrid work, and the concerning trend of “overemployment” among some sales professionals. The conversation delves into the nuances of how different industries approach hiring, the importance of building a strong company culture, and the long-term consequences of trying to “double-dip” on jobs. Whether you’re a sales leader navigating the changing hiring landscape or a salesperson looking to stay ahead of the curve, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice. Tune in to learn how to position yourself for success in the ever-evolving world of sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e36-navigating-the-shift-from-remote-to-hybrid-strategies-for-sales-teams?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E44 - Why tonality matters in sales with Jen Allen of Challenger](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e44-why-tonality-matters-in-sales-with-jen-allen-of-challenger/) **Published:** October 3, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jen started her sales career non-traditionally. She started as an account manager and customer service; then she decided to move into sales. What you should be teaching your new reps first and it’s not about the product. The [Challenger Sales Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/n-e-a-t-selling-vs-meddic-vs-bant-what-sales-framework-modern-sales-teams-actually-need/) does not mean ignoring relationship selling How tonality matter How to value your worth as a keynote speaker You will never be excellent in sales What does the role of evangelizing role really mean **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Revolutionizing Sales Funnel Optimization for 2024](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revolutionizing-sales-funnel-optimization-for-2024/) **Published:** April 15, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As we reach the end of Q1 2024, the dynamic landscape of sales continues to evolve. This evolution is driven by consumer behaviors, technological advancements, and a competitive market that demands quality and relevance over all else. The traditional sales funnel is transforming, if not downright broken. To thrive in this environment, businesses must revolutionize their approach to sales funnel optimization. Thus, they need to leverage the principles of the N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology to enhance both seller skills and the buyer’s experience. ## Understanding the Modern Buyer The first step in revolutionizing sales funnel optimization is understanding the modern buyer. The biggest difference between the buyers of 2024 and 2023 is they are experiencing buyers remorse before they even make a purchase. They are fearful of making a mistake. This is why we now, and have been for many years, seeing more committees in the buying process. There is an end user committee, a vendor choice committee, an IT or Tech committee, a legal committee, and a procurement committee. Something happens, there is an experience that the buyer has that drives them to seek ideas about a solution. Whether it is an inbound lead or the result of outbound prospecting, everything began with an experience. Which is why we claim there is no such thing as a Buyer’s Journey. Actually, there is only an experience, and the buyer is looking for a new experience. And thus the Seller’s Journey is what they find. Now some good news here is the buyer and the seller have tons more information about each other at our finger tips. In fact, we believe the seller has more information about the buyer than the buyer has information about us. We are all more informed, connected, and selective than ever before. This shift necessitates a move away from aggressive sales tactics towards a more consultative, value-driven approach. This approach must respect the buyer’s intelligence and autonomy. And thus build a Seller’s Journey that supports the right Buyer’s Experience through the journey. ## The N.E.A.T. Selling™ Methodology: A New Framework A quick note before we dive into the the specifics of N.E.A.T. Selling. For some N.E.A.T. is a methodology, for some a process, and for others a philosophy to guide them. In fact, we believe in N.E.A.T. Selling so much that we tell people not to rip and replace something from their CRM. If someone has built their sales funnel using SPIN Selling, or MEDDIC, ripping and replacing may not solve the problem. The problem of those methodologies is the lack of consistent training and coaching. So replacing with any other methodology may not be your issue. Use N.E.A.T. as a bolt on to enhance the performance of your team. At the heart of transforming sales funnel optimization is the [N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/). This stands for Needs, Economic impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline. This framework is designed to align sales strategies with the buyer’s journey. Also, this approach is focused on understanding and addressing the buyer’s needs, and the immediate economic impact of those needs and the compounding interest of dollars effect those needs will continue to burden the buyer’s organization. Only then can we best position the solutions which helps ensuring access to decision-makers, and establish a clear timeline for decision-making. This methodology allows sales professionals to create a more personalized and pleasurable buyer’s experience. And in most cases drive greater urgency towards a real decision. Now that may not always mean winning the deal. It could mean understanding where this urgency falls in line with other internal projects your customer is facing. And while we may not like that answer, at least we have an answer and have reduced the ghosting potential. ### Need The foundation of N.E.A.T. Selling™ is identifying and understanding the buyer’s specific needs. This requires active listening, empathy, and the ability to ask the right questions. This should uncover not just surface-level desires but the underlying challenges and opportunities facing the buyer. Tailoring the sales approach to address these needs directly increases relevance and helps our prospects and customers “fall-in-trust” with us. ### Economic Impact Today’s buyers are increasingly focused on the economic impact of their decisions and yet they do not know how to figure it out. They have falsely convince themselves of ROI religion, aka Return on Invest. We believe ROI really stands for the Religion of Insecurity And sadly, the seller is all too eager to follow this disciple as if they are delivering manna from heaven. Sales professionals must learn how to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask and when to ask them. The goal is for the salesperson to ask questions so that the prospect answers with real numbers so the dollar-i-zation of the Economic Impact is real. To do this, we must drive to the detrimental fallout to the long term financial issues for not solving this problem. That is Economic Impact. The best way to do this is for the salesperson to ask questions that get the buyer to tell a story around the pains they are experiencing using the prospects’ and customers’ own stories. You do this, and you have Economic Impact and you’ve removed the ROI objection. ### Access to Authority One of the biggest evolutions for sales in 2024 is around the topic of authority or getting to the decision maker. For us we call this “Access to Authority” can your person be a champion that has access to the right people. This is what we have been taught since the beginning of time, literally. Here’s what it means in 2024. Sales in 2024 is not about getting Access to Authority, its about *gaining access to authority.* And we don’t get to authority until we get through all the skeptics. So early in the conversation we should be asking questions like, “When you take this back to your team, who is the most skeptical person on that team and what are they most skeptical about?” In some cases the skeptics are the authority or decision makers. Regardless, we still need to know who they are so we can create the best Buyer’s Experience possible. When one has real Economic Impact and knows about the skeptics. Getting Access to Authority is much easier. ### Timeline Understanding and managing the timeline is crucial for optimizing the sales funnel. This involves not just mapping out the [sales process](https://youtube.com/shorts/A9aDNbRTteA) but aligning it with the buyer’s timeline. And the most important thing to know when establishing timeline is not when they want to purchase or launch, it’s about what happens if they miss that launch window? If there is no detrimental fallout, then there is no real timeline. It’s also necessary to take into account their procurement cycles, budgeting processes, and any external factors that may influence timing. By establishing a clear timeline, sales professionals can manage expectations, create a sense of urgency, and move the sale forward effectively. ## Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Optimization Technological advancements play a pivotal role in revolutionizing sales funnel optimization. CRM systems, AI-powered analytics, and automation tools can provide sales teams with the insights and efficiencies needed to tailor their strategies. This way salespeople can predict buying behaviors, and streamline the sales process. Integrating these technologies with the N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology enhances the ability to deliver personalized, value-driven experiences that resonate with modern buyers. ## Continuous Improvement and Adaptation In today’s dynamic sales environment, the approach to optimizing sales funnels must be fluid and adaptable. The landscape of sales is ever-changing, driven by shifts in market trends, technological advancements, and evolving buyer behaviors. To stay ahead of these transformations, [continuous learning](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/), adaptation, and improvement are essential. Sales professionals and organizations must commit to an ongoing process of refining their strategies. This commitment will ensure that they remain relevant and effective in meeting the needs of their customers. Additionally, this adaptability involves regularly revisiting and reassessing sales strategies to align with current market dynamics. It’s about: - staying informed of the latest trends, - understanding how buyer behaviors are shifting, and - being willing to adjust the sales process accordingly. The goal is to anticipate changes and respond proactively, rather than reactively. Thereby, it will ensure that sales efforts are always optimized to meet the changing demands of the market. Through this continuous cycle of learning and evolution, sales teams can maintain a competitive edge and foster long-term success. ## **Conclusion** Revolutionizing sales funnel optimization for 2024 needs a comprehensive grasp of today’s buyer. This new type of buyers is more informed and discerning than ever before. Achieving this requires a multi-faceted approach. Whether you adopt N.E.A.T. Selling™ as a methodology, process, or principle it will be the pivotal change you need to work through the transformation. It equips sales professionals with the sales skills, tools and strategies needed to construct sales funnels that are centered around the buyer’s experience. Looking forward, the pursuit of sales excellence hinges on a steadfast commitment to core principles: authenticity, continuous improvement, and an unwavering focus on client success. These values are critical in navigating the complexities of the modern sales landscape and achieving lasting success. By prioritizing these principles, sales teams can cultivate meaningful relationships with clients, built on trust and mutual respect. As we advance into 2024 and beyond, embracing these ideals will be paramount in shaping sales strategies that are resilient, responsive, and relentlessly focused on delivering exceptional value to clients. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Prospects Hate Your BANTs on Demo Requests](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/prospects-hate-your-bants-on-demo-requests/) **Published:** January 5, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When you fill out a demo request and you get a rep playing 20 questions before you see the demo, how annoyed are you? Do you then expect your own prospects to be equally happy when your sales process does the same thing? Shame on you. If someone fills out a demo request and then has to be BANTED, are you really surprised they are angry? Really? You just lied to them straight up. Just like the fake [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com) requests. Just like the “Re:” in the subject line of a cold email. Liar, liar, pants on fire. Own it. You lied to them, accept it, change your message, or stop being “shocked”. Here’s the first thing wrong with your process: You should be qualifying the demo, not the person, and not the company. It’s 2021, there is no reason you need to ask questions around company size, how many reps, usage statistics, etc. In reality, you can build in those questions into the demo itself. Think about it. I bet there’s a great place in your demo to say, “Hey, how big is your team anyway?” or “How much usage do you currently use?” or “How much more are you projecting into 2021 and 2022?” This is where the rule of reciprocity takes over. You’ve done them a favor, and now they feel obligated to answer your questions. You’ve #EarnedTheRight to ask questions. If you are still saying, “But if I can do it, why can’t my reps?” Then it is still your fault. If you cannot take something you can do easily and document the process as well as the conversation flow, then you should not be leading any sales team. Good news is, you can fix that. **BANT is BAD in most cases**. If you are expecting someone who specifically asked for a demo request to give up critical information, like budget and timeline before seeing the demo, AND you are expecting a first/second job SDR to be good at getting that information, you are nuts. Unless you have trained them well and have the data to support your hypothesis, you are again lying to yourself and hurting your reps’ career growth, as well as your own. And no, training does not mean, “Ask these 5 questions…”. **Here’s what to focus on.** At most an SDR at this stage should be focusing on two components of N.E.A.T. Selling: NEED and ACCESS to AUTHORITY. **NEED** 1. What parts of the product or service are you most interested in seeing? 2. What brought you here today? 3. What makes them want to see a demo in terms of their current state? 4. Specifically, what pain(s) are they trying to solve? **ACCESS TO AUTHORITY** 1. Not only do they have the authority, but just understanding where they fall in the “group decision-making process”. 1. Who else is affected by the decision if you were to implement something like this?” Anything beyond this is simply overkill, unless it’s brought up by the prospect themselves. So conversationally, here’s what it would look like: Lead comes in. [SDR/BDR](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e53-sometimes-the-path-forward-is-not-a-straight-line-with-victoria-abeling-of-sailpoint/) calls and starts a conversation. **SDR** – “*Hey Sarah, I know you want to see a demo today so that’s what we are going to do. Don’t worry, I am not going to BANT you to death.”* **Sarah** – “*Thanks, I appreciate that.”* **SDR** – *“Sarah, I have no desire to do death by demo clicking around, so can I ask specifically what’s making you interested in seeing the demo? I just want to make sure I show you the right stuff.”* **Sarah** – *“Well, we are trying to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_\_\_ better.”* **SDR** – *“As it relates to the demo, how are you currently doing this, this way I make sure to highlight that for you?”* **SDR** – (Pre-qualify the demo) – *“Sarah, let’s get started. I am curious, if at the end of this demo you like what you see, what happens next on your end?”* **Sarah** – *“Take it back to the team.”* **SDR** – *“Great. As we go through the demo, I want you to think about what the “no-no person” would be thinking in terms of making the decision. You know, the person who cannot say yes, but can often stall or prevent something from happening.”* **Sarah** – (small laugh) – *“Ok, I will.”* Now, your SDR needs to ask, “What do you think of this?” and get Sarah’s answer, but also, “What do you think no-no will say?”. Our last point on demos: demos are demos, not product training. We [wrote about this before](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/3-kinds-of-demos/). Think of your demos like a movie: 1. **Trailer** – This is essentially an 2-3 minute explainer video. This gives people just enough to understand the pains you solve to entice them into a deeper conversation. 2. **Main Feature** – This is a demo that actually walks your prospects through their specific use cases as it relates to your product or service. 3. **Director’s Cut** – This is more like a POC or trial. Or perhaps a #CustomerSuccess demo of a new application. So remember, don’t lie to your prospects. Improve your qualification within the demo, not around it. Qualify the demo, not the persona or the company at first. Earn the right to ask the questions you want. Then ask them. --- *Need help perfecting your qualification process? We help sales manager with sales training for their teams, as well as help reps become more efficient, or we can come in and train entire teams on how to do this on your behalf. Book a time to chat about your goals [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/).* **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S6E35 - Chris Albro -From Fish Washer to CRO: An Unconventional Path to Sales Leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e35-chris-albro-from-fish-washer-to-cro-an-unconventional-path-to-sales-leadership/) **Published:** November 17, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Chris Albro, the CRO of People.ai joins the Surf and Sales podcast. We discuss the challenges of maintaining data quality in CRMs, how to proactively addresses customer concerns around AI, and the generational differences in work ethic and expectations. Chris also shares insights on the evolving sales landscape, the impact of AI, and the importance of empathy and execution. And the next [www.surfandsales.com](https://www.surfandsales.com) event is happening in November 2026. #PuraVida [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e35-chris-albro-from-fish-washer-to-cro-an-unconventional-path-to-sales-leadership?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E34 - Jack Frimston - Dialing for Dollars Better with Sales Therapy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e34-jack-frimston-dialing-for-dollars-better-with-sales-therapy/) **Published:** September 22, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jack Frimston joins the Surf and Sales podcast and shares amazing insights on brining the humanity back into sales including: The power of the “memento mori” mindset: Frimston explains how the Stoic principle of “remembering you will die” can help sales reps maintain a healthy perspective and focus on truly serving their clients. Mastering the art of outbound prospecting: Frimston discusses the differences in phone engagement between the UK and US markets, offering insights on how to navigate the “Wild West” of outbound sales in the modern era. Applying therapeutic techniques to sales: Incorporating strategies from Alcoholics Anonymous and Socratic questioning into his sales framework, helping reps build genuine connections with buyers. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e34-jack-frimston-sales-therapy-that-makes-dialing-for-dollars-better?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E32 - Guillaume Jacquet - The Formula for Predictable Growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e32-guillaume-jacquet-the-formula-for-predictable-growth/) **Published:** September 15, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Scott, Richard, and Guillaume “G” Jacquet, the co-founder and CEO of Vasco, dive into the challenges of building a predictable revenue engine for startups and scale-ups. G shares his hard-earned lessons from his first entrepreneurial venture, emphasizing the importance of finding your ideal customer profile and developing a repeatable sales process before scaling. Scott and Richard offer their seasoned advice, stressing the need to simplify messaging, avoid buzzwords, and focus on the specific pains you solve rather than just listing product features. The trio also discusses the tricky balance of founder-led sales versus bringing on the first sales hires, and how to effectively document and transfer that institutional knowledge. \#FounderLedSales #RevenueGrowth #IdealCustomerProfile #SalesProcess #PredictableRevenue [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e32-guillaume-jacquet-founders-funnels-and-the-formula-for-predictable-growth?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E33 - Mark Hunter - Your commission breath ruins authenticity](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e33-mark-hunter-your-commission-breath-ruins-authenticity/) **Published:** September 15, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sales legend Mark Hunter joins Scott Leese and Richard Harris for a can’t-miss conversation packed with practical sales wisdom and plenty of laughs. Mark shares his proven strategies for building genuine relationships, staying focused on the right prospects, and maintaining a positive mindset – even when the game seems rigged against you. Everything discussed in this podcast is practical and easy to understand and implment. Here are just a few - The ‘power of belief’ that can turn any sales situation around - Mark’s ’10 AM Rule’ for starting each day with a win - The surprising reason why 25 quality conversations per week is all you need [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e33-mark-hunter-your-commission-breath-ruins-authenticity?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Who Really Owns and Is Accountable to Your Sales Training and Sales Enablement Programs?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/who-really-owns-and-is-accountable-to-your-sales-training-and-enablement-programs/) **Published:** June 17, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** *2020 and 2021 have thrown sales enablement, [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/saas-sales-training-crisis-why-your-team-needs-more-than-just-scripts/), and sales coaching into a trial by fire moment. We are still adjusting and will most likely continue adjusting for the next 12-18 months.* *We all want to know what’s worked well? What are the best practices? And ultimately, what does better really mean when it comes to [sales enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-enablement-consulting-fixing-whats-really-broken-in-your-sales-engine/), sales training, and sales coaching?* *So we decided to reach out to some experts to get their feedback. Over the next few weeks we are turning our blog over to them. This will be a 3 part series dedicated to sales enablement, sales training, and sales coaching. Please feel free to add your comments as well. We want to always make sure people have a voice.* *Our first guest author is [Galem Girmay](https://www.linkedin.com/in/galemgirmay/) of [GoContractor](https://gocontractor.com).* --- Sales people, when was the last time you received sales training to do your job? Maybe it was during onboarding, sales kick-off, or a different time throughout the year. You had a trainer teach you how to cold call, prospect, negotiate, and a bunch of other useful tactics and advice. How about sales coaching? Is it weekly, bi-weekly, monthly? Once the training ended, who was responsible for taking ownership and accountability? Is it the sales trainer, sales enablement team / leader, sales manager, or someone else? The answer is you. You, the SDR. You, the Account Executive. You, the Customer Success Rep. You, the Sales Trainer. You, the Sales Manager. You, the CRO. You are the one responsible to reinforce what you’ve approved, implemented, taught and learned. If your sales team mantra is we win and lose as a team. Then YOU need to take ownership, and accountability of your training and more importantly, your career. Sales Enablement trainers are a great resource but not many are hired to follow-up with the teams they train. They should be accountable for the implementation of a sales training program which includes working with sales leaders and sales managers to ensure a proper feedback loop is a part of the entire enablement process. They’re not coming back again and again to hold your hand, and coach your sales calls. Unless it’s been built into the entire program. After speaking with a few Sales Enablement leaders, sales managers, sales trainers and reps, it’s clear that reinforcement, repetition, and accountability of sales teams and reps are critical for long term success. So how can a sales rep like yourself start taking responsibility and accountability for their sales enablement training? **Let’s start with understanding your own learning and education style, how do you best retain information?** Everyone has a different way of taking information, you need to understand how you best learn and interact with new information. Do you learn best in auditory (listening), visual (seeing), kinesthetic (touching) environment? Do you like a combination of these? Then, ask the person who signed the team up to receive training, how will it be delivered? Are there resources available that the trainer will provide before/after? It’s critical that you understand your own learning and education style in order to learn in the moment, and retain the information afterwards to be implemented. Side note: For those of you who prefer typing over hand-written note taking, there are several studies showing the handwriting allows you to retain more. One reason, when we take notes we do that, we take notes. When we type, we often spend a lot of time concentrating on typing verbatim and it’s going so fast you don’t always retain it as well. **Reinforcement and repetition goes hand in hand:** If you ever played any sports, you know that repetition and practice is one key element for success. The missing piece to sales enablement training is the reinforcement, which is part of the question: “who is responsible for ownership & accountability? Again, it’s your responsibility. I am looking at you front line sales managers, sales reps, and SDRs Sadly, some of the Sales Enablement trainers and coaches are not always paid to help teams reinforce the material. It’s seen as very transactional in a shotgun one and done approach. Some have resources to provide (free or paid) afterwards, and it’s encouraged by sales reps to invest in their own career. **How you can take ownership:** If you are a sales manager. Best practices indicate coaching a rep, particularly newbies 2x per week is best. For veteran reps it could be 1/ week or 1 every other week. And yes, it’s ok to have the veteran reps coach the newbies too. If you are a sales rep, get yourself an accountability buddy on your sales team. In every sales team I’ve been part of, I’ve gained at least one accountability buddy. This is someone who you mutually decide is going to hold you accountable to meet on a regular and scheduled basis to implement what you’ve learned. When I spoke with Morgan J Ingram, Director of Sales Execution and Evolution at JB Sales Training about the topic, he suggested that sales training should be combined with coaching sessions to create longer and deeper engagement and consistency. For example, having a deeper dive into the process, coaching the managers to be managers, and more live calls/sales coaching sessions with the reps. **Main Takeaways:** - Know your role. Everyone on the revenue team has a role in sales enablement, training and coaching - Understand your own best learning style - Define a program, whether team wide or just for yourself - Reinforcement & repetition goes hand in hand: you cannot just show up and then leave - Get yourself an accountability buddy If you’re interested in hearing more about sales coaching and sales enablement, check out my conversation with Ashley Zagst, Niraj Kapur, Richard Harris, and Scott Leese on the Surf and Sales Bonfire Session on-demand webinar, [3 Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Sales Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/enablement-building-a-coaching-culture). **About the Author:** Recently named a Salesforce 16 Sales Influencer To Follow Right Now, Galem is a trusted sales and sales action leader. She is the co- founder of RevGenius, and host of the What Is Your Legacy podcast. Be sure to connect with her [here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/galemgirmay/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Why Sales Forecasting Is Wrong](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-forecasting-is-wrong/) **Published:** March 20, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We should expect our sales forecasting to be flawed. ALWAYS. In fact, [sales forecasting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/improving-sales-forecasting-by-crafting-a-winning-sales-process-and-cycle/) is not even about forecasting. More on that in a moment. ### **The Proper Sales Forecasting Mindset** Starting at the beginning with the mindset and the false gods and idolatry, leaders love to claim their expectations around forecasting accuracy. [Sales forecasting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-closing-and-forecasting-best-practices/) is about improving the [sales forecasting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-sales-strategy-coaching-isnt-just-for-newbies/) over time, which will take time. \* January 1 forecast for March 31 is not often correct. \* February 1 it should be better. \* March 1 is better still. If one starts from scratch, the swings will be massive. If one is starting out on January 1, don’t be surprised if your forecast is only 40-50% accurate by the time you get to March 31. Yes, February and March should improve. Then, in April, forecasting for June 30 may be 55%-60% accurate. And if one is a start-up, then it will be even lower. We can expect it to become much better over time. Forecasting is about improving the ability to forecast accurately. If anyone thinks they can have an accurate forecast all the time, I will remind people to look at the announcements of quarterly statements by public companies when they have to “shift their guidance” downward. Those companies have a ton of brilliant financial minds, and they are still getting it wrong. ### **So, what is forecasting really about?** Shame on you if you are only using your sales forecast to complain about the sales team. It means you are not a good leader. In fact, I would question your leadership ability entirely. So what’s the best reason for a sales forecast? It helps you figure out where your sales team needs support, and where they need [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/) and sales process training. Which then means perhaps we should look at your messaging. So yeah, it’s about marketing and product marketing too. Realizing that you and your team need support? [Schedule a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) and let’s come up with a plan together. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S6E31 - Dan O'Sullivan - Treat outbound sales messaging like a haiku](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e31-dan-osullivan-treat-outbound-sales-messaging-like-a-haiku/) **Published:** August 11, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode, we sit down with Dan O’Sullivan, a sales veteran who spent 26 years building a $1.2 billion sales organization at TransPerfect. Dan shares his unique insights on the art of outbound sales, particularly when targeting enterprise customers. He discusses the importance of understanding a client’s strategic priorities, crafting concise yet impactful outreach, and the value of hiring and training local sales talent when expanding globally. Dan also talks about his work with the non-profit “Provide the Slide,” which collects and distributes surfboards to underserved communities in West Africa. This conversation is a must-listen for any sales professional looking to hone their skills and gain a new perspective on effective outbound strategies. > [Home](https://providetheslide.com/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e31-dan-osullivan-treat-outbound-sales-messaging-like-a-haiku?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E30 - David Knight - How to Bring Back the Fun in Sales Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e30-david-knight-how-to-bring-back-the-fun-in-sales-coaching/) **Published:** August 11, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** With AI Sales Coaching tools being all the rage these days it’s hard to understand where the differentiation truly exists. How do you do this at the founder and early stage level for start-ups? Where do avatars, holograms, and leaderboards fit in? How do you innovate in an AI market where things literally change by the day? We tackle these questions and a ton more with our guest, Founder of Avarra.ai, David Knight. And a special guest appearance by Brandon Redlinger as well. - Sales podcast - Sales strategies - Sales tactics - Sales tools - Sales leadership - Sales team building - Quota attainment - Sales success [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e30-david-knight-how-to-bring-back-the-fun-in-sales-coaching?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E29 - Steve Bussey and Matt Bolian - The Surround Bound Sales Model](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e29-steve-bussey-and-matt-bolian-the-surround-bound-sales-model/) **Published:** August 4, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Join Richard, Scott, Matt, and Steve as they dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing sales teams in the age of AI. Discover how Supered, a unique sales enablement platform, is empowering revenue teams to adapt and thrive in the ever-changing landscape. In this episode, the team explores the concept of “surround bound” – a novel go-to-market strategy that leverages the power of social media and collaborative selling. Learn how Supered is helping sales professionals break free from traditional models and embrace a more holistic, customer-centric approach. Hear insights on building high-performing sales teams, navigating the shift from SDR-AE models to full-cycle selling, and leveraging technology to enhance human-to-human interactions. Whether you’re a seasoned sales leader or a rising star, this episode is packed with actionable strategies and thought-provoking perspectives that will inspire you to rethink your sales approach. Tune in and discover how Supered is redefining the future of sales. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve and drive sustainable growth in their organization. \#sales #salestactics #salestips #GotoMarketStrategies [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e29-steve-bussey-and-matt-bolian-the-surround-bound-sales-model?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E28 - Eldad Postan-Koren - Blunt Truths and Bold Moves](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e28-eldad-postan-koren-blunt-truths-and-bold-moves/) **Published:** August 4, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Join Richard Harris, Scott Leese, and special guest Eldad Postan-Koren, CEO of WINN.AI, as they dive into the unique challenges and opportunities facing international startups breaking into the U.S. market. Hear their candid perspectives on the evolving sales landscape, the power of bold marketing moves, and the importance of complementary skill sets on a founding team. This episode is packed with insights on topics like the “chutzpah” of Israeli entrepreneurs, the pros and cons of direct communication styles, and the future of sales prospecting. Whether you’re an aspiring founder or a sales leader looking to stay ahead of the curve, this podcast has something for you. Get ready for a refreshingly honest and entertaining discussion on the “vibe” of modern sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e28-eldad-postan-koren-blunt-truths-and-bold-moves?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Building Sales Contests to Drive Revenue is the Wrong Mindset](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-building-sales-contests-to-drive-revenue-is-the-wrong-mindset/) **Published:** November 11, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** When it comes to a r[evenue mindset](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-revenue-mindset-for-all-roles/) deciding on contests prizes for sales teams several things should be considered BEFORE you choose the prizes. Whether it’s an SDR Team, Inside Sales Team, Enterprise Sales team we recommend “bucketing” the prize types into 5 primary buckets: 1. Solo Event 2. Rep +1 Event 3. Team Event 4. Money 5. Educational Of course there could be others, and they can and often do overlap. From here you need to look at some bigger issues and in particular “selling the executive” on the expenses. The primary outcome of a [contest](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?s=contests) is NOT to drive revenue. It’s to reinforce the right behaviors. If the behaviors occur, the muscle memory lasts, you win the long game of revenue growth. Additionally, if you are trying to incentivize the rep with money at the end of a month, quarter, or year, you may be doing too little too late. If its the EOY and you are trying to drive new business from October 1 – December 31 because you are behind, it’s most likely too late. This should not be blamed on the sales team. Equal blame can go around to marketing, executive team, and product or engineering team (especially if release deadlines have passed) Here are some hints to help you understand how you got here, or better yet, how to avoid ever getting here: 1. If your CFO isn’t letting you spend money, then s/he got the pan and greased it for the sh\*t pie 2. If your CEO is afraid to try things throughout the year, then s/he made the sh\*t pie filling. 3. If the marketing has not been cooperating, they forgot to warm the oven that the sh\*t pie is being baked in. 1. How many new case studies did they write this year? 2. How many press releases around new customers did they put out? 4. If sales have been letting their egos dictate too much, then they often get to take the first bite of the sh\*t pie. 5. Irrational discounting throughout the year. That piece of sh\*t pie goes to the CEO, VP of Sales, and maybe event the Board So now, what kinds of incentives should you have in Q4?? #### Financial 1. Big Cash $, like $500, $1000, $2000 minimum 1. Make some individual 2. Make a few team oriented. If everyone does XX then everyone gets $1000. is some psychology to this one. It rarely happens, but you have to willing to play the “If the Browns/ Jets win the superbowl all TV purchases are FREE” (No offense to Clevleand fans. Actually hoping they get there.” #### Experiential 1. All expense paid a trip to \_\_\_\_\_ 1. Go big or go home. Make it somewhere out of the country, not “Vegas” 2. All expenses to Disney World for the family. Not kidding on this one. If you know members of your team have a family, then, by all means, send them there. Help them teach their family the value of hard work and what it means. Plus you will increase loyalty from the “family” level. #### Experiential 1. Offer to pay off the equivalent of the trips in student loan debt 2. Offer to send someone to a sales-related event like [SalesLoft Rev 2020, Outreach Unleash, SurfAndSalesIV, Saastr](https://tracking.cirrusinsight.com/b0ae490d-a44c-4042-baeb-f16ec8711751/rev2020-salesloft-com-events-rev2020-hosted-by-salesloft-event-summary-bc694dc8cf8f44c9985b82a7096f2f44-aspx) Now here is the clincher, if you have real enterprise deals that 6-9-12 months long. Then you should be talking now about driving business for 2020. If you have a 9 month sales cycle, that means you have from now, October until March 31 to drive new inbounds. What are you doing about that now so you aren’t here again next year? Good luck **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [End of Quarter Discounting: Playing the Blame Game](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/end-of-quarter-discounting-playing-the-blame-game/) **Published:** June 13, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Let’s play the “blame game” A sign of poor sales leadership is end of month/quarter [discounting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-sales-negotiations-how-to-win-deals-without-losing-margin/). So often the board, C-Level, and VPs overseeing [revenue teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-revenue-mindset-for-all-roles/) will discount heavily at the end of the month and quarter. Here are some reasons why this is a poor decision: 1. This is terrible, it means you don’t have a real product-market fit. Fire your product marketing team if they haven’t figured this out. 2. You ([leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/)), are asking reps to “pull in deals from next quarter early”. In some cases, it works. 3. In other cases, and more often than not, it doesn’t. 4. Then you blame the sales team the next month or quarter for “daring to ask to extend the [discount](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/discount-strategies-stop-playing-chicken-with-your-discounts/).” 5. I am looking at you sales leaders and founders. You are just terrible because you [repeat the same sins](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-30-unforgivable-sins-of-founder-led-sales/) over and over. You haven’t taught your team how to [properly do discovery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/achieving-powerful-discovery/) and present value. You are more in love with your product, service, and your own ego than you are in love with the value you bring to your customers. You simply want to make your bonus and become a millionaire off the hard work of others. I could go on and on. My point? Leadership, stop being stupid. Or be self-aware enough to find a better way. For IC’s, in your interviews, ask every single person this simple question, *“How often do you discount at the end of the month/ quarter?”* Follow it up with, *“If the deal doesn’t come through, is it honored the next month or quarter?”* Make your decision accordingly. If your team could use training in this area, [schedule a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S6E27 - Nigel Green - How to Hire Elite Salespeople: The Only Sales Leadership Skill That Matters](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e27-nigel-green-how-to-hire-elite-salespeople-the-only-sales-leadership-skill-that-matters/) **Published:** July 28, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sales leader and author Nigel Green joins Scott Leese and Richard Harris on the Surf and Sales podcast and discuss the critical skill of hiring elite salespeople. Nigel shares his expertise on why this is the single most important sales leadership skill, and how to effectively identify, attract, and integrate top talent onto your team. The conversation covers a range of valuable topics, including: - Why elite salespeople don’t apply to job postings, and how to proactively recruit them - Techniques for uncovering the non-obvious behaviors that separate top performers from the rest - Strategies for aligning your executive team and compensation plans to land elite talent - The dangers of promoting your best salesperson into a leadership role - Why small teams of elite reps can outperform larger average teams [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e27-nigel-green-how-to-hire-elite-salespeople-the-only-sales-leadership-skill-that-matters?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E26 - St. John Craner - You have to sell slow to sell fast.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e26-st-john-craner-you-have-to-sell-slow-to-sell-fast/) **Published:** July 28, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** St. John raner dive into the fascinating world of agricultural sales and the rapid technological advancements transforming the industry. Sinjin is a sales training expert focused on the agricultural sector, shares insights on how farmers are embracing cutting-edge technologies like AI, precision farming, and data analytics to drive efficiency and productivity. The conversation explores the unique challenges and relationship-driven nature of selling to farmers, as well as the generational shift towards younger, tech-savvy farm owners driving innovation. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e26-st-john-craner-you-have-to-sell-slow-to-sell-fast?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E25 - Mike Muhlfelder - What AI f*cking up about sales?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e25-mike-muhlfelder-what-ai-fcking-up-about-sales/) **Published:** June 23, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Acandid conversations between sales leaders Scott Leese, Richard Harris, and Mike Muhlfelder In this episode, they chat with Mike Muhlfelder, founder of CalmOcean Sales, about the current state of B2B sales. Mike shares his insights on the “epidemic” of not having enough pipeline, and how proper qualification is key to solving this issue. He explains his “four Ws” approach – focusing on what happened, why it needs to be solved now, who owns the project, and when it needs to be live. We also discuss what AI is f’ing up in sales, with Mike cautioning that while AI can be helpful, it can’t yet predict human behavior and decision-making. Scott and Richard share their perspectives on the future of sales jobs and the potential impact of automation. You will come away with actionable strategies as well as thought-provoking perspectives on the evolving sales landscape. Need more info? Find us here. [www.TheHarrisConsultingGroup.com](https://www.TheHarrisConsultingGroup.com) [www.ScottLeeseConsulting.com](https://www.ScottLeeseConsulting.com) [www.SurfAndSales.com](https://www.SurfAndSales.com) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e25-mike-muhlfelder-what-ai-fcking-up-about-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Accelerating Your Career: Entry-Level BDR To Enterprise Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/accelerating-your-career-entry-level-bdr-to-enterprise-sales/) **Published:** November 22, 2021 **Author:** Rachel Gasparini **Content:** *This guest post comes from Rachel Gasparini, Enterprise Account Executive at [LaunchDarkly](https://launchdarkly.com). Learn how she’s quickly accelerated her career from an entry-level BDR to now an AE.* --- Take 👏 the 👏 leap! Today marks 4-years since starting my [sales career](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/hard-truths-for-new-aes-what-every-seller-needs-to-know-about-their-sales-careers-and-career-pathing/) out of school. From entry-level BDR to Enterprise Sales, every time I held my breath and took a leap, despite it being new and scary. Here are the **top 10 things** that accelerated my career: 1\. First impressions matter. I confidently went up to my CEO’s desk on my first day as a BDR, shook their hand and expressed my **\#enthusiasm** to contribute. 2\. You never have to make up for a **\#faststart**. Over-index the first 3-6 months on a new job. 3\. It’s an amazing time to be woman in sales. Gap in the market = massive **\#opportunity**. Don’t get discouraged. 4\. Focus on executing your core responsibilities really, really well. Consistency + expertise = massive **\#value**. 5\. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. I got **\#rejected** the first time I applied for AE. I focused on closing the skill gap and landed the role 3 months later. 6\. Never lose sight of **\#timemanagement**. Time is valuable. Be strategic. Consistently refine and optimize. 7\. Show **\#gratitude** to those around you. Vocalize your appreciation. I love to surprise my teammates with small, meaningful gifts. 8\. Your mental and physical **\#wellbeing** come first. Full stop. 9\. Find the **\#positive** in challenging days. There is a sticky note always on my desk: Get comfortable with the uncomfortable. It means you’re growing! 10\. The only person limiting your dreams is you. Think bigger. And always **\#negotiate** 😉 --- [Connect with Rachel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsparini?trk=public_post_share-update_actor-text) for more advice from the front lines! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Transforming Conversations into Conversions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/transforming-conversations-into-conversions/) **Published:** April 8, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the dynamic world of sales, a seemingly simple yet profoundly impactful skill stands out. This is the key differentiator between average and exceptional sales outcomes: active listening. **This skill transcends the traditional sales tactics of persuasion and presentation. It focuses instead on building genuine connections with clients.** Moreover, mastering active listening can significantly enhance a sales professional’s ability to engage with potential buyers meaningfully. This will foster stronger relationships and lead to more successful sales. ## The Essence of Active Listening Active listening within sales extends far beyond merely hearing a client’s words. It involves a deep engagement with the speaker, comprehending their conveyed message, responding with consideration, and memorizing the details shared. In short, it means getting in their headspace to hear about things from their perspective. This practice is essential in sales, as it reveals the genuine needs, worries, and driving factors of potential purchasers. **By truly understanding what a client seeks or requires, salespeople can craft their solutions with a level of precision that directly addresses the client’s unique circumstances.** ## Transforming Sales Through Active Listening The incorporation of active listening into the sales strategy offers numerous advantages. This approach empowers sales professionals to devise solutions that genuinely align with the needs and challenges faced by prospects. As a result, salespeople can enhance the potential for successful conversions. Active listening enables a more [personalized and effective response](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-the-art-of-personalization-in-sales-in-2024/) to customer needs, paving the way for solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. Furthermore, the practice of active listening plays a pivotal role in building trust and rapport with clients. **By attentively listening and responding to their concerns, sales professionals make clients feel deeply valued and understood.** Lastly, the sense of being understood and valued fosters loyalty among clients, which is essential for developing long-term relationships and ensuring repeat business. Active listening doesn’t just close a single sale; it opens the door to ongoing business opportunities. By consistently applying active listening, sales professionals lay the groundwork for a loyal client base that feels connected and satisfied with the service provided, thereby securing a sustainable future for the business. ### Strategies for Active Listening Mastery Developing active listening skills is an intentional process that demands practice and dedication. Here are some effective strategies: - **Reduce Distractions –** This does not mean putting your phone face down on the table. It means turning it off or putting in your bag or purse. It means turning off slack notifications. And so on. - **Full Engagement:** Prioritize giving speakers your undivided attention, minimizing distractions, and focusing on their words, tone, and body language. - **Facilitate Sharing:** Employ open-ended questions to encourage prospects to share their thoughts and feelings comprehensively. - **Reflect and Verify:** Echo what you’ve heard through paraphrasing or summarizing to confirm understanding and show empathy. - **Read Non-Verbal Signals:** Attune yourself to the speaker’s non-verbal cues, such as body language and facial expressions, to gain deeper insights. Here’s a fun fact. Someone’s eyebrows move as they speak. Pay attention to them and see what they tell you. ## Leveraging Technology to Support Active Listening Today, technology is integral to sales strategies. The use of digital tools enhances the practice of active listening, providing sales professionals with a wealth of background information about their clients. If you are not using a tool to transcribe and summarize your Zoom and Microsoft conversations, then you are way behind. Access to insights from CRM systems, social media profiles, and past interactions offers a detailed perspective on the client’s history and preferences. **This rich variety of information facilitates a comprehensive grasp of each client’s unique needs and desires.** This [synergy between technology and active listening](https://youtu.be/ZN4T-eEage0) enables sales professionals to tailor their approaches with unparalleled precision. By marrying data-driven insights with empathetic communication, sales teams can elevate the customer experience. Thus, it will foster a sense of understanding and connection that is both rare and valuable in the digital age. ## Conclusion Active listening transcends the basics of communication, becoming an art form that, when perfected. It reshapes sales encounters from simple transactions into significant, impactful dialogues that propel success forward. Additionally, it grants sales professionals the capability to not just fulfill but surpass client expectations, thereby boosting conversion rates and nurturing enduring relationships. **This skill ensures that every client interaction is an opportunity to demonstrate understanding and commitment.** The deliberate integration of active listening into sales strategies becomes crucial. It’s the key to unlocking long-term success, setting apart the exceptional from the ordinary. Through active listening, sales professionals can distinguish themselves, fostering a culture of trust and respect that underpins lasting business relationships and drives continuous achievement. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** conversational selling, remote sales, sales training --- ### [3 Mistakes Killing Your Sales Coaching Potential](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-3-mistakes-that-kill-your-sales-coaching-potential/) **Published:** August 23, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Coaching your salespeople is the key to keeping your sales team motivated, skilled, and caught up on all of the latest best practices in your industry. Sales training and coaching is one of the best ways that you can invest in your sales department. Consistent, high-quality sales training gives your salespeople the skills and tools they need to navigate the fast-paced modern market. From learning how to overcome objections to qualifying prospects, sales coaching can be the answer to your sales department’s biggest problems! Unfortunately, there are a handful of mistakes that companies commonly make when approaching their sales coaching. These critical errors don’t just slow down their sales team’s progress – they completely kill the organization’s coaching efforts. If your business is making any of these critical sales training mistakes that we’ll introduce in this blog, you are losing money. ## Inconsistent Training Everyone from professional athletes to high-performing salespeople knows that consistency is the key to success. The more stable and predictable our habitat is, the better we perform. If the environment around us becomes chaotic and uncertain, our capacity to operate effectively decreases – the world grinds to a halt. What does this have to do with sales coaching, you ask? Although nearly everyone agrees that routine and regularity are the keys to business success, few companies are highly consistent with their sales training. Even today, when sales coaching is more accessible than ever, businesses only engage their salespeople in these exercises every once in a while. Companies are so worried about spending too much on sales training that they don’t invest nearly enough. What ends up happening is that their salespeople don’t get enough consistent training and reinforcement to apply what they learn from coaching to the real world. Instead, they spend hours learning techniques and skills that they’ll end up forgetting in a week. If you want your sales coaching to work, it must be consistent. Your salespeople should undergo simulations and training exercises multiple times every week to prepare for the challenges they’ll encounter when facing real clients. When it comes to sales coaching, you either do it all the way or not at all – there’s no in-between. Inconsistent coaching kills your team’s sales success. ## Lack of Individual Motivation You can offer your salespeople all of the coaching opportunities in the world, but if they aren’t [motivated](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-teams-motivation-with-multiple-generations/) enough to utilize them, your training won’t work. Sales coaching is about more than creating coaching opportunities. It’s about inspiring your people to take advantage of them and improve. If your salespeople aren’t actively looking for possibilities to enhance their skills through independent work and cooperation, your sales coaching is unlikely to be effective. If you want your sales team to make the most out of their training, you must inspire them to take their improvement into their own hands. This is where influential [leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-leadership-coaching/) comes in. If you want your sales coaching to work, you can’t just tell your salespeople how it will help the company. You must also explain how it will help them directly. Show them how investing in themselves and their skills is the key to their professional and personal success. Motivated salespeople are effective salespeople. And if this doesn’t work, then its time to “hug them out the door”. Share with them that it is no longer a good fit, and that its best, even for them, to explore new opportunities. ## No Communication From sales to customer service, [communication](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/transforming-conversations-into-conversions/) is at the heart of your company’s ability to function. The more openly and effectively your people and departments can communicate, the more efficient and coordinated your business will be. The same applies to your sales coaching. If your salespeople can’t communicate honestly and directly about the struggles and challenges they encounter, you won’t be able to coach them. Many individuals on sales teams are scared to ask questions. They worry that their coworkers and superiors will look down on them for not knowing something. What ends up happening is that the salespeople bottle up all of these issues instead of finding a solution. This leads to a decrease in the performance of your sales department, a loss of self-esteem for your salespeople, and causes poor mental health and burnout. If your salespeople feel unable or discouraged from talking about their problems at work, you are missing out on countless organic coaching opportunities. The solution: enable open communication within your sales team. Take time weekly to meet individually with all of your salespeople. Don’t just ask them about the problems they encounter at work – take an interest in their lives. The more your people feel comfortable sharing their personal lives and aspirations with you, the more likely they’ll be to come forward about obstacles at work! Here’s our guideline. Listen, then pause. Then listen again, then pause. Then ask for clarification and examples, then listen, and then pause. Then you can speak. There you have it – the three critical mistakes that kill your sales coaching potential. This brief blog was a rough overview of what we discuss in our ebook, *5 Sales Coaching Tactics Your Team Can Start Using Today*. In the guide, five expert panelists introduce their best practices and tactics for sales team development. Whether you need help communicating with your sales team or want inspiration for scheduling your sales coaching sessions, this ebook has the answers you need! We’ll show you everything from how to use buddy system coaching, to the strategies for creating effective and affordable in-house sales training! [Click here to read the ebook now](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5-sales-coaching-tactics-your-team-can-start-using-today). **Categories:** Blog, Sales Coaching, Sales Leadership --- ### [The Right Management to Rep Ratio](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-right-management-to-rep-ratio/) **Published:** May 11, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Management vs. Coaching – Which do you really want? Executive Leaders who think a single person can truly coach 10-12 people, have it wrong in most cases. A Sales Manager can manage 10-12 people, if you don’t want them to do real coaching. Want them to coach calls, run 1:1’s and Pipeline Meeting? At best I say they can coach and manage 8, tops! Here is what others have said on this topic: **[Krysten Connor](https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystenconner/)** – Account Executive – 100% and companies should be intentional about this, no matter which model they prefer. And then be transparent with their reps about what they should expect. Some reps don’t want any coaching, some reps don’t want to take a job without it. **[Mike Hook](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hook/)** – Director of Sales – Our Armed Forces say the maximum number of people one person can lead, directly, is 6-8 (forgive the range, the specific count alludes me this morning). The leadership principles and decision making teachings they provide are rooted in history and thousands of years of evidence. Once you go over this number you get spread too thin, have too much to manage and therefore are not managing at your top level. Sales leadership, and all leadership really, follow this. So, me and a couple million people (at minimum) agree with you **[Ken Baldo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-baldo/)** – VP Sales – 100% that’s why company’s need to invest in sales coach’s for sales teams as a compliment or supplement to the manager managing. I once managed 17 reps. I had to choose will I manage more than I coach or coach more than manage. You need to decide that and hope your boss is on board. Usually they want it all! My experience is Coaching moves people! Managing placates bosses **[Sam Heard](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-heard/)** – VP of Sales – Sales managers are spread too thin in large organizations. Between calls, meetings, 1:1s, admin, pipeline management, data mining, travel (if it applies), oh and let’s not forget their own development and growth. Check out our free e-book on [The 4 Lessons I Wish My Sales Manager Had Taught Me](https://theharrisconsultinggroup33816.ac-page.com/4-lessons-i-wish-my-sales-manager-had-taught-me-ebook) Not sure what your ideal ratio is or how to best implement? [Contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Sales Coaching for Sales Professionals: Unlocking Your Potential](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-for-sales-professionals-unlocking-your-potential/) **Published:** January 29, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the dynamic world of sales, and even [founder-led-sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-founder-led-sales/), success is not solely determined by the product or service being offered. It is also determined by the skills and strategies employed by sales professionals and acquired through [**sales coaching**.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/giving-feedback-is-terrible-try-sales-coaching-instead/) To truly excel in the competitive landscape, sales coaching is a powerful tool to unlock the full potential of sales teams and individuals. This article delves into the importance of sales coaching and its key components. Learn how it can significantly enhance the performance of sales professionals. ## The Need for Sales Coaching Sales coaching is not a one-size-fits-all solution but rather a tailored approach to address individual strengths and weaknesses. In an ever-evolving market, where customer expectations and preferences change rapidly, sales professionals and specifically founders doing sales must adapt to stay ahead. Sales coaching provides the necessary guidance and support to navigate these changes effectively. To build effective sales training, you need to keep in mind these key components. ### Goal Setting: Sales coaching begins with setting clear and achievable goals. Whether it’s achieving a specific sales target, improving conversion rates, or enhancing communication skills, well-defined goals serve as the foundation for a [professional sales coaching program.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) ### Skill Development: Sales professionals must possess a diverse skill set to navigate the complexities of their role successfully. Effective communication, active listening, adept objection handling, and strong negotiation skills are indispensable. Recognizing the significance of these skills, sales coaching serves as a valuable platform for professionals to develop and refine their abilities. Through targeted training sessions and immersive practice scenarios, individuals can hone these skills, gaining the confidence and expertise needed to navigate the intricate landscape of sales effectively. Sales coaching, therefore, acts as a catalyst for skill enhancement. It will empower sales professionals to excel in their roles and contribute significantly to organizational success. ### Feedback Mechanism: Constructive feedback is a cornerstone of effective sales coaching. Regular feedback sessions help sales professionals understand their strengths and areas that require improvement. This two-way communication fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement. ### Role-Playing Exercises: Role-playing exercises simulate real-world scenarios and enable sales professionals to practice their skills in a controlled environment. These exercises help build confidence, enhance problem-solving abilities, and improve the overall performance of the sales team. ## Benefits of Sales Coaching Whether you are a found leading sales, a sales director or sales manager, or even a sales rep, sales coaching is a crucial step to accelerate revenue. A customized and effective [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) provides a wide range of benefits that can help every organization to achieve their goals. ### Increased Sales Performance: By addressing skill gaps and refining strategies, sales coaching directly contributes to improved sales performance. Sales professionals equipped with the right skills can position better to meet and exceed their targets. ### Enhanced Team Collaboration: Sales coaching encourages collaboration and teamwork. Sales coaching provides the ability for a common language to be used by all sales team members. From this, individuals on the sales team better understand and appreciate each other’s strengths, they can work together more effectively, leading to a cohesive and high-performing sales team that reaches sales targets ### Adaptability to Market Changes: Sales coaching goes beyond traditional training methods by providing a dynamic and personalized approach to skill development. It addresses not only fundamental sales techniques but also focuses on the nuances of adaptability. Professionals are guided on how to swiftly respond to market changes, staying attuned to shifts in customer preferences, objections that may arise during interactions, and the latest industry trends. The coaching process involves scenario-based training, allowing sales teams to simulate real-world situations. Based on this, teams can develop the flexibility needed to navigate various challenges effectively. ### Higher Job Satisfaction: The impact of sales coaching on job satisfaction is profound. When a company provides sales coaching by their sales leader or with an outside coach it provides an unbelievable amount of good will. One of the biggest things any employee wants is to know their company has their back. It’s much harder to lose an employee when you are supporting them professionally. They want to stay. This is what it means to have a strong sales culture. As professionals engage in targeted training sessions and receive constructive feedback, they witness tangible improvements in their skill set. This not only boosts their confidence but also contributes to a heightened sense of job satisfaction. The recognition of personal growth and the positive correlation with enhanced performance create a positive feedback loop. Sales professionals find fulfillment in overcoming challenges, refining their techniques, and consistently achieving or even surpassing their targets. Sales coaching is not just a luxury but a necessity in the competitive landscape of sales. It unlocks the untapped potential within sales professionals, allowing them to thrive in an ever-changing market. By focusing on goal setting, skill development, constructive feedback, and motivation, sales coaching empowers individuals and teams to reach new heights of success. As the business landscape continues to evolve, investing in sales coaching is a strategic move that can yield significant returns for both sales professionals and the organizations they serve. If you want to know more about [The Seller’s Journey](https://pages.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-sellers-journey), download a copy of my book and learn new techniques to boost your sales team. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The Limits of AI in Sales: What it Can't Do and How You Can Fill the Gaps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-limits-of-ai-in-sales-what-it-cant-do-and-how-you-can-fill-the-gaps/) **Published:** February 19, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the sales landscape, empowering businesses with data-driven insights, automation, and enhanced customer engagement. However, it’s crucial to understand that **AI in sales** has its limitations. While AI excels at various tasks, it still lacks emotion. AI lacks the [humanity](https://youtu.be/uheEvTJEwnI) that is required in some sales. AI lacks compassion, and AI lacks empathy. Will it get there? It certainly seems so. How soon? Well, that depends on the specific skills you think AI can replace. We will explore what [AI in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-ai-in-sales-really-means/) cannot do and how human touch can fill these gaps. We’ve said it before, there is no such thing as a [Buyer’s Journey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-buyers-journey-is-a-lie/), there is only the Buyer’s Experience. ## Building Genuine Relationships Building genuine relationships, handling complex negotiations, understanding unstructured data, and nurturing creativity are aspects where AI falls short. Despite AI’s analytical prowess, it cannot yet replace the authentic human connection necessary for building lasting customer relationships. AI in sales cannot navigate nuanced negotiations that each customer will need to feel understood in their purchasing decisions. AI in sales cannot easily interpret ambiguous data and adjust in a humanizing way. Lastly, AI cannot easily work through a complex [sales cycle](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/navigating-sales-cycles-and-processes-in-your-go-to-market-strategy/) involving 10+ humans and 3+ departments in a way that encapsulates the ultimate buyer’s experience. ### Human Skills vs AI **Sales professionals can maximize their effectiveness by leveraging AI as a complement to human skills.** They must strike the right balance between technology and the personal touch required in the dynamic sales environment. AI can: - get you closer to the goal line, but it cannot always get you over the goal line. - research for you, but it cannot write the term paper in a way that connects human to human. - write the blog post, but does it sound like Richard unless Richard punches it up a bit?- We think not. AI plays a crucial role in sales by efficiently analyzing vast amounts of data to identify potential leads and personalize communication. It automates routine tasks, enabling sales teams to focus on strategic initiatives and high-impact interactions. However, despite its analytical capabilities, [AI in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ai-in-sales-your-selfish-ai-fears/) falls short when it comes to building authentic human connections. This is a cornerstone of lasting relationships in sales. While a personalized email or chatbot interaction can set the stage, it can only go so far in establishing genuine trust with customers. **Sales professionals must step in to foster connections that go beyond automated responses.** Humans have a strong need to be heard and understood. In some cases for small transactions, a digital experience and interface are fine. In larger purchasing decisions, a human is required. ### The Ability of Listening The key to sales is not about talking it is more about listening. And while AI can “listen” to more data faster than a human. It cannot customize and craft that data into a story and narrative in such a way that the customer feels heard. Understanding customer pain points and tailoring solutions to meet specific needs requires a nuanced understanding. This is something that only human-to-human intuition and empathy can provide. To bridge the gap between AI-driven insights and authentic relationship-building, sales professionals should invest time in understanding their customers on a personal level. While AI can offer valuable data points, it’s the human touch that adds the crucial layer of understanding. Salespeople can leverage AI in sales by using it to gather data on their customers’ backgrounds, preferences, and unique challenges. Sales professionals must study this information and learn how to use it wisely to establish a deeper connection. This type of relationship goes beyond the surface-level interactions facilitated by AI. Leveraging AI as a tool to initiate conversations and gather information is essential. However, the real magic happens when interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence take over. Human interaction brings a level of warmth and understanding that is difficult for AI to replicate. It involves active listening, recognizing subtle cues, and responding empathetically to customer needs. **These elements contribute significantly to the development of trust and long-term relationships.** ## Handling Complex Negotiations Purchases are now made by teams, not groups, and not individuals. The human is vastly afraid to decide on their own and organizations have built up a tremendous amount of red tape to get these decisions made. Selling into an organization is more like surviving Squid Games than playing Whack-A-Mole. There are multiple teams and multiple members on each team we must navigate through. And the water is thicker than the chocolate river in Willy Wonka. With this many people being Negotiations in sales often involve a delicate interplay of nuance, emotion, and unpredictable variables that make them inherently human-centric. While AI algorithms excel at analyzing historical data and suggesting optimal pricing strategies, they fall short when it comes to navigating the subtleties of human negotiation. ### The Human Art of Negotiation The art of negotiating extends beyond numerical analysis. It requires the ability to comprehend and respond to a complex array of human emotions and motivations. Compromise, empathy, and a deep understanding of the unique dynamics at play are skills that remain firmly in the realm of human expertise. Making sure everyone on every team feels heard, understood, and appreciated for their role in the decision. In this context, sales professionals play a pivotal role in honing their negotiation skills. Salespeople must delve into the intricacies of customer motivations, and remain agile enough to adapt their strategies in real time. If you were a buyer, would you trust negotiating with a machine at this stage? Would you trust the machine is being fair? Would you feel like you’ve been heard? **Unless it’s a transactional sale negotiations have to be left to humans to conduct with humans, period.** **AI in sales may be supportive in giving humans information to be used in the negotiations. However, it cannot do the negotiating for you at this stage. In a B2C (Business to Consumer) world, that is already happening.** It will take some time for it to be effective in a B2B world. ## Understanding Unstructured Data AI excels at processing structured data, but it struggles with unstructured information such as ambiguous customer feedback, social media sentiments, and nuanced conversations. Human intuition and contextual understanding are essential for interpreting these unstructured data sources accurately. What you can do: Use AI-generated insights and the real-world context to extend your ability and reach into the emotional part of the buyer’s experience. Use this information to meet your customer in their headspace. Use your judgment to interpret unstructured data and extract valuable insights that may not be apparent to AI algorithms. Stand on the shoulder’s of AI and you will reach unlimited potential ## Nurturing Creativity **Creativity is a uniquely human trait that drives innovation and problem-solving.** While AI can analyze patterns and suggest solutions based on historical data, it lacks the creative spark necessary for out-of-the-box thinking. Sales situations often require inventive approaches to stand out in a competitive market. What you can do: Embrace creativity in your sales process. Use AI as a tool to streamline routine tasks, allowing more time for brainstorming creative solutions to complex problems. Think beyond data-driven strategies to find unique ways to address customer needs. ## AI is Coming For Sales Jobs AI is coming for your sales job. Just like it came for the farmers. Just like it came for the assembly line workers, and just like it came for the checkout line at the grocery store. AI will take away roles in the sales world. If you are in sales in 2024, your priority is to hone your skills to become an enterprise salesperson as soon as possible. The SDR role is shifting and may evaporate first. Followed by some SMB closing roles. And certainly, some Mid-Market AE roles will last a bit longer. The true Enterprise sales role has the greatest advantage of surviving the longest as AI takes over sales. Enterprise deals have the longest sales cycles, and the most number of decision-makers, and are negotiated at varying levels of complexity a machine cannot do. And there is one other role that may be safer than the enterprise sales role. That could be the role of Customer Success. When something goes wrong, humans want to talk to humans, not machines. When someone wants to buy more of something or add on, humans often want to talk to humans. ## Conclusion AI has undoubtedly transformed the sales landscape. It offers businesses valuable insights and streamlining operations through the automation of repetitive tasks. The efficiency gains and data-driven decision-making facilitated by AI have significantly contributed to the evolution of sales processes. However, it’s crucial to recognize that while AI excels in specific areas, there are inherent limitations to its capabilities. The human touch remains irreplaceable when it comes to the nuanced aspects of sales, such as: - building genuine relationships, - navigating complex negotiations, - interpreting unstructured data, and - fostering creativity. **In the dynamic realm of sales, building genuine relationships goes beyond the capabilities of AI-driven tools.** Establishing trust and rapport with clients requires a level of empathy, emotional intelligence, and authentic connection. These are aspects that human sales professionals uniquely provide. Thus, it is crucial to train your team not only on the use of AI during sales processes but also on their soft skills. The combination of innovation and human touch is crucial to succeed in the sales world and stand out in the competitive arena. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** artificial intelligence, remote sales, Sales --- ### [What Are You Doing For Your Employees?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-are-you-doing-for-your-employees/) **Published:** July 27, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** On behalf of all the hard working parents who aren’t able to say this, “Eff-You!” Yes, that’s right. If you, **the company**, haven’t come up with something other than “hit the number”, then you are doing it wrong. *What’s your plan?* Your employees are thinking about this, but in many cases, are afraid to say something. I recently discussed how employees should [negotiate their work from home expenses](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/negotiating-your-work-from-home-expenses/), but many are afraid to do that too. Ultimately, they shouldn’t [have to negotiate](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e4-negotiating-salary/) because you should have a plan in place. So, what’s your plan for your hard working people who fit one of these many scenarios right now? 1. Single WFH parents with a child(ren) in school 2. Single WFH parents with child(ren) in distance learning 3. Single WFH parents with a child(ren) in a hybrid model 4. Single WFH parents with multiple children at different school locations 5. 2 income households working from home with a child(ren) in school 6. 2 income households working from home with child(ren) in distance learning 7. 2 income households working from home with a child(ren) in a hybrid model 8. 2 income households with multiple children at different school locations 9. 1 working parent/ 1 at home parent working from home with a child(ren) in school 10. 1 working parent/ 1 working from home with child(ren) in distance learning 11. 1 working parent/ 1 working from the home parent with a child(ren) in a hybrid model 12. 1 working parent/ 1 working from home parent multiple child(ren) at different school locations Also: Caring for elderly parents. You want people in the office, but kids are at home. We’ve all heard the sentiment lately, “We’re in this together”. But, if you haven’t thought through a plan for your own team, how much of this are we really in *together*? Think I’m wrong? Challenge me ([contact](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) me, DM on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415), call me at 415-596-9149). I double dog dare you. Just bring your A-Game! **Categories:** Blog, Sales, WFH, Work From Home --- ### [Negotiating your Work From Home Expenses](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/negotiating-your-work-from-home-expenses/) **Published:** July 1, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ![sam clar office furniture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SamClar-460x344.png) As [WFH](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/living-wfh-through-the-holidays/) will continue to be the new normal [it’s important that companies and employees](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-are-you-doing-for-your-employees/) take a good look at what it takes to have healthy work from home policies, especially around the equipment needed. And most importantly, who is responsible for it? Whether you are in inside sales, field sales, marketing, engineering, HR, IT, this stuff matters, a lot. We believe that companies should build strong cultures, and as such, it’s up to the company to provide these resources. Now, if you are in need of a job, bills, family, rent, mortgage, etc. Then we will absolutely support that you need not negotiate too hard on these things. But if you can, don’t let them do this to you! Do not let your company IKEA you for WFH! Do not let your company Stipend you for WFH! The hidden costs of WFH that your employer should start paying for. Whether you are in [\#sales](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=sales&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6683793396160708608), [\#marketing](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=marketing&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6683793396160708608), [\#HR](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=hr&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6683793396160708608), [\#Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=engineering&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6683793396160708608), [\#IT](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=it&highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6683793396160708608), this matters. **$700 – Phone** Yes, that could be a little pricey, but keep the following in mind. Who’s owns the data on the phone? What if something gets sent out by accident on your personal phone that could affect your company? What if your company asks you to turn over your phone and then they have access to everything personal about you. I know we don’t like to think about this stuff, but companies are having this discussion. Remember everything is fine until… it’s not fine. **$1200 – Unlimited Phone Data Plan $100/ month** You don’t get to piggyback off my data plan. The operative word, “MY”. **$1800 – High-Speed Internet $150/ month**. You want me to have good zoom calls right? You don’t want to give our prospects and customers we can’t afford something like this do you? Again, you don’t get to piggyback off my internet any more than my neighbor’s teenager. **$200 – 2nd monitor** Yup, gotta have one to be more effective. **$400 – Desk, need a good ergonomic desk** Not talking some IKEA $99 special. Imagine what the workman’s comp claim might be like **$300 – Chair – yup, need a good ergonomic chair** Not talking some IKEA $99 special. Imagine what the workman’s comp claim might be like **$300 – Printer** Ok, maybe not a printer anymore, but docusign, echosign, pandadoc, etc. **$150 – Headset** Definitely need something with good noise reduction. **$140 – Microphone** Have you watched the news lately? Can you tell how bad it sounds? Don’t treat your customers like this. **$50 – Lamp** Something a little directional, something. So how do we “negotiate” these things? I think its important to first create a list of the things you need. Then start with questions like this… *“So, as we look to set up for success, it seems to me these are the things that are necessary, \_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, etc. How are you addressing the costs associated with this?”* I would suggest asking for what you think is reasonable in the current situation. And by all means, DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE. If you have a desk, don’t ask for them to buy you a new one. If you have a monitor, don’t ask them to buy you a new one, etc. It’s important EVERYONE act fairly and in good faith. What happens if they say they won’t pay for things? You could ask questions like this: 1\. What was the per-employee for lunches? 2\. What was your per-employee overhead cost? 3\. What were your per-employee costs for monitors, headsets, lamps? 4\. What were your per-employee high-speed internet costs? And so on… Remember, just don’t let them IKEA you! Oh, if you need some help, check out my friends at [Sam Clar Office Furniture](https://express.samclar.com/) they’ve got some excellent and affordable stuff. And no, I don’t get a kickback but feel free to tell them I sent you. What did I miss that you feel are must-haves for your WFH setup? **Categories:** Blog, Field Sales, Inside Sales, Marketing, Sales, WFH, Work From Home --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E4 - Negotiating Salary](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e4-negotiating-salary/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ever wondered why all these executives who get fired get some kind of severance? Ever wondered if it could apply to you? Well, it does, and yes you can. Join Richard Harris and Scott Leese as they discuss [how to negotiate](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e1-negotiating-a-higher-salary-with-sam-mckenna/) EVERYTHING into your salary including: - Base Salary - Commissions - PTO - Work From Home - Education - Student Loan Repayment - and yes, even your Severance Pay This session covers all the things you “wished someone would tell you” but hasn’t yet. [Check out this episode!](http://traffic.libsyn.com/surfandsales/SurfandSalesPodcastS1E4NegotiatingSalary.m4a?dest-id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Supercharging Your Revenue with Customer Success Ops](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/supercharging-your-revenue-with-customer-success-ops/) **Published:** November 29, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the modern age of lightning-fast communications on social media, bad reviews travel fast. If you want to keep your bottom line growing while ensuring your customers are satisfied, your customer success department can be one of the most influential parts of your company. Customer success ops are an often hidden but crucial aspect of any growing brand. Whether your company is just starting or already well-established, retaining as many customers as possible is pivotal to its success. In this blog, we’ll show you how you can improve your [customer success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-keys-to-achieving-customer-success-beyond-the-sale/) ops department to supercharge your revenue and create a healthier, more productive workplace. ### **Reward Your Top-Performers** Working in customer success ops can be a daunting task. After all, your performance will usually make the difference between a retained customer and churned one. As such, people working in [customer success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-hacker-revenue-summit-2018-sales-marketing-customer-success-alignment-building-a-winning-enablement-feedback-loop/) can easily get discouraged if they feel like their performance or the product they represent is making customers unsatisfied. While this might not initially seem like a pressing issue, it can lead to significant burnout and moral loss over time at the employee level. And lost revenue equating to hundreds of thousands of dollars in lifetime value (LTV) of your customer. How can you counteract the pressures and anxieties of working in [customer success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/elevating-customer-success-the-power-of-sales-training/) ops? By rewarding your people. When your customer success representatives perform, reward them. Deconstruct the activities of your high performers. Look for repeatable processes and patterns. Work to build a program that can be taught to help everyone on the team improve. Aside from compensation, teaching and giving your team a growth mindset and experience is a requirement for employee retention. If you do not offer this, then someone else will. So what are the things a Customer Success Ops teams should be tracking? Net retention, the percentage of customers that renew their contracts compared to those who do not. Lifetime Value (LTV). Whether you sell Saas or traditional products or services, understanding how much money you can expect from a customer is very important to growth. Even traditional companies like Verizon or ATT calculate an LTV. What’s the LTV of someone out of college to a mobile phone company for 50 years? How about the cable company, or your grocery store? Usage statistics are critical too. Things like DAU (Daily Active Users), Login Frequency, Average time in your platform or service and support requests. All of this can give you valuable insights into how your customers are using your service. It can provide visibility to churn if the numbers are low, and it can help you identify patterns of success by your customer to share with new customers to ensure they are equally successful. Furthermore, critical client reviews can help you alter and optimize your sales process by ironing out the kinks that might get in the way of a sale. The more your customer success reps talk to existing satisfied and unsatisfied clients, the more knowledge your entire organization will have. This affects revenue, the product roadmap, better handling customer objections and it will teach you and your team exactly what to say, and how to say it in relation to your customers’ points of view, not your features and benefits. Empower your sales reps by ensuring that your sales department and customer success ops communicate regularly. ### **Avoid These Customer Success Mistakes** Customer success ops can change the course of your business. But they can also become a liability if your organization makes some common mistakes. Here are a couple to look out for when directing your customer success ops department: **Ambiguous Tasks** ustomer success operations have a tough task ahead of them. Their job requires merging the responsibilities of the sales, customer service, and customer success, while also keeping a keen eye on the lookout for information for product marketing, and your engineering team for new features to be built or added.Because their duties cover such a wide range of activities, the life of a CSOps person can often become stressful – but it doesn’t have to. Business studies have shown that one of the leading causes of burnout and workplace mental fatigue is job ambiguity. In other words, when people don’t know precisely what their duties are, they can suffer from immense stress and pressure at work. They can never feel truly fulfilled with their job because they never know exactly what their job is. One of the simplest yet most influential things you can do to ensure all of your employees can have a productive, efficient, and fulfilling work experience is to give them a well-defined job. Whether you look at the business, sports, or military world, all top performers have one thing in common: they’re highly specialized. If you can’t describe your CSM’s job in one sentence, it’s too general. **Not Celebrating Small Wins** If you’re not celebrating small wins in your CS department, your company culture is dying. Customer success ops are unique in that their work is never truly done. There will always be a new customer to retain or another crisis to pacify. As such, many customer success reps can begin to feel as if the goalposts are always moving – they can never reach their goal. Making sure you have a strong relationship between your customer success team and your customer success ops team is critical to culture and company growth. If you want your customer success ops to succeed, you must start celebrating the small wins. Not every day will one of your customer success reps retain a client who everyone thought was unsavable. That report they build, it matters. The dashboard to help leadership, it matters. The tools they choose and have implemented, matter. By paying attention to the little things, the revenue takes care of itself. Do not take your Customer Success Ops team for granted. Their actions and activities may not seem as interesting or action-packed as retaining a lost client, but they make up the backbone of your business’s revenue. Let them know you are aware, and let them know you care. The term “corporate culture” is often thrown around in modern business. Every company leader wants their organization to have a culture, but few know what it is and how to build it. Some business leaders think that installing a pingpong table in the break room creates culture – it doesn’t. Corporate culture is forged when the values and behaviors of workers are aligned and unified toward a singular goal. Celebrate the small wins, and the big wins will come! Customer success ops is a unique part of your organization. Similar to the sales department, it works on the front lines, interacts with clients, and has a direct impact on your company’s bottom line. But unlike salespeople, customer success reps don’t have a well-defined, rigid goal when working with customers. For salespeople, the task is clear: close a deal. For customer success representatives, things are a bit more tricky. They must have not only the problem-solving skills to retain clients but also the psychological knowledge and tactics to get customers to open up about what’s bothering them. When it comes to running customer success ops, mentally tough, purpose-driven CSMs can make the difference between a successful department and an unmotivated one. If you want to learn more about supercharging your customer success ops department, check out our [webinar on-demand here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-every-revenue-leader-should-care-about-customer-success), where CEO of [Gainsight](https://www.gainsight.com), Nick Mehta joins us. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Stop calling it a sales playbook. It's a sales cookbook!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/stop-calling-it-a-sales-playbook-its-a-sales-cookbook/) **Published:** July 27, 2017 **Author:** Josh **Content:** Sports analogies are to sales as urinal troughs are to baseball. They go hand in hand, glove on hand because a baseball game is straightforward. A basketball game is simple. Team A competes against team B. Whoever scores the most points wins. Is it a sales playbook or a cookbook? We compare inside sales to sports because we want sales to be as straightforward as a sports game, with a defined “winner and loser.” It’s easier for us to think of selling as a game, and selling strategies as plays in a playbook. But inside sales isn’t a sport, and treating it as such won’t get you very far in today’s sales climate, because with that mindset, it means if you win, the other person loses and that is why your buyer hates dealing with you. Now don’t get us wrong, we believe there is a winning element to sales. And no, not a win-win, everyone gets a trophy scenario. This winning is about succeeding in your mission. Sales is not about outplaying your prospect, it’s about making sure your prospect understands the real value your product or service brings to their daily work and personal life.” ***“Sales is not about outplaying your prospect, it’s about making sure your prospect understands the real value your product or service brings to their daily work AND personal life.”*** Rather than a straightforward A to B structure, selling is a complex brew of variables. And it’s only getting brothier. If you’ve been paying attention to the industry, you’ve probably noticed that sales cycles are getting longer. More stakeholders are involved in a consensus buying process. There’s more competition, a bigger concern for ROI, and almost an expectation for customization. What was easy is now *complicated.* And when things get complicated, salespeople need to get creative. They need to learn how to improvise. From our perspective, plays from a [sales playbook](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e76-what-must-be-in-your-sales-playbook-with-vp-revenue-jake-reni-of-tiled/) don’t allow for enough improvisation. But cookbooks do. # Sales Recipes Most recipes in a cookbook serve as a jumping off point. When followed to a T, these recipes (usually) produce good food. But the more familiar you are with the recipes, the better you become at playing with the ingredients to adjust the outcome. That’s what good cooks do. That’s what *chefs* do. They start with a basic recipe, then extrapolate, revise and modify. Experiment. That’s when stuff gets tasty! Good inside salespeople are like chefs. They know that no matter how many sales tactics and sales strategies they memorize, there will always be a selling situation that just doesn’t fit, and they’re going to need the flexibility to experiment with different spices and flavors. # Sales Enablement So what are these ingredients? What the absolute heck am I really talking about? Let’s get specific. As a salesperson, your ingredients are your information–information about the prospect and their industry. Information about competitors and industry trends. And let’s not forget your secret sauce, the real *value* your solution brings to the table, the ***Why and How factor, not the What factor.*** Ingredients equal the information necessary to do your job at peak effectiveness. And where do those ingredients come from? The sales enablement process–The official 2017 Sales Buzz Word of The Year! ***Sales Enablement is the process of gathering, organizing, and delivering salespeople the most pertinent information, data, and tools to help them sell at peak effectiveness.*** If done well, sales enablement supplies you with enough relevant ingredients to cook something amazing in multiple ways. And if ingredients are information, then recipe directions are our sales strategies. Combine them and you should be able to adjust to, and overcome, any sales situation you encounter. # Sales Secret Sauce – Calm Confidence Let’s put this idea into practice. First, a cooking scenario: You’re making your favorite pasta dish for a dinner party. Among other ingredients, the original recipe calls for cheese and cream. You’ve already started cooking when you remember that some of your guests are vegan. People are arriving. Everyone’s hungry. But you’re good at this. You know enough recipes, and enough about food to tinker with it in the moment. Suddenly cream becomes pureed tofu. Parmesan becomes a blend of cashews, salt, and garlic powder. Problem. Solution. Happiness. Now let’s look at the sales version of that scenario. You’ve got a second meeting set up with your prospect. You were told it’s going to be you and your two prospects, a VP of Sales and a Director of Sales, both of whom were on the first call. You get to the office, they show you to the conference room, and suddenly three people walk in. In addition to your two prospects, they have brought the CRO. What do you do? Because you’ve gone through solid sales enablement training, you know your ingredients well, so you take this in stride, already prepared. Having done your homework, you know your prospects pains based on their titles. More importantly, you’ve also done your research on the CRO, and know her unique pains well enough to be able to address them. You’re calm, confident, and to your surprise, excited, because you now have a major decision maker in the room. All you need to do is adjust your ingredients. It might be a good idea to sprinkle some topics that directly relate to the CRO’s pain perspectives, onto the agenda. Based on her role, perhaps you can modify a few discovery questions to confirm her pains. # Conclusion See, compared to a sales cookbook, a sales playbook just isn’t as adaptable to such a situation. A playbook tends to offer very specific, guided instructions focused a specific process. Got an SLA between SDRs and AE’s? There’s a play for that. Trying to sell to folks in New York City and Birmingham, Alabama? That’s more a cookbook’s territory. Here’s another way to think about it: Want to know why The Rock is the *definitive* people’s champion? Because he didn’t just stick to the book, he improvised. He played to the crowd. He was *dynamic.* You could even say he …. cooks. And it smells delicious. **Categories:** Blog, Inside Sales **Tags:** inside sales, Inside Sales Team, Sales, sales leadership, sales philosophy, sales training, SDR --- ### [Top 5 Reasons Why Your Sales Training Will Fail](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-5-reasons-why-your-sales-training-will-fail/) **Published:** July 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The sales department is the beating heart of your company. No other team in your organization has the same influence on your brand’s success or failure. If your sales team isn’t well trained and optimized to perform in the modern business world, your company will suffer. The best way to ensure your salespeople are equipped for success is with a sales training program. Unfortunately, there are several pitfalls that will ruin the efficacy of your [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/driving-results-with-sales-training-why-it-matters-more-than-ever/). In this guide, we’ll introduce the top five reasons why your sales training will fail, and give tips and strategies to overcome these critical blunders. ### **Reason 1: No Executive Support** The success of any company, sales team, or training depends on robust leadership. An influential leader doesn’t just give orders, make rules, and set meetings. They must also be able to inspire their team, share their goals, and most importantly, answer the question “*why?*” If your company’s executive managers don’t fully understand, support, and encourage the sales training, it will [fail](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/thcg-links/). From the [President](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-presidents-club-in-2021/) and CEO downward, every person in the chain of command must be able to explain *why* the sales training is happening. After all, if the CEO doesn’t understand why the sales team needs training, how can the individual sales representative be expected to? Not only must executives believe in what they are doing, but they must also convey their vision and mission to their salespeople. If the sales department doesn’t understand *why* they should be paying attention and applying the training, the course won’t be effective. Successful sales training starts with influential leadership. ### **Reason 2: Low Expectations Lead to Low Results** If you believe the myth, “If we close two deals, it pays for itself,” then you are leaving money on the table. If you want your sales training to succeed, you must have a clear, well-defined goal and vision for what you want to get out of it. For that to be possible, you must set your expectations accordingly. Many sales department heads and managers make the mistake of underestimating the power of their sales training and setting low expectations. Your sales training shouldn’t just create a small boost in your numbers, it should change the way you sell! After all, if your company spends time and money on a comprehensive sales training program, you want it to benefit for years to come. When you buy sales training, you should be expecting a minimum of 10x return on your investment. Meaning, if you spend $10,000 on a sales training program, you should get a return of at least $100,000. If you have a team of more than five salespeople, you should be expecting even more! Choose a sales training program that you are confident will bring you significant results, not just a small revenue boost. ### **Reason 3: You Don’t Learn How to Add Value** At its core, sales are all about showing the client that your product is the ideal solution to their problem. To do this effectively, salespeople must know how to add value to a conversation. Adding value means framing the client’s problem in a way that makes it urgent and explicit. For example, if a prospect knows that they have a leadership problem in their organization, they might not immediately move to fix it. But if a customer sees that their difficulty is costing them $15,000 every month (or $180,000 every year), the matter becomes urgent. Adding a dollar value to your client’s pain is key to making them take action. Unfortunately, not all sales training programs and sales coaches are equal. Oftentimes, sales reps, leaders, and [trainers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/choosing-a-sales-trainer-that-elevates-your-team/) aren’t skilled or knowledgeable enough to effectively define what adding value really means and then teach the team how to do it. That’s why your sales training *must* have a specific exercise to teach your sales reps how to calculate the economic impact their customers face. If it doesn’t, your sales team will miss countless opportunities. ### **Reason 4: Generic Sales Training** Your brand is unique. It offers an exceptional product, unrivaled customer service, and an excellent company culture. You never settle for the bare minimum, so why would you settle for a generic sales training program. If you want your sales training to succeed, it must be personalized to your sales team and to the challenges it faces and customized to your own customers’ experiences. To overcome this hurdle, many sales training coaches claim that their sales training is “customized,” when in reality, you get the same generic training as everyone else (just with a bigger price tag). If a sales coach claims that they customize their training to your unique company, they should be able to clearly explain their strategy and approach to personalizing the program. If they can’t paint a clear picture of what they do, why they do it, and how it benefits you and your customer, chances are that you’re getting ineffective, generic sales training. Take the time to research your [sales training program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5weeks) and make sure that it will benefit your company. Skipping this step will cost you thousands of dollars and countless wasted hours. ### **Reason 5: No Reinforcement** All doctors have gone to medical school. But would you rather get heart surgery from a surgeon who has done hundreds of operations, or a physician who’s doing one for the first time? Learning something in a classroom is one thing, but applying it in real life is another. Humans are smart, but the way we learn, memorize, and apply information in sales is still flawed. After your sales team does a training program, chances are that they don’t remember everything they learned. In fact, studies have shown that they might even forget up to 50% of what they learned after only 24 hours. How can we fix this, you ask? With reinforcement. By having your salespeople consistently repeating and applying the principles they learned, they reinforce the good habits acquired from sales training. If your sales program doesn’t include at least three weeks of reinforcement and coaching, you are setting your team up for disaster. Do your due diligence when picking a course and ensure that the post-training support is just as good as the initial training itself! The best sales training programs will include reinforcement for your sales team and your sales leadership team. Finding a robust, comprehensive, and professional sales training program can be a challenge. That’s why we created the *4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program*! In this course, your team will learn industry-leading techniques and tactics for discovery, prospecting, and qualifying in today’s fast-paced business world. [Click here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks) to learn more and find out why companies like Google and Zoom partner with us to supercharge their sales teams! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The 4 Views You Must Have to Create a Successful Sales Kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-4-views-you-must-have-to-create-a-successful-sales-kickoff/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We are at a time of the year when you should start planning your **annual [Sales Kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-not-to-fup-your-saleskickoff/)**. People usually wait until the last minute to build their SKO agenda and they end up running out of time and ideas. Most of the [Sales Kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/kickass-sales-kickoff-meeting-part-1/) meetings are something like this: - Introduction - CEO: speech - VP of sales: speech about the SKO - Previous Year Review - Marketing: New programs, upcoming campaigns, click throughs. - Product Marketing: new product release and demonstration. - Sales Tema: best deal closing stories - Evening activity and awards ceremony. If you don’t want to miss this golden opportunity to **improve your Sales Team’s skills**, continue reading and learn the four visions you need for a kick ass [sales kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-makes-a-good-sales-kickoff/). Most of the time, leaders have wonderful sales training ideas but they vanish along the way since they forget what sales kickoff are meant for. So here **is the most important secret to produce a successful sales kickoff meeting**: **Define the skills and behaviors you want to improve** [Before starting your Sales Kickoff agenda, define the behaviors you want your sales team to change and the skills you need them to improve. ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fthe-4-views-you-must-have-to-create-a-successful-sales-kickoff%2F&text=Before%20starting%20your%20Sales%20Kickoff%20agenda%2C%20define%20the%20behaviors%20you%20want%20your%20sales%20team%20to%20change%20and%20the%20skills%20you%20need%20them%20to%20improve.&related)[Share on X](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fthe-4-views-you-must-have-to-create-a-successful-sales-kickoff%2F&text=Before%20starting%20your%20Sales%20Kickoff%20agenda%2C%20define%20the%20behaviors%20you%20want%20your%20sales%20team%20to%20change%20and%20the%20skills%20you%20need%20them%20to%20improve.&related) Avoid the mistake of boring your audience by choosing the wrong topics to discuss around sales performance and improvement. . Before planning your sales kickoff agenda, set the four strategic visions. ## 60,000’ View **Establish your strategy and desired outcomes you expect from the sales team for the following months and quarters**. Then, share this with the speakers from marketing, engineering, sales ops and other content providers involved in the SKO. This will help you align the content and focus of every stage of the meeting. In case you are not sure how to figure out this points, fill in the following statement: “After the kickoff meeting the sales team should be able to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ better.” One effective SKO will make the sales team being able to: 1. Increase quality volume into the funnel (prospecting). 2. Increase velocity through the funnel (qualifying & closing) If you take a second, you will discover that these outcomes do not match up with the original [sales kickoff agenda](https://hbr.org/2005/10/the-office-of-strategy-management). ## 30,000’ View At this point you should take the first two goals and break them down and **focus on specific skills you want to change in your sales team.** 1. Increase quality volume into the funnel 1.1 Improve prospecting skills around need and access to authority 1.2 Improve listening skills 1.3 Improve Live Cold Calling Skills 1.4 Improve Best Email Subject Line Creation 1.5 Improve Best Calls To Action in an Email 1.6 Improve LinkedIn Social Selling Skills 1. Increase velocity through the funnel 2.1 Improve Discovery Skills around Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, or Timeline 2.2 Improve negotiations and stop discounting 2.3 Improve closing skills ## 10,000’ View Once you have identified your main goals of the sales kickoff meeting and the skills and behavior you want to improve in your sales team, it is time to build the training sessions. At this stage **it is highly important to create engaging sessions led by a good facilitator and not make this step just a boring lecture or death by powerpoint.** Probably, most people would stop here and finish their sales kickoff, my suggestion is to go a little further. ## 500 Foot View After a productive training session, **it’s essential to continue the momentum by incorporating a variety of engaging exercises and role play activities.** By doing so, you can reinforce the newly acquired knowledge and skills, and foster a deeper understanding among the participants. One effective exercise to consider is a group brainstorming session, where participants can openly share their ideas and insights related to the training topic. This encourages collaboration and allows everyone to contribute their unique perspectives. Additionally, this exercise promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as participants work together to generate innovative solutions. This type of activity not only enhances their analytical skills but also encourages them to apply the acquired knowledge in practical situations. During role play activities, **participants can develop their communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, which are crucial for effective sales strategies.** ## Conclusion [Role play is an engaging activity that allows participants to develop their soft skills and put their knowledge into practice. ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fthe-4-views-you-must-have-to-create-a-successful-sales-kickoff%2F&text=Role%20play%20is%20an%20engaging%20activity%20that%20allows%20participants%20to%20develop%20their%20soft%20skills%20and%20put%20their%20knowledge%20into%20practice.&related)[Share on X](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fthe-4-views-you-must-have-to-create-a-successful-sales-kickoff%2F&text=Role%20play%20is%20an%20engaging%20activity%20that%20allows%20participants%20to%20develop%20their%20soft%20skills%20and%20put%20their%20knowledge%20into%20practice.&related) By incorporating the aforementioned views into your [sales kickoff planning](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-plan-a-sales-kickoff-learn-the-step-by-step-and-boost-your-business/), you set the stage for transforming an ordinary meeting into a kickass one. Remember: a successful sales kickoff meeting goes beyond just providing information and inspiration; it aims to instill a strong sales culture within your team. This involves creating an environment that nurtures a growth mindset, reinforces the importance of continuous learning, and encourages the adoption of best practices. Include **interactive workshops, training sessions, and motivational talks** in your SKO agenda and empower your team to embrace new challenges, refine their skills, and strive for excellence. A well-planned and executed sales kickoff is more than about setting the tone for the company. It’s about setting the tone for the culture and community of your team. When done properly everyone wins. Planning your sales kickoff meeting can be a complex overwhelming task. And the good news is you don’t have to do it alone. If you find yourself in need of brainstorming ideas or require additional assistance to organize your sales kickoff, or looking for a [game changing speaker](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-kickoff/), don’t hesitate to reach me. And yes, this would be a free [“Can I pick your brain” conversation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e20-from-picking-your-brain-to-charging-for-your-time-with-anthony-natoli/). So, why wait? Start planning your kickass sales kickoff meeting today! **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** sales kickoff meeting, Sales Team, sko --- ### [What Makes a Good Sales Kickoff?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-makes-a-good-sales-kickoff/) **Published:** November 14, 2016 **Author:** Josh **Content:** It’s that time of year. That time when everything you’ve been planning for either happens or it doesn’t. And on top of that, it’s time to start planning for next year, which for many businesses means planning a sales kickoff event (SKO). So how do you plan for a successful SKO? 1. Is it reviewing the numbers? Sort of. 2. Is it the unveiling of a new product, service, or feature set? Perhaps. 3. Is it the Rah-Rah speech from the CEO? Maybe. 4. Is it the announcement of new marketing initiatives to support lead generation and demand generation efforts? Getting warmer. You know what really sets the best sales kickoffs apart from the mediocre ones? Providing your sales team with something more valuable than they had before they walked in. Often times, people put too much stock in performance reviews, new products and services, and marketing plans. While these initiatives have their place, they are often just band-aids to the bigger issue at hand, which is: How do we help the sales team close more deals? While product knowledge and marketing plans may influence this desired outcome, they don’t do much in the way of improving close ratios, discovery and qualification of opportunities, and forecasts. Now hear me out for a second. If your Sales Kickoff doesn’t focus on improving a particular skillset through sales training and sales coaching, then all you’ll be doing is accelerating the suck factor. You’re just making it more likely that your sales reps will take more of a “Show-up and Throw-up” approach when selling. Or your sales team or SDRs will not do as a good of a job in the qualifying or discovery stages of the sales process. To ensure that your [sales kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-kickoff/) actually improves your sales reps skill sets, and enhances lead generation and deal closings, [follow these tips](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/10-tips-for-selling-into-the-k12-and-education-market/) when planning your next Sales Kickoff Meeting. ## **Tip 1: Define the Behavior You Want to Change You can do this by filling in the blanks to the following question: After the SKO, we expect the Sales (SDR, Customer Success) Teams to be better at \_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_. ## **Tip 2: Go Deeper** Most of the time, Sales VPs will say something like, “We want the sales team to be better at discovery and closing.” That’s a good start, but as they say, the devil is in the details. When someone says discovery, we typically respond with, “That’s great, but let me ask you something. Can you provide me with your definition of discovery as it relates to your organization? Are there specific instances you are seeing over and over in your pipeline review meetings that indicate a skill gap?” Once you answer this, then you’ll know exactly what you want your SKO training and sales coaching around discovery should encompass. With this level of detail, you can now begin to build your agenda in a more targeted way. You can also include this in your communications with other department heads so they can help influence the training, even during their [presentations to the sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e34-how-i-captured-the-wolf-of-wallstreet-with-brandon-bornancin-of-seamless.ai/) teams. But wait, there’s more. ## **Tip 3: Role Playing Matters** When it comes to sales training, role playing is an absolute must have, not a nice to have. With an average pf 6+ people engaged in the buyers’ journey, you simply cannot easily provide a one size fits all approach to sales training and coaching. The good news is that today’s newest inside sales professionals are eager to learn, and don’t mind role playing. They crave interactive communications and feedback, and they thrive on the attention. This is in contrast to the old guard of sales, who often times acts like a lone wolf. They think they don’t need role-playing, they find it beneath them. And they sometimes think that all SKOs and sales training sessions are all the same. But there are a few ways to get through to these curmudgeons. 1. 1. Ask them to participate in a leadership capacity for the role playing game. 2. Ask them to participate by providing Real Play scenarios. (**Real Play is when a participant describes a complex deal they sold somewhere in their profession and provides real insights into how they moved it forward.)** 3. Ask them to help create the role-playing scenarios so they make sure people are [learning something](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e59-why-its-good-to-be-selling-services-during-a-recession-from-3m-quota-carrying-f500-sales-legend-scott-ingrim/). 4. Ask them to leave. Let’s face it, in many sales organizations, there are just folks you can’t help because they can’t get out of their own way. So if they are going to be a distraction to the rest of the sales team, then let them leave the room with their negative energy. You’d be surprised how many will decide to stay and participate. Plus, those who leave (and those who stay with a shitty attitude) can give you the opportunity to make decisions with real data. ## **Tip 4: Find the Right Sales Trainer(s)** We know many companies love to shake it up by bringing in a renowned sales leader to assist with Sales Kick Off sales training. Many of us can actually come to any SKO and deliver something very solid that will work. But imagine how much better the training would be if you shared your insights from this exercise with your sales consultant? Their material may not change a lot, but we can assure you, the delivery and the execution will be stronger, provide more value, and allow for greater coaching after the SKO. ## **Tip 5: Define Who Owns Sales Coaching** Did you know there’s a football seminar that guarantees participants will be as good as Tom Brady after just four hours of training? There is also a new app that lets you learn how to play any song on the guitar better than Eddie Van Halen. Yeah, you’re right, those don’t exist, so here is your final tip on delivering quality sales training at your SKO meeting. Define who owns sales coaching. This means that whatever sales skills you want your sales team to learn and improve upon, someone in the organization needs to own the coaching aspect post SKO. You need to build in real call coaching, call debriefing, and feedback into your routine as a sales leader or sales manager. There is no report, document, white paper, or book that can do more for the success of your sales team than real live coaching. And whether it’s management coaching or peer-to-peer coaching, there are some amazing tools that can help you with coaching and feedback. They won’t do it for you, but they can help. But failure to define sales coaching after any sales kickoff or sales training is the single biggest reason why training becomes useless in the minds of your sales team. We’d love to hear from you. What are some of your best and worst experiences with SKOs? If you have launched, or are going to be launching, your Sales Kickoff Planning, we’d love to help you. [Click here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) to schedule a FREE 30 MINUTE SKO STRATEGY DISCUSSION. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Kickoff --- ### [Effective Sales Management: Understanding and Managing Different Personalities](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/effective-sales-management-understanding-and-managing-different-personalities/) **Published:** August 8, 2024 **Author:** Carrie **Content:** Navigating the diverse landscape of personalities in a professional setting is crucial for maintaining a harmonious work environment and enhancing team productivity and fostering personal growth. **Here’s a practical guide to understanding and managing different personalities effectively:** ## 1. Recognize and Respect Individual Differences As a sales leader, it’s important for us to understand every team member is unique, with their own set of strengths, weaknesses, and behavioral tendencies. The first step in [sales management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-sales-management-training-elevating-performance-at-every-level/) is understanding one must manage different personalities is to recognize and respect these differences. Every human wants to be seen, heard and understood. This does not mean you have to agree with them. Simply acknowledging them in their mindset means the most. This is foundational as you think about building your [sales culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-millennials-vs-gen-z-work-culture/). This is where empathy and [compassion](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-best-sales-teams-are-built-upon-the-5-cs/) matters. ## **2. Employ Active Listening** Active listening involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and then remembering what is being said. This skill is particularly important for [sales leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-one-piece-of-advice-for-new-sales-leaders/) when dealing with various personalities as it helps to prevent misunderstandings and shows that you value their opinions and contributions. By actively listening, you can better understand the motivations and concerns of different personalities, which can aid in managing team dynamics more effectively. Some of the best ways to show someone you are actively listening is to ask for clarification from them, always maintaining eye contact, and confirming what you heard them say. ## 3. Tailor Your Communication Not everyone responds well to the same style of communication and sales leaders need to be able to recognize and adjust to this as needed. Some may prefer direct and straightforward interactions, while others might appreciate a more empathetic and nurturing approach. Adjust your communication style based on the personality you are dealing with to enhance understanding and cooperation. For instance, with a highly analytical personality, focus on data and facts, whereas, with a more intuitive personality, you might focus on big-picture ideas and feelings. There are tons of tools out there that can help you determine someone’s preferred communication style. And the smartest sales leaders will ask someone on their team their preferred method of communication. Additionally, a great sales leader will turn around and ask the rep, “If there is one thing I could do better to hear your concerns or communicate with you, what would that one thing be?” ## 4. Set Clear Expectations Misunderstandings often arise when expectations are not clearly defined. Ensure that every team member, regardless of their personality type, understands their roles, responsibilities, and the standards to which they are being held. A big piece of this is also defining accountability around expectations. The expectation may be a metric, the accountability will be where a sales leader asks the individual how they might hold themselves accountable to the metrics. Or how can they as the [sales leader](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) support them in accountability planning. Finding ways to set clear expectations and accountability provides a common ground for all personalities to aim for and meet. ## 5. Foster an Environment of Feedback Feedback is often misunderstood as a one-way street. Feedback from the sales leader to the individual. In reality, feedback must be bi-directional. The highest performing salespeople state that when a sales leader is vulnerable it makes them, the rep, more motivated. To create a sales culture where constructive feedback is encouraged and accepted. Different personalities may perceive and react to feedback in varied ways, so it’s important to deliver feedback thoughtfully. Ensure that feedback is specific, objective, and delivered in a manner that resonates with the recipient’s personality type. Additionally as the sales leader, simply asking one question in your one-on-one meetings will lead the way. “What’s the one thing I could do better to help you with your job?” When leaders ask this their team members will again feel seen, heard, and understood. ## 6. Encourage Team Building Team-building activities can be a great way to bridge the gap between different personalities. They help individuals understand each other better and learn how to work together effectively, despite their differences. Activities that require collaboration and problem-solving can particularly highlight the strengths of various personality types and teach the team how to leverage these strengths. And for the record, a team building exercise does not have to be about sales at all. The best sales leaders understand that activities can be goofy things like marshmallow towers, and houses of cards. And they could be something around a life skill. Bring in a real estate agent to teach people about how to buy, interest rates, home inspections, all the things people never really teach us until we are in the moment. ## 7. Leverage Leadership Adaptability As a sales leader, your ability to adapt your [leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-leadership-processing-the-real-world-and-sales/) style to fit the needs of different personalities is key. This might mean being more hands-on with those who need guidance and stepping back to empower those who thrive on autonomy. Understanding what makes each team member tick can help you to tailor your approach effectively One of the best things a sales leader can do is to go online and take a personality test to understand yourself. We all have inherited confirmation biases. Understanding yours and how to make sure they don’t get in your way when supporting others is critical. In fact, as you dig into your bias you could even use [Coach Richard](https://bit.ly/FreeCoachRichard) to explain communicating a specific issue to a different personality type. ## **Conclusion** By integrating these best practices and strategies as a sales leader, you can manage different personalities more effectively, ensuring that each team member feels seen, heard, and understood. This boosts morale, drives productivity, and fosters a positive work environment. Additionally, when the time is right, it will always help with recruiting as well. What specific challenges have you faced in managing different personalities in your work or personal life? Got more questions about about leading and managing sales teams, [schedule some time with me here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) (no I won’t even pitch you my program). **Categories:** Blog, Sales Training --- ### [Resilience in Sales - Surf & Sales Style](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resilience-in-sales-surf-sales-style/) **Published:** December 20, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Resilience in sales is turning a [dumb idea](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-community-the-dumbest-500k-idea-ever/) into a $1,000,000 business Resilience in sales is betting on yourself and coming to Surf & Sales. Resilience in sales is waiting through delays because of stormy weather. Resilience in sales is not giving up when your flight is 1 or 2 days late. Resilience in sales is landing in Costa Rica and checking into an airport hotel and having to wait 2 days because roads and bridges are flooded. Resilience in sales is having to fly into a different airport and taking a 5 hour drive instead of an hour to reach your destination. Resilience in sales is getting on a surf board and pushing yourself to learn. Resilience in sales is having to rebook flights home due to airline cancellations. Resilience in sales is finding a place to stay an extra day or two as part of the airline backup log of passengers. Resilience in sales is finding the joy in these moments and making a whole bunch of new lifelong friends you would have never met otherwise. Resilience in sales is being an event leader and making sure everyone is cared for. All of this happened this year at Surf & Sales 2024. And it’s turned into one of the best ones yet. We are so grateful for those who braved the challenge to get to and from here and make a special moment in time. When was the last time you were resilient in sales? And yes, the rumors are true, [Surf & Sales 2025](https://www.surfandsales.com) is going global and heading to Portugal! Be resilient, commit now, and overcome anything that gets in your way. --- [Go join the waitlist](https://www.surfandsales.com) to get the latest info on Surf & Sales 2025. Not sure if it’s a good fit for you? [Feel free to reach out](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog, Sales Motivation --- ### [Queering In Sales: Finding Your Hidden Superpower](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/queering-in-sales-finding-your-hidden-superpower/) **Published:** April 20, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The following is a guest post from a member of our Slack community, Kristen Holmes. We met recently and the topic of being queer in sales came up. Kristen was kind enough to share her story. --- What good is a superpower if you can’t attribute it’s inception? My journey of finding my superpower started in being honest with myself. The self I *was* and not the self I portrayed for years to the world. You see, I was a queer, married, stay-at-home mom of two. My journey began with “I’m leaving”. That was the day I lost my home, my church, my community, and in six months, I found my first sales role and sucked at it. 4 months into my role, I came out to my boss and colleges, which began my journey of queering sales. I quickly realized in all of this how adaptive and adaptable I am to newness, from moving, to starting over, to becoming a single mom, to being my queer self, and to owning my career growth. This is my superpower: to adapt to change. From raising kids to rediscovering faith, and to sales goals, styles, quotas, and more. Each month, an invitation to iterate and adapt to complete, not always with others, but most importantly with self. It’s odd how my [sales playbook](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/stop-calling-it-a-sales-playbook-its-a-sales-cookbook/) merges into my parent playbook and my life in general. The key to being a good, if not great, sales professional is to learn how to ask great questions and how to listen and read between the lines. This is also true for being a parent. Kids want you to listen to them, to seek to understand them, and in all their stages, you process changes but the motives are the same. Guide, teach, listen, learn, and achieve a goal together. Sales, being a single parent and being queer in a conservative area gives you armor and curiosity. Armor to keep pushing through and curiosity to seek empathetic communication because you just never know what the person on the other side of the line is going through. I want more people to choose sales, at least for a bit. Think of it as an enlistment to uncover your superpower. Being in sales is tough, yet it’s one career with many variations and stages. It is one career that so noble. When entered into with pure intention to help, learn, and grow. I promise, you’ll at the least discover something tangible to carry with you into future opportunities. --- Please connect with Kristen on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/holmes-kris/), support her, and remember to embrace your own superpower. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [What does "Negotiation Training" Really Mean?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-does-negotiation-training-really-mean/) **Published:** April 20, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** We hear this request a lot when speaking with folks looking to train their inside sales or field sales team. We are also hearing it more and more when it comes to training customer success teams. While simplistic in concept it’s a bit more complex than many folks think. This is because “negotiation training has become a buzz word. And in many cases its used incorrectly. Negotiation training can have a ridiculous amount of meaning. When you are [thinking about hiring a sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e148-sales-is-a-thinking-process-with-mike-simmons/) trainer for [negotiating training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/where-negotiation-skills-training-often-fails/) here are some things to keep in mind. 1. **Is “negotiating training” what you really need?** 1. Often times people say “negotiation training” but when we dive in deeper it’s not the negotiation skills that are bad, its the discovery skills that simply suck. 2. **Define the type of negotiation you want help with.** 1. Negotiation at an SMB, MM, or ENT level? 2. Negotiating with a procurement team? 3. Negotiation legal terms and definitions. 4. How to prevent being “unbundled” 5. Get real specific, or this training will look good on paper but execute poorly in your world. 3. **Negotiations start at the moment of the first “hello”** 1. Does your [sales process address](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e93-sales-are-much-more-than-just-a-performance-mindset-with-joy-hewitt-carvajal-of-the-sales-rebellion/) this? 2. How does your trainer approach this concept specifically? 4. **The value of any negotiator is their willingness to walk away.** 1. Which then leads to the single most important part of the training. Does the trainer spend time with the team exploring their own [personal struggles](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e36-my-dad-was-dwight-from-dunder-mifflin-the-sales-rebellion-with-dale-dupree/) of negotiating? Do they understand how to rebuild the mindset of the human? And note, each human is different. 5. **Negotiation starts internally first, not externally with your prospect.** 6. **Negotiation skills will be thrown out the window of Founders and CEOs keep cutting deals at the end of the month or quarter.** 7. **Define your specific use cases of negotiations** 1. negotiating next steps 2. negotiating introductions 3. negotiating demos 4. negotiating [commercial terms](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/commercialterms/) 8. **Then confirm with your trainer** 1. Tactics, tactics, tactics, 2. Roleplay, Roleplay, role play, 9. **Balance – 60% time on tactics, 40% time on role plays** Hopefully, this provides you with a strong idea and some guidelines for improving your sales teams negotiating skills. Need help teaching your team to negotiate better? [Contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Moving customers off discounts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/moving-customers-off-discounts/) **Published:** April 27, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** One of the most uncomfortable moments in all forms of customer engagements. There are lots of nuances in this situation [based on legacy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e24-24-legacy-kobe-federer-whats-yours/), original customers, deals cut at EOQ or EOM, etc. Here are some suggestions to help you and your sales team and customer success team when it comes to moving folks off discounts 1. **Define your customers who need to be moved up the “rate card”** - **OC’s** – Original customers from the very first moment you went live. Where are they, where do you want them to be. - **Legacy** – Long term clients but maybe not your OC’s. Write down their current $ and where you’d like to get them to. - **FireSale** – Deals made at end of month or quarter. Where are they, where do you need them to be? - **Bad Clients** – From the lists above, who is not worth the money, even if they did pay you more. - **Other** – You may have other definitions, list them here. 2. **Understand What You’re Walking Into** - **Emotional Training** – Your team needs to support and training on handling “upset people”. You don’t need to hire a psychologist or anything and in most cases, you can google for ideas. We do recommend creating and running role-playing scenarios based on the definitions created above. Just like everything else in life, the first time you do something new it reaches a certain level. The second time is better, the third time even better. Why not run those first 3 as role-plays so folks can get more comfortable? It won’t solve everything but it will help for sure.Band-Aids and Bruises – Expect to spend some time with the team individually or as a team together in case folks are getting punched in the face a bit through the process. - **Tactical Training** – Understanding how to use open-ended questions and active listening will be critical to making this work. Again, lots of role-playing.How to politely say, at the right time, “I am confused when you signed the deal showed a % discount which was for new customers. As an organization, how can I go back to my boss and justify an additional discount?’ What to do early to help avoid this over time. 1. In the original contract, specifically state that at the end of the first year discount, new rate will be \_\_\_\_. 2. Offer multiple-year contracts with discounts scaling back. - Year 1 – 15% off - Year 2 – 10% off - Year 3 – 5% off - Year 4+ – Standard rates While there is no one single solution to solving the issue. There are steps and sales training folks can do to help mitigate the issue is something one can control. How do you move people off discounts? [Contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Sales Slump Buster Tips](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-slump-buster-tips/) **Published:** December 23, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Zero, nada, a big fat donut. That was my October this year. October 2019 marks the first month in 4 years that I was not on a plane to see a client and did not have a client locally. So, I am going to do what most in sales are afraid to do. I am going to talk about it. Impostor syndrome is real, no matter who you are or how long you have been doing it. Here is how I handled it. First I looked at what’s been happening in the last few months and found the things that changed. 1\) A website lead form malfunction that occurred over the summer which slowed the pipeline down. This is on me for not doing something sooner about it. 2\) I started sharing some thoughts around #mentalhealth in sales and wondered if that scared people away. Possibly, but that’s ok, they will come around. Mental health will be the biggest recruiting issue companies face in 2020, 2021, and beyond. 3\) Competition – Things are getting “spicy” in the consulting world. So I had to move forward. I did, I doubled down on my own process. Check out the 10 things I’ve done to change my world. Some on my own, others with help from Scott Leese and Betts Recruiting starting next week! I hosted my first live training in Austin Texas on November 6 with my good friend Scott Leese. It went smashingly well. I made changes to my cold/warm outreach programs and [started seeing positive returns](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-missing-piece-to-your-sales-puzzle/). I will be making a major announcement with a new partner for 2020 in the coming weeks, although it may have been announced by the time this is posted. Launched my newsletter, “Richard’s Thoughts”. Wrote the next 13 weeks of blog posts and tee’d them up! Added new services to our offerings including process creation and audit, cold call bootcamps, and management training courses I’ve launched new packages to our online sales training that includes special pricing and 1:1 time live coaching. And this is probably the most important, I’ve been using meditation via @headspace to improve specifically around focus and calming the mind. This alone has provided the clarity I needed to drive 1-9 Guess what, I went from zero to hero. I went from nothing in October, to having my second best month of my business in 6 years. No, that’s not from sandbagging. Looking back on it now, almost every one of those things I did felt like a HUGE risk. I was obviously suffering from impostor syndrome in sales. Now looking back, I think, “Wow, all those things were so easy to do, I just had to stop overthinking them and do them.” Some were “harder” than others of course, but in the end, I was the one holding me back, nobody else. How do you work your way out of a slump? **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [S6E24 - Riley Blaisdell - Last Chance for Redemption](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e24-riley-blaisdell-last-chance-for-redemption/) **Published:** June 2, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Riley shares his fascinating journey, from being a high school dropout to building a successful sales career. Key Takeaways: - Riley’s early entrepreneurial spirit, selling candy and snacks as a kid to buy ice cream - His struggles with getting into trouble as a young adult, and how a mentor’s disappointment in him was a turning point - The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people and mentors to help you grow - Riley’s impressive sales accomplishments, including turning a $500 deal into a $4.5 million account - The value of patience, persistence, and developing business acumen in sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e24-riley-blaisdell-last-chance-for-redemption?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E23 - Lori Richardson - Bridging the Gap: Preparing the Next Generation of Sales Professionals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e23-lori-richardson-bridging-the-gap-preparing-the-next-generation-of-sales-professionals/) **Published:** June 2, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Lori, Scott, and Richard discuss the evolving sales landscape, including the impact of AI and the importance of sales education programs to prepare the next generation. They explore the challenges and concerns around AI’s role in sales, as well as the opportunities to enhance the sales profession through technology. The group also highlights Lori’s work with the Barb Giamanco scholarship, which provides financial support to women in university sales programs, and the need for more industry involvement in academia. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e23-lori-richardson-bridging-the-gap-preparing-the-next-generation-of-sales-professionals?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [A Safe Place to Fail. Creating Successful Sales Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/a-safe-place-to-fail-creating-successful-sales-coaching-culture/) **Published:** July 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** *This is part three of our three-part series dedicated to sales enablement, sales training, and sales culture. Our guest author is [Ashley Zagst](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyzagst/), who was recently promoted from SDR Team Lead to AE at [Chili Piper](https://www.chilipiper.com/).* --- When someone says Sales Coaching or Sales Enablement, what comes to mind for you? For some it comes to 1:1 coaching, for others, people jump straight to thinking about tools. Unless you know how to leverage those tools in the right way, they are useless. Sales Enablement is so much more than a tech stack. And at its core, it comes down to sales coaching to help reps use what’s at their disposal to do the best they can. > *“**Coaching*** *is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”* – John Whitmore Were you the best athlete on the team the first time you tried a sport? Was I the best dancer in my first ballet class at the age of 6? Was Steph Curry MVP status when he first picked up a basketball? What about after college? Even his first year in the league? NO! Of course not! It’s not until after years of accumulated hours of practice and coaching that one becomes the “expert” or the “best” at what they do. And even then, there is always more to learn. Always more to uncover. ALWAYS! After getting accepted to The Joffrey Ballet School summer program, my ballet teacher sat me down for a heart-to-heart. The gist of it was summed up in her final statement to me: “If you can’t handle rejection, if you are afraid to [fail](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/thcg-links/), you should go home, hang up your pointe shoes, and have babies.” Now, besides the cringy-ness of telling a teenager that their only other option was to go home and have babies, she was right. Rejection and failure are a part of the dance profession. If I couldn’t figure out a way to use that to my advantage for growth and success, then I shouldn’t even pursue it. After attending that summer program, I was invited to the year-round program. This launched me into my professional dancer career, but not without my fair share of failures and mistakes along the way. And I was fortunate enough to have coaches/teachers to help guide me through them. While I feared mistakes and failure, they were inevitable, and my coaches knew that. The mantra of “If you are going to mess up, mess up big” was constant in my training. And at first, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I mean, I was in the same room as dancers who’d eventually be my competition. It didn’t make sense to me why my teachers wanted to see me fall and fail. Why would I want to fail? Why wouldn’t I do anything possible to NOT fail? It took time. It took many frustrating classes, auditions, and rehearsals for me to begin to understand. **Hidden mistakes don’t stay hidden for long and eventually cause much larger problems.** The sooner you can uncover them, the sooner you can either fix them OR in the most beautiful case, use them! > *“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”* – Brene Brown Perfectionism was poised to hold me back from my actual potential. But thankfully the people coaching me gave me room to fail and grow, encouraged me to do so, which enabled me to become my best as a dancer and as an artist. This wasn’t done simply by telling me “this is a safe place” although they did say that often. This safe place was built and then nurtured daily by my coaches ensuring their actions matched their words and by them being vulnerable themselves. They used various tools and frameworks by which to do this. One of those powerful coaching tools introduced to me, that I now bring to the sales world, is Liz Lerman’s Critical Response feedback framework. While it originated as a framework for giving and receiving feedback on artistic works, it can be applied to any situation where feedback is given. And is a fantastic way to be transparent with your reps, opening up space for them (and you) to be vulnerable, diving into those “mistakes” and “failures” so they can learn and grow from them. I’d bet money you’ll even learn a thing or two yourself. **Artist** = the maker/creator/doer. (Sales Rep) **Responder** = the audience or person giving their perspective/feedback on what they’ve just experienced. (Sales Leader or Coach) **Step 1. Statements of Meaning** Responders state what was meaningful, evocative, interesting, exciting, and/or striking in the work they have just witnessed. Example: Sales Coach/Manager to state what was meaningful, interesting, and or totally awesome about the reps call. **Step 2. Artist as Questioner** The artist asks questions about the work. In answering, responders stay on topic with the question and may express opinions in direct response to the artist’s questions. Example: Rep to express where they’d like to focus on when receiving feedback and the coach only addresses that specific point/place in the call. *“I’ve been working on this new opener for cold calls, what are your thoughts?”* Or *“Felt like I hit a wall in discovery, what would you have done differently?”* \*\*Note – this requires self-awareness from the rep as well as a feeling of safety with being vulnerable with their coach to ask for this specific feedback. **Step 3. Neutral Questions** Responders ask neutral questions about the work, and the artist responds. **Questions are neutral when they do not have an opinion hidden in them.** Think of open-ended questions. This step is one of the most fundamental, challenging, and misunderstood steps of the Critical Response Process. Example: Coach asks open-ended questions to further understand where the rep is coming from. “*What was the intention in choosing \_\_\_\_?” “What kind of response were you hoping to get by asking this question in Discovery?” “How does this approach compare to what you’ve done in the past?”* **Step 4. Opinion Time** Responders state opinions, given permission from the artist; the artist has the option to say no. Example: Now is when the coach can give broader feedback, including their opinion, as long as the rep has expressed interest in receiving that kind of feedback. Rep: *“What did you think of that opening line?”* Coach: *“I don’t really like starting a call like that because of* X, Y, Z… *Here’s how I’d suggest trying it on your next call?”* As you can probably tell this framework can work in almost any situation. What I love about it the most is that it allows for coaching to be a neutral, non-judgmental, conversation allowing for vulnerability on both sides. Disclosing one’s own vulnerability in front of peers/coworkers gives them permission to give their best. If you want to be the best at what you do you have to learn how to fail… Mess up big! If you want your team to be the best at what they do, you need to give them room to mess up big. --- If you’re interested in hearing more about sales coaching and sales enablement, check out my conversation with Niraj Kapur, Galem Girmay, Richard Harris, and Scott Leese on the Surf and Sales Bonfire Session on-demand webinar, [3 Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Sales Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/enablement-building-a-coaching-culture). **About the Author:** Recently named a Salesforce 16 Sales Influencer To Follow Right Now, [Ashley Zagst](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyzagst/) has one of the most unique backgrounds in sales. She followed her dream to be a professional dancer. Eventually, she decided to make a career move into the startup world as a marketer and over time, realized how much she really enjoyed sales. She’s a founding member of [SDR Nation](https://sdrnation.com) and works hard to create spaces to hold difficult conversations about diversity in sales. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Strategies for Handling Common Sales Challenges](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/strategies-for-handling-common-sales-challenges/) **Published:** April 29, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the world of sales, [challenges](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/bouncing-back-from-sales-slumps/) are as common as they are diverse. From overcoming objections to dealing with decision-maker changes, sales professionals constantly navigate over the hurdles. Adopting effective strategies not only helps in overcoming these challenges but also elevates the sales process, aligning with the [N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/evolution-of-sales-methodologies-embracing-n-e-a-t-selling/)‘s vision. Here you have actionable strategies to handle some of the most common sales challenges. This will empower sales professionals to enhance their skills and improve the buyer’s experience. ## 1. Overcoming price objections Everyone asks for a discount, you know it, I know it, they know it, we all know it. Regardless of the value you think you have presented, everyone asks for a discount. Humans are comparison shoppers by nature. At this point in the world, nobody should ever be surprised. Since we should not be surprised we should have a multitude of strategies to have this conversation. Dealing with these objections requires strategically shifting the conversation from a focus on cost to a spotlight on value. By going deep in an empathetic way around your customers’ needs, wants, and desires you will be able to drive their real pain around economic impact. By emphasizing how your offering addresses a critical problem or meets a specific need, you can alter the perception of its worth. Incorporating success stories and case studies can serve as powerful tools in this reframing. These tools provide tangible evidence of your value proposition. Authenticity is paramount in these discussions. Prospects are adept at discerning genuine insight from mere sales pitches. Ensuring that your narrative around the value of your product or service is both sincere and compelling is critical. This approach aids in overcoming initial price objections and builds a foundation of trust between you and your potential customers. This will pave the way for a more profound and lasting business relationship. ## 2. Navigating decision-maker changes Changes in the decision-making unit can significantly disrupt the sales cycle. It can also lead to unwelcome delays or, worse, deal cancellations. To mitigate this risk, sales professionals must adopt a proactive approach by expanding their network within the client’s organization from the outset. This involves building robust relationships across various levels and departments, laying a strong foundation for understanding the broader organizational landscape. It enables sales professionals to collect insights regarding the organization’s unique challenges and objectives. By doing so, they enrich the [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-strategy-vs-sales-plan/) with a more nuanced understanding of the client’s needs. ## 3. Dealing with long sales cycles Long sales cycles present a significant challenge in the sales world. They demand a blend of patience and strategic efficiency from sales professionals. The cornerstone for managing these extended timelines lies in the commitment to consistent follow-ups and a focus on nurturing meaningful relationships with prospects. By implementing a well-structured follow-up strategy, sales teams can ensure that each interaction adds substantial value, moving beyond mere check-ins. This could involve sharing tailored content, offering insights into industry trends, or providing a thoughtful analysis of competitors. Through this methodical nurturing process, sales professionals can effectively bridge the gap between initial contact and deal closure. Moreover, they can reinforce the importance of patience, perseverance, and strategic engagement. These features can conquer the challenges posed by long sales cycles. ## 4. Handling Competition In a competitive market, distinguishing yourself is crucial. A thorough understanding of your competition is important. However, the most important step is to emphasize the uniqueness of your offering. Tailor your pitch to specifically highlight how your product or service meets the individual needs and challenges of your prospect. The authenticity of your approach and a deep grasp of what sets your value proposition apart are indispensable assets in this context. It’s not just about the sale; it’s about showing the tangible benefits and outcomes that your product or service can deliver. Thereby affirming its unique position and value in the marketplace. ## 5. Converting Prospects to Customers Conversion stands as the main goal of the [sales process](https://youtube.com/shorts/A9aDNbRTteA), where understanding the buyer’s journey becomes crucial. By leveraging the N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology, sales professionals can navigate through this journey with precision and effectiveness. It’s about digging deep into the prospect’s core needs. By understanding how your solution can economically impact their business, you’re engaging with the decision-maker, and aligning your proposal with their implementation timeline. This tailored approach is what differentiates a successful sales strategy from a standard pitch. By focusing on the critical components of Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline, sales professionals can craft proposals that are highly relevant to the prospect. It’s a method that goes beyond selling. It fosters a connection based on understanding and addressing the unique challenges and opportunities faced by the buyer. In doing so, it aligns sales strategies with the buyer’s objectives. This paves the way for not just a sale, but a meaningful partnership that is beneficial for both parties. ### **Conclusion** Sales challenges are an intrinsic part of the sales landscape, presenting not just obstacles but valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth. When sales professionals harness effective strategies, they are better equipped to overcome the common hurdles that stand in their way. As a result, it improves performance and a more positive experience for the buyer. Adopting these principles as core values is crucial. They serve as a foundation for individual success and as pillars supporting the broader mission of elevating the sales process. By embracing these challenges as essential components of the sales journey, professionals can: - refine their skills, - align with our mission of providing top-tier sales training, and - contribute to a sales environment that prioritizes client success above all. This approach ensures that the path to mastering the art of sales is one marked by perseverance, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Do you want to refine your sales strategies and equip your team with effective sales techniques? [Let’s do it together!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) **Categories:** Blog, Sales Strategy, sales teams **Tags:** Sales, sales tips, sales training --- ### [Navigating Sales Cycles and Processes in Your Go To Market Strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/navigating-sales-cycles-and-processes-in-your-go-to-market-strategy/) **Published:** October 25, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Whether you are an early-stage start-up or a Fortune 500 company understanding and auditing your sales process and sales cycles is critical. In this post we will explore how to create, manage, and audit your sales process and sales cycles whether you are doing founder-led sales or you’re company is 100 years old. Remember your [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-strategy-vs-sales-plan/) is heavily influenced by the sales process and sales cycles. They are intertwined and may need to be examined separately, but reviewed together. ## Sales Cycles and Processes: Go-to-market strategy Often, when plotting a [go-to-market strategy](https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/gtm-strategy), founders are eager to jump straight into crafting their sales process and deciphering their sales cycle. However, for nascent entrepreneurs these components may not hold immediate relevance. At the early stages of a go-to-market strategy, the primary focus lies in accumulating enough data to substantiate the founder’s hypothesis based on the market’s perception of your product or service’s value. Essentially, data acts as the compass, guiding the organization towards the right elements into the sales process, and determining an optimal sales cycle. Moreover, it’s crucial to bear in mind that the experiences of the first ten clients are essentially groundwork for documentation. As you increase client numbers in the twenties, fifties, and hundreds, both the sales cycle and process should undergo an audit and adaptation based on additional data. Thus, scrutinizing your sales process and cycle periodically is vital. These tasks help you pinpoint areas for enhancement. It’s not just an audit of the sales process and cycle; it’s an audit of your entire go-to-market strategy. ## What are Sales Cycles? First of all, you need to understand what a sales cycle is and most importantly what it is not. ### A sales cycle is… A sales cycle is the number of days it takes for someone to become a customer. It can be determined from various starting points. I strongly encourage people to think about this from both an inbound and outbound perspective. Additionally a sales cycle has to have a specific starting point. This is where there is often some confusion. The key is to define your starting point and stick with until you have enough data to audit and make adjustments. Some people start when: - the lead is imported, - they contact the lead for the first time, - the lead first responds and sets a meeting, - they scheduled first meeting. On the other hand, names and stages ARE NOT part of the sales cycle. They are the actual sales processes for which you use to measure the sales cycle. - Pro Tip: Look for the mini-sales cycles. This will help you figure out how long each opportunity sits in each stage. Then, that can be optimized after you have enough data to reduce the sales cycle ### A Sales Cycle is NOT… A sales cycle is not a sales process. A sales cycle is not about stage naming. It is about stage agining though. It is about knowing how long it takes a deal or opportunity to be to go from suspect to closed. ## What is a Sales Process? One can think of the sales process as the “life cycle”of a deal. It coexists with the sales cycle to provide the specific milestones all deals must go through from beginning to end. These steps enhance the [buyer’s experience](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-buyers-journey-is-a-lie/) towards purchasing your products or services. Meticulously designed sales process and a dynamic sales cycle forms the cornerstone of a resilient go-to-market strategy. You will be able to explerience it regardless of your enterprise’s size or tenure. Regular evaluations and adjustments serve as the crucial elements for achieving sustained prosperity. If you need extra help for your sales cycles and processes, contact me. I am always open to a free “pick your brain” conversation. I won’t charge you to chat for a few minutes to bounce ideas. Here’s my legit cell phone, 415.596.9149, text me quickly first so I know it’s not a spam call. For additional insights and expert guidance on SKO planning, consider visiting [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Do You Suffer From Emaildeleteeyitiousism?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/do-you-suffer-from-emaildeleteeyitiousism/) **Published:** March 16, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** On a scale of 1-10 how many of you are at 11 if this is your phone? On a scale of 1-10 how many of you are on 11 if this is your [partner](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/partners-tools/)’s phone? Don’t worry, Dr. G-Harris has your cure. Technically, we all have this disease. The fear of deleting emails “in case” we might need them. Some of us have gone through a spiritual cleansing and been able to reach an Inbox Mentality. We can assure you, the level of relief you have on a daily basis is amazing. You actually feel “accomplished” each day. Interestingly, this has become one of my most popular lessons for during sales training. This works for Gmail. If you have something else, Google it 🙂 A quick note before you say, *“I really want to do this, but what if I need them?!!?”* **In Gmail** When you do this bulk delete of emails, they will actually stay in your trash folder for 30 days and you can still search them. If you think you should be saving something longer than 30 days, sorry, you’re beyond my skillset of help. So there are two parts of solving this problem one is the immediate need, the other is the long tail play. 1. **Immediate Need** – Get rid of the stuff in my inbox. 2. **Bulk Unsubscribe** – Trust me, you aren’t missing anything. 3. **Simple Ongoing** Yes, feel free to share with your spouse, partner, family, and friends. Don’t share with your enemies, let them keep stressing. **IMMEDIATE NEED** You can delete THOUSANDS (50k, 100k) emails from Gmail in 90 seconds. Yes, it’s legit. Step 1: Go to inbox and in the mail search bar type – is:unread Step 2: Instead of seeing 1-50 messages on the right it will now show 1-XX,XXX Step 3: Click the Select All Box on the left Step 4: You will see All 100 conversations on this page are selected. AND then you will see “Select all conversations that match this search” Step 5: Click that one of course Step 6″ Click the Trash Can Step 7: Google will ask “Are you sure” (don’t worry, you will be glad) Step 8: Click Yes Step 9: Rejoice What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments. **BULK UNSUBSCRIBE & SANEBOX** Several services exist out there, [Unroll.me](https://unroll.me) is one of my favorites. They send you a list a few times a week of all the emails you are subscribed to, then you can choose the ones to unsubscribe straight from them. Here’s the interesting thing. Many of these services are free because they can see your data and turn around and sell the meta-data (NOT YOUR SPECIFIC PERSONAL DATA). Now don’t freak out. If you are subscribed to that many email lists that you have 10,000+ unopened emails I have news for you. 1. Your data is already out there. 2. You have no idea if Macy’s is selling your data or not. There’s a good chance they are. 3. Ever wonder how all the magazines still show up in the mail, even though you never purchased something from them? Its because the retailers are selling data, and the companies are doing research with publicly accessible information. So I say stop worrying about it. My other favorite tool is called [Sanebox](https://www.sanebox.com), I’ve been using it for years and it saves me hours per day. No joke, hours. They go into your inbox and can determine which emails are important vs not important. They simpy move all the non-important emails to a single folder, called SANEBOX. You can go in and quickly scan what you want, delete, etc. Another cool feature: If something gets into your SANEBOX and you want it in your inbox, simply drag it over, and the system will remember moving forward. If something gets into your inbox that shouldn’t be there, but you don’t want to delete it, move it to your SANEBOX, and it will forever remember. **ONGOING MAINTENANCE** 1. Be mindful of the email subscriptions you sign up for. 2. Click the spam button on unsolicited emails. Don’t feel guilty about it. I am sure the service who emailed you doesn’t feel guilty one bit. So there you have it, you can now sleep easier at night because you don’t have the thousands of emails staring at you on the homescreen of your phone. Let us know what you use to solve this problem in the comments below! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Secrets to a Kickass Sales Kickoff Meeting - Part 2](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/secrets-kickass-sales-kickoff-meeting-part-2/) **Published:** November 5, 2013 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ![Sales kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Sales.kick-off-150x150.jpg "Sales Kickoff Meeting")In the [last blog post](/kickass-sales-kickoff-meeting-part-1 "Secrets to a Kickass Sales Kickoff Meeting – Part 1"), I revealed the first secret to an awesome sales kickoff (SKO) — determining which behaviors you want to change, and then building the event based on those goals. Here, I will discuss the last two tips to creating a SKO that will actually make a difference with your sales team training, rather than one that is merely an excuse to party. **Secret 2: Maintain Two-Way Communication** Ever had the cancerous sales rep who is just a dream crusher at your SKO? They love to complain but never love to contribute positively? They love to play the victim and blame everyone else. Sound familiar? Want to know something? Their attitude is as much your fault as it is theirs. All relationships rely on two way communication. As human beings, we need to feel heard, be validated, and ultimately respected. For most they cherish respect more so than being liked, hence their cancerous attitude and tone of voice. They don’t care if you don’t like their attitude. It’s because they have not felt heard that they are acting this way. I will actually dig deeper on this thought in another blog post. At typical SKOs, communication is one way: from CEO to sales reps, from VP of Sales to reps, from marketing to reps. Give your sales team some ownership to the SKO and everyone will benefit greatly. Ask for your sales teams’ feedback at the very beginning. Communicate with them through the creative process. In some cases you can even ask them to build content, lead a session or a group discussion. It’s easy to involve your reps early, and by doing so, give them a sense of ownership of the event. Here are some tips: > a.) Get feedback from the sales team about what they want to learn, whether it’s more product knowledge, better tactics, better marketing tools, better sales skills. You can easily gather their input via a 10-question survey using online tools like SurveyMonkey. I’ve seen companies improve year after year with this strategy. > b.) Ask them this question: “If you could have 3 things that would help you do your job starting on January 1st, what would they be?” Get them to open up about what would help them succeed. Stress that no answer is too outrageous. > c.) Follow up with the reps to ask for greater details beyond the surface pain they are feeling. Why do they need these things? How will these things help them do their job better? > d.) As you build out the Sales Kick Off, continue getting feedback from the top sales reps by asking them if they think the structure and the sessions make sense. Ask a few junior reps as well — they will appreciate the opportunity to be involved. Do not assume you know what the sales team needs. You probably only know about 40% of their needs — and only what they want you to know. They may have asked for things over and over again without getting any response, and thus stopped asking altogether. (Cue the cancerous rep). So keep an open mind and really listen to what they say. And you’ll be amazed how the sales team reacts. **Secret 3: Stop teaching the sales’ cycle- teach the buyers’ cycle** Sadly, everyone calls it sales training. But it’s not actually sales training, it’s BUYER TRAINING. You need to teach your sales team how people buy. Everything that is ever bought or sold is done an emotional level. From the simplest Bic ballpoint pen to luxury items like Louis Vuitton bags. People buy what they like, not just from whom they like. When you teach a team to sell, all you are often teaching them objection handling. Teaching your team the buyer’s journey will open their eyes and their prospects’ wallets in a meaningful win-win situation. Often times this is where I have come in to provide support. We focus on teaching the buyers’ journey. Not just their process, but the specific triggers and emotional components that go into making a purchasing decision. Whether it is hardware, software or Saas the emotional triggers needed for buying are all the same. So make sure you include sessions that focus on your different buyer personas. Get your top sales reps to present deal-closing stories that underscore how each type of persona reacts. Invite guest speakers who can talk about psychology or persuasion or sociology. As stated at the beginning of this two-part post, the SKO is your opportunity to gather your reps together and give them something they can actually use to close more sales. If you want to create an awesome [sales kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/kickass-sales-kickoff-meeting-part-1/), then it needs to be more than just a rah-rah event full of bravado, glitter, and top-down communication. A truly successful sales kickoff entails actionable goals, sales rep participation and input, and of course, time enough to learn about your Buyers’ journey. Need some ideas for your upcoming Sales Kickoff? [Contact us](/contact-us "Contact") **Categories:** Blog, Sales Kickoff, Sales Training **Tags:** Buyers Journey, sales kickoff, sales kickoff meeting, sales rep, Sales Team --- ### [How to Plan a Sales Kickoff: Learn the Step-by-Step](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-plan-a-sales-kickoff-learn-the-step-by-step-and-boost-your-business/) **Published:** October 2, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As we approach the season for companies to commence planning their **sales kickoff**, it is crucial to recognize the significance of this period as it directly influences the success of the upcoming business year. Some companies fail to understand what [sales kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-makes-a-good-sales-kickoff/) are and their impact on achieving organizational goals. To bridge this knowledge gap, here you can learn more about what a [sales kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/kickass-sales-kickoff-meeting-part-1/) truly entails and explore the key steps you should take to plan a highly successful kickoff event. We are sharing a few ideas to help you plan and execute a successful sales kickoff. ## What is Sales Kickoff? A Sales Kickoff (SKO) is **a pivotal event that often takes place at the start of a fiscal year**. It is designed to equip sales team members with essential information and training on new products or services. The main objective of this meeting is to acknowledge their hard work, share best practices that can increase the skill sets of the sales team, motivate them, and make sure everyone is aligned and prepped to be best equipped to hit sales targets. Now that you have a clearer understanding of the purpose and significance of a sales kickoff, let’s explore the main steps to make the most of this meeting. ### 1. Review Previous Years Sales Performance and Determine the Gaps for your Sales Kickoff As I already mentioned, this [Sales Kickoff (SKO)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e76-live-bonfire-session-building-a-successful-sko-for-your-team/) presents a valuable learning opportunity to improve your sales performance. To maximize the benefits, **you should start by looking over your previous year’s work and analyze every aspect of your sales strategy**. [Plan your Sales Kickoff keeping in mind your previous sales strategy and its successes and failures. ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fhow-to-plan-a-sales-kickoff-learn-the-step-by-step-and-boost-your-business%2F&text=Plan%20your%20Sales%20Kickoff%20keeping%20in%20mind%20your%20previous%20sales%20strategy%20and%20its%20successes%20and%20failures.&related)[Share on X](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fhow-to-plan-a-sales-kickoff-learn-the-step-by-step-and-boost-your-business%2F&text=Plan%20your%20Sales%20Kickoff%20keeping%20in%20mind%20your%20previous%20sales%20strategy%20and%20its%20successes%20and%20failures.&related) This critical step serves as the foundation for identifying both successes and failures, enabling the team to get valuable lessons from past experiences and incorporate them into the forthcoming sales strategy. ### 2. Don’t Teach A Methodology, Teach the Buyers’ Experience at your Sales Kickoff The term sales training is commonly used, but it doesn’t accurately reflect what it should be. During a Sales Kickoff **it’s crucial to educate your sales team on how people make purchasing decisions.** Every purchase, regardless of its scale, is driven by emotions. Whether it’s a humble Bic ballpoint pen or a luxurious Louis Vuitton bag, people shop and respond based on emotion first, then logic. When you focus on teaching your team how to sell, you often end up solely training them on handling objections. And if you know me, you know I believe there is no such thing as a Buyer’s Journey, only a Buyer’s Experience through the Seller’s Journey. By introducing the concept of the Buyer’s Experience, you can provide your team with a valuable perspective that will open doors for both them and their prospects, creating a mutually beneficial outcome. Therefore, it is crucial to incorporate sessions that focus on understanding your different buyer personas and the specific pictures of pain they experience in relation to your offerings. A picture of pain is a specific use case, not what you do. For example, if your customer is a VP of Sales, then the pain they experience may be, sitting on their computer on Sunday night getting ready for Monday meetings. Additionally, consider inviting customers as guest speakers who can shed light on on their actual view points of pains, the things that matter most, and what finally made them want to choose your solution. By shifting the focus from sales training to buyer training, you will equip your team with the knowledge and skills needed to [navigate the buyer’s journey](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2023/02/07/how-to-navigate-the-changing-customer-buying-journey/?sh=5164ff10a19d) effectively, ultimately leading to increased success in your sales endeavors. ### 3. Maintain Two-Way Communication after your Sales Kickoff Avoid assuming you know what the sales team needs. You may only be aware of about 40% of their needs and only what they have expressed. They may have repeatedly requested certain things without receiving a response, leading to their frustration. Keep an open mind and truly listen to their input. You’ll be amazed at the positive reaction from the sales team. Effective relationships require two-way communication. As humans, we need to feel heard, validated, and respected. Some value respect more than being liked, which explains their toxic behavior and tone. Their attitude stems from not feeling heard. Typically, SKOs involve one-way communication: from CEO to sales reps, VP of Sales to reps, and marketing to reps. To benefit everyone, give your sales team ownership of the SKO. [Make your sales team feel heard and get to know its specific needs. ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fhow-to-plan-a-sales-kickoff-learn-the-step-by-step-and-boost-your-business%2F&text=Make%20your%20sales%20team%20feel%20heard%20and%20get%20to%20know%20its%20specific%20needs.%20&related)[Share on X](https://x.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheharrisconsultinggroup.com%2Fhow-to-plan-a-sales-kickoff-learn-the-step-by-step-and-boost-your-business%2F&text=Make%20your%20sales%20team%20feel%20heard%20and%20get%20to%20know%20its%20specific%20needs.%20&related) #### **Seek their feedback from the start and involve them in the creative process.** They can even contribute content, lead sessions, or group discussions. Here are some tips to involve your reps early and foster a sense of ownership: **Gather feedback** from the sales team - What the sales team wants to learn not just what you think they should be learning. Ask them, **“What three things would help you perform your job better starting on January 1st?”** Encourage them to share their needs openly, emphasizing that no answer is too outrageous. - **Follow up** with reps to understand the underlying reasons behind their needs and how meeting those needs would enhance their performance. - **Seek feedback** from top sales reps on the structure and sessions. Include input from junior reps as well, as they will appreciate the opportunity to be involved. - **Seek feedback** from your Grumpy Gus. Have you encountered a toxic sales representative who brings down the energy during your SKO? They are known for complaining, playing the victim, and blaming others. Surprisingly, their attitude is partly your responsibility. There is always someone on the team who will hate the sessions, often the most experienced and feel they’ve been to enough of these and they are always the same. Leverage their knowledge and expertise. Ask them to share what they think the rest of the team needs to be successful? They are always willing to share. Ask them if they are willing to help lead a conversation specific to a particular topic. Engaging the Grumpy Gus helps prevent them from letting all the wind out of your sails. ## Conclusion Sales Kickoff meetings play a vital role in your overall business plan as they **provide an opportunity to align your team with the company’s goals.** It is crucial to invest time in building a comprehensive sales strategy, teach your team about the buyers’ journey and improve your team communication. My expertise lies in guiding teams through the buyers’ journey, not only by explaining their decision-making processes but also by delving into the specific triggers and emotional components that influence their purchasing choices. At The Harris Consulting Group, **I focus on delivering impactful sales training that empowers companies to achieve measurable results.** If you are facing challenges in building a high-performing sales team, we invite you to reach out to us. I can assist you in creating a robust sales strategy that will enhance your company’s position in the market. Through our customized approach, we are dedicated to help you overcome obstacles, optimize your sales efforts, and drive sustainable growth. [Contact me](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) today to take your sales team to new heights. **Categories:** Blog, Sales Kickoff **Tags:** sales kickoff, sales kickoff meeting, sko --- ### [SDR Promotion Request](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sdr-promotion-request/) **Published:** April 7, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Your SDR team is passionate. Your SDR team is hungry. Your SDR team [feels stuck](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/are-you-feeling-stuck-in-your-sales-career-heres-how-to-get-back-on-track/) and wants to be promoted… Every 2 weeks. They are getting recruited all the time. Let’s tackle this head-on. And yes, we know “it depends”. First and foremost you need to have a clear path on paper that can be explained in [the interview process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-hire-killer-sales-reps/). Remember, this is a path and guideline, it doesn’t mean you cannot deviate from it should some show the ability and skills worthy of a promotion. We recommend including specific milestones that must be met. Hitting quota, like a number of meetings set. A number of sales calls they sit in on, self-reliance to learn more than what you will teach them, books they should read, running sales meetings, building and running reports, and having them explain them to you. Additionally, you could have them help you with the mundane tasks that all managers must do. Show them it’s not all butterflies and roses. Be sure you cover this in your interview. Make sure you position the conversation around their career desires and goals. Ask them questions about what drives them internally for career growth. Yeah, we probably know the answer. But here’s the thing. Asking them shows you are interested in them. It shows you care more about them as a human, more than just part of the revenue machine. Finally, make sure that promotions are based on merit and achievement, not simply tenure. Ok, so you didn’t position it well in the interview, or maybe you did, and they are still asking. Chances are they are being recruited. You should expect this, and you should be willing to discuss it. In many cases, it’s as much about the money as it is the promotion. If you are not paying the market rate, you will lose people. This could require an internal conversation within your org that would be an entirely different post. So what do you do? 1. Review your place in the market. Are you at the top, middle or bottom? 2. Remind folks of the milestones required. 3. Show them where they sit in accomplishing those milestones. 4. Remind folks that promotions are based on merit, not just tenure. Of course, this is easier said than done. When they leave it will be for: - Money - New Opportunities - Better Management (yeah, that may sting) - Better Coaching - [Better Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-5-reasons-why-your-sales-training-will-fail/) - Better Product or Service The only perfect answer to the SDR promotion request and this sales team challenge is simply to know where you fit in the current market. Having a strong path forward. And having an open dialogue with your team. Have questions about this? [Contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** sales rep, sales reps, SDR --- ### [Best Practices for SDR Compensation Plans](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-practices-for-sdr-compensation-plans/) **Published:** October 25, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** *“Let’s only comp the SDR Team on qualified opportunities and closed revenue! Yeah!”.* Last I checked I cannot remember the last time an SDR Manager/ Director said, *“Hey, you know how we should comp me and my team? Let’s do it on SQLs or SAL’s for which we have no real clear criteria that avoid someone’s judgment of others to ‘accept the lead’.”* So, buckle up butter cups. I am saying the quiet part out loud about [SDR compensation plans](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/setting-up-comp-for-enterprise-sdrs/). And, YES I AM YELLING at all you [Founders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-16-crimes-founders-are-guilty-of-when-moving-off-founder-led-sales/) and C-Levels making this suggestion. Feel free to pretend this entire post is in ALL CAPS just for you. Every time I hear this request there are a whole bunch of questions that need to be answered. 1. **Who is making this request specifically? I want to know titles and I want to know roles.** 1. What is their rationale? And they need to get real specific (we are missing the goal, we need more goodness in the funnel). 2. Oh, and if you have never been an SDR, please stay in your lane. Yes, you can still approve the SDR compensation plan, but you are not entitled to write it. 2. **What is the use case-specific rationale they are thinking about to make this request?** 1. 1. Is the sales team [missing a quota](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-why-most-sales-reps-are-missing-goals/)? 2. Does someone think SDRs are overpaid? 1. BTW, if you think your SDRs are going to bankrupt your company, sorry, that’s not really the issue. 3. Is someone simply trying to reduce costs in general? 3. **Why have the poor-performing sales reps not been fired sooner?** 1. This is what got us here in the first place in most cases. 2. We tend to hang onto sales reps 3-6 months longer because of the PIP process. 3. A PIP does not require paperwork for At-Will states, no matter what HR says. It merely needs to be a documented conversation. That document can be an email IMO. 4. **Is the** [**AE compensation plan**](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/aligning-your-sales-team-compensation-with-the-executive-team/) **going to be adjusted to require them to source a % of their own leads?** 1. Why not? 2. If not, then the answer to their request is a HARD M’FING NO! 3. If an AE is not hitting goal, and not prospecting a % of their own business, and they have not been fired, then see #3.2 5. **If the sales team is not hitting the goal:** 1. If less than 70% of your team is not hitting their quota, it’s a goal issue and not an SDR problem to solve on their own. 2. What training and coaching, and I mean specific, down to hours of training and hours of coaching per rep is happening? 1. And no, reviewing Gong calls is not enough because nobody is listening to the entire Gong call for every rep, and then spending 10-15 minutes coaching them at a minimum on every call. 6. **Is EVERY VP and C-Level required to set 2-3 qualified meetings per quarter themselves for the team?** 1. If the answer is no, why not? - And please don’t come back with the foolish reply of, *“Uhh…well, that’s not the job I signed up for.”* News flash, EVERYONE IS IN SALES! 2. I don’t care what department that C-Level is in. - Marketing, welcome to sales! - Engineering, welcome to sales! - HR, welcome to sales! 3. You have the title, use it for something other than looking down upon the people are doing the hard work. Remember you are asking SDRs and BDRs to make you millionaires and billionaires. 7. **How much budget is going to be allocated for BDR prospecting and sales training?** 1. They are different things. 2. You have to choose both, if you choose just one you are accelerating the suck. 8. **Will the SDR Management to SDR Ratio be reduced?** 1. Managers now have to coach on prospecting skills (cold calling, email, LinkedIn) AND sales skills. 2. How much time is being spent coaching now? 3. How will the current leadership team create time to coach on these new skills? 4. Or is leadership smoking hope-i-um thinking they can just create a multiverse around the space-time continuum? 5. The ideal SDR Manager to Rep Ratio is 1:6, 1:7 at most. 9. **What is your AE to SDR ratio?** 1. If you have more AE’s than SDRs, it’s clear you do not understand cash flow. 2. At a minimum, it should be 1:1. 3. The best SDR to AE ratio is 2 SDRs for each AE. ***(Pause for 30-second deep breathing exercise)*** Now, if you’re an [SDR](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-to-know-about-outsourcing-your-sdr-function/) leader or BDR manager and you have been told this is the way its going to be and to come up with a plan. Go to [Claude](https://claude.ai) (way better than ChatGPT), have it build the plan, and then ask it to update your resume. If more than 20% of my above statements are true, it’s time to find leaders who will own accountability. Feel free to include this post as a part of your resignation letter or better yet, don’t write one and just give them this post. ***(Pause for 30 seconds to enjoy the laughter of “Oh, Richard, if only I could”).*** BDR’s compensation should only be based what the BDR can control. - Right person, right company. - Need based on minimum requirements. - SDRs do Qual Calls (QC means qualified person, not qualified opportunity). - AE’s do Disco Calls AE’s (DC means a qualified opportunity). - Meetings Booked. - Show Up Rates. - Sitting in on \_\_\_ first and second calls per month (learning). - No judgments by others to determine if it’s a “good lead”. - If you want to provide a bonus, give them 1% on closed revenue, that’s a great thing to do. ***SDR’s compensation cannot be compensated on something the SDR cannot control.*** - Timeline (meaning a project is planned). - Budget (oh please, no 20-something is gonna pull that number from a decision maker, plus it’s too soon). - Someone else’s opinion of it being “qualified”. There you have it. Be sure to tip your wait-staff if you like this. And certainly, you’re welcome to stick around for the 2nd show when I go off on people who think there’s something called a Buyer’s Journey. There is no such thing, only a Buyer’s Experience through the [Seller’s Journey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-why-most-sales-reps-are-missing-goals/). Need help with your SDR compensation plan? [Contact me here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog, Compensation Plans, Sales Management --- ### [Top 3 Sales Problems To Watch Out For in 2016](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-3-sales-problems-to-watch-out-for-in-2016/) **Published:** January 17, 2016 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ***AES CAN’T UPSELL*** ***THERE ARE NO GOOD SALES MANAGERS AND*** ***SDRs ARE A GATEWAY DRUG*** Given our experienc in working with start-ups and inside sales teams, we were recently asked by [Brisk.io](http://www.brisk.io/) to do a couple of blog posts. This one was originally posted on their blog site butwe wanted to post here for our readers as well in case you haven’t yet heard of [Brisk.io](http://www.brisk.io/) (Check them out though, awesome value prop!) Richard Harris has been training salespeople for a long time via his consultancy [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/). He’s also The Director of Sales Training and Consulting Services at [Sales Hacker](http://www.saleshacker.com/). Harris sees the same sales problems come up again and again, especially in early stage SaaS companies. “You have people with early stage companies who don’t even know how to have a [sales conversation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-6-dumbest-phrases-sales-people-used-in-2015/), “ says Harris. “They’ve created some niche. They’ve been able to generate some interest, but they don’t know how to ask a question. All we have right now is a bunch of technology to get us into meetings, but we don’t know what the fuck to say when we get there.” Harris’s job is to teach people what to say, but training is only half the story. **Not Enough Training or Coaching** “Training is me coming in and teaching people what to do,” says Harris. “Coaching is what happens afterwards. That’s what the manager’s job is. What’s an SDR’s job? Hit the number. What’s the manager’s job? Make sure the SDR hits the number. How do they do that? Coaching. It’s very simple.” “The problem is there’s no longer any good middle managers in America. They keep getting dumped on. They keep being asked to handle more reps than they can and put together more reports for upper management that don’t actually affect the day-to-day and take them away from the coaching.” **SDRs Will Be Poached** If there are any sales managers left out there, they have a new sales problem: losing SDRs to the rest of the company. “SDRs are the lifeblood of your organization,” says Harris. “The SDR role is the gateway to getting young, talented, smart people in the door of your company. People should stop thinking of them as only being sales people. SDR’s can move into marketing. They could go into customer success. They could go [into HR departments](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e97-healthy-headspace-selling-with-alex-smith-of-headspace/). Every department could pull from the SDR team.” “You’ve got to be careful if you tell sales leaders that the SDRs are now the recruitment spot for the rest of the organization. The sales leaders will freak out.” **Most AEs Don’t Want Or Like To Upsell** The final sales problem is that nobody is upselling. “Many AEs don’t want to call their old clients and upsell them,” says Harris. “They hate it. They can’t stand it. They’re afraid they’re going to get sucker punched with a, ‘Oh I really love you guys, but this thing is broken. Can you help me fix it?’” Then you’ve got customer success. “Due to no fault of their own most customer success people suck at cross-selling, upselling, and closing,” says Harris. “They couldn’t close a barn door to save their life. On the other hand They FUCKING ROCK at nurturing! They will take more grief, more angry customer calls, and turn the biggest pile of shit into a fantastic rose garden better than any AE ever will. But getting them to cross sell and upsell is a problem. The only way they are going to get better is to give them real sales training, teach them how to have a selling conversation and help remove the ‘used car’ sales person mentality they have stuck in their head. ” **About Brisk.io** – [Brisk.io](https://www.brisk.io) finds the fastest paths to sales by showing you which leads to follow and the next steps to take. Plus it’s free. **About The Author** Richard brings 20 Years of Technology and Saas sales experience and training to his role as a consultant with [The Harris Consulting Group](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) and as the [Director of Training and Consulting Services at Sales Hacker](http://www.saleshacker.com/consulting-and-training/). Clients ask Richard to help with definining, implementing, and measuring sales as it relates to **The Four P’s: People, Performance, Planning, and Process.** Experience and clients include: ***Mashery, Gainsight, PushPay, SocialChorus, TopOpps, Spanning, Outbound Engine, Udemy,*** and many others. Learn more about **The Harris Consulting Group** by [clicking here.](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/)Learn more about **Sales Hacker** and Sales Training by [clicking here.](http://www.saleshacker.com/consulting-and-training/)Follow Richard: @rharris415 or get a drone. Other articles written by Richard: - [6 Dumbest Phrases Used By Sales People in 2016](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/6-dumbest-phrases-sales-people-used-2015-richard-harris?trk=pulse_spock-articles) - [Women in Sales The XX Factor – With Sarah Fricke of CEB](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-sarah-fricke-of-corporate-executive-board/) - [What Star Wars Taught Us About Sales Scripts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-star-wars-taught-us-about-sales-scripts/) **Categories:** Blog, SDR Training **Tags:** BDR, Fields Sales Team, inside sales, Inside Sales Team, managing millennials, Sales, sales leadership, sales manager, sales rep, sales reps, SDR --- ### [New Targeting Strategy: Ideal Vertical Profile to Grow Pipeline](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-vertical-profile-to-grow-pipeline/) **Published:** September 19, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** You know the old phrase, “what worked in the past may not work today”? The ever-changing sales market requires us to continually reassess our strategies, particularly how we define and target our ICPs ([Ideal Client Profiles](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/)). The traditional approach of casting a wide net and focusing solely on the human element is becoming obsolete. As industries shift (and whole new industries created like AI, overnight) and customer behaviors evolve, it’s crucial to challenge conventional methods and lead new strategies for better targeting. \*Knock knock\*… The idea of Ideal Vertical Profiles (IVP) comes in. In this blog, we’ll dive into what I mean by IVP as a tool to redefine how you target your new customers. **Understanding Ideal Vertical Profiles (IVP)** Amidst the pursuit of more effective targeting, the concept of Ideal Vertical Profiles emerges as a game-changer. Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, IVP encourages businesses to zero in on 3-4 verticals that closely resonate with their offerings. This deliberate and concentrated focus allows businesses to establish a highly impactful presence within select segments, resulting in exponential growth. To dive deeper into the concept, it’s essential to understand the components that make up IVP and how they interact: 1. **Ideal Company Profile (ICP1):** Think of ICP1 as the architect’s blueprint for identifying the perfect companies within your chosen verticals. It serves as your navigational compass, directing your efforts toward enterprises that seamlessly align with your solutions. By meticulously defining the characteristics of these ideal clients within the selected verticals, you lay a solid foundation for impactful customer engagement. 2. [**Ideal Customer Persona**](https://www.presalescollective.com/podcast/30-ideal-persona-profile-the-real-ideal-customer-profile-w-richard-harris) **(ICP2):** ICP2 takes personalization to the next level. It delves into the specifics, crafting 3-5 distinct personas within each target company. By diving deep into the intricacies of these personas, ICP2 uncovers their unique pain points, especially concerning your offered solutions. This in-depth understanding empowers businesses to design tailored strategies that deeply resonate with these personas. 3. **Ideal Vertical Profiles (IVP):** IVP is the overarching strategy that brings ICP1 and ICP2 together. It involves selecting specific verticals where your offerings are most relevant and valuable. This strategic choice allows you to focus your resources and efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact. ## **How IVP, ICP1, and ICP2 Interact** The beauty of this approach lies in the dynamic interplay between ICP1, ICP2, and the overarching IVP framework. Instead of a linear progression, these components can develop concurrently, creating an intricate web of interdependence. This dynamic strategy ensures agility, enabling businesses to adapt swiftly to market fluctuations and seize emerging opportunities. ICP1 identifies ideal companies within your chosen verticals. It’s not just about size; it’s about cultural fit, pain points, and alignment with your solutions. ICP2 goes deeper by crafting distinct personas within each target company. These personas represent the key decision-makers and [influencers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-sales-influencers-to-follow-in-2022/). Understanding their unique pain points allows you to tailor your messaging and approach. IVP unifies ICP1 and ICP2 under a strategic umbrella. It involves selecting specific verticals where your offerings are most relevant and valuable. This strategic choice allows you to focus your resources and efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact. ## **Tips for Implementing IVP Successfully** - **Extensive Research:** Invest time in researching your chosen verticals thoroughly. Understand their pain points, challenges, and industry-specific terminology. - **Collaboration:** Ensure that your sales and marketing teams collaborate effectively. They need to be aligned in messaging and approach. - Continuous Refinement: IVP is not a static strategy. Regularly review and refine your ICP1, ICP2, and IVP based on market feedback and performance metrics. - **Effective Tools:** Utilize advanced tools and technologies to streamline the identification and targeting of companies and personas within your IVP. - **Data-Driven Insights:** Leverage data analytics to gain insights into the effectiveness of your IVP strategy. Adjust your approach based on performance data. ## **Paradigm Shift: Transforming Customer Engagement** The shift from a traditional approach to embracing the Ideal Vertical Profile methodology signifies a paradigm shift in customer engagement strategies. It places businesses firmly in the driver’s seat, allowing them to reimagine their engagement tactics and establish profound connections. This fusion of IVP, ICP1, and ICP2 transcends the boundaries of conventional methodologies, propelling businesses toward an era of accelerated growth and expansive market presence. ## **Beyond the Human Element** The essence of IVP transcends mere human interaction; it embodies a comprehensive approach rooted in understanding, precision, and innovation. It champions the fusion of these elements to pave the way for a thriving future. The transformative power of IVP beckons businesses to embark on a transformative journey, leaving behind the limitations of traditional methods and embracing the uncharted territory of exponential growth. ## **Are You Ready to Elevate Your Customer Focus?** If the potential unleashed by Ideal Vertical Profiles intrigues you, it’s time to reshape your customer focus and set your business on a trajectory towards growth. The journey begins with embracing IVP. Elevate your strategies, redefine your engagement, and fuel your path towards unparalleled success. If you need guidance on this transformative journey, consider starting a conversation with us to uncover the endless possibilities that lie ahead. For deeper insights and comprehensive knowledge, we invite you to check out [our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Sales Training & Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/), where we can help with customer focus. Or simply [book a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). We’ll help you transform your approach to customer engagement and fuel your journey towards exponential growth. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Negotiating Severance](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/negotiating-severance/) **Published:** December 19, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** *Can I negotiate severance?* *Should I negotiate severance?* *How do I negotiate severance?* Yes, you can actually [negotiate severance](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e6-negotiating-severance/). In most cases, yes you can, because you have nothing to lose. After all, you are in sales. Maybe you’re an SDR/BDR, Account Executive, or Vice President of Sales. It’s in your dna. And it’s ok. It does not mean your company will, but you can and should try. First, if you need the severance to pay bills, eat, and live, pay for your insurance. It’s ok to accept it as is. Also, please check with a lawyer in your state as some things may be different. Here are some tips to keep in mind, especially around your mindset: 1. The severance letter is written by their lawyers to protect them 100%, always. No matter what they tell you. Which is also to your advantage. Since they are not in sales, and come in with a selfish mentality, you can use that against them. Kinda like martial arts, use the opponent’s momentum against them. 2. Severance letters are rarely rescinded like job offers. This is because of the “non-disparagement” clause. As a sales person, keep this in your back pocket. 3. There will be a clause somewhere in the document stating that you are not to discuss, disclose, disparage the company, its officers, etc. It will be one sided, meaning they are saying they can say anything they want about you. 4. They will use words and phrases like, “fair, flexibility, and sorry we have to do this” in order to make themselves the victim and get you to feel guilty. This is similar to the prospect attempitng to make the sales person feel guilty when closing a deal. 5. No matter what they say, no matter what state, you are generally NOT legally obligated to sign anything. Please check with your state of course. 6. If your severance is a crappy offer, check to see what your state unemployment laws are. 7. Keep in mind, they are really attempting to manipulate you and pay you to remain silent. The worse the package, the more this is the reason. 8. Claiming that unused vacation is part of your severance may not be true. Even if allowed, they are not “doing you a favor”, they are manipulating you. Check with your state laws/lawyer because some states require they pay you for unpaid vacation. Severance is often different. 9. Insurance – Always ask for 90-180 days, even if they won’t pay you additional cash. 10. When they hand you the offer/letter, say nothing for a very long time. Take deep breaths. After you read it, pause and look them in the eyes, and play the staring game. It makes them uncomfortable. 11. Wait for them to speak first. Give them nothing when they ask a question other than, “I need to review this.” 12. DO NOT say, “Thank you, I need to review this.” Are you really thankful? 13. The deadline they request for you to sign is 100% arbitrary in most cases. Some states do require a minimum time to give someone before signing. Again, check with your state laws/lawyer, etc. 14. They are giving you a deadline because they want to nip this in the bud. They want to “get it off their to-do list”, and if there are many people, they are trying to streamline. 15. Yes, in some cases they are trying to “hug you out the door”. This is good. If the severance is a few months and it may include health insurance. In these moments, we think you should accept this. 90+ days is often pretty good. 16. Always ask for an extra 48 hours. When they ask why, you simply say, “I need the time to process everything that is going on, it’s a bit emotional, you know?.” It is ok if they don’t give it. #### **Things to negotiate:** 1. Always ask for 6 months severance. 2. Always ask for 6 months insurance. 3. Always ask for a letter of recommendation (you write it, they sign it). 4. Always ask that the non-disclosure/non-disparagement clause needs to be bi-directional. Now, in most cases they will say no to everything. Your ace in the hole is the mutual non-disparagement agreement. Remember, they put it in there to protect their reputation. Well, now this reputation is worth a whole lot more than the package they are offering you. As I stated above, if you need the money to live, then it is ok to accept it. And again, check the employment laws in your state. Here’s one thing to know. Severance packages are rarely “rescinded” unlike job offers. With all of this in mind, when you start to negotiate, here are the things to consider saying. You – “I appreciate you taking the time to create this package and I’d like to share some some thoughts if that’s ok?” Them – “Of course” You – “Well, the severance package you are offering does not feel fair. Fair would be 6 months pay as well as 6 months insurance. Additionally, the non-disparage agreement must be mutual. And I feel a letter of recommendation and LinkedIn endorsement would be the most fair.” (Use the word must) Them – “Well, we feel this is fair and it’s all we will offer. And the non-disparagement agreement is there so you understand how seriously and important it is for us to support you with this package.” You – “Thank you, I am confused, the following deals are in the pipeline and set to close. I put them there, I qualified them, and they will close, because of my work specifically. That commission is worth \_\_\_\_. Which is more than your severance package. How would you call that fair?” Them – “Well, this is what your comp plan says” or something similar. You will notice them starting to squirm, this is good for you. You – “Ok, well, then back to the non-dispargement part. Essentially, what you are doing is attempting to bribe, manipulate, and buy-off my silence, right? I mean, you’re trying to protect the company reputation from potential negatives.” (Say potential negatives, this is not suggesting you are threatening them, It’s just vague enough.) Them – “Uhhh, well, um…” They will now be really uncomfortable. NOBODY has ever said this to them, so they are 100% not even close to being prepared to answer with any sense of logic. Most likely, they will be fake angry with you. In a few instances, they may actually “threaten you”, which could become another thing for you to use. You – “Uh, I am confused, you seem a bit frustrated. I am confused by this, I mean, you hired me to be a sales person, and to handle negotiations, surprised you’re so surprised by this conversation. I mean your lawyers wrote this, your executive team reviewed, and approved it, and it seems like nobody has role-played out the scenario. Again, you hired me as a sales person, this is what you hired me to do. I respect that you need to do what’s best for the company and its reputation. Well, I am my own company too, and I need to protect my reputation as well. How do you not see this as a fair ask?” Them – “Uhh, umm… Well, this is blah blah blah.” You – “Well I am a bit disappointed and shocked you seem to be angry with me for doing exactly what you are doing. Again, how is that fair?” You – Pause, wait, take 3 deep breaths, yes 3 (you will need them). If they speak while you are breathing, continue breathing. You – “Ok, well the way I see it, you have the following options: 1. 1. You increase the severance package and change the non-dispargement agreement and give me a letter of recommendation. 2. You can keep the severance the same and still change the non-disparagement and provide a letter of recommendation and LinkedIn endorsement. 3. Nobody signs anything. What would you like to do?” Yes, its ok to negotiate to 5, 4, 3 months. Yes, it’s ok to settle for just severance and no insurance. Yes, it’s ok say no to severance and take insurance. Which is actually cheaper for them. Yes, it’s ok to give up the letters of recommendation and LinkedIn endorsements, however that should be easy to get from your immediate supervisor for later. #### **Conclusion** Yes, I have done this, and yes it worked to a certain degree. I was able to get the non-disparagement agreement changed and an extra 30 days of insurance. As stated, check yourself, do what is best for you and your family and your life. And again, always check your state employment laws before doing any of this. If you decide to go down this path, it’s rare they would rescind the offer they are buying your silence and that’s what’s important to them. If you are not the type of person to do this, or its not in your fortitude to go through this, or you simply want to close this chapter and move on I fully support this. You need to do what is best for you. We support you. --- #### **About the Author** Teaching sales reps how to [earn the right to ask questions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/), which questions to ask, and when is the primary driver for Richard. He brings 20+ years of experience, having done all the roles, including SDR, AE, Manager, Director, VP of Sales, and Director of Sales Ops to the table. His client list includes Fortune brands as well as start-ups, including Zoom, [Salesforce](https://www.salesforce.com), Human Interest, Dusty Robotics, Gainsight, and more. He’s also the co-founder of [Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-podcast/) as well as the host of the Surf and Sales Podcast and his newest podcast, Sales Rants with Richard. He lives in Northern California with his wife, Cathy, sons, Riley and Bodhi, and two Cavapoos, Lola and Luna **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S4E6 - Negotiating Severance](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e6-negotiating-severance/) **Published:** March 13, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Yes, you can [negotiate a severance](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/negotiating-severance/) and this is the episode that explains it all. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e6-negotiating-severance?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Have Effective 1-on-1’s for Sales Success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/have-effective-1-on-1s-for-sales-success/) **Published:** June 24, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** *This is part two of our three-part series dedicated to sales enablement, sales training and sales culture. Our guest author is [Niraj Kapur](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nkapur/) of [Everybody Works In Sales](https://everybodyworksinsales.com).* --- *What are your numbers? What is closing this week? What’s in the pipeline.* That’s not how you should start work at 9 am on a Monday. Not in 2021. To clarify, I believe sales is the foundation of every business and it’s vital to be selling and prospecting every day. Without this function, you will be in trouble. I observe all kinds of behavior from sales leadership all the way down from the CRO, VP of Sales, sales directors, sales managers, and even sales reps. Some of this behavior is inspiring. In most cases, it’s aggressive and downright embarrassing and concerning. So many sales managers were top-performing salespeople. They wanted a pay raise and ego recognition so they were promoted to sales manager. Being a great sales manager and being great at generating revenue are different skills. Most sales leaders are not trained to be managers, just like most salespeople are not given enough sales training. The importance of regular sales training and sales coaching is an ebook worth of material, so let’s focus on why is having 1:1 meetings with your team members is so vital? There’s a wonderful saying often attributed to Abraham Lincoln, *“people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”* 1. **Ask your colleague how they are and listen.** Don’t ask casually like you do in a supermarket or in a coffee shop. Show genuine interest. Ask follow up questions, ask for details, ask about how it feels? (Just like a sales call) As a sales manager, you don’t need to know every intimate detail of a colleague’s life. You can, however, show you care about their whole being, not just their sales number. If they have a dog, you need to know its name. If they have children, know their names. If they have a partner, know their name, if a family member is ill, ask how they are keeping? 2. **Ask about their mental health.** Remember, mental health is different from mental illness. Mental health is just like phsyical health. We do things to keep our body healthy, we should do and encourage things to keep our mind healthy. According to research, 1 out of 3 people have suffered depression or mental health challenges. During the last year of lockdown, 2 out of 3 people have suffered loneliness, depression, or a challenge with their mental health. Bad mental health will affect sales and hitting targets. Recommend lunchtime breaks from technology. Several Zoom meetings back to back are not healthy. Meditating 15 minutes a day can do wonders. Even a good “walk and talk”. If the call doesn’t require a video. Take it on the road and simply walk around a bit, even inside is ok for a “walk and talk”. 3. **What further sales training or sales coaching do they need that you could help with?** If they don’t know, then arrange a time to listen to their sales calls and do supportive sales coaching. Not “do this and do that.” That’s not sales coaching, it’s dictating. Listen. Support. Advise. 4. **How can I help support you this week?** Pause for 5-10 seconds after asking this. Longer if needed. It goes back to Abraham Lincoln’s quote. 5. **Address their concerns and anxieties.** While many people are returning to offices, others are not ready. Fear of what can be caught on public transport, offices, and with clients cannot be underestimated. We can now have networking events face to face, an important way of doing business, yet many events are staying virtual. So many people are not ready for face-to-face meetings yet. It’s important for them to know you have their back and their concerns are valid, very real, fair to have, and frankly pretty normal. 6. **What do you want to achieve this week that will make you happy?** Naturally, some of this should crossover with their targets. 7. **Then you talk numbers and what deals are closing this week.** If a client says no, barking out “try again” is not a solution. Closing deals is a problem because most salespeople can’t open deals. What research are they doing? What questions are being asked? What insight is being shared? Are they recapping? Are they pausing after the price is mentioned? This is your opportunity to coaching and support. It’s like Brian Tracy said, *“Imagine everyone has a sign around their neck saying, ‘Make Me Feel Important.’”* Will certain sales team members take advantage of your good nature or make excuses? 100% yes. The good sales team members will perform even better and make you look as good as a rock star. When your sales team wins, everybody wins. If you’re interested in hearing more about sales coaching and sales enablement, check out my conversation with Ashley Zagst, Galem Girmay, Richard Harris, and Scott Leese on the Surf and Sales Bonfire Session on-demand webinar, [3 Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Sales Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/enablement-building-a-coaching-culture). --- **About The Author:** Recently named a Salesforce 16 Sales Influencer To Follow Right Now, Niraj is a trusted sales coach, LinkedIn trainer, and author of the Amazon bestsellers, Everybody Works in Sales and The Easy Guide to Sales for Business Owners. You can follow his content on LinkedIn [here](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nkapur). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [How to Role Play in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-role-play-in-sales/) **Published:** February 21, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The ultimate success of sales comes down to one thing. The ability to know how to role play in sales. There are several ways to role play in sales. You can do high level role playing, which includes things like going through a demo. Then, you can get granular and niche on [sales role](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e110-how-to-leverage-your-own-impatience-in-a-sales-role-with-sr-biz-dev-mgr-josh-roth-of-walkme/) playing. These topics are often something like these below: 1. The [cold call script](https://www.regie.ai/blog/say-hello-to-regies-new-call-script-builder) (yes, use a script) 2. How to deliver pricing 3. How to handle the [discount](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/discount-strategies-stop-playing-chicken-with-your-discounts/) conversation 4. How to [negotiate with procurement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/the-skills-your-team-needs-to-negotiate-with-procurement-and-reduce-discounting/) 5. How to marinate in objections, instead of “handling them” 6. How to handle the competitor conversation So yes, role playing in sales is absolutely essential. Start practicing the topics above and you will guaranteed get better. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The Power of "And" vs. "But" in Sales Conversations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-and-vs-but-in-sales-conversations/) **Published:** January 22, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Two simple words, both with powerful outcomes. Effective communication is at the heart of successful sales, and the words we choose can significantly impact the outcome of our interactions. In the vast landscape of listening and asking tactics for salespeople, one often underestimated pair of words takes center stage: “and” and “but.” Despite their simplicity, these words can wield tremendous influence when [strategically employed in sales conversations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/efficiency-vs-effectiveness-the-value-of-sales-training/). ## “And” vs. “But” “And” and “but” may seem like inconspicuous elements in our linguistic arsenal, and their usage can make or break a sales pitch. Let’s discover why these seemingly innocuous words play a pivotal role in shaping the dynamics of communication. ### Understanding the Dynamics Consider the following examples: - “I understand what you are saying, **BUT** . . .” - “I understand what you are saying, **AND** I wonder how you would feel about . . .” - “I agree with you, but . . .” - “I agree with you, and what if . . .” In these scenarios, “and” introduces an additional idea and encourages further exploration, while “but” contradicts the preceding statement. Here, the word “but” actually dismisses the other person’s ideas and emotions. In short it tells them they are wrong and does not give them an opportunity to easily express their concerns. The emotional impact of “but” is akin to the stronger version experienced during a breakup – a clear rejection. And it invokes an internal emotional response of defensiveness, disappointment, frustration, and potentially anger because they do not feel heard. ## The Power of “And” In essence, “but” dismisses everything said before it, creating a barrier. On the other hand, “and” allows for acknowledgment without necessarily full agreement. This subtle shift in language can significantly influence the receptiveness of the other party. By using, “and”, itt can become easier to guide someone towards a different direction. Your direction. Simply because they feel heard and understood. ## Practical Implementation **Active Listening:** Pay attention to your prospects and be attuned to the moment they use the word “but.” What does it signify? Are they veiling a disagreement? Actively listening allows you to discern their true sentiments. When you hear “but” you can try to respond by using an “and” statement. **Conscious Language Usage:** Monitor your own language and be aware of when you use the word “but.” Challenge yourself to rephrase it with “and.” While it may take some time to adjust, the results can be transformative. The subtle shift in language opens doors to agreement and understanding. In the complex [world of sales](https://youtu.be/EgjOSYq4kSU), the smallest nuances in communication can make a significant impact. The strategic use of “and” over “but” is a simple yet potent tactic that fosters a positive atmosphere for dialogue. By embracing this linguistic shift, sales professionals can build stronger connections. Moreover, they can enhance understanding, and ultimately increase the likelihood of successful outcomes in their interactions. So, the next time you find yourself tempted to say “but,” consider the power of “and” in steering your conversations towards success. Do you want to dig deeper into this tactic and discover new ones? [Download your copy of The Seller’s Journey here!](https://pages.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-sellers-journey) **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Sales, sales strategies --- ### [S6E22 - Cory Terre - The Best Way to Evaluate a Potential Unicorn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e22-cory-terre-the-best-way-to-evaluate-a-potential-unicorn/) **Published:** April 21, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast, hosts Scott Leese and Richard Harris sit down with Cory Terre, a sales performance coach at Cellfire. Cory breaks down the 3 key factors he looks for when evaluating new job opportunities – people, product, and potential. Cory shares wild stories from his early days working at Main Street Hub alongside Scott, including the time Scott gave him a brutal wake-up call that changed the trajectory of his sales career. Scott and Richard share their thoughts on the latest AI and automation tools impacting the sales world. This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone looking to level up their sales game or make a smart career move. Don’t miss it! [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e22-cory-terre-the-best-way-to-evaluate-a-potential-unicorn?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E21 - Cynthia Barnes - From Breaking Point to Breakthrough](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e21-cynthia-barnes-from-breaking-point-to-breakthrough/) **Published:** April 21, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** his powerful episode of the Surf and Sales podcast features Cynthia Barnes in a candid conversation with hosts Richard Harris and Scott Leese. Cynthia shares her journey from a toxic marriage to becoming a successful entrepreneur, executive coach, and founder of the “Thank You It’s True” movement. The conversation covers critical topics including AI’s impact on critical thinking, the power of small curated communities vs. massive networking events, and the importance of recognizing your self-worth in both personal and professional settings. Cynthia reveals how she built resilience through difficult experiences and turned challenges into purpose. This episode offers genuine inspiration, practical career advice, and powerful insights on developing authentic confidence. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e21-cynthia-barnes-from-breaking-point-to-breakthrough?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How the Year of the SDR got even better: SalesStack 2015!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-of-the-year-of-the-sdr-got-even-better-salesstack-2015/) **Published:** November 24, 2015 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Whether you run an inside sales team, field sales team, [SDR](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-practices-for-sdr-compensation-plans/), BDR, or MDR sales team that was an awesome sales conference! Honestly with all the excitement leading up to, during, and even after [Sales Hacker’s](http://www.saleshacker.com/) [SalesStack15](http://www.saleshacker.com/sales-stack/) I simply have not had a chance to reflect. Tonight when I ordered my head free headshot, courtesy of Sales Hacker (thanks Max!). I was able to finally get some perspective on the event as a whole. To say epic is simply not enough. Before we speak about the conference itself, let’s take a quick moment to see how we even got here. Early in 2015 [Max Altschuler ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxaltschuler)declared it **The Year of the SDR** and from what I can tell he nailed it! The amount of energy and focus on the SDR, top of the funnel, activities has really helped everyone who’s a part of an organization with an inside sales SDR, BDR, or field sales team. Just like a sales funnel, starting at the top helps increase the volume and velocity through the funnel. The year kicked off with Rainmaker by [SalesLoft](https://salesloft.com/) in the ATL and ended with one of the best sales conferences I’ve attended in a long time, SalesHacker SalesStack15. I’ve been to a lot of sales conferences and for me this really felt like “one of the good ones” others are awesome too, but for me this one had a little extra power. There was nothing specific per se, it just had a different feeling to me. Here are the things in no particular order that really stuck with me. 1. **The Cookies!** – Yeah, that smell of chocolate chip cookies was an outstanding touch. And they tasted even better. 2. **Attendees** – Everyone there really, really wanted to be there. As sales people it’s always a challenge to balance being away from the office and the fact that over 1,000 people attended. 3. **Attitude** – It felt like egos were checked at the door. Which we all know in sales can be hard to do. Everyone was super friendly, outgoing, interested talking and actually listening to each other and the speakers. Yeah, listening, I said it. 4. **Sponsors / Vendors** – Loved seeing everything all in one place. While yes, you can probably find all of these folks at something like Dreamforce the intimacy of the affair made it so much more manageable. For me it felt something like walking down the cereal aisle and choose the cereal with the best toys inside! 5. **Speakers –** Back to back and fully stacked! Holy cow and wow! It was like a sales version of Coachella or Bonnaroo! All the rock-stars sharing the stage for the love of the music, err…. Sales! A real who’s who in the sales arena. Tons of people I know, I have worked with, and admired from afar all in one place. If you did not take advantage to meet these people 1:1 you really missed a great opportunity. Without playing favorites I do want to list all the speakers by name just so we can be sure to give them some SEO love: Max Altschuler, John Barrows, Ralph Barsi, Bill Binch, Lesley Young, Kyle Porter, Aaron Ross, Brian Walton, Andrea Austin, Armando Mann, Kristina Shen, Shep Maher, Saad Shazad, Emmanuelle Skala, Mandy Cole, Carolyn Betts, Ryan Williams, Steve McKenzie, Marc Maloy, Kristen Moore, Sally Duby, Josh Evans, Chad Burmeister, Rob Jeppsen, Nancy Nardin, Mukund Mohan, Richard Harris, Keenan, Craig Rosenberg, Valerie Williamson, Lacey Bell, David Priemer, Becky Brown, Jason Lemkin, Jason Green, Tomasz Tunguz, Stacey Bishop, Jamie Shanks, Ken Krogue, Koka Sexton, Jill Rowley. 6. **Topics / Panels –** Uber powerful and massively meaningful. I cannot remember a conference where I was happy sitting and listening for 6-8 hours straight. If you missed any of them, you can [click here to watch the vidoes](http://livestream.com/SalesHacker/SalesStack2015). 7. **The Amenities –** Seriously free headshots? Genius!! Shoe shines? Brilliant! Happy Hour BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE! Oh and did I mention the cookies?!! All of these little things really helped make a “good conference” great! So as the Year of the SDR winds down to an end and The Year of the Sales Stack gets underway I am super pumped about the future of sales. I’ve even written a little something about [how to choose the right tools for you sales stack](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-choose-a-tool-for-your-sales-stack/). A lot of people “look down” on sales and sales people. I for one could not be more proud to say that I am a sales person and the other sales people I work with are fantastically amazing! From all of us at [The Harris Consulting Group](www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com) to all of you, finish the year strong, hit your goals, and I look forward to seeing you again and meeting more of you in 2016. To Max and the whole Sales Hacker Team, thank you for not only an amazing event but also for continually adding value, supporting the community, and helping us all hone our craft. **Categories:** Blog, Inside Sales **Tags:** Inside Sales Team, Lead Gen Team, Lead Generation Team, sales hacker, sales kickoff, sales kickoff meeting, sales philosophy, sales stack, sales training, saleshacker, salesstack, SDR, social selling, solution selling --- ### [S6E20 - Chris Cicconi - Freelance Hustle: Navigating all the Ups and Downs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e20-chris-cicconi-freelance-hustle-navigating-all-the-ups-and-downs/) **Published:** April 14, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Chris Cicconi joins the Surf and Sales Podcast to discuss what it was like to officially cut the W2 cord and go out on his own. Topics include… - Importance of focusing on revenue-generating activities vs. getting bogged down in branding/marketing tasks when starting a consulting business - Strategies for building a sustainable client base through networking, partnerships, and leveraging your personal brand - Challenges of scaling a consulting business too quickly and the risks of over-hiring/overhead - Benefits of maintaining multiple income streams and not being overly reliant on a single client or project - Differences in approaches between “jumping in” full-time vs. building a consulting business gradually alongside a day job - [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e20-chris-cicconi-freelance-hustle-navigating-all-the-ups-and-downs?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E19 - Sean Tepper Navigating Sales and Investing in Turbulent Times](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e19-sean-tepper-navigating-sales-and-investing-in-turbulent-times/) **Published:** April 14, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode of the Surface Sales Podcast, we sit down with Sean Tepper, the founder of Tykr, a SaaS platform that helps investors make informed decisions in the stock market. Sean shares his expertise on building a successful SaaS business, as well as his insights on the current state of the market and how investors can navigate the turbulence. Key Takeaways: - Sean discusses the importance of focusing on product-market fit and churn rates as key metrics for SaaS growth. - He shares his strategies for building partnerships and leveraging channel sales to scale a SaaS business. - Sean provides valuable advice for both experienced and novice investors on how to approach the current market conditions, including the importance of compound interest and long-term thinking. - The conversation also touches on the psychology of investing and overcoming the fear of the unknown. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e19-sean-tepper-navigating-sales-and-investing-in-turbulent-times?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E18 - Shawn Sease Fixing Cold Calling in the SDR Industrial Complex](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e18-shawn-sease-fixing-cold-calling-in-the-sdr-industrial-complex/) **Published:** April 14, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The orofessor of prospecting reveals why cold calling isn’t dead but your approach might be killing you. The founder of INeverAnswer.com, Sean Sease, shares his deep expertise on effective outbound prospecting and why the traditional cold calling approach fails for most companies. Key topics covered: - Why there’s no “secret sauce” in prospecting—it’s about doing the work properly - The surprising data on follow-up calls generating 2-12x more meetings than first-time connects - How to rethink your first-call objectives to build a pipeline of follow-ups - Sean’s innovative “Round Table” approach that transforms cold outreach effectiveness - Why making SDR roles a stepping stone to AE positions is “one of the most egregious errors in sales today” - The talent challenges in outbound teams and how to address them Whether you’re a sales leader struggling with outbound results or an SDR looking to improve your approach, Sean’s human-centered philosophy on prospecting will change how you think about cold calling forever. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e18-shawn-sease-fixing-cold-calling-in-the-sdr-industrial-complex?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Top 16 Crimes Founders Are Guilty of When Moving off Founder Led Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-16-crimes-founders-are-guilty-of-when-moving-off-founder-led-sales/) **Published:** May 12, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Your founder is guilty! Your founder is guilty! Your founder is guilty! All founders are guilty! 16\. GUILTY! It will not, not now, and not ever go as fast as you think it should. Your projections are hypotheses at best in early-stage sales. 15\. GUILTY! You are not so special that you will prove #16 wrong. Spend that energy elsewhere. 14\. GUILTY! Just because you read a sales book over the weekend does not mean you are the expert in sales. 13\. GUILTY! Your value prop is wrong because it talks about what you do, not what [pains you solve](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/guidelines-for-n-e-a-t-selling-even-when-you-use-another-methodology/). Speak in use cases and case study stories. Nobody buys words; they buy pictures of pain. **Example:** When I say “Tylenol”, do you imagine a pill, it’s shape, etc.? Or do you see an image of someone holding their head, and the frontal lobe is red? Did you know that’s the same red as the box and bottle? 12\. GUILTY! Your value prop is wrong because it’s what you think it is. How many customers have you asked why they purchased your product or service and then asked them to put that in a value prop? 11\. GUILTY! Your value prop is wrong because you are using words like Effective, Efficient, Fast, Easier, Accurate, AI, Analytics, Analyze, World Class, World Leader, \_\_\_-first. Remember, your competitors can and probably say the same thing until the prospect asks the “question we pray they won’t ask.” 10\. GUILTY! Your value prop is wrong because you don’t follow it up, and this is good because it \[insert use case\]. 9\. GUILTY! [Building a revenue team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-you-need-a-revenue-operations-team/) is EXPENSIVE, always. (SDR, Sales, Customer Success, Account Management, etc) 8\. GUILTY! If you only [hire one salesperson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-hire-killer-sales-reps/) at a time, it tells me you’re guilty of most things on this list. - It takes the same amount of time and energy to train one person as it does three. - When you hire 3, you are not committing to 3 full years of salary. Expect attrition. If they all work out the numbers take care of themselves. 7\. GUILTY! You are [hiring Ops](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/supercharging-your-revenue-with-customer-success-ops/) way too late. Should be first alongside a Head of Sales. 6\. GUILTY! If you have [more AEs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/getting-your-aes-on-board-with-ae-prospecting/) than SDRs, it also tells me you’re guilty of most things on this list. 5\. GUILTY! Not allowing new reps to go out and meet with clients to understand the value they bring to the right customer. (Courtesy of my friend [John Barrows](http://www.jbarrows.com/) of JB Sales) 4\. GUILTY! If you haven’t documented your stories (not just recorded, but also transcribed on paper), you are probably guilty of most things on this list. 3\. GUILTY! You buy into the “we must have someone who’s done it before”. That’s just advice VCs want to give so when it doesn’t work out, they can turn it around on you (more subconscious of them, than conscious). Hire “can do” vs. “has done”. More hustle, more grit, a bigger chip on their shoulder. 2\. GUILTY! You think sales reps and sales leaders are expendable commodities. Yet, when product teams miss their release dates, they don’t get fired. When marketing misses lead goals, they don’t get fired. 1\. GUILTY! In most cases, your VCs won’t tell you this because they haven’t done it themselves in a long time and don’t know. Not their fault, just the reality. Agree or disagree, let us know in the comments. If you’re a founder and need training to help you navigate any of these crimes from [founder led sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-founder-led-sales/), [contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Your 5-Year Sales Planning Is a Waste of Time](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/your-5-year-sales-planning-is-a-waste-of-time/) **Published:** August 9, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Stop wasting time on a 5-year sales plan. 5-year plans are simply an exercise in error prevention, not flexibility. It’s a complete waste of your time and resources. It’s 2022. Have you really gone back to see how accurate your 2017 plan was? Better yet, has your CFO? 3-year plans are better. They focus on the following: 1. [Revenue Growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-revenue-mindset-for-all-roles/) 2. Innovation 3. Flexibility 4. [Accountability](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/success-equals-accountability/) For help in planning ahead, check out [our webinar](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/salesforce-influencer-2023-planning-does-not-look-like-2022-planning) where we discuss how 2023 planning does not look like 2022. If you need help in planning and training for your team, [schedule a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Suicide Prevention Month: Let's Talk Mental Health](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/my-suicide-note/) **Published:** September 14, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Yes, I’ve had suicidal thoughts. I consider myself one of the luckier ones. I’m lucky because what I experienced wasn’t as serious as what others experience and have gone through. Over the years I’ve spoken about my [depression and anxiety](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/t’s-the-little-things-that-matter....just-thinking-of-you-hope-you-are-well.”/), to which I have turned my journey into my superpower. However, It wasn’t always that way. In fact, in the last few months, I’ve been adjusting my medication because something wasn’t clicking. Why am I being so brazen? Because September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Yet, you hardly hear much about it. Especially with all the political commentary right now. So, I want to do something about it and say something. Below are some resources in case you have a friend, are concerned about a teen, or are having your own thoughts around this topic. No, for me, this is not my “warning cry” but if you feel compelled, my cell phone is 415.596.9149 **[National Suicide Prevention Lifeline](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org) Hours:** *Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish, and more.* 1-800-273-TALK (8255) [**UNCrushed**](https://www.uncrushed.org) Seeking to change the way mental health is perceived and treated in our society, ending stigmas and breaking discrimination. ADAA If you are concerned for a friend you feel may be suicidal. [**SELF**](https://www.self.com/story/suicide-prevention-tips "SELF")[](https://www.self.com/story/suicide-prevention-tips) 5 ways to support suicide prevention BESIDES sharing a hotline number (which you should do). **[Tips for Teens](https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/mental-health-resources/preventing-youth-suicide/save-a-friend-tips-for-teens-to-prevent-suicide)**[](https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/mental-health-resources/preventing-youth-suicide/save-a-friend-tips-for-teens-to-prevent-suicide) **[Sandy Hook Suicide Prevention](https://www.sandyhookpromise.org)** Learn how to spot the signs and how to do something about it, safely. **[Suicide Training and Awareness Nationally Delivered for Universal Protection (STANDUP) Act of 2020 ](https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/press-releases/sandy-hook-promise-applauds-bipartisan-vote-to-advance-the-standup-act-h-r-7293/)** Learn more and contact your representatives to support this bill. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [What it really means to be a special snowflake](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-it-really-means-to-be-a-special-snowflake/) **Published:** October 22, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Whether you are a #millennial that grew up with loving parents encouraging every moment or a #GenXer like me who grew up as a latch-key kid and a part of the “slacker” generation, it doesn’t really matter. There is — and always will be — a certain level of selfishness that is required to be successful and happy. But there is another part too. It’s the selfless part of you. What I have recently learned through reading a few books and engaging in mediation is so easy to understand, yet it seems to escape many of us due to the “hustling” and “side-gigging” we are focusing on. Specifically, it’s not about all my use cases, what I am knowledgeable about. It’s about my *usefulness.* Am I useful in life? Am I useful to my family? Am I useful to my friends? Am I useful to my work, organization, upper management, peers or direct reports? I am not suggesting being submissive. I am suggesting making sure that I provide value to myself, and most importantly, to others. For me, this has become the essence of a Work / Life Balance. Engaging and encouraging myself to be better, act better, and provide support. This is what makes me a special-fucking-snowflake. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S6E17 - Eric Iannello - Surf's Up, Prospects Down: Riding the Waves of Relationship-Driven Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e17-eric-iannello-surfs-up-prospects-down-riding-the-waves-of-relationship-driven-sales/) **Published:** March 31, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode of the Surf and Sales podcast, hosts Richard, Scott, and special guest Eric Iannello, Head of Sales at Commsor, dive deep into the evolving landscape of sales outreach. The discussion covers a range of topics, including: - Eric’s journey from experiencing consecutive layoffs to embracing a network-driven sales approach, and how that shaped his perspective on the value of relationships. - The pros and cons of leveraging AI and automation in the sales process, particularly when it comes to managing warm introductions and preserving the human element of prospecting. - The panelists’ predictions on the future of outbound sales tactics, with insights on the gradual decline of traditional cold calling and emailing, and the rise of more personalized, referral-based strategies. - Thought-provoking perspectives on the ethics and challenges of scaling a network-driven sales model, including the potential pitfalls of over-automating relationship-building. Don’t forget to join us at the next Surf and Sales event, www.surfandsales.com [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e17-eric-iannello-surfs-up-prospects-down-riding-the-waves-of-relationship-driven-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E16 - Kevin Hopp - How AI Will Destroy Sales Reps (But Make Them Superheroes)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e16-kevin-hopp-how-ai-will-destroy-sales-reps-but-make-them-superheroes/) **Published:** March 31, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Richard and Kevin go head-to-head in an epic battle of sales tactics, AI hype, and generational warfare. Discover the secret to booking meetings on Discord and why email will never die (no matter how hard we try). And how the future of the top of funnel will begin in Reddit more than Google This episode has it all – don’t miss out! [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e16-kevin-hopp-how-ai-will-destroy-sales-reps-but-make-them-superheroes?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Women in Sales – The XX Factor with Kiasa Eriksen of Pushpay](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-kiasa-eriksen-of-pushpay/) **Published:** March 16, 2016 **Author:** Josh **Content:** Last year, the scalable, sustainable, and oh so trainable sales development representative (SDR) emerged as the sales industry’s newest darling. So as we head into the gooey center of 2016, we wanted to shine our spotlight on someone excelling in an SDR position. Fortunately, we found that someone in Kiasa Eriksen of [Pushpay](https://pushpay.com/). For those who don’t know, Pushpay, a New Zealand-based mobile app company, is one of the top mobile payment platforms in the faith and charities sectors. Kiasa Eriksen, just the second SDR to join the team, has helped build out the department to over 40 staff, and now manages a team of 12. Despite only being with the company for a year and some change, Eriksen has already established herself as a sales leader and role model for future saleswomen. Her passion for the job and quick climb up the corporate ladder also peaked our interest, so we thought we’d invite her for a chat. **Q: How many years have you been in sales?** A: 1 year **Q: Can you please describe the “aha” moment when you decided you wanted to be in sales?** A: I decided I wanted to be in sales after I had already fell into it, accidentally. I have always been very good with people and figuring out their needs. Once I figured out how to fulfill those needs with what I had to offer, it came quite naturally to me. **Q: What can you tell us about the single biggest sale you ever closed ($, sales cycle, company/ industry, etc.)** A: As an SDR, our “sales” are appointments with sale opportunities. I have been off of the phones and have stepped into a leadership role for almost six months now, but before stepping into my leadership role, I held the record for most appointments created. How did I obtain the record in the first place? Laser focus. It is really easy to get distracted in the “start-up” world of ping pong tables and free snacks, but I never let any of that get in the way of success. I didn’t let those things suck me in. I got there early and I stayed late. **Q: Which women in sales do you admire most?** A: The women that I most look up to in sales are the ones that don’t use being a woman as an excuse to be better or worse than their male counterparts. By being a woman and striving to “beat the boys,” it’s just as bad as the boys trying to “beat the girls,” and actually feeds into any possible misconceptions that women are weaker. **Q: If you could go back and give your early career-minded self advice about a career in sales, what would that be?** A: One word: Fight. Fight for your sales, fight for your voice to be heard and fight for yourself. I am not the sort of person to keep quiet and not call something out. Sometimes that is a potential sale’s bluff, and sometimes that is a broken system or process. That’s probably why I was chosen for leadership. I’ve also been lucky enough to have been surrounded by encouraging and stimulating peers and leaders, and fighting is something I learned from them. I just wish I had figured that out even sooner. **Q: What advantages do you think women have in sales over men?** A: Strength. It is generally agreed upon that women have higher EQs (Emotional Quotient). This gives us an innate ability to empathize and figure out what others’ needs are. **Q: What advice would you give to men about working with women in sales?** A: Never ever treat them as anything less than an equal. Since moving to Pushpay, I have always been surrounded by men that have held me to the exact same standard as themselves, and it has helped me grow immensely. Thanks for sharing your story Kiasa! Let us know what you think of Kiasa’s story, and [click here](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/xx-factor) to subscribe to “Women In Sales – The XX Factor” series. **Other Women In Sales Interviews:** - [Women in Sales with Sarah Fricke of CEB](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-sarah-fricke-of-corporate-executive-board/) - [Women in Sales With Pia Heilmann of Attend](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-pia-heilmann/) - [Women in Sales With Jenna Cronin of VorsightBP](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-jenna-cronin-of-vorsight-bp/) **Social Stuff:** Follow us on Twitter: [@rharris415](https://twitter.com/rharris415) Follow Pushpay on Twitter: [@Pushpay](https://twitter.com/Pushpay) Got some feedback? Care to share? Go for it! Comment! Share! **Categories:** Blog, Sales **Tags:** inside sales, Sales, sales leadership, SDR, the xx factor, women in sales --- ### [Women in Sales – The XX Factor with Sarah Fricke of CEB](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-sarah-fricke-of-corporate-executive-board/) **Published:** January 4, 2016 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you’ve been in the inside sales, Saas sales, or startup sales world then the name [CEB](https://www.cebglobal.com/) is probably not unfamiliar to you. You might also know them by their bestselling book about sales, [The Challenger Sale](https://www.cebglobal.com/exbd/sales-service/challenger-sale/index.page?). If you have not had a chance to read The Challenger Sale, we would definitely recommend putting it on your 2016 rotation. It’s a fantastic and powerful view of the strongest sales personalities and how to work them into your current sales structure. A few weeks ago, Sarah Fricke from CEB, reached out to us and wanted to compare notes on a few items. We had never actually spoken or even connected. When we finally got a chance to speak it was like speaking with an old friend. Our path’s had similar stories in terms of sales, inside sales, and sales consulting. From the perspective of [The Harris Consulting Group](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) we felt it was a natural fit for us to ask her to participate in our [Women in Sales, The XX Factor series](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-xx-factor-in-sales-volume-1/). We were very excited that Sarah said yes. Sarah, welcome to The XX Factor. **Question: How many years have you been in sales?** 6 **Question: Can you please describe the “aha” moment when you decided you wanted to be in sales?** I was born sales woman from an early age. My family loves to tell the story about when I was 7 and I begged for months for the Jerry Garcia Beanie Baby. For my birthday that year my aunt purchased the Beanie Baby for me, by January I had purchased a tag protector (yes that was a thing) and a tiny guitar for him to hold. By February I was bartering with my brother to give him the beanie baby for his Razor Scooter. From that point I think my parents knew that I was going to grow up to be one of two things…. a lawyer or a rock star sales woman. This went on throughout the rest of my childhood. All the way through selling the car my dad purchased for me when I was 16 back to him when I turned 20, for above market value might I add. When I graduated from college and went out into the “real world” I went looking for what I knew best, a challenge. My “aha” moment was an interview with a rather large firm in New York City where half way through the interview the hiring manager said, “Sarah you seem like a sweet southern lady. Why do you want to be in sales?” From that point forward I knew my role was to shatter this perception that women, specifically southern women, are too “nice” for sales. I have accepted this challenge and never looked back. **Q3: What can you tell us about the single biggest sale you ever closed ($, sales cycle, company/ industry, etc.)** When thinking through my pipeline throughout my years in sales I actually don’t think about my largest deal but rather the hardest deal. It was early in my career when I was selling a change in business model moving from the publishing business to memberships. I was tasked with breaking into a new vertical which was under penetrated by even the existing business model, Healthcare. I knew nothing about Healthcare policy so the first meeting I shared that I was new to the game and wanted to learn about their field…. The executive spent an hour briefing me on his top three policy objectives and I just kept asking more questions. – - What is your largest obstacle when getting a bill through Congress or the House? - Why do you wake up and fight for healthcare policy every day? - Who in your office is involved with policy creation? - How you’re your team work together to make buying decisions? I left saying thank you for the time and promised to send along resources that I felt would be helpful – I did so over the course of the next few weeks and set up a follow-up call. During that call the executive said “I’m taking a chance on you, I liked your style”. We hung up the phone with his commitment to move forward but I took one more step and sent an email out to his team asking them what upcoming initiatives they had in play and what I could pull together from our presentation center (one of the products) to assist. I cc’d him and sent another email just to him with an outline of the service plan I had begun to draft (with some outstanding questions for him) and a contract. He signed the contract in 30 minutes for a two year contract – $88,000 total deal. **Which women in sales do you admire most?** Which women in sales do you admire most? 1. [Sheryl Sandberg](https://www.facebook.com/sheryl) “Careers are jungle gyms not ladders” Point in case. 2. My mentor, [@Val Voci](https://twitter.com/valvoci), for being the first woman to say out loud to me “stop and observe the great things you are accomplishing”. Women are known for putting themselves down and we need to remind each other to focus on what we have accomplished. 3. [@Arianna Huffington](https://twitter.com/ariannahuff) of the [Huffington Post](https://www.thehuffingtonpost.com/) for all the work she has done advancing a work life balance and her ability to share her own personal struggles and triumphs. I’d be remiss if I did not also mention four additional women I’ve followed my entire career, [Jill Rowley](https://jillrowley.com/), [Trish Bertuzzi](https://www.bridgegroupinc.com/), [Jill Konrath](https://www.jillkonrath.com/) and [Lori Richardson](https://www.scoremoresales.com/). **If you could go back and give your early career minded self-advice about a career in sales, what would that be?** Be true to yourself. Throughout your career all types of mentors (which includes formal mentors, parents, friends, people who you don’t want to talk to and your mother’s uncle’s cousin) will have an opinion about where you are and what direction you should take next. Mentors (of all types listed above) are amazing and per Jill Konrath’s post on this very blog you should have them early and often. That said, know who you are and what you want to accomplish and go forth. Take advice that might change the path a bit but don’t change your end destination without considerable thought. **What advantages do you think women have in sales over men?** 1. *Networking –* Let’s face it ladies, we are naturals. Walking into a networking event there are always the clicks of people who know each other from their jobs, being at the events previously etc. Whenever there is a new guy you can tell because they hang by the bar or barely walk into the room vs whenever there is a new women she scopes the room and pinpoints 2-3 people she’s going to speak to that evening, without a plan of conversation she goes up, shakes their hand and introduces herself. 2. *Intuition* – They call it “women’s intuition” for a reason. 3. *Multi-tasking* – Women are known for juggling many tasks at the same time and still being able to produce excellent results. Throughout my entire career I have noticed this most in the women I managed vs. work side by side with. Obviously this is because I have been tasked with pipeline reviews. Women in my experience may have the information in multiple places but can multitask through the meeting and be able to pull everything needs where the men in my experience have needed to take notes and come back to me. Multitasking doesn’t mean organized but this shines through when it comes to a bit of disorganization. 4. *Patience* – It’s a virtue that women possess! Slow and steady wins the race. I cannot count the number of times I’ve been around a boardroom table where everyone is talking over each other and no one is taking the time to listen to the others. Women are some of the best around the boardroom because the patiently wait their turn and when the smart man (or another woman) around the table calls on them they have all the knowledge as they’ve been listening to everyone else as they waited. 5. *Listening and Questioning Skills* – As we approach the holiday seasons I have been spending a lot of time in and out of stores. What has been interesting this year is many of the stores that sell only women’s clothing are hiring men (just my observation and I am not stating men should not work at women’s clothing stores) and this has changed my buying experience. As I walk around the store I get asked more than once if I need help but when I say yes I am pointed to a corner of the store with the item instead of walked over, asked a few additional questions what “what’s the event, what color will I be painting my nails etc.” and when I arrive in my dressing room I only have the items I picked out, where as previously the sales associated took note of our conversation and would pull together a full outfit for me to try on. **What advice would you give to men about working with women in sales?** I don’t think I could say it better than this article so I will re-share from the Wall Street Journal – Women at Work – A Guide for Men. I add this to it: 1. Go in with an open mind. 2. Reiterate the woman you are reporting or working with is your boss, not your mother. Just because she is caring and asks follow on questions does not mean you should do an emotional dump on her. 3. Sometimes women may be asking questions to understand the story, they are not usually poking holes at your statement but rather looking to understand all angles. 4. Don’t get frustrated. Sarah, those are some amazing stories. Thanks so much for sharing and going very deep into the explanations. So much great advice for anyone in sales, men in sales, women in sales, inside sales, experienced sales people or someone just starting a career in sales. Thank you again for sharing your wisdom! **Other Women In Sales Interviews:** - [Women in Sales With Pia Heilmann of Attend](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-pia-heilmann/) - [Women in Sales With Jenna Cronin of VorsightBP](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-jenna-cronin-of-vorsight-bp/) - [Women in Sales with Bridgett Gleason of Sumo Logic](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-bridget-gleason-of-yesware/) **Social Stuff:** ***Twitter:*** @sarahfricke ***LinkedIn:*** [CLICK HERE](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahfricke)[](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahfricke)*Instagram:* Sarahpfricke ***Twitter:*** @rharris415 / ******LinkedIn:****** [CLICK HERE](https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardlharrisjr)***Website:*** [The Harris Consulting Group](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com)[](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com) Got some feedback? Care to share? Go for it! Comment! Share! **Categories:** Blog, Sales **Tags:** inside sales, Inside Sales Team, Sales, sales leadership, sales philosophy, sales rep, sales reps, sales training, the xx factor, women in sales --- ### [S6E14 - Mark Ackers - How to Know Your Sales Leader Doesn't Care](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e14-mark-ackers-how-to-know-your-sales-leader-doesnt-care/) **Published:** March 24, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Scott Leese and Richard Harris talk with Mark Ackers, founder of My Sales Coach, about the massive disconnect in sales coaching today. Mark reveals shocking stats from his 1,600-person survey showing 38% of reps rarely or never receive coaching, while 90% of leaders claim they coach monthly. Mark also shares his personal journey from mediocre sales rep to successful founder, including the brutal first coaching session that changed everything. The hosts also explore the future of coaching with AI and why human coaches will remain essential for accountability and relationship building. Key topics discussed: Why top performers often make terrible managers and how to bridge this skills gap The “random acts of coaching” approach that creates real improvement How Mark discovered he was “crap” at sales for 8 years until proper coaching transformed his career The critical importance of accountability that AI can’t replace The challenge of “letting reps crash the car” during live call coaching [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e14-mark-ackers-how-to-know-your-sales-leader-doesnt-care?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E15 - Anis Bennaceur - Finally, A Founder Who Got it Right](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e15-anis-bennaceur-finally-a-founder-who-got-it-right/) **Published:** March 24, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode of Surf and Sales, Richard Harris and Scott Leese interview Anis Bennaceur, CEO and co-founder of Attention.com, a platform revolutionizing sales with AI agents that automate sales conversations. Anis shares his journey from hacking web servers as a kid to working at Tinder in its early days, and then founding his own startups. The most fascinating revelation? He joined forces with his biggest competitor to create Attention.com after years of “waging war” against each other. Key highlights: - Why Attention.com’s AI was able to identify the exact reason a six-figure deal was stalling (and how they fixed it) - The surprising use case from dental implant sales teams that pushed their platform beyond what B2B clients typically do - Why founders should sell their first $300K in ARR themselves before hiring sales reps - The controversial take on equity for founding sales reps (Anis reveals exactly how much they offered) - Scott’s passionate rant on why LinkedIn desperately needs a competitor Plus: Why hiring two founding AEs creates the perfect competitive environment, and Scott’s counterargument for why three is the magic number [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e15-anis-bennaceur-finally-a-founder-who-got-it-right?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E13 - AJ Mahar and Butch Hudson The Science of High-Velocity Transactional Sales: Proven Scripts That Make Money Tomorrow](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e13-aj-mahar-and-butch-hudson-the-science-of-high-velocity-transactional-sales-proven-scripts-that-make-money-tomorrow/) **Published:** March 17, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Are you struggling to close more deals in your transactional sales role? Looking for a scientific approach that actually works in the real world? In this value-packed episode of the Surf and Sales podcast, hosts Scott Leese and Richard Harris welcome AJ Mahar and Butch Hodson, co-authors of “Sales Lab Scripting: The Proven Playbook to Scientifically Crush Your Sales Goals” and sales performance leaders at Sellfire. AJ and Butch have perfected the art and science of transactional sales. They share their journey from discovering the power of a single effective script (which doubled or tripled sales in just 30 days) to developing a comprehensive methodology that has helped countless sales teams scale successfully. This episode cuts through the theory to deliver practical insights you can apply immediately to improve your sales results. Learn exactly what makes transactional sales different from enterprise sales, and why many sales professionals thrive in this fast-paced environment. The guests break down the critical sales skills needed for high-velocity success, including active listening techniques, handling rejection, maintaining a growth mindset, and making strong first impressions in seconds rather than months. For sales leaders and founders, discover how to build scalable processes that create predictable revenue, and learn about Sellfire’s unique approach to combining CRM technology with hands-on coaching. If you’re tired of sales tools that don’t help you hit your numbers, you’ll want to hear how this team approaches sales tech differently. Whether you’re an SDR looking to improve your prospecting, an AE wanting to close more deals, or a sales leader building out your team, this episode delivers the tactical, word-for-word guidance you need to succeed in transactional sales environments. Don’t miss the valuable book marketing advice shared at the end – perfect for anyone considering writing their own book or looking to increase their authority in the sales space. Listen now to learn how to scientifically approach your sales process and start crushing your goals tomorrow. \#SalesTraining #Prospecting #TransactionalSales #SalesScripting #SalesTips #HighVelocitySales #SalesProcess #SalesAutomation #SalesCRM #AIinSales Please be sure to check out their book The Playbook to Crush Your Sales Goals at sellfire.com/saleslabscripting [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e13-aj-mahar-and-butch-hudson-the-science-of-high-velocity-transactional-sales-proven-scripts-that-make-money-tomorrow?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E12 - John Karsant - Being Honest Being Good in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e12-john-karsant-being-honest-being-good-in-sales/) **Published:** March 17, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast, Scott Leese and Richard Harris are joined by John Karsant, Founder and CEO of Level Up Leads, an appointment setting and sales development agency. **Key Topics Covered:** - How Level Up Leads helps companies implement sales campaigns and book more demos - Why only 8% of companies report positive experiences with outsourced sales development - The importance of setting realistic expectations with clients - How to stand out in a commoditized industry - Latest effective cold calling tactics that are working in 2025 - The debate on permission-based openers vs. natural conversation starters - How AI tools are transforming SDR training and coaching - John’s journey from tennis coach to entrepreneur - The power of authenticity and honesty in sales conversations - Why tone and pace matter more than the actual script *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at [www.surfandsales.com](https://www.surfandsales.com)* John Karsant is the Founder and CEO of Level Up Leads, a sales development agency that has been helping companies book more demos since 2021. Find him on LinkedIn or Twitter, or visit [levelupleads.io](https://levelupleads.io). Sponsored by Winn.AI – Always be winning. Close more deals by making your phone faster, smarter, and smoother. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e12-john-karsant-being-honest-being-good-in-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E11 - Melissa Gaglione - Turning Passion into Profits](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e11-melissa-gaglione-turning-passion-into-profits/) **Published:** March 10, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Senior Sales Manager at Warmly and CEO and Founder of AsyncSalesCo joins us on the podcast today. Melissa shares her incredible career transformation from elementary school teacher and news reporter to a successful sales professional and entrepreneur. Key Highlights: - Navigating career transitions from education to journalism to sales - Strategies for identifying and following market opportunities - Insights into signal-based selling and AI-powered demand generation - Advice for early-stage sales leaders on prioritizing learning and growth - The importance of understanding your industry and product before scaling *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e11-melissa-gaglione-turning-passion-into-profits?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E10 - Thibaut Souyris - Don’t Use AI in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e10-thibaut-souyris-dont-use-ai-in-sales/) **Published:** March 10, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Join Scott Leese and Richard Harris as they dive deep with Thibaut Souyris, founder of Sales Labs, in this exciting episode exploring: - The realities of relocating a business to Mexico - Authentic content creation strategies in the age of AI - LinkedIn growth hacks and newsletter development - Staying motivated when sales and content creation feel repetitive - Innovative approaches to sales training and personal branding Highlights: - Thibaut’s unexpected challenges registering as a business in Mexico - Strategies for creating engaging LinkedIn and newsletter content - The importance of consistency and authenticity in professional content - Balancing work motivation during challenging periods *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at [www.surfandsales.com](https://www.surfandsales.com)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e10-thibaut-souyris-dont-use-ai-in-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E103 - The top performer you have to terminate on your sales team. CEO Kate Lewis of e4enable](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e103-the-top-performer-you-have-to-terminate-on-your-sales-team-ceo-kate-lewis-of-e4enable/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Numbers are only a part of the story. Defining what good looks like and how to drive to it. How do you really instill change in the organization?R Removing “the Can’t“ excuse How to properly shield your team from the pressure and get them to still perform The Co-founder wife and husband relationship Developing a new sales team during a [remote environment](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e175-the-greatest-skill-you-will-ever-have-is-being-your-own-advocate-always-with-gabrielle-blackwell-of-gong/) Finding the micro-moments that build culture What coaching first really means in sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e103-the-top-performer-you-have-to-terminate-on-your-sales-team-ceo-kate-lewis-of-e4enable?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E14 | CEO. Working mother. Superwoman. w/ Paige Robinson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e14-ceo-working-mother-superwoman-w-paige-robinson/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Paige Robinson is the founder of Will Reed, a recruiting firm that partners with innovative tech companies. She is also a mother of two with one on the way. What has parenting taught her about [time management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e154-the-best-use-of-slack-on-prospecting-with-major-account-executvie-alexine-mudawar-displayr/)? How can employers stand out in an employee-favorable market? —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e14-ceo-working-mother-superwoman-w-paige-robinson?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E42 - Some customers don't need to be kept with Sam P. Lark](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e42-some-customers-dont-need-to-be-kept-with-sam-p-lark/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What do you do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry? Go into Customer Success of course. Take a listen through an interesting journey as Sam was able to identify his real passion and make a career out of it. You are not working for a corporation When do you know your customer crosses the line. People will do business with those they know, like, and trust. How to coach the customer to be “nice” Building trust between Sales and Customer Success It’s not what you know, who you know, but who knows you. You are more than a worker bee Learning to be responsible for a quota, upsell, cross-sell [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e42-some-customers-dont-need-to-be-kept-with-sam-p-lark?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E10 with CRO Troops.ai Roque Versace](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e10-with-cro-troops-ai-roque-versace/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Roque’s](https://www.linkedin.com/in/roqueversace/) (Rock) path to CRO is not necessarily the traditional one. Roque is a veteran of the US Armed Services. Has a Master’s Degree and was never an SDR or BDR. Listen to how he made a decision to join, and then how he transitioned afterward into a very compelling career. He was a first 200(ish) at Salesforce and interviewed with Marc Benioff. He’s followed up with successful stints at Mashery and now [Troops.ai](http://troops.ai/). Likes being the underdog and how that helps him Has learned to teach prospects and reps to understand change management from “As is” to “Will be” Why years 2, 3, 4, and 5 are the most important in your career —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Surf & Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e10-with-cro-troopsai-roque-versace?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E69 - Scaling is about process replication with CEO Andy Mowat of Gated.com](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e69-scaling-is-about-process-replication-with-ceo-andy-mowat-of-gated-com/) **Published:** September 27, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** After a few successful exits, Andy has no desire to slow down. He shares some amazing insights on growing your company from early stage to exit, including: Is it a disadvantage to being a non-technical founder? Best advice to scaling at Series A, B, and onward Don’t be afraid to overpay for a new hire in the early stages Guiding the technical founder that’s ok to spend money Is pay to play for introductions the new normal Charging for time vs Charging for attention [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e69-scaling-is-about-process-replication-with-ceo-andy-mowat-of-gatedcom?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E79 – Why academia ignored sales? With Dr. Richard Conde](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e79-why-has-academia-ignored-sales-until-now-with-dr-richard-conde-phd-from-the-university-of-houston-downtown/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Dr. Conde was always a bit competitive, was always hustling to get ahead. He’s run inside sales teams upward of 400 people for global organizations. Now he’s got his Ph.d, literally and helping to grow the profession academically as well as within the overall sales community. In this episode we discuss Why Inside Sales is more complicated than outside sales. What does the [future of sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e105-the-difference-between-millennials-and-gen-z-in-sales-dr.howard-dover-university-texas-dallas/) look like? How Industry and Academia can [improve the sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e143-why-you-should-solicit-failure-in-sales-with-gina-trimarco-chief-results-officer-at-pivot10results/) community through partnerships What it means to maximize action with information How and why correlation can be better than conversion [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e79-why-has-academia-ignored-sales-until-now-with-dr-richard-conde-phd-from-the-university-of-houston-downtown?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E162 - Building a Unicorn with Manny Medina of Outreach.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e162-building-a-unicorn-with-manny-medina-of-outreach-io/) **Published:** October 26, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Do you ever NOT take the advice of your VCs and what happened When do you lose a VC in the conversation 5 Fundraising tips nobody tells you Strategies VPs of Sales need to have a better relationship with the CEO What’s in the Box of Secrets about going IPO that people don’t know The best and worst parts of a public rivalry What’s a BS question a VC asks you [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e162-building-a-unicorn-with-manny-medina-of-outreachio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E2 - Behind the S.A.D.N.E.S.S. Scene, Corporate Bro (aka Ross Pomerantz)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e2-behind-the-s-a-d-n-e-s-s-scene-corporate-bro-aka-ross-pomerantz/) **Published:** January 11, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Corporate goes deep and personal sharing what makes him tick, how hard he works and tons of amazing sales ideas and stories My first deal, sold an apartment to an NBA player Why he thinks [SDRs have the toughest job](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e86-understanding-content-based-networking-with-james-carbary-sweetfish-media-and-b2b-growth-show/) around. The misalignment in sales and marketing. Why you don’t need to worry about the money. His best cold email opening line His best break up email [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e2-behind-the-sadness-scene-corporate-bro-aka-ross-pomerantz?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E192 - How to create compounding interest in your career growth with host of Millennial Sales Podcast and new Strategic Account Executive Tom Alaimo of Gong.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e192-how-to-create-compounding-interest-in-your-career-growth-with-host-of-millennial-sales-podcast-and-new-strategic-account-executive-tom-alaimo-of-gong-io/) **Published:** December 28, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to get over your own fears in sales How I met more people in 2020 from my apartment in my professional How [micro-communities ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e4-on-your-time-and-your-terms-with-shruti-kapoor-of-wingman/) will thrive in 2021 and beyond Which prospecting tactics will die off in 2021 What selling Cutco knives taught me about selling. What it takes to build trust with an SDR Why I am not reliant to hit my SDR to hit my number. The healthy dynamic of an SDR and AE relationship Taking the mentor coach approach whether you are an SDR or AE [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e192-how-to-create-compounding-interest-in-your-career-growth-with-host-of-millennial-sales-podcast-and-new-strategic-account-executive-tom-alaimo-of-gongio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E50 - I'm coin-operated with Max Altschuler of Outreach.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e50-im-coin-operated-with-max-altschuler-of-outreach-io/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Max has been a lot of places, seen a lot of things, and experienced life. We discussed everything from traveling through 80 countries, what it takes to onboard in a remote environment, and why he switched from Architecture to Sales. On top of all of that, you will hear some other amazing stories including: - How to make your sales stack hyper logical - What jelly-beans have to do with a sales stack - Favorite tools these days: Confluence, Showpad, Highspot, Krisp.ai, bombora for intent data, 6-sense, Open Sense, Signature Tracking, Drift, intercom, Grammarly, Slack, loom, Vidyard - The most interesting place I’ve been out of visiting 80 countries - Which is better doing it right or doing it fast - Why the 1-year cliff and 4-year vest is completely wrong for heads of sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e50-im-coin-operated-with-max-altschuler-of-outreachio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E25 - Good VCs vs. Bad VCs with Doug Landis of Emergence Capital](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e25-good-vcs-vs-bad-vcs-with-doug-landis-of-emergence-capital/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Doug Landis has been a part of the VC [community for the last](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e180-progress-isnt-always-about-moving-forward-every-time.with-dejuan-brown-of-seismic/) several years. And before that, he was a part of Box’ meteoric rise! But did you know he also worked at Oracle? Do you know he also had a failed start-up of his own? We discuss all this and a whole lot more: - What to ask your potential VC’s when raising funds? - What’s the difference between easy money and good money? - What should employees like reps and managers know about options? - What it’s like to have an inclusive or exclusive founder when it comes to board meetings. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e25-good-vcs-vs-bad-vcs-with-doug-landis-of-emergence-capital?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E71 - "Adjust Quickly to Win" w/ Sarah Brazier of Gong.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e71-adjust-quickly-to-win-w-sarah-brazier-of-gong-io/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sarah is a Sr SDR surely on her way to AE soon enough. She also became an overnight brand sensation on LinkedIn when one special post hit 1m views. She found her way into sales after being a Speech & Debate champion, and an attempt at being an actor. No looking back. No stopping her now. You’ll hear her talk about: - How adjusting quickly allows you to win - Talk honestly about budget challenges w/ prospects - How her personal branding success has opened more doors than she imagined - Why sales was the “lowest barrier to entry” [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e71-adjust-quickly-to-win-w-sarah-brazier-of-gongio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E124 - My hell yes or heck no. with Liz Wending](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e124-my-hell-yes-or-heck-no-with-liz-wending/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Stop being self-serving in your sales messaging My first big deal was in kindergarten I fell in love with sales when I started teaching others. Too much of a Changing the words coming out of your mouth Listening to your head, your heart, and your gut. You must have a “you focused” part of your life to be successful People don’t want to be served, they want to be aligned. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e124-my-hell-yes-or-heck-no-with-liz-wending?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Why Most Sales Reps Are Missing Goals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-most-sales-reps-are-missing-goals/) **Published:** November 7, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Why are so many reps missing their sales goals? It’s a question that plagues sales leadership and causes them to lose sleep at night. After all, if your reps are [missing their targets](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/4-soft-sales-skills-your-team-needs-right-now-to-hit-targets/), it means your company is losing out on revenue. So what’s behind this trend? A closer look at the data reveals a few key reasons as to why so many sales reps are falling short. First, [sales goals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-why-most-sales-reps-are-missing-goals/) are not rational. In fact, they are completely irrational, and because we are humans, we “run the numbers” and then create a hypothesis. We then try to claim they are rational numbers based on the information we have at the moment. The may seem rational, but in reality, its just blanked of rational desires wrapped around an imperfect and irrational hypothesis. Second, because of the irrational argument, goals are often set too high. Sales leaders are under pressure to hit lofty numbers, so they set unrealistic goals for their reps. As a result, reps get frustrated and give up when they can’t hit these unrealistic targets. For several years, valuations of start-ups and publicly traded companies have skyrocketed. This means so are the expectations and therefore the goals are set higher than what they should be And no, throwing more bodies at the problem will not be the only solution. Third, there’s often a disconnect between what the sales rep is selling without understanding the customer’s [core pains](https://www.salesforce.com/blog/10-questions-for-customer-pain-points/). This is much deeper than understanding your prospects’ and customers’ needs. Stop focusing on “what you do” and find out what your customers’ headaches and migraines are. As a result, customers aren’t getting relief for their migraine, they feel like all you are offering is Barney the Dinosaur band-aid for their boo-boo because you (and they) don’t even know what the migraine is. And yet you ask, “Why do so many sales reps miss their sales targets?” Finally, it’s pretty simple. Most leaders, in just about every position, not just sales leaders, simply suck at [interviewing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-hire-killer-sales-reps/). Don’t pretend you are immune to this disease. Nobody teaches people how to interview, period. If you work at a company that does, well played, well played indeed. Interviewing is actually the tip-top of the sales funnel. If you aren’t working to improve this, then you are already behind in the game. Look, there could be any number of reasons sales reps don’t hit their targets – the economy, changes in the marketplace, unrealistic expectations from management – but the fact remains that sales reps are falling short, and it costs businesses millions of dollars every year. We believe it starts internally at what we are doing wrong, not simply taking data points and blaming everyone outside the decision-making circle. If your reps are missing sales goals and you need help to determine what’s next, [contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) or check out our [sales management training and coaching program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S5E7 - Stephen Hakami of Wiza - All things founder led sales episode](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e7-stephen-hakami-of-wiza-all-things-founder-led-sales-episode/) **Published:** February 26, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Stephen shares his wisdom around [founder-led sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-founder-led-sales/), Go To Market, and understanding the difference between spam emails and employee emails. *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://bit.ly/surfandsales24)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e7-stephen-hakami-of-wiza-all-things-founder-led-sales-episode?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E1 - The key to founder led sales to profitability with Michael Martocci](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e1-the-key-to-founder-led-sales-to-profitability-with-michael-martocci/) **Published:** January 17, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The key to founder-led sales is to improve the product/services faster, which is revenue growth. The key to transitioning to from founder-led sales to a salesperson is not letting them sell for 90 days. The key to upselling in [founder-led sales,](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-founder-led-sales/) ask for feedback – those conversations lead to more extensive discussions about other problems we might be able to solve for them. Michael Martocci joins us and shares his thoughts and insights on this and more. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E24 - Your laziness is what's holding you back](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e24-your-laziness-is-whats-holding-you-back/) **Published:** June 19, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Point Break! Matt Wolff from Ticket Time Machine joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. - The red flags when choosing partners - Selling technologies to non-tech-minded customers - Why full cycle is the right way to go. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) – [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e24-selling-technologies-to-non-tech-minded-customers?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E9 - Adam Jay and Dale Zwizinski - Strategy and Execution are not Mutually Exclusive](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e9-adam-jay-and-dale-zwizinski-strategy-and-execution-are-not-mutually-exclusive/) **Published:** March 3, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Revenue Reimagined partners Adam and Dale join us to discuss the future of fractional work and how to choose the right one. How and when to take that leap of faith. Understanding people need to execute on the small tactical things while you are also focusing on the overall strategy. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e9-adam-jay-and-dale-zwizinski-strategy-and-execution-are-not-mutually-exclusive?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E8 - Woody Klemetson - AI- The elephant in the room](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e8-woody-klemetson-ai-the-elephant-in-the-room/) **Published:** February 24, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Woody from AskElephant.ai shares some of the best and easiest to understand approaches to AI in sales that we’ve ever heard including: The future of revenue work. What do the next 12 months vs next 5 years look like in sales? He goes deep on the specifics on the future of prospecting and the jobs that cannot go away in sales. He also provides the best advice for those of us in sales in the next 5-10 years. And he does it all while maintaining a strong belief of understanding the humanity that still needs to be addressed. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e8-woody-klemetson-ai-the-elephant-in-the-room?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E7 - Mark Fleming - The Identity Crisis of Success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e7-mark-fleming-the-identity-crisis-of-success/) **Published:** February 24, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Mark Fleming a true entreprenurial spirt with a true Fortune exit and shares his experience on turning a non-technical industry into a tech approach with an old school pen and paper company. And then how to stay motivated post exit. Mark Fleming – joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e7-mark-fleming-the-identity-crisis-of-success?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E6 - Dave Brock - From IBM to Wu Tang how random conversations get you there](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e6-dave-brock-from-ibm-to-wu-tang-how-random-conversations-get-you-there/) **Published:** February 10, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Partners in Excellence and author of “The Sales Managers Survival Guide”, Dave Brock joins the podcast and shares some of the most amazing stories about life, sales, and business growth. And more importantly how they are all intertwined. At the core, it’s about finding your purpose and building that into your whole being. You will never full potential otherwise [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e6-dave-brock-from-ibm-to-wu-tang-how-random-conversations-get-you-there?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E5 - Tobi Oluwole - Only data or dollars will tell you if you're right.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e5-tobi-oluwole-only-data-or-dollars-will-tell-you-if-youre-right/) **Published:** February 10, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Profits are better than wages. If there’s a problem to be solved, there’s a business to be built. It only takes massive action in 30 days to determine if your business idea is worth your time. These are the topics our guest, Tobi Oluwole CEO and founder of Magnate shares with us on the latest episode of the Surf and Sales podcast. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e5-tobi-oluwole-only-data-or-dollars-will-tell-you-if-youre-right?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E4 - Joel Graber - Why Only 8% of Outsourced Sales Shops are any Good](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e4-joel-graber-why-only-8-of-outsourced-sales-shops-are-any-good/) **Published:** January 27, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Joel Graber of Modern Outbound and Modern Inbound joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss why only 8% of outsourced sales team succeed. Understanding the difference between the modern approach to outbound in 2025 vs something old school. For example being driven by people on your team and then build the process before before building the process and then adding the people *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e4-joel-graber-why-only-8-of-outsourced-sales-shops-are-any-good?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E3 - Brian Smith - Non Monetary Measures of Success in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e3-brian-smith-non-monetary-measures-of-success-in-sales/) **Published:** January 27, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Brian Smith joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss truly scaling. He’s a visionary that helps organizatons grow by not simply focusing on the bottom line. He’s got an amazing approach to figuring this out and shares it with us in a real world scenario. And he shares why so few founders are able to actually scale a business. Be sure to find him at [www.strategyladders.com](https://www.strategyladders.com) and check out *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e3-brian-smith-non-monetary-measures-of-success-in-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E2 - Jason Moss - The two critical elements required for content creation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e2-jason-moss-the-two-critical-elements-required-for-content-creation/) **Published:** January 13, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jason Moss joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and go deep on so much including the emotional elements in sales and marketing. The intersection of old and new, what changes and what doesn’t, that daily content is not required to gain the traction you really need for your content. And he shares what’s also unique is his focus on Instagram, YouTube, and NOT LinkedIn. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e2-jason-moss-the-two-critical-elements-required-for-content-creation?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S6E1 - Leslie Venetz - Outbound that isn't gross](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e1-leslie-venetz-outbound-that-isnt-gross/) **Published:** January 13, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Leslie Venetz a Surf and Sales alum joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss all things good and bad about sales, outbound, inbound and life. Her biggest love for 2025 is around stacked signals to drive sales best practices *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s6e1-leslie-venetz-outbound-that-isnt-gross?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E44 - Kristi Faltorusso - We're all thinking too small.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e44-kristi-faltorusso-were-all-thinking-too-small/) **Published:** November 18, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kristi Faltorusso Chief Customer Officer from Client Success joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss how she failed herself forward. Her favorite underrated customer success metrics. A good customer success comp plan. Should SDRs be used to do lead gen on the expansion model motion with current customers. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e44-kristi-faltorusso-were-all-thinking-too-small?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E43 - Gabe Lullo - When will the SDR role officially die?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e43-gabe-lullo-when-will-the-sdr-role-officially-die/) **Published:** November 18, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Gabe Lullo of Alleyoop joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss the future of the SDR role by focusing on calls, content, and collaboration. Partnerships and referrals as a channel. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e43-gabe-lullo-when-will-the-sdr-role-officially-die?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E42 - Patrick Joyce - Network first, AI last](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e42-patrick-joyce-network-first-ai-last/) **Published:** November 18, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Patrick Joyce of Level Up joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss the best practices for hiring an outsource agency for your sales motion. Leveraging AI in the right way based on where we are in 2024. Going network first is the most important thing in your career. And what he HATES about LinkedIn. *Reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e42-patrick-joyce-network-first-ai-last?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E40 - Kathleen Booth - The People Are the Product](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e40-kathleen-booth-the-people-are-the-product/) **Published:** November 11, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kathleen Booth SVP of Marketing from Pavillion joins us to share her insights on everything from community versus conference, The best events are not held by vendors, you can’t run the industry playbook and expect the same results of others, leveraging pattern interupts, understanding the problem is more important than the solution, and first team thinking. joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e40-kathleen-booth-the-people-are-the-product?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E41 - Adam Robinson - The advantages of building in public.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e41-adam-robinson-the-advantages-of-building-in-public/) **Published:** November 11, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to be a founder of two different companies at the same time, this is the episode you need to hear. When a founder turns around the 4 month slump. When to find a new product market fit. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e41-adam-robinson-the-advantages-of-building-in-public?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E39 - Patrick Monnot: The Elusive Founder/Sales Leader Goal Alignment](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e39-patrick-monnot-the-elusive-founder-sales-leader-goal-alignment/) **Published:** November 4, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Patrick Monnot of www.workwithpod.com joins us from in a real office! And yes we discuss WFH and ROT, and why he decided to go from WFH to Hybrid. And we definitely get into proper alignment on realistic revenue targets. joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at [www.surfandsales.com](https://www.surfandsales.com)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e39-patrick-monnot-the-elusive-foundersales-leader-goal-alignment?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E38 - Chris Karger - Most Underrated Skill in Sales.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e38-chris-karger-most-underrated-skill-in-sales/) **Published:** November 4, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Chris Karger joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss. Referrals no longer a nice to have and how to get them. As well as understanding cultural differences often means communication differences. The differences between scaling in the US than the EU. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e38-chris-karger-most-underrated-skill-in-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E37 - Luke Wilson - It takes more than hustle](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e37-luke-wilson-it-takes-more-than-hustle/) **Published:** October 28, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Luke Wilson us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss entrepreneurship and discuss the pivot from sales leader to CEO, the fastest way to solve the problems, what it means to go from sales leader to CEO, and of course why it takes more than just hustle to be successful. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e37-luke-wilson-it-takes-more-than-hustle?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E36 - Devon Hennig negotiating the salary without fear](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e36-devon-hennig-negotiating-the-salary-without-fear/) **Published:** October 21, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Devon Henning of Board Room Confidential joins us to discuss the what, how, and why around compensation from the candidate level. the misalignment of compensation. Learning how to negotiate salary without fear. Understanding short term thinking vs long term as you. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e36-devon-hennig-negotiating-the-salary-without-fear?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E35 - Appy Choudhary - How far your xDR should qualify first meetings.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e35-appy-choudhary-how-far-your-xdr-should-qualify-first-meetings/) **Published:** September 30, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Appy joins us and discuss building a sales development to IPO. Understanding the lock-up periods post IPO. What a multi-channel approach really means in 2024. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e35-appy-choudhary-how-far-your-xdr-should-qualify-first-meetings?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E33 - Ben Wright - The 5 Step Prospecting Framework](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e33-ben-wright-the-5-step-prospecting-framework/) **Published:** September 16, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ben joins us and shares his 5-Step Prospecting Framework targeting approaches beyond simple personalization and social media. He also shares the best ways a leader and a rep can confirm learning has actually occurred and been remembered. And a host of other practical sales tips. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e33-ben-wright-the-5-step-prospecting-framework?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E34 - Mike Lander - How to leverage procurement to your advantage in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e34-mike-lander-how-to-leverage-procurement-to-your-advantage-in-sales/) **Published:** September 23, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Mike Lander is a former procurement person who has transitioned to training sales people on how to leverage procurement to a mutual advantage. He shares some amazing insights including, uderstanding their role of managing risk is the top priority. How procurement is interested in reducing risk, savings, innovation, quality, reliability, a well governed process. How to talk about risk in a proactive way. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e34-mike-lander-how-to-leverage-procurement-to-your-advantage-in-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E32 - Atul and Sai of Hyperbound Why the better product doesn't always win.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e32-atul-and-sai-of-hyperbound-why-the-better-product-doesnt-always-win/) **Published:** August 29, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The co-founders of Hyperbound joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss some amazing concepts around the true value of AI in sales including Why SDR AI tools are not sticking. The top of the funnel SDR role, deeper in the funnel uses for AI, and most importantly the strategy component tht AI cannot yet solve. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e32-atul-and-sai-of-hyperbound-why-the-better-product-doesnt-always-win?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E31 - Adam Smith - The easy parts of keeping humans in the sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e31-adam-smith-the-easy-parts-of-keeping-humans-in-the-sales-process/) **Published:** September 2, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Adam Smith of Workbounce joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss why the human is being replaced by AI in the sales process, just yet. Specifically buyers still need help navigating through the messy parts of purchasing. How AI assists the human by analyzing disperate communication channels to provide real insights beyond a sales motion. And how the human connection is still required. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e31-adam-smith-the-easy-parts-of-keeping-humans-in-the-sales-process?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E30 - Alyson Baber - Insights Into Sales Leadership in 2024](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e30-alyson-baber-insights-into-sales-leadership-in-2024/) **Published:** August 26, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alyson’s career spans diverse roles from medical sales to software, with experiences at Intuit, SendGrid, Zoom, and Outreach. And sharing his wisdom around Career Path and Company Selection and how to handle a large scale layoff professionally. You will definitely want to paddle out and ride the set of waves. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e30-alyson-baber-insights-into-sales-leadership-in-2024?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E29 - Katie Chatterton - What is sales enablement in 2024?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e29-katie-chatterton-what-is-sales-enablement-in-2024/) **Published:** August 19, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Enablement is not a babysitting role. If you can’t do the function, you gotta pay for the function to be done right and its all the things that don’t show up in KPIs. Katie Chatterton joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss the true value of sales enablement and how they make things better for everyone, not simply the sales organization. I’ve been breaking rules consciously since I was 4 years old. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e29-katie-chatterton-what-is-sales-enablement-in-2024?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E28 - Janice B Gordon - The future of sales is downsizing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e28-janice-b-gordon-the-future-of-sales-is-downsizing/) **Published:** August 12, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Janice B Gordon joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss transforming sales teams to accelerate growth through a customer centric approach. What is driving the change in sales is coming from the customer behaviors not the corporate desires. Janice explains why a better way to sell starts with your customers *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e28-janice-b-gordon-the-future-of-sales-is-downsizing?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E27 - Manuel Hartmann Optimizing $0-$1m, $1m-3m, and $3m-$10m](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e27-manuel-hartmann-optimizing-0-1m-1m-3m-and-3m-10m/) **Published:** August 5, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Manuel Hartmann joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss so interesting topics including Understanding the value of culture from country to country in your $0-$10m GTM strategy. Founder sales to founder led sales and founder enabled sales. And then we shift to what’s going to happening in outbound in 2024 and beyond. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e27-manuel-hartmann-optimizing-0-1m-1m-3m-and-3m-10m?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E26 - Rhasheeda Hughes - The Queen of Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e26-rhasheeda-hughes-the-queen-of-sales/) **Published:** July 29, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Rasheeda Hughes an amazing sales leader joins us on the podcast and shares so much wisdom including: Technology has drastically changed sales, but building relationships and having conversations remains crucial. AI will be an assistant to successful salespeople, not a replacement – people still want to buy from people. Confidence, finding allies/mentors, and being authentic are key for underrepresented groups to succeed in sales and last but not least, sales can be a powerful path for changing one’s family’s trajectory and building generational wealth \#BlackWomenInLeadership #SistasInSales #WomenInSales *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e26-rhasheeda-hughes-the-queen-of-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E25 - Shawn Rhodes - What makes exceptional sales people exceptional](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e25-shawn-rhodes-what-makes-exceptional-sales-people-exceptional/) **Published:** July 22, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shawn Rhodes of Bulletproof Selling joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss The soft side of the metrics that are overlooked. How to manage the fear in the moment. The best ways to get into conversations with the people you want and bypass the gatekeepers. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e25-shawn-rhodes-what-makes-exceptional-sales-people-exceptional?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E24 - Meshell Baker - the value of vocalizing frustration vs being negative](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e24-meshell-baker-the-value-of-vocalizing-frustration-vs-being-negative/) **Published:** July 8, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** BAM! This episode will leave you craving more of Mesheel Baker! Her wisdom is amazing and she is the master of inspiration. Here’s a few nuggets to wet your whistle. Recognizing something that feels impossible and exhilerating at the same time is something to focus on. Chaos is merely an illusion. And your circumstances are external and temorary, your confidence is internal and unlimited. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e24-meshell-baker-the-value-of-vocalizing-frustration-vs-being-negative?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E23 - Matt Wolach - Stop blaming the macro economic situation on poor revenue.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e23-matt-wolach-stop-blaming-the-macro-economic-situation-on-poor-revenue/) **Published:** July 1, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Matt Wolach joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss why the best products have the worst sales motion. How hating to lose is better than wanting to win. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e23-matt-wolach-stop-blaming-the-macro-economic-situation-on-poor-revenue?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E22 - Archie Hollingsworth of Fyxer.ai - From farming to tech entrepreneur](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e22-archie-hollingsworth-of-fyxer-ai-from-farming-to-tech-entrepreneur/) **Published:** June 24, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Archie joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss the mistakes you will make on your start-up ideation journey. He also gives the best advice on how to find the right thing to focus on as you build your start-up idea or side hustle. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e22-archie-hollingsworth-of-fyxerai-from-farming-to-tech-entrepreneur?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E21 - Lexy Franklin - Deciphering the wisdom from the noise](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e21-lexy-franklin-deciphering-the-wisdom-from-the-noise/) **Published:** June 17, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Lexy Franklin of Sidebar joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss the next evolution of communities. He goes deep on helping people realize that the problems you solve in life and business of your career are interdisciplinary and cross-functional. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e20-lexy-franklin-deciphering-the-wisdom-from-the-noise?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E20 - Chris Caldwell - Sell As You Are](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e20-chris-caldwell-sell-as-you-are/) **Published:** June 10, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Chris Caldwell joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss how you are showing up, why you are showing up and understanding your own internal wobble and how to adjust. And he explains why teachers are the best sales superstars. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e20-chris-caldwell-sell-as-you-are?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E19 - RyanfromDetroit - How do we prospect into the Fortune 100](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e19-ryanfromdetroit-how-do-we-prospect-into-the-fortune-100/) **Published:** June 3, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ryan French from Pigment joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss a multitude of things including the right character and drive to find the full-cycle AE’s who know how to prospect into the Fortune 100. And how he had to knock-down the door of tech sales when nobody would give him a shot. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e19-ryanfromdetroit-how-do-we-prospect-into-the-fortune-100?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E18 - Vivek Nanda - Attention, Affinity, and Action](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e18-vivek-nanda-attention-affinity-and-action/) **Published:** May 27, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Vivek Nanda Chief Growth Officer at SwiftShift joins us and drops some amazing wisdom around sales, marketing, and building an audience that converts to customers. Highlights include his vision that sales and marketing are twin siblings in B2B, working closely together. And how he has grown his newsletter to be much more than just a newsletter including demand creation, audience building, and the new “Attention, Affinity, Action” framework. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e18-vivek-nanda-attention-affinity-and-action?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E17 - Haris Halkic of The Sales Daily](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e17-haris-halkic-of-the-sales-daily/) **Published:** May 20, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Haris shares his journey from AE to entrepreneur building The Sales Daily. In less than 6 months he’s built one of the most popular and most helpful sales newsletters in the industry. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at [www.surfandsales.com](https://www.surfandsales.com) coming in November 2024* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e17-haris-halkic-of-the-sales-daily?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E16 - Chris Horton - What's working in outbound in 2024](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e16-chris-horton-whats-working-in-outbound-in-2024/) **Published:** May 20, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Chris Horton from Bill.com joins us to discuss how and why the old school calling and emails are simply not enough, and what actually works. He even goes deep on what leaders can do to support their team in their real life and how that affects performance. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e16-chris-horton-whats-working-in-outbound-in-2024?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E15 - Brian Schwartz - What it takes to become an enterprise sales rep](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e15-brian-schwartz-what-it-takes-to-become-an-enterprise-sales-rep/) **Published:** May 13, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Brian Schwartz joins us and discuss the specific skills necessary to create and move all the parts of a very large enterprise deals. Everything from growing your career into a true enterprise role. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e15-brian-schwartz-what-it-takes-to-become-an-enterprise-sales-rep?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E14 - Candace Taber - Sales Leadership, Enablement, and Management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e14-candace-taber-sales-leadership-enablement-and-management/) **Published:** May 6, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Candace Taber joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss how we get better at using our time to make real impact in your role, meetings, and coaching. Understanding the difference between daily stand-ups and 1:1s. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e14-candace-taber-sales-leadership-enablement-and-management?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E13 - Dave Kennett - The Sales Manager's Role is On It's Way Out The Door](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e13-dave-kennett-the-sales-managers-role-is-on-its-way-out-the-door/) **Published:** April 29, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Dave Kennett joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss the future of sales coaching. Where are we now and what is it going to be like in the future. *What are you waiting for? Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e13-dave-kennett-the-sales-managers-role-is-on-its-way-out-the-door?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E12 - Will Falkenborg - Cutting Edge SDR Cold Calling and Prospecting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e12-will-falkenborg-cutting-edge-sdr-cold-calling-and-prospecting/) **Published:** April 22, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Hot Dog Will Falkenborg a master SDR with the most creative approach to lead generation is massively unique and can be easily replicated without burning the process. *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [www.surfandsales.com](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e12-will-falkenborg-cutting-edge-sdr-cold-calling-and-prospecting?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E11 - Aaron McReynolds - Empowering the Individual Sales Person](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e11-aaron-mcreynolds-empowering-the-individual-sales-person/) **Published:** April 15, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The hardest part of sales leadership is figuring out the balance of managing the team and coaching the individual. We go deep with Aaron from Alysio on this topic and many tactics discussed on solving the motivation and management question for sales leaders [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e10-aaron-mcreynolds-empowering-the-individual-sales-person?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E10 - JR Butler - Transitioning to Sales with Purpose and Identity](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e10-jr-butler-transitioning-to-sales-with-purpose-and-identity/) **Published:** April 1, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** JR Butler joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares all the challenges someone faces when transitioning to sales. Understanding the transition involves both the internal and external. - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e11-jr-butler-transitioning-to-sales-with-purpose-and-identity?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E9 - Chuck Brotman - Sales Hiring in the 2024 Landscape](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e9-chuck-brotman-sales-hiring-in-the-2024-landscape/) **Published:** March 11, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Chuck brings his knowledge about all things hiring for sales. We covered timing for Founder Led Sales transitioning to a revenue organization. When to hire, who to hire, and how to hire. And then we flip it to what should candidates do better in the interview process to standout. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e9-chuck-brotman-sales-hiring-in-the-2024-landscape?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E8 - Paul Caffrey - How to be an Elite Sales Professional](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e8-paul-caffrey-how-to-be-an-elite-sales-professional/) **Published:** March 4, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Paul Caffrey shares some amazing insights including the one thing the best sales people do better than everyone else. *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e8-paul-caffrey-how-to-be-an-elite-sales-professional?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E6 - Levy Yakubov - The hard part is the execution is getting out of the way.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e6-levy-yakubov-the-hard-part-is-the-execution-is-getting-out-of-the-way/) **Published:** February 26, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Levy Yakubov comes to the - Making a career hard pivot - Scaling from a neighborhood to multi-neighborhoods, to massive scaling - Pivoting within the pivot. - Your attitude and approach are your competitive advantage - Knowing what good looks like *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://bit.ly/surfandsales24)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e6-levy-yakubov-the-hard-part-is-the-execution-is-getting-out-of-the-way?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E3 - How to leverage AI to coach your middle managers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e3-how-to-leverage-ai-to-coach-your-middle-managers/) **Published:** February 12, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A fascinating conversation about where and how AI is affecting the sales coaching and leadership roles. How falling in love with sales started as an addiction to challenge. Alex McNaughten of joins us and shares amazing knowledge about sales, leadership and revenue growth. *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e3-how-to-leverage-ai-to-coach-your-middle-managers?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E1 - What you don't know about your equity](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e1-what-you-dont-know-about-your-equity/) **Published:** January 15, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Caleb Smith joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and discusses topics around revenue, compensation, and equity including the idea of Phantom Stock, the adjustment from a slow sales cycle to a fast cycle, and an interesting concept of choose your own compensation plan. *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e1-what-you-dont-know-about-your-equity?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E2 - A Chat with a Home Shopping Network Sales Person - Stephanie Z](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e2-a-chat-with-a-home-shopping-network-sales-person-stephanie-z/) **Published:** January 22, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** You’ve got 3 seconds to capture someone’s attention. What do you do? Stephanie Zielinski answers all the questions you wanted to know. She’s also an event specialist too and shares the best practices between in person and virtual events. Oh, and she was also a teacher in the public school world and provides the best transferable skills from a teaching role to all other professions. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e2-a-chat-with-a-home-shopping-network-sales-person-stephanie-z?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E4 - How Engineering and Sales Partner with Richard White of Fathom](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e4-how-engineering-and-sales-partner-with-richard-white-of-fathom/) **Published:** February 12, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What happens when an Engineer runs sales and then becomes a founder? - When to adjust from freemium to paid. - Adjusting from being first in the market to a competitive landscape - Focusing on usage before monetization has its advantages. - Meetings are for conversation not content presentation *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e4-how-engineering-and-sales-partner-with-richard-white-of-fathom?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S5E5 - The Ambitious Learner with Hannah Ajikawo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s5e5-the-ambitious-learner-with-hannah-ajikawo/) **Published:** February 12, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Hannah Ajikawo joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss - Understanding and value of referral selling - The biggest gaps many consultants lack - Why being a student of sales always matters. - How to evaluate “good” when hiring a consultant - You can’t be a consultant you have to have survived the down turns. *Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s5e5-the-ambitious-learner-with-hannah-ajikawo?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [A Good Sales Demo vs. A Bad Sales Demo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/a-good-sales-demo-vs-a-bad-sales-demo/) **Published:** August 29, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In sales, it is our goal to get our prospects to fall in trust with us. And just like all relationships, that has to happen before they ever fall in love. A good sales demo goes a long way to getting them to fall in trust with us. A sales demo can be a pivotal moment in the sales process, serving as a bridge between potential customers and the solutions your product offers. However, not all demos are created equal, and the difference between a good and a bad demo can significantly impact the outcome of a sales opportunity. Let’s dive into what distinguishes a good sales demo from a bad one, with practical examples to illustrate each. At the highest level humans want to be seen, heard and understood. If you do not incorporate this concept into your sales demos you will lose more deals than you win. What you will learn: - What is a good sales demo - What is a bad sales demo - How to utilize a sales demo to [improve discovery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/achieving-powerful-discovery/) - The one question to never ask during a demo So let’s have a little fun. Let’s start with a bad sales demo. ## The Bad Sales Demo A bad demo fails to connect with the audience and often leaves prospects thinking what a waste of time. They feel more confused or skeptical. They do not feel seen, heard, or understood. They will not feel good about you or your organization. They will remember this experience for a very, very long time. And there is a good chance they will share this horrible experience with just about anyone who will listen. Here are some characteristics that typically define a bad demo: ### **Key Characteristics** 1. **Company history:** Nobody is showing up to a demo to hear how you came up with your brilliant idea to be the next “Uber of \_\_\_” or why you are the “world leader in \_\_\_\_.” Trrust me, the only thing you are the world leader of is giving bad demos. 2. **Feature overload:** A demo is a demo, it is not product training. Too often a sales person is trying to show everything. And by everything we mean every, little, nook-and-cranny. They want to show how to upload data, they want to show all 20 reports that can be run using the tool, they want to explain why they chose sea-mist green over lime-green and forest green. Again, trust me when I say this, nobody cares. 3. **Walking someone through a deck:** A sales deck is not a demo. And frankly, there is no reason to walk anyone through a sales deck anyway. Sales decks should be sent BEFORE the demo meeting. This helps you understand the level of intent, interest, and seriousness of someone’s buying intentions. When was the last time you actually liked sitting through a deck? 4. **No discovery beforehand:** One of the biggest mistakes we see around sales demos is when there is no discovery beforehand. If you do not do some level of discovery before a sales demo your prospects will not feel seen, heard, or understood and your sales demo will probably turn into a feature/benefits product dump. 5. **Lack of preparation:** Poorly prepared sales demos that don’t consider the customer’s industry, business model, or pain points can feel generic and not engaging. Again, leaving your prospect feeling not seen, heard, or understood. 6. **Technical issues not addressed:** Now this is a tricky one, we don’t want to go really far down the rabbit hole of technical issues, however failing to create space for this conversation in a sales demo will hurt you. Even if its brought up and tabled for another discussion, that’s ok. Failing to check and ensure all technical aspects of the product work smoothly during the sales demo can lead to interruptions and diminish credibility. 7. **Monologue presentation:** When the presenter does all the talking without engaging the audience, it prevents the interactive exchange of ideas, questions, and feedback that could otherwise enrich the session. If you are not asking questions about how what you are showing aligns with their current way of doing things or what their specific goals are for considering your product or services, you are failing. And in reality, you will notice them yawing, checking their watch or phone, and probably wishing they could take a nap. 8. **Ignoring objections:** There should be zero objections you do not know how to handle when doing a sales call or a sales demo. Additionally you should know exactly what to say when the objection arises. Do not “handle” objections, nobody wants to be handled, just ask my wife. Instead you should marinate in these objections. Understand their specific concerns, and in some cases, understand if the objection is really that important to making the decision. Not addressing or marinating in objections can leave prospects with unresolved concerns, making them less likely to buy. ### **Example** Consider a company demonstrating an advanced CRM system to a small business owner who needs simple client tracking solutions. If the sales demo focuses heavily on complex analytics and automation features without addressing the basic need for ease of use and low maintenance, it will likely miss the mark. As mentioned above, it’s completely appropriate to ask a simple question, “Before we jump into things, what are you hoping a CRM system will do for you? I have no desire to show things that you don’t feel matter to your operation.” ## The Good Sales Demo A good sales demo effectively communicates the value of the product in a way that resonates with the prospective customer’s specific needs and pain points. It is a conversation based on you customer’s headspace. What they see, hear, and feel each day that drove them to even want to talk to you in the first place. It’s not merely a feature tour but a tailored narrative that aligns the product’s capabilities with the customer’s objectives and challenges. ### **Key Characteristics:** 1. **Pre-Demo [Discovery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/achieving-powerful-discovery/)**: If you can get a meeting with your champion before the demo it’s great to find out some of these things. Who will be in attendance? What is their title? What is their role in decision making? What things are important to them? And what are the things these people will be skeptical about?If you cannot get this information beforehand it’s pretty simple to just say, “I know I could show you everything and it will feel like ‘death by mouse click’. In order to make the best use of this time, what are the three challenges you are facing now that you want to make sure we cover?” 2. **Customer-Centric Approach:** The good sales demo starts with a clear understanding of the customer’s business, their pain points, and what they hope to achieve with the solution. This ensures that the presentation is relevant and engaging. We often suggest one simple slide before the demo. Show the prospects a slide that says “assumptions we’ve made”, then list 5-7 assumptions about why they are here. And simply ask them, “What did we get right, what did we miss?”If you cannot build that slide because you are not sure, then you probably should not be conducting a sales demo in the first place. 3. **Engaging Narrative:** There is no such thing as a customer journey, there is only the customer experience through [the seller’s journey](https://www.thesellersjourney.co/the-sellers-journey). A good sales demo is a part of that seller’s journey and critical to the customer experience. Instead of a dry run-through of features, the good sales demo weaves a story that positions the product as a hero in the customer’s experience. This narrative approach helps in making the demo memorable and impactful. 4. **Interactive and Responsive:** I will be the first to admit I can get long winded. And if I am not careful I will go on long diatribes and forget how long I’ve been talking. Good sales demos are interactive, allowing for questions and feedback, and adapting the flow based on the audience’s reactions and interests. This flexibility shows that the presenter is attentive and committed to addressing the customer’s specific concerns. And if you are long-winded like me, feel free to use this line, “Oh, wow, I’ve been talking way too long, I am going to shut-up now. What questions do you have for me so far?” And yes, I really say this. 5. **Clear Value Proposition:** I actually hate the phrase value proposition or value prop. It actually feels very self centered. It feels like I am telling someone how wonderful we are because we can solve their problems. And, I don’t believe people buy words, they buy pictures. So it’s our job to Bob Ross this stuff for them. We want to have prospects share their actual pictures of pain. What they are struggling with day in and day out. We want them to give us their very specific use cases. Just like the Nyquil commercial we want them to paint the picture of their sniffling, sneezing, coughing, achy head and fever. From here we can then align our sales demo to solve their pains. We can then use the sales demo, just like in the Nyquil commercial how much better they will feel. 6. **Smooth Handling of Objections:** As mentioned above, nobody wants to be ‘handled’. A good sales demo anticipates potential objections and addresses them proactively, integrating solutions into the narrative seamlessly. In fact we can even pre-address the demo. We can simply say, “Which of these things might still be a concern for you?” We are now in control of the narrative around the [objections](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/strategies-for-handling-common-sales-challenges/), and we can understand which ones are the most important ones to be addressed. ### Example Imagine a SaaS company demoing a project management tool to a potential client struggling with team collaboration and project tracking. We may even ask them to confirm these are still the top challenges they have, and we can even ask, what’s the next challenge on the list that we have not addressed? The sales demo would focus on features like real-time collaboration, integration capabilities with other tools, and customizable project dashboards, directly linking these features to the client’s needs for better communication and efficiency. ## **The Dumbest Question to Ask In a Sales Demo** I know, I teased you with this one way back at the beginning of this post. Here’s the worst question to ask in a sales demo, and just about everyone asks it. *[“Does that make sense?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-6-dumbest-phrases-sales-people-used-in-2015/)”* Single handedly the worst question to ask, and not even in a sales demo, probably in a discovery call too. Here’s why its a terrible question: 1. It’s a crutch used by sales people who feel they are talking too much and they want to make sure they’ve tried to answer questions. 2. The answer is “yes” 99% of the time. 3. It provides no real insight into what the prospect or customer is really thinking? 4. It’s not even the question we want to be asking. Instead of asking “Does that make sense?”, ask one of the following: 1. “How does what I just explained (showed you), compare to your current way of doing things?” 2. “I want to stop here and see what concerns you might have?” 3. “On a scale of 1-10, how much does this fulfill your goals and requirements?” (Then ask, what would be the difference between the number they gave you and 10?) 4. “How does what I showed you compare to what else you’ve seen in the market place?” ## **Conclusion** I hope I’ve been able to show you the differences between good and bad sales demos. Making sure you understand the reason to ‘know your audience’, preparing meticulously, incorporating discovery into the demo, and building an interactive demo that is not death by mouse click or has you asking “does that make sense?”. A well-executed demo not only showcases your product effectively but also builds trust and confidence in your brand, paving the way for successful customer relationships. What key elements do you believe are essential for a sales demo to be considered effective? [Let’s chat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog, Discovery Skills, Sales --- ### [Agile Strategies for Responding to Shifting Market Dynamics](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/agile-strategies-for-responding-to-shifting-market-dynamics/) **Published:** March 25, 2024 **Author:** analia.panella@outdoassistant.com **Content:** In today’s rapidly evolving market landscape, agility has transitioned to a critical necessity for survival and success. **The pace at which market dynamics shift renders traditional sales strategies, which are often rigid and linear, increasingly ineffective.** As a result, the ability to swiftly and strategically adapt to changes is what now distinguishes thriving businesses from those that are left behind. So, this article delves into agile strategies that empower sales teams to not only navigate but also excel in these fluid market conditions. ## Embrace Continuous Learning Agile strategies are deeply entrenched in a culture that values continuous learning and improvement. This foundation compels sales teams to remain well-informed about the latest market trends, evolving customer behaviors, and the emergence of new technologies. By fostering an environment that encourages learning, sales teams cultivate adaptability and innovation, essential qualities for navigating today’s dynamic market landscape. **Webinars, workshops, and industry reports are invaluable tools in keeping the team’s knowledge fresh and relevant.** Leveraging these resources ensures that sales professionals have the tools with the latest insights and strategies. It will enable them to effectively meet the demands of their clients and the market. ## Implement Flexible Planning The agile approach to sales strategy emphasizes flexibility in planning. Long-term goals are essential, the path to achieving them should allow for adjustments based on market feedback and changing conditions. This involves setting shorter-term objectives and milestones that can be adapted as needed. Regular review meetings can help reassess goals and strategies, ensuring they remain aligned with the current market environment. ## Adopt a Customer-Centric Approach **Understanding and responding to customer needs is at the heart of agile sales strategies.** The N.E.A.T. Selling™ methodology stands for Needs, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline. It emphasizes the importance of deeply understanding customer challenges and tailoring solutions accordingly. Engage in active listening, gather customer feedback, and use these insights to refine your sales approach. Thus, this [customer-centric strategy](https://youtu.be/NWSZKxwE6Ug) ensures your offerings remain relevant and valuable, regardless of market shifts. ## Leverage Technology for Agility Technology is a key enabler of agility in the modern sales landscape. Sales automation tools, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and data analytics platforms offer the ability to gain real-time insights into customer behaviors and market trends. These insights empower sales teams to make quick, informed decisions, streamline their processes, and tailor their interactions with customers. Businesses can significantly enhance their team’s responsiveness and operational efficiency by strategically investing in the right technology stack This technological foundation facilitates a more agile response to market changes. It supports a culture of continuous improvement and customer-centricity, which are essential for sustaining success in today’s competitive environment. ## Foster Collaboration and Communication Agile strategies thrive in environments where collaboration and communication are the priority. Encourage cross-functional teams to work together, sharing insights and strategies that can lead to innovative solutions. Regular communication, both within sales teams and across departments, ensures that everyone is aligned and can respond collectively to market changes. ## Prepare for Disagreements As with any strategy not everyone is going to agree with everyone else. The key to working through these moments is to establish a mutual understanding that this will happen and that everyone will work through it together. We encourage [our clients](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/clients/) to create a Rules of Engagement. They may include things like: 1. We believe a safe space for open communication is critical to our success 2. We agree that not everyone will agree on all things 3. Where there are differences of opinion we will create space for those conversations to occur. 4. We will work towards using[ *And*, not *But*](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-and-vs-but-in-sales-conversations/)*.* 5. We understand that when decisions are made we will do our job to support them. ## Cultivate Resilience and Adaptability Developing resilience and adaptability within your sales team is crucial for navigating the unpredictable nature of today’s market. It involves preparing your team to face uncertainties and setbacks not just with endurance but with a positive and constructive outlook. This resilience is invaluable, not only for navigating market dynamics effectively but also for contributing to a positive and empowering team culture. By instilling these qualities in your team, you empower them to adapt to changes proactively and maintain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving business landscape. ## Conclusion Adapting to shifting market dynamics requires a departure from traditional, rigid sales strategies. Sales teams need to embrace agile methodologies, focusing on continuous learning, customer-centricity, technology, collaboration, and resilience. These agile strategies ensure that sales processes are both effective and adaptable. In doing so, we empower sales professionals to achieve excellence and drive meaningful results, regardless of the market conditions they face. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S4E52 - AI will make lazy sellers obsolete with the Sales Doctor - Chet Lovegren](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e52-ai-will-make-lazy-sellers-obsolete-with-the-sales-doctor-chet-lovegren/) **Published:** January 15, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shredder! Chet Lovegren joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss the future of sales. - What are the other things in Sales AI helps with? - Empathy does not mean lack of accountability. - AI will make lazy people lazier, top sellers win *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e52-ai-will-make-lazy-sellers-obsolete-with-the-sales-doctor-chet-lovegren?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How to Motivate Your Sales Team in 2024](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-motivate-your-sales-team-in-2024/) **Published:** January 2, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Let’s face it, most sales leaders are terrible at motivating salespeople and sales teams. I learned the hard way that soft skills are often the hard skills when it comes to sales leadership. In 2024, sales are going to be harder than ever. We should not be surprised that our sales teams will have a heightened sense of stress and anxiety. Sure the norms of performance and job security are there. Yes, missing goals, reduced headcount, and the standard, “do more with less” will be prevalent. Additionally, in 2024, there are additional thoughts in our minds around the world at large, including the war in Ukraine, Israel, and the US Elections. Then, wrapped around all of this is the fear of the AI concerns as it relates to all of these topics. So as a sales leader, keeping your sales team focused and on track will be harder than you’ve ever experienced before. Moreover, those who say they have done it before, well, are simply lying to you. Nobody has gone through what we are about to go through in the way we are going through it. N.O.B.O.D.Y. This brings us to the point of this post, motivating your sales teams. While with sales in mind, this information is probably good for every department from marketing, to IT, customer success, and everything in between. Let’s check the most important soft skills needed to motivate your sales team: ### Empathy and Emotional Intelligence Sales leaders need to connect with their team members on a personal level. They need to understand their concerns and anxieties. By demonstrating empathy, leaders foster a sense of trust and belonging, making individuals feel valued and motivated to contribute their best. ### Effective Communication In times of uncertainty, clear and transparent communication becomes paramount. Sales leaders should keep the team informed about changes, challenges, and successes. Open lines of communication help build a cohesive team that can navigate challenges together. ### Adaptability The ability to adapt to change is a key soft skill for sales leaders in 2024. With the ever-evolving global landscape, leaders need to be agile and encourage their teams to embrace change. A flexible mindset will help navigate unforeseen obstacles and keep the team motivated despite external pressures. ### Resilience Resilience is the backbone of a [successful sales team](https://youtu.be/EgjOSYq4kSU). Leaders must instill a sense of perseverance and determination. Also, they must emphasize that setbacks are opportunities for growth. In other words, resilient teams bounce back from challenges with renewed vigor, contributing to overall success. ### Collaboration and Team Building Moreover, it is crucial to foster a collaborative environment where team members support and uplift each other. Every sales leader has to encourage healthy competition and celebrate collective achievements. A strong sense of camaraderie within your sales team helps to alleviate stress and enhances the overall team spirit. This will lead to a higher productivity and better sales results. ### Recognition and Appreciation Recognition is key! Acknowledge individual and team accomplishments regularly. Genuine recognition will boosts morale and motivate team members to consistently deliver their best. Simple acts of appreciation, whether public or private, go a long way in reinforcing a positive work culture. ### Coaching and Mentorship Invest time in coaching and mentoring team members. Providing constructive feedback and guidance helps individuals develop their skills and confidence. A mentorship program can create a support system. This is even more important for newer team members navigating challenging times. Coaching will help salespeople to adapt and grow together as a team reaching the company’s goals. ### Continuous Learning Encourage a culture of continuous learning and development. Provide opportunities for skill enhancement, whether through [training programs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/salestraining-program-how-to-choose-the-best-one/), workshops, or access to educational resources. A growth mindset fosters a sense of progress and achievement. ### Work-Life Balance Advocacy With the increasing demands on sales teams, leaders should prioritize and advocate for a healthy work-life balance. Recognizing the importance of employee well-being contributes to higher job satisfaction and sustained motivation. In conclusion, the challenges of motivating a sales team in 2024 may seem daunting. However, the emphasis on soft skills can serve as a powerful catalyst for success. By honing these skills, sales leaders can create a resilient and adaptable team. Thus, salespeople will be capable of navigating the complexities of the contemporary business landscape. In an era where change is the only constant, mastering soft skills is the key to sustaining a high-performing sales team. To be good at anything we must dive in and embrace the change we want to be. If you walk away with one thing in mind, I’d suggest this: > “Work towards understanding a leader can be empathetic and hold people accountable.” This is why we don’t simply offer training. We offer a [complete sales training and reinforcement program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/). And included in this training is time spent with the managers of the team. This way, we help them upskill and become the leaders and coaches your team needs. For more information, [contact me here.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) And yes, we can do this [onsite as well as virtually](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) for those with dispersed teams. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Sales, sales coaching, sales leader, Sales Team, sales training --- ### [Sales Training: How to Choose the Best Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/salestraining-program-how-to-choose-the-best-one/) **Published:** December 18, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Investing in a sales training program is a critical step for any business looking to enhance its sales team’s performance. And it goes way beyond simply choosing a trainer you know, like, or who has been referred to you. It’s essential to recognize that the success of a sales training initiative isn’t solely determined by the program itself. Or just the sales trainer, or the delivery method. These things definitely matter, and it’s important to remember, they matter in collaboration with each other, not a single silo. Considering the trainer, their engagement with your team, and the reinforcement strategies implemented, you can offer your team the best training possible. ## The Lazy Way to Choose a Sales Trainer Don’t let Lazy Larry make the decision simply because he’s worked with someone before. Just because a certain trainer or training organization is a known entity is not the reason to use them as a sales trainer. This comes down to the definition of “known”. More often than not the “known” simply means they have used them before and don’t remember how sticky the program was. In some cases, they don’t even remember what the previous sales team thought of the training. Essentially some leader in your organization is simply being lazy with the “nobody ever got fired for buying IBM” mindset. Which is actually not true. If you have not asked them what they would do differently this time, then your sales leadership is being lazy. They do not care about the sales team, and simply want to check “[sales training](https://youtube.com/shorts/B22W8xBdxuA)” off the to do list. So, the priority is to simply ask yourself the following: At the end of the sales training we want the sales team to be better at \_\_\_, \_\_\_, and \_\_\_. Fill in the blanks with use cases, not buzzwords. This means, “prospecting via email, cold, call and LinkedIn”, not simply, “Prospecting”. This means, “closing the deal with the procurement department”, not just “closing”. Now, once you have these few examples go to all your potential trainers, and ask them to prove to you how they will help train your team. This will help you short-list your potential sales trainers. The trainer plays a pivotal role in shaping the learning experience for your [sales team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/simple-tips-to-become-a-sales-winner/). Moreover, it’s not just about trainers’ knowledge of sales techniques but also about their ability to connect with the participants. ### Sales Training and The Grumpy Gus – Connection with Participants: On every sales team there is always a Grumpy Gus or Negative Nancy. Gus and Nancy are the sales people who sit in the back of the room, arms folded, thinks they know it all. They believe that they have been to so many sales trainings that this one will be a waste of their time. Finally, when it’s all done, they will simply do what they want, and how they want. So, do not choose a sales trainer without having your sales team engage with the trainer BEFORE signing a contract. If you do so, you will just make the biggest career mistake of your life. Everytime we bring this up, our prospects smile and say, “Yup, I know who that is on our sales team.” An effective and best in class sales trainer will want to speak to the Guses and Nancy’s BEFORE the contract is signed. They will understand how to acknowledge, respect, and leverage G&N’s experiences to bring them into the tent without patronizing them. The positive effect of this is that G&N will feel seen, heard, and respected by your organization because their opinion matters. Which in fact it does. Remember, G&N are going to help your sales trainer understand the culture and needs of the team as a whole. Which then makes customizing the training all that easier. The trainer’s ability to establish a connection with your team is paramount. Effective communication, relatability, and a genuine understanding of your team’s challenges contribute to a positive learning environment. ### Sales Training’s Preparation and Presence: Assess how trainers prepare for sessions and their overall presence during training. How much time will they spend listening to your sales calls and making sure the right role plays are going to be used? If the sales trainer does not say, “Just flood my inbox” with anything you have to help me know your world, then we suggest you find another sales trainer. People think this is a standard thing all sales trainers do. However, we can assure you only the best in class sales trainers and sales training programs actually do it. A well-prepared trainer demonstrates commitment and professionalism, contributing to a more impactful learning experience. ### Engagement Strategies for your Sales Training: The brain will only absorb as much as the butt will tolerate. This means sales training cannot be some long boring, death by powerpoint exercise. Best sales trainers and sales training programs incorporate visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities to keep the audience engaged. Here are a few things to consider: #### Creating a Safe Space A great sales trainer will encourage the team to disagree with something the trainer says. Moreover, she/he will be able to explain how to do this so the team can feel comfortable. Too often people will not disagree with a person leading the conversation because they are supposed to be an expert. Newsflash, all sales trainers are experts at lots of things, they are not experts at everything. Thus, I am willing to say this in front of the team and I reward them for calling me out when they disagree. It’s not about who is right or wrong, it’s about what is the best way for someone on your sales team to use a specific tactic or strategy in your sales conversations. I love it when people disagree with me and their opinion is the better way to do something. I don’t know it all, and I don’t have the need to know it all. All I want is for your team to be successful and happy. Simply ask the sales trainer – “How do you encourage the team you are training to disagree with you?” #### Sales Training’s Customization This is critical for all sales training and this is accomplished by having strong real playing and role playing exercises. Real playing simple means discussing a specific sales training strategy or tactic and discussing where the sales rep has experienced this. Role playing is about taking the strategy or tactic and based on an upcoming sales meeting role playing that tactic or strategy. In the event there is not an upcoming meeting your sales trainer should work with you to create a role play. For example, we offer a “Negotiating with Procurement” module. This does not happen frequently enough, sadly, that there may be a meeting already scheduled on the calendar. Simply ask the sales trainer – “What examples of role playing have you done in the past to make sure the topics being covered are connecting the dots for the sales team?” #### Eliminating Distractions During Sales Training Laptops closed! A great sales trainer will require all cell phones and laptops to be off and/ or closed during the training (granted, virtual requires laptops opened). We’ve been known to give away cash to anyone who turns off their cell phone, or sets it in the front of the room if it’s live and onsite. Yes, someone can cheat if it’s virtual training and turn the phone back on, that’s fine, karma will catch up with them. Usually in their pipeline. Simply ask the sales trainer – “How do you make sure the team eliminates distractions during your sales training?” #### Walk Away Materials When choosing a sales trainer if there is not a workbook to go along with the training for each rep, then move onto the next trainer. It’s so simple to do this, and yet so few ever do. Ask your sales trainer – “So is there a physical or tangible takeaway each rep gets from the training?” ## REINFORCEMENT – A MUST HAVE FOR SALES TRAINING If the sales training program does not include reinforcement as part of the sales training offer then they are not a best in class sales training organization. At minimum the reinforcement to the sales training program should be weekly for 2-3 weeks after the initial training. The best of the best in class sales trainers include management reinforcement and sales team reinforcement sessions. And they should not cost extra. Simply ask your sales trainer – “What type of reinforcement sales training exercises exist with your program?” ## Trainer Selection Process If you are not speaking with the actual sales trainer who will be training your team from day one, this is a big red flag when choosing a sales trainer or sales training organization. Anyone asking you to go through some qualification and discovery as part of the process before you speak with the sales trainer is simply far too arrogant in our opinion. This is important, but it’s rocket surgery or brain science. > You are welcome to share this post along with the hashtag #BlameRichard and say, “Richard says we are being stupid (and lazy per above) if we don’t consider all of this.” ## Conclusion Selecting the best sales training program involves looking beyond the curriculum. The trainer’s ability to connect, engage, and prepare, along with ongoing reinforcement strategies, are critical factors that contribute to the long-term success of the initiative. By considering these aspects, businesses can make informed decisions that not only improve their sales team’s performance but also create a lasting impact on the organization’s overall sales culture. At [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/), we understand the importance of sales training and the key role that trainers play in the process. That’s why we provide tailored sales training and the best trainers focused on each company’s needs. Do you want to boost your sales team with our programs? Let’s [contact us](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) and take your company to the next level of sales. And remember, don’t be Lazy Larry, Grumpy Gus, or Negative Nancy. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Sales, sales coach, sales training --- ### [Secrets to a Kickass Sales Kickoff Meeting - Part 1](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/kickass-sales-kickoff-meeting-part-1/) **Published:** October 23, 2013 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ![Sales Kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Sales.kick-off-150x150.jpg)If you have not started planning your annual Sales Kickoff Meeting you are probably a little late. The good news is that you definitely are not the only one behind the eight ball. Because people often wait until the last minute to plan their Sales Kickoff Meeting they typically end up with a 2 day schedule that looks something like this: - Introduction - CEO: Rah-rah speech - VP of sales: Rah-rah speech about the next two days - 201X Year In Review - Marketing: New programs, drip campaigns, open rates, click throughs, etc. - Product marketing: New product release and demonstration (not training) - Sales teams: Share best deal closing stories - Evening activity & awards ceremony Notice anything missing? How about something that the inside sales team or the field sales team can use beyond company-related information — sales training they can use to win more business? Whether you have Lead Generation, SDR Team, Inside Sales or Field Sales teams, real training is the most important part of any sales kickoff meeting. Talk about wasting a golden opportunity! Here you have your Lead Generation Sales Team, Mid-Market Sales Team, and Enterprise Sales Team all in one place and you do nothing to improve their qualifying skills or closing ratios. Please do not misunderstand; everything previously mentioned is vital however it is a SALES KICKOFF MEETING– not a marketing kickoff, not a product kickoff, and most certainly not a sales process kickoff. What I have often found is that people rush to this format because they cannot get out of their own way to structure a more meaningful SKO. Specifically they have great sales training ideas they would love to incorporate but due to time or actual lack of experience planning sales kickoff meetings it never materializes. Below I outline the single most important part of producing a kickass sales kickoff meeting: #### **Secret 1 – Define the Behaviors You Want to Change** Possibly the single biggest mistake I see over and over again in mediocre SKOs is that sales leaders do not set up sales training to address the behaviors you want your sales team to change, improve or make happen. Before you plan a single agenda item, you need to set the strategic vision and desired outcomes you expect from the sales team in the coming months/ quarters. We call this the 60,000′ View. Once this is determined, share this with the other content providers from marketing, engineering, sales ops, and other supporters. This will be the guiding statement to which all information will be created, flow, and shown to the sales team. Unsure how to figure this out? Fill in the following statement: ##### *After the kickoff the sales team should be able to \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_ better.* Of all the SKO’s I have planned, the best ones focused on the sales team being able to do the following: 1. Increase quality volume into the funnel (aka – prospecting) 2. Increase velocity through the funnel (aka – qualifying & closing) It sounds simple but look at these two items compared to the original agenda, they don’t match up. Now remember this is the 60,000 foot view. Let’s get a little closer to the ground. At the 30,000′ View you should take your first two goals and break them down into something more substantive and focus on specific skills and behaviors you want to change post-SKO, for example: 1. Increase quality volume into the funnel 1. Improving BANT prospecting skills 2. Improving LISTENING skills 2. Increase velocity through the funnel 1. Improving PRESENTATION skills 2. Improving NEGOTIATING skills 3. Improving CLOSING skills At the 10,000′ View, these modules typically become the training sessions. Please, please, please do not make this just a lecture format. Make sure you have engaging sessions led by a good facilitator. 1. Increase quality volume into the funnel 2. Improving BANT prospecting skills 1. Training Module 1 2. Training Module 2 3. Improving LISTENING skills 1. Training Module 1 2. Training Module 2…and so on… Interestingly, this is where some people stop. But I actually take it down to the 500 foot view 1. Increase quality volume into the funnel 2. Improving BANT prospecting skills 1. Training Module 1 1. Exercise 2. Role Play 2. Training Module 2 1. Exercise 2. Role Play … and so on A great by-product of the above outline is that once other content providers see the context of what they should be presenting, it makes them develop a stronger understanding of what the sales reps need, want, and use. As communications between the departments increase you can feel the sales DNA of the company grow stronger across the organization. In many cases the content providers end up coming to the sessions other than the ones they built because it will be their best way to hear real-world stories that are happening in the marketplace outside your organization. This is something they always seem to ask for but never seem happy with what they get. Remember that putting all of this in black and white will make the difference between a “good” sales kickoff meeting and a kickass one. Need help with your sales kickoff meeting? Want to brainstorm a little? [Contact us.](/contact-us "Contact") [You can read Secrest To A Kickass Sales Kickoff – Part 2 ](/secrets-kickass-sales-kickoff-meeting-part-2/ "Secrets To A Kickass Sales Kickoff - Part 2") **Categories:** Blog, Inside Sales, Sales Training **Tags:** Enterprise Sales Team, Inside Sales Team, Lead Gen Team, Lead Generation Team, Sales, sales kickoff, sales kickoff meeting, sales leadership, sales manager, Sales Meeting, sales training, sko --- ### [The Power of Founder-Led Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-founder-led-sales/) **Published:** November 27, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In today’s fast and busy industry, the role of founder led sales is often multi-faceted. Their role ranges from visionary leadership to hands-on involvement in various aspects of the business. Let’s not forget taking out the trash at the end of the night. Being a founder and working on founder led sales is both exhilarating and sometimes exhausting. And that’s ok to be and that’s ok to say out loud. One critical domain where founders can make a substantial impact is in sales, particularly through a strategy known as Founder-Led Sales. In this article, we are going to explore the essential elements of a Go-To-Market plan, and unravel the intricacies of a GTM strategy. ## Founder-Led Sales [Founder Led Sales](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2022/04/27/founder-led-sales-why-is-it-so-critical/?sh=321be5b5513d) refers to the requirement of company founders in the sales process in the earliest stages of the company. In most cases a sales team and sales leader does not even exist. Moreover, even when you bring on those first sales people the founder must still engage in sales execution. Founder led sales, never stops, period. During the start up phase of founder led sales the founder must engage directly with potential customers. Also, they must build relationships, and drive revenue growth. This strategy is rooted in the belief that founders possess a unique understanding of the product, market, and customer needs. Thus, founder led sales make their involvement in sales invaluable. Additionally, during the founder led sales phase many customers chose to purchase because of the founder themselves. They are buying their knowledge, or their expertise on the subject matter, and often the designer of the product or service. One can never discount the instant credibility the title “Founder” has in sales regardless of the company’s life-cycle. In these cases, founders are part of the planning of a comprehensive strategy. The go-to-market outlines how a company will bring its product or service to market. Moreover, this strategy also helps to acquire customers, and achieve sustainable growth. In other words, GTM encompasses various elements, each crucial to the success of the business. Without understanding these elements founder led sales efforts will fail. Consequently, the credibility mentioned above vanishes, forever. Here are key components of an effective GTM plan: ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Founder-Led-Sales-IG-2-1-460x460.png) - ### Market Analysis from Founder Led Sales: - Define the pain you want to solve first. What is the use case that people wish they could do better, faster, and cheaper? - Analyze market trends, competitors, and potential challenges around the pain(s). - Hypothesize the target market and customer segments. This way, you can engage with the quickest for product market validation. - ### Research – Customer Persona Development: - Talk to anyone and everyone to get their opinion of the pain as well as your proposed solution - Create detailed customer personas to understand the target audience. - Refine and tailor messaging around the pains. Base your messages on continuous feedback from the people you are speaking with. - ### Research – Product Positioning and Messaging: - Ask your contacts: - why your product is not better than the way they are currently doing things? - why the competitor is so good? Are they bad? Do you know why? - how bad does it have to be before they will consider an option in general? - what should happen to consider actually purchasing a solution? - Define the positioning, the messaging and your competitive advantages. - Go back to your contacts and simply ask them to fill in the blank: “Hey Richard, what you’re building is cool, but…” - ### Research – Pricing Strategy: - Do the math. - Generally speaking our service will help someone do \_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_ faster. - This has a soft cost of \_\_\_\_\_. Meaning what are the things that are not getting done because of the current way? - How much of their growth is delayed because of the current way? - What are the other things on their to do list that could be done faster with your solution? - Which is the economic impact to their company by having this new solution? - Confirm this math with your contacts. - Consider factors such as competitive pricing, perceived value, and market demand. - Develop a pricing strategy that aligns with the product’s value proposition. - ### Initial Founder Led Sales, Marketing and Communication: - Think of use cases. Use cases does not mean your “algorhythm” or your “AI”. - Talk about the pains you solve, not what you do. - Nobody pays attention even when they ask “What do you do?” - They do pay attention when I say: “I teach people how to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask and when that helps them close sales opportunities.” - Utilize various marketing channels, including digital marketing, content creation, and social media. - ### First Customers for Founder Led Sales : - Standard, friends, families, business acquaintances, referrals - Social selling is critical. Fish where the fish are. If they are on LinkedIn, then post there. If they are part of communities, join and engage the conversation. - Blogging is critical for the short and long term. Short term is critical for initial validation. Long term it’s critical for SEO. - Explore other online and offline sales channels, partnerships, and distribution networks. ## Founder Led Sales’s Vision One of the biggest challenges when it comes to Founder Led Sales is what we call “Revenue Block”. This is the part where the founder has a vision about solving a problem. They understand it intimately, and almost instinctively. Thus, they can even get the ideas out of their head and create something. Then, when they try to go to market with a Founder Led Sales approach they cannot understand why everyone doesn’t see their beautiful baby the same way they do. ### Tips to encourage those going through Founder Led Sales to think. 1. #### The founders’ vision into the Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy is a pivotal element. It will help to ensure a company’s success. 2. #### Their vision serves as the guiding light. It provides a clear direction for the entire organization especially during the various founder-led sales growth stages. By weaving your vision into the GTM strategy, you will create a cohesive and authentic narrative. 3. #### This narrative must resonate with both internal teams and external audiences. Your passion is a potent force that can be harnessed to infuse enthusiasm and commitment during your founder led sales conversations. 4. #### Do not confuse passion with resolving pain. 5. #### Your passion must be articulated in use case story telling in relation to your prospects and customers. Not how wonderful and smart your 6 month old baby is. This is authenticity in Go-To-Market strategies and founder led sales. 6. #### Authenticity, in turn, cultivates trust and credibility. These are essential ingredients for successful customer relationships. 7. #### Now your prospect has “fallen in trust” with the founder and believes in their deep understanding to solve their issues. Founder led sales have to be able to articulate the intricacies and value propositions of the product with firsthand knowledge. On this context, the founder adds a layer of expertise to sales interactions. This expertise enhances the quality of customer engagement. Moreover, it also positions the company as a knowledgeable and reliable partner. Founder-Led Sales, coupled with a well-crafted Go-To-Market plan and strategy, can be a powerful combination. Companies must actively involve founders in the sales process. They also have to align their efforts with a comprehensive GTM plan. By doing so companies can establish a strong foundation for: - sustainable growth, - customer acquisition, and - market success. ## Conclusion The evolving nature of the business landscape requires constant refinement and adaptation. Thus, companies need to make the GTM strategy a dynamic framework. This can propel a company to new heights. Oh, and no, Founder Led Sales and Go To Market never goes away. It evolves as the company evolves. When you add new features, guess who needs to sell? If you hire a revenue team, guess who needs to explain the GTM plan? In case a founder hires its first VP of Sales, guess who still has to engage? For every round of funding a startup raises from VCs, guess who’s in charge of explaining all of this? When you do a road show to launch your IPO, guess who is still discussing a go to market strategy? Do you need extra help to boost the power of Founder-Led Sales? Let’s talk about it! I am always open to a free “pick your brain” conversation. For additional insights and expert guidance on SKO planning, consider visiting [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/). **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Sales, Sales Team --- ### [S4E51 - Stopping Negative Self Talk with Joel Bein](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e51-stopping-negative-self-talk-with-joel-bein/) **Published:** November 13, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** You cannot just muscle your way through things. Our challenges are habitual, not natural. Joel Bein of Human Liberation joins us share some amazing advice. - Unnecessary over hustling - Confusing activity with productivity - Learning to trust yourself. - Stopping the negative self-talk loops - Why are sales people afraid to ask for the close? *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* Get a free assesmment with Joel [here ](https://thehumanliberation.co/surf/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e51-stopping-negative-self-talk-with-joel-bein?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Thriving in Sales: Embracing Imperfections to Avoid Burnout](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/thriving-in-sales-embracing-imperfections-to-avoid-burnout/) **Published:** November 7, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In the world of sales, we often look up to icons like Steph Curry. His unmatched dedication and prowess in basketball has secured his legacy as one of the greatest athletes in history. However, even the most accomplished professionals can face burnout. Steph’s journey serves as a testament to the importance of recognizing our limits, taking a step back, and seeking fresh challenges to reignite our passion, and the resilience it takes to succeed. He didn’t go to a big university. Moreover, six others were chosen before him in the draft: Clippers. Blake Griffin. PF. Grizzlies. Hasheem Thabeet. C. Thunder. James Harden. SG. Kings. Tyreke Evans. PG. Timberwolves. Ricky Rubio. PG. Timberwolves. Jonny Flynn. PG. Warriors. Stephen Curry. PG. As for set backs, multiple injuries including his own leading to a 15-50 record. However, he never gave up. Warrior mentality. In the same way that Steph Curry, we all have setbacks. Thus, all we have to do is dig deep to push through. Here are some actionable tips tailored for salespeople to navigate setbacks and prevent burnout. ## Learning from Mistakes No champions playbook can be complete without a chapter on learning from mistakes. In the relentless pursuit of success in sales, it’s crucial to confront our mistakes head-on. Just as champions in sports review their gameplays, [successful salespeople ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-build-the-best-sales-team-discover-the-5-cs/)dissect their failures, identifying areas for improvement. It is important to understand that this process isn’t about self-flagellation, but a constructive evaluation of performance. Additionally, this process is about learning from missteps while celebrating the moments of brilliance that drive us forward. Our suggestion here is to look at your situation and frame your thoughts as if someone else came to you for advice about this exact thing. This gives us the mental distance to sepearate our emotions from the problem and allows us to open our mind to learning. ## Give Yourself Grace A true Sales Warrior’s mantra is not about being aggressive. It’s about keep perspective. We often tell ourselves, “give yourself some slack” and “stop being so hard on yourself”. The irony here is that those are very critical statements. In fact, they probably have the same tone your parents used when they got frustrated with you. As a result, we are often our own harshest critics, which can lead to unnecessary stress and self-doubt. Recognizing that judgment can swing both ways: positive and negative. It is a pivotal step towards cultivating self-compassion. ## Accepting All of You: Strengths and Flaws in Sales For better or worse is not just about a commitment to marriage. It’s a commitment to ourselves. Whether you’re an SDR, Inside Sales Rep, Account Manager, or working in Customer Success, it’s imperative to embrace every facet of yourself. This encompasses your strengths and weaknesses, the highs and lows. Perfection is a mirage, and accepting your entire self lays the foundation for growth and resilience in the dynamic world of sales. A counterintuitive approach. Only spending time on the skills you feel you need to improve often carries a lot of negative baggage. Yes, spend time there and spend time on improving your best skills too. ## Avoiding Burnout Together: A Sales Team Endeavor [Burnout](https://www.economist.com/1843/2016/06/29/is-there-more-to-burnout-than-working-too-hard?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&utm_source=google&ppccampaignID=19495686130&ppcadID=&utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA3aeqBhBzEiwAxFiOBtDzNdlvRvs02Ong6rt3hKmVU6r6z6J7GSdU8qh5_lDv41XsgwDzvBoCiDIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) is a pervasive challenge in the high-octane world of sales. It can affect anyone, irrespective of their level of achievement. Thus, by acknowledging our limitations and embracing self-compassion, we can proactively ward off burnout. Recognizing you are approaching burnout in sales is something we can all do better. Here are a few things to pay attention to. - Lack of sleep or over sleeping, - lack of appetite or over eating, and - drinking/ drugs are often the most recognizable. Moreover, these are another important aspects to look out for: - no joy in your work (even the best parts) - constant catastrophe thinking (even when things are good on paper) - missing meetings, - missing deadlines, - knowing you are on your way to burn out and refusing to acknowledge the thought for fear of being perceived as weak. Notably, just about everyone I know who has experienced burnout was not surprised it happened. However, they were surprised by the sudden pain it brough once they hit the final moment. ## The Resilience from Burnout Steph’s s journey to triumph serves as an inspiration for salespeople facing their own moments of fatigue and self-doubt. Learning from mistakes, showing self-compassion, and accepting our whole selves are vital practices in avoiding burnout. By adopting positive self-judgment and seeking new challenges, we forge ahead in our sales journey with renewed vigor and passion. Remember, in sales, it’s not about flawless perfection; it’s about unwavering resilience. If you need extra help to support your sales team, I invite you to check [our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Sales Training & Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) or simply [book a time to chat here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Burnout, Sales Team, sales training --- ### [Finding Your Work-Life Balance: It's Personal](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/finding-your-work-life-balance-its-personal/) **Published:** November 1, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In today’s fast-paced world, achieving the elusive work-life balance can feel like an uphill battle. Whether you’re [a successful professional in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-build-the-best-sales-team-discover-the-5-cs/), a teacher, a stay-at-home parent, juggling responsibilities can be overwhelming. The struggle of mental health and mental health in sales is all too real. It’s easier to talk about these days then in years past. Nevertheless, it’s not completely comfortable yet since there is a sad stigma associated with mental health in sales. The pressure to keep up with it all, including the demands of social media, can lead to guilt and a sense of inadequacy. However, is it really true that success requires sacrificing everything? Let’s explore the idea of work-life balance and how individuals can customize it to suit their needs. ## Defining Balance The common notion states that balance implies a strict 50/50 split. However, it’s crucial to recognize that balance is subjective. It’s about finding a harmony that aligns with your unique circumstances and aspirations. For some, this may mean that work occupies a larger portion of their time. This can even range from 60% to 80%. What matters most is self-awareness and a commitment to the chosen balance. ## Embracing Imperfection Moreover, acknowledging that you will inevitably miss out on some experiences is a vital step towards achieving peace of mind. It’s important not to berate yourself for what you can’t do. On the contrary, focus on making the time you do have meaningful. Quality trumps quantity. Thus, engage in sincere, enriching conversations with loved ones, and make every moment count. ## Practical Strategies for Work-life Balance Additionally, it is essential to implement strategies to [enhance your work-life balance](https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5244-improve-work-life-balance-today.html). Here are a couple of practices that have proven effective for many: 1. Device-Free Meal Times: In an age dominated by screens, reclaim meal times as sacred moments. This will transform human connection. It is important to say that this rule applies to both adults and children. By eliminating distractions, you foster deeper connections and genuine conversations. 2. Roses and Thorns: This involves each family member sharing one positive aspect of their day (the “rose”) and one [challenging aspect](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e13-sharing-your-favorite-failure/) (the “thorn”). This exercise encourages open communication. Moreover, it also serves as a reminder to appreciate life’s little joys. The blessings in the lessons. This is a great quote from my friend Chip Baker. ## Conclusion Ultimately, the pursuit of work-life balance is a personal journey. It’s about defining what matters most to you and aligning your time and energy accordingly. To sum up, disregard the one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, embrace the idea that you have the power to set your own balance. Value quality over quantity and implement meaningful practices. This can lead you to a fulfilling life that integrates [professional growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-6-stages-of-growth-in-your-sales-team/) and personal fulfillment seamlessly. We invite you to share your own strategies for managing work-life balance. How do you strike that equilibrium in your life? Your insights might just inspire others on their own path to balance and contentment. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Sales, Work-life balance --- ### [S4E50 - Why LinkedIn is NOT for Cold Outreach with Charlotte Lloyd](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e50-why-linkedin-is-not-for-cold-outreach-with-charlotte-lloyd/) **Published:** October 30, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Charlotte “The charKe” Lloyd joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. Charlotte has become an amazing influencer on LinkedIn, and she didn’t even start until 2021. It’s never too late to get started. - Navigating the social landscape of posting on multiple platform - The difference between being confident and confident in your voice. - The mentality it takes to go commission only - Being a solopreneur *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e50-why-linkedin-is-not-for-cold-outreach-with-charlotte-lloyd?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E49 - Don't be the Allen Iverson of Sales with Matt Doyon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e49-dont-be-the-allen-iverson-of-sales-with-matt-doyon/) **Published:** October 30, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Matt Doyon joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss - Practice is the key to success in everything - Why smaller micro-training is better for everyone. - It’s time to lean in on the younger generation of sales - The sales motion of start-ups vs big organizations - The future of sales is not what you think - Optimize everything *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - Please check them out for great sales content and an awesome CRM. *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e49-dont-be-the-allen-iverson-of-sales-with-matt-doyon?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E48 - How the Best Sales Reps Use Case Studies with Julian Lumpkin](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e48-how-the-best-sales-reps-use-case-studies-with-julian-lumpkin/) **Published:** October 23, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Julian Lumpkin joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares some amazing insights. - Navigating the side hustle while still a W2 - Starting a marketing agency while never working in marketing - The huge difference of having one case study versus none - A case study should be easy to understand by someone outside your industry. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e48-how-the-best-sales-reps-use-case-studies-with-julian-lumpkin?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E47 - “Weird Al the SDR” w/ Jordan Abbott of Vidyard](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e47-weird-al-the-sdr-w-jordan-abbott-of-vidyard/) **Published:** October 23, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jordan Abbot from Vidyard joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares amazing insights around the latest best practices in the SDR world. - The optimal length of videos - Being your whole self to work and the power of social in sales - How to bring your sales script and talk tracks to life. - Understanding Story Selling *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e47-weird-al-the-sdr-w-jordan-abbott-of-vidyard?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E46 - I love you sales, but you don't love me.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e46-i-love-you-sales-but-you-dont-love-me/) **Published:** October 16, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Monica Stewart joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares his wisdom including - Why did she leave sales and come back two times? - Has the system made founders lie about product/market fit? - The milestones from $1m to $2m+? - Why Net Revenue Retention is the sole metric for determining product market fit. - *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e46-i-love-you-sales-but-you-dont-love-me?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E45 - The VALUE Acid Trip of Sales Episode](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e45-the-value-acid-trip-of-sales-episode/) **Published:** October 9, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Carlos Nouche joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss. And for the record, nobody was doing any drugs. - More generations in sales now than any other time in history. - What it really means when people say “sales has changed”. - Understanding how geography relates to sales. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - Please check them out for great sales content and an awesome CRM *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-podcast/) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E43 - One Thing That Indicates When Its Time For Your First Sales Hire](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e43-one-thing-that-indicates-when-its-time-for-your-first-sales-hire/) **Published:** October 2, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Michelle Pietsch joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. - Your first value prop is probably not a value prop. - Sales 101 is never outdated - The first 10 and last 5 minutes of the call is the best part to coach. - The mistakes of founder led sales *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e43-one-thing-that-indicates-when-its-time-for-your-first-sales-hire?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E44 - Sales people are no longer motivated by money.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e44-sales-people-are-no-longer-motivated-by-money/) **Published:** October 2, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alex Kremer joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares his wisdom - The value of community. - The skill of choosing the right rocket ships and start-ups. - What is replacing the money in sales people no longer want. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e44-sales-people-are-no-longer-motivated-by-money?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E42 - Everything is easy when you have been to hell and back with Justin Jay Johnson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e42-everything-is-easy-when-you-have-been-to-hell-and-back-with-justin-jay-johnson/) **Published:** September 11, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Justin Jay Johnson joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares his learnings about cutting the W2 chord, how life’s tragedy became his biggest blessing, and why he likes helping people so much. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e42-everything-is-easy-when-you-have-been-to-hell-and-back-with-justin-jay-johnson?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E41 - The challenge of a start up that sells globally with Milo Milosevic](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e41-the-challenge-of-a-start-up-that-sells-globally-with-milo-milosevic/) **Published:** September 4, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Milo Milosevic joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares his thoughts on the following: Should the founder be the first seller? How to develop product market fit for something you will never sell in your own country. Getting late adopters to move more quickly with technology. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e41-the-challenge-of-a-start-up-that-sells-globally-with-milo-milosevic?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E40 - Navigating Change Management When Converting AE's to Outbound](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e40-navigating-change-management-when-converting-aes-to-outbound/) **Published:** August 28, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The awesome Jason Bay joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and we discuss some amazing insights including the mutual responsibility for success for reps and management. And how to manage the change of getting your AEs go outbound. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e40-navigating-change-management-when-converting-aes-to-outbound?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E39 - When you know how to sell everything falls into place](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e39-when-you-know-how-to-sell-everything-falls-into-place/) **Published:** August 28, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Casey Cavell has done it all from a professional athlete to professional gambling, to entrepreneur. He shares amazing insights and stories including: - How he took a $50 poker entry fee and turned into is foundation for making a million dollars. - It’s all a mindset mentality. - The 70/30 Rule to Recognize Burnout - Hire people to buy your time back. - 70% of your time should be spent on time on things you love to do and 30% on the stuff you hate. - How to determine what you’re good at, what you like to do, what you can do, and what you hate to do. And then learn how to delegate everything other than what you are good at and like to do. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e39-when-you-know-how-to-sell-everything-falls-into-place?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [5 Things You Didn’t Know About Procurement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5-things-you-didnt-know-about-procurement/) **Published:** August 21, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ask any Heads of Sales or CRO how many procurement people they actually know. Like, *really* know. We bet it’s less than 3. This is odd considering how many sales, especially enterprise sales, have to actually go through a [procurement](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/05/31/the-power-of-procurement-how-b2b-deals-can-change-the-world/?sh=5f7d55fa40c1) process. So we had a few conversations with procurement managers and leaders and learned there are some false belief systems that salespeople buy into, because, well, it’s what we’ve always been told. Here are the top 5 things that blew our minds when conducting these interviews. 1. They truly appreciate the role of a salesperson and want you to make commissions. They get it, they understand your role, and while it is in their best interest to help their company, that does not mean they want you to starve by not making money. **ADVICE:** See them as an ally, not an enemy. It’s ok to acknowledge this as you build your relationship with them. 2. Their “champion” (their employee) is clu-less about procurement. They wish their internal employee understood the procurement process better and they know your champion is blocking you. And then when your champion brings in something at the end of the month and the quarter, the procurement person is frustrated because their job just got harder. **ADVICE:** Work with your champion and let them know procurement doesn’t want to work late on December 31st any more than anyone else. 3. Their job isn’t about “saving money”. It’s about protecting the company, and money is only a small part of that. **ADVICE:** Let your champion know you’ve done your homework on working with procurement and that you don’t see procurement as a place for something to die, its merely a stop on the subway line. 4. Sometimes, they don’t actually want or need to shop it around. **ADVICE:** We should never be afraid if they do shop it around, and we should know they don’t always have to. So, ask them. Ask your champion, “Do you think your procurement team wants to shop this type of stuff around?”. And when speaking with procurement, ask them if they feel like this is something they need to shop around too. If you are afraid that bringing up this idea makes them want to shop it around, then you are seeing it the wrong way. We should always assume they are shopping things around. And frankly, they are. Sometimes your competition is simply a competing priority, not necessarily a similar product or service. 5. They want to be engaged very, VERY early in the sales cycle, like Stage 1. This was the most shocking of them all. **ADVICE:** Leverage this knowledge with your champion. Explain that you have learned that procurement actually wants to be involved sooner than later for the following reasons: - - They don’t like being rushed at the last minute - They may have knowledge about this type of solution that can help your champion. - You aren’t trying to “go around” them, you actually want to help them (your champion) so you don’t get stuck in the back and forth later when everyone else is trying to have procurement sign off. - You don’t see procurement as the enemy, you see them for simply doing their job, and you’ve learned the sooner that it’s all on the table, the easier it is for everyone involved. For more on procurement, check out these resources: Surf & Sales Podcast: [A Masterclass on Negotiating with Procurement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e55-live-bonfire-session-a-masterclass-on-negotiating-with-procurement/) Webinar On-Demand: [The Skills Your Team Needs to Negotiate With Procurement And Reduce Discounting](https://pages.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/negotiate-with-procurement-and-reduce-discounting) **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E28 - From Rock Bottom to Rocketship with Scott Barker of Outreach.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e28-from-rock-bottom-to-rocketship-with-scott-barker-of-outreach-io/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Scott Barker shares his experiences of his meteoric rise to sales success, his crash, and his rebirth to being a 7-figure selling and marketing machine. Things you will hear about: 1\. The Democratization of knowledge and how to leverage it. 2\. How to determine if someone is full of shit. 3\. What Conscious Capitalism means and how you can be a part of it. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e28-from-rock-bottom-to-rocketship-with-scott-barker-of-outreachio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E37 - Revenue Enablement, the fixer of problems and people with Roderick Jefferson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e37-revenue-enablement-the-fixer-of-problems-and-people-with-roderick-jefferson/) **Published:** August 21, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Roderick Jefferson joins us and we go deep on some amazing topics. - .Understanding and navigating corporate politics - Stop doing presentations and start having conversations. - Who owns expansion and upsell revenue? - How to adjust the CSM mindset to handle upsell/ cross-selling *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* https://linktr.ee/roderickjefferson [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e37-revenue-enablement-the-fixer-of-problems-and-people-with-roderick-jefferson?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E38 - How to leverage your network to grow your revenue with Joel Rodriguez](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e38-how-to-leverage-your-network-to-grow-your-revenue-with-joel-rodriguez/) **Published:** August 21, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Joel is a sales and revenue visionary and joins us to discuss the easiest ways to leverage your own network. We get into the details around adjusting the mindset of “feeling dirty” to ask for a referral, what does the right process look like, and what does the right message sound like. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - Please check them out for great sales content and an awesome CRM *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e38-how-to-leverage-your-network-to-grow-your-revenue-with-joel-rodriguez?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E36 - Selling in a Tumultuous Economy with Kaylee Chappelow](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e36-selling-in-a-tumultuous-economy-with-kaylee-chappelow/) **Published:** August 21, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Mid-market sales rep Kaylee Chappelow about selling in the summer 2023 economy. - Navigating a tumultuous upbringing and career. - When your drive becomes your habit. - Creative Discounting and Budget conversations *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e36-selling-in-a-tumultuous-economy-with-kaylee-chappelow?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Leveling Up in Sales: How To Move to a Better Situation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/leveling-up-in-sales-how-to-move-to-a-better-situation/) **Published:** August 14, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How do you propose to make a move to start leveling up in sales and create a better situation? By skilling harder? Or by making connections and leveraging them to find better opportunities? Finding the right job is about finding multiple opportunities, not just one. The more options we have, the better off everything becomes. Instead of fixating on a single opportunity, adopt a mindset of exploration and expansion. The more avenues you explore, the higher your chances of discovering that perfect fit. Each opportunity you encounter, even if not immediately pursued, contributes to your growth and understanding of the market. For me, I would do these 6 steps: 4. Leverage my brand on LinkedIn or [start building one](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/personal-brands-in-sales-should-a-sales-person-have-a-brand/). It’s never too late. And you can even utilize platforms beyond LinkedIn to showcase your skills and insights. Start a blog or vlog, share success stories, or offer strategic sales tips through various social media channels. Building your personal brand across different platforms enhances your visibility and credibility. 5. Reach out to tons of people I know. Rather than reaching out to a multitude of people haphazardly, focus on building genuine relationships with those who align with your career goals. Attend industry events, engage in meaningful conversations, and share insights to establish a solid network that supports your aspirations. 6. Make sure I am always up-skilling and sharing that appropriately. Regularly share your newfound knowledge through thought-provoking articles, presentations, or webinars, showcasing your expertise and eagerness to contribute to the field’s advancement. 7. Leverage every recruiter I can find. 8. Apply to the company, not just the role, waiting for HR or someone to call me back. 9. Change my mindset. I am always a free agent and worthy of the high-end of the market rate until someone proves me wrong. The journey to leveling up in sales is a dynamic and multifaceted endeavor. By skillfully combining both skilling up and cultivating connections, you position yourself for a more enriching and rewarding sales career. Remember, the sales landscape thrives on adaptability and innovation, so stay open to embracing new strategies and approaches as you work towards your goals. Anything you would add? Leave a comment or [DM me](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415) and let me know! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S4E35 - How much vulnerability is too much when building your brand with Luke Shalom](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e35-how-much-vulnerability-is-too-much-when-building-your-brand-with-luke-shalom/) **Published:** August 14, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Luke Shalom joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and discusses what it takes to build a brand. Topics include vulnerability, finding balance of the vulnerable story with negativity and stop trying to prove to yourself how important you are. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e35-how-much-vulnerability-is-too-much-when-building-your-brand-with-luke-shalom?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E34 - Making Bolder Decisions with Mark Roberge](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e34-making-bolder-decisions-with-mark-roberge/) **Published:** August 7, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The one and only Mark Roberge joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. NOT your standard Mark Roberge interview. Mark is not your typical “sales leader”. He did not come up through the ranks of sales, Yet, he’s become one of the most thought-provoking sales leaders in the business community in the last 20 years. We went deep with Mark on a ton of stuff including: Is the 1-year cliff, 4-year vest a broken model? How to survive past 18 months as a VP of Sales What is your CEO’s one Get Out of Jail card? *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e34-making-bolder-decisions-with-mark-roberge?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E33 - It's not all about A-Players with Mark A Smith](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e33-its-not-all-about-a-players-with-mark-a-smith/) **Published:** August 7, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Mark Smith tells it how it is. A VP of Sales multiple times over, he has dabbled in politics, consulting, advising and investing. So why leave everything behind and take a sabbatical? We sit down with Mark to discuss how his definition of success has evolved over the years, and the lessons he hopes to impart upon the next generation of sellers and leaders. - *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e33-its-not-all-about-a-players-with-mark-a-smith?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E32 - Stock Options Straight Talk](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e32-stock-options-straight-talk/) **Published:** August 7, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Colin Cadmus joins a live Surf and Sales Bonfire session to discuss how stock options really work. When do they matter? When do I have to pay taxes on them? Should I optimize for income or options? *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e32-stock-options-straight-talk?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E31 - The entrepreneurial journey after being laid off with Nick Bennett](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e31-the-entrepreneurial-journey-after-being-laid-off-with-nick-bennett/) **Published:** July 31, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nick joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. He’s going - Why make money for others when you can make it for yourself - The entrepreneurial journey after being laid off. - How marketing is viewing the value of AI *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e31-the-entrepreneurial-journey-after-being-laid-off-with-nick-bennett?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Impostor Syndrome in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/impostor-syndrome-in-sales/) **Published:** July 24, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As I continually work on my [impostor syndrome](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e157-impostor-syndrome/), I’m beginning to realize it also includes the emotion of envy. That moment when a co-worker, and friend, closes a deal. Wanting what they have, wishing it was me. And then it turns to jealousy of the recognition or reward they may receive. Then it turns to anger and thinking they don’t really deserve it as much as I do. This in turn, makes me think over time that I’m not as good and not as worthy, or as smart, etc. That last part plays over and over in my mind…for hours. And yet, I can move to make things happen. I can choose to work and better myself. I can choose to maybe learn something from that person. I can take action. This is my quest. This is my action. What’s yours? *\*Inspired by Robert Green, [Laws of Human Nature](https://www.amazon.com/Laws-Human-Nature-Robert-Greene/dp/0525428143)* **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S4E30 - These Are Not the Sales KPIs You're Looking For with Todd Busler](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e30-these-are-not-the-sales-kpis-youre-looking-for-with-todd-busler/) **Published:** July 24, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Todd Busler of Champify joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and discusses the following: - The Challenge of Traditional Sales Models - The Right KPIs for Sales in 2023 - Getting and Monetizing Beta Customers *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e30-these-are-not-the-sales-kpis-youre-looking-for-with-todd-busler?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E29 - Problem-i-zation is the Future of Personalization in Sales with Andy Mewborn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e29-problem-i-zation-is-the-future-of-personalization-in-sales-with-andy-mewborn/) **Published:** July 17, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Andrew Mewborn joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. - What prospects really want. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [ Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [ Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e29-problem-i-zation-is-the-future-of-personalization-in-sales-with-andy-mewborn?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E28 - Getting past your own self-limiting beliefs with Bishoy Tadros](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e28-getting-past-your-own-self-limiting-beliefs-with-bishoy-tadros/) **Published:** July 10, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Bishoy Tadros joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares his amazing story. - Embracing Discomfort - Managing a real job and your side hustle - The comeback is bigger than the setback - Surviving Luekemia and Brain Surgery *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e28-getting-past-your-own-self-limiting-beliefs-with-bishoy-tadros?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Emotions in Sales Drive Every Decision](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/emotions-in-sales-drive-every-decision/) **Published:** July 3, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Every decision is based on emotional experiences and life experiences. And it’s no different when it comes to emotions in sales. This is why we have to “meet our customers where they are.” Not where we *think* they are. And this is why they choose you over all other options. Let’s look at some examples of typical things we see in sales all the time that do **not** necessarily meet the customer where they are. #### **Decks** Having a logo salad and funding at the front of the deck. Have you ever NOT had your logo salad at the front and someone stopped you to ask, “Hey wait, can you show me your logos and who your VCs are?” #### **Demos** Asking throughout the demo, *“Does that make sense?”.* #### **Buzzword Bingo** Think “Strategic Advantage”, “Operational Efficiency”, etc. Buzzwords are like jokes. If you have to explain them then they are the wrong words to use. Give the definition, not the jargon. --- Now, if you are agreeing with me on this, then my statement must be true. It’s about emotional experiences and life experiences that help them choose *you*. If you disagree, go ahead and comment, [DM me](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415), or [schedule a chat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). Let’s have some fun and engage (professionally). I always like having people push back on my thoughts. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S4E27 - Going from Individual Contributor to Leader with Austen Shefl](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e27-going-from-individual-contributor-to-leader-with-austen-shefl/) **Published:** July 3, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Austen Schaefer from Clozd joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. - What mistakes to avoid - What it means to take that next step - What you can do to take that next step. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e27-going-from-individual-contributor-to-leader-with-austen-shefl?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E26 - Avoid These Mistakes When Being a Sales Leader with Collin Mitchell](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e26-avoid-these-mistakes-when-being-a-sales-leader-with-collin-mitchell/) **Published:** June 26, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Collin Mitchells joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [ Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [ Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e26-avoid-these-mistakes-when-being-a-sales-leader-with-collin-mitchell?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E25 - Will AI Replace RevOps with Craig Jordan](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e25-will-ai-replace-revops-with-craig-jordan/) **Published:** June 26, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Craig Jordan joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. - Reducing the Bloat with Rev Ops - Attaining revenue in a smarter way - Convincing leadership rev ops is a must have. - The Dream Starting Sales Team - AI in Revenue Operations *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e-reducing-the-bloat-with-rev-ops-with-craig-jordan?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4 Bonus Episode Little Scotty's Birthday Special](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4-bonus-episode-little-scottys-birthday-special-2/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This was the top-secret episode. The one where Richard decided to interview Scott’s parents and brother about what Little Scotty was all about. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4-bonus-episode-little-scottys-birthday-special?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4 Bonus Episode Little Scotty's Birthday Special](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4-bonus-episode-little-scottys-birthday-special/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This was the top-secret episode. The one where Richard decided to interview Scott’s parents and brother about what Little Scotty was all about. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4-bonus-episode-little-scottys-birthday-special?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4Bonus Episode Richard's Origin Story and Hating Socks](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4bonus-episode-richards-origin-story-and-hating-socks/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This is from the WayBack Time Machine. Season 1 Episode 3. Richard shares his origin story. - How he became a consultant - Why he used to hate wearing socks - His focus on Mental Health *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4bonusepisode-richard-hated-socks?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Sales Community: The Dumbest $500k Idea Ever](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-community-the-dumbest-500k-idea-ever/) **Published:** June 19, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This is the story of how one dumb idea made over $500,000 (and built an amazing sales community). It was 2017, and [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese) and I were walking off the beach with our families in Costa Rica. He turns and says, *“Hey, how come we have to go to the middle of nowhere to stay at a Hampton Inn or go to a big city and pay massive amounts to be with 100,000 people for a sales conference?* *Why can’t someone do something here?”* And I said, *“I don’t know, why don’t you do it?”* He says, *“Ok, why don’t you help me?”* A few months later… I come back to Scott and say, *“I was thinking of doing a podcast and wonder if it would be better if we did it together? And, what if we did it Netflix style. We record a bunch of episodes and then release all at once?”* And he said, *“Let’s do it.”* This is how Surf & Sales (the podcast and the sales community) was born. Don’t let impostor syndrome convince you to not try something. You may be walking away from $500,000. [Surf and Sales X](https://www.surfandsales.com) is happening in November and December. Catch the latest episodes of [Surf and Sales Podcasts here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-podcast/) **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S4E23 - The Ultimate Why Episode of Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e23-the-ultimate-why-episode-of-sales/) **Published:** June 12, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Point Break! Adam Goyette joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. He shares some amazing insights. - How to get through the noise with your message - Why should they care? - Why should they care about you? - How a marketer ran a 40-person sales team. - When a marketer runs a 40-person sales team. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e23?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E22 - AI will NOT displace the Sales Team with Tito Bohrt](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e22-ai-will-not-displace-the-sales-team-with-tito-bohrt/) **Published:** June 12, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shredder! Tito Bohrt joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. - Is AI annoying yet? - Motivating your team through scary times of the economy and AI - Be careful of the articulated AI lie *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e22-ai-will-not-displace-the-sales-team-with-tito-bohrt?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E21 -S.A.D.N.E.S.S. - Sales are Dope with Ben Gould and Ross Pomerantz](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e21-s-a-d-n-e-s-s-sales-are-dope-with-ben-gould-and-ross-pomerantz/) **Published:** June 5, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Point Break! Corporate Bro Ross Pomerantz and Ben Gould joined us today to discuss. - [Sales Are Dope on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3NoHBNSs00Y7I82f6h_6KyWM3b9pjmmQ "Sales Are Dope YouTube Link") - Don’t call him an influencer *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [ Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [ Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e21-sadness-sales-are-dope-with-ben-gould-and-ross-pomerantz?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E20 - From picking your brain to charging for your time with Anthony Natoli](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e20-from-picking-your-brain-to-charging-for-your-time-with-anthony-natoli/) **Published:** June 5, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Point Break! Anthony Natoli joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss - Getting off the sidelines and engaging in building your brand - The right mindset for starting to build your brand. - Is having an addictive personality help or hinder your sales career? *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e20-from-picking-your-brain-to-charging-for-your-time-with-anthony-natoli?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E16 - How to stop wage theft in your comp plan.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e16-how-to-stop-wage-theft-in-your-comp-plan/) **Published:** May 29, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Gnarly! Dan Goodman joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss - What is my recourse if my company screws me on comp? - *Complex comp plans* - *Standing up for your commissions and yourself* *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - [Check out Hubspot and its free sales resources here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001265/12893). *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e16-how-to-stop-wage-theft-in-your-comp-plan?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E17 - No Degree Required](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e17-no-degree-required/) **Published:** May 29, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shredder! Jonaed Iqbal joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and shares stories about how to get a role in sales even if you don’t have a college degree. - Being bold - Craziest stories of how people get hired. - How to manage time over so many platforms *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e17-no-degree-required?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E15 - From Homeless to Top 1% of Sales Industry](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e15-from-homeless-to-top-1-of-sales-industry/) **Published:** May 22, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Wow! Shari is truly a remarkable human being. She’s been through homelessness twice before 18. And if that’s not enough her kids survived a school shooting, and she shares all of this and how it relates to sales too. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e15-from-homeless-to-top-1-of-sales-industry?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E14 - The Best Sales People Are Engaing Not Knowledgeable](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e14-the-best-sales-people-are-engaing-not-knowledgeable/) **Published:** May 15, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Point Break! Colin Coggins and Garrett Brown join us on the Surf and Sales podcast. As partners and authors of the best-selling book “The Unsold Mindset.” - Adding Value vs. Extracting Value - If you ask for advice, you get money. If you ask for money, you get advice. - Intentional Ignorance *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e14-the-best-sales-people-are-engaing-not-knowledgeable?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E13 - Sharing your favorite failure](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e13-sharing-your-favorite-failure/) **Published:** May 15, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Gnarly! Gary Garth joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast to discuss six exits and his favorite failures. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - [Please check them out for great sales content and an awesome CRM](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001264/12893) *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Get a free copy on [GaryGarth.com](https://garygarth.com/checkouts/10x-your-sales-in-2023/) and use the coupon SurfandSales and get his book on Gary Garth.com* *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e13-sharing-your-favorite-failure?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E12 - Branding, Scripting, and Beyond first 90 Days of your solo-preneur career](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e12-branding-scripting-and-beyond-first-90-days-of-your-solo-preneur-career/) **Published:** May 8, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shredder Tom Slocum joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast and drops some awesome nuggets - What people say in the room behind closed doors when you aren’t there defines your brand. - When your prospect picks up the phone *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E11 - Buzzwords, Advisory Roles, and Side Hustles](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e11-buzzwords-advisory-roles-and-side-hustles/) **Published:** April 25, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Point Break! An unplanned and unscripted conversation of random questions around buzzwords in sales, advisory roles, and side hustles involving real estate *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E10 - Culture is defined as the worst behaviors tolerated.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e10-culture-is-defined-as-the-worst-behaviors-tolerated/) **Published:** April 17, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shredder! Leanne and Al Elliott join us on the Surf and Sales podcast to talk about culture - The biggest lies people believe when building business culture. - How do you really define culture? - How do you rebuild your culture? *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E9 - Do Influencers Need to Disclose if They Are Paid to Promote with Tim Harris of Uniphore](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e9-do-influencers-need-to-disclose-if-they-are-paid-to-promote-with-tim-harris-of-uniphore/) **Published:** April 17, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Boom! Tim Harris from Uniphore joins us on the Surf and Sales podcast. What started as a conversation around Product Marketing and Sales quickly shifted to whether sales influencers need to mention if they are posting paid content. - One to One vs. One to Many messaging - What is a strong voice as a brand - Influencers disclosure to paid content. *Big props to Hubspot for making us a part of the Hubspot Podcasting Network!* - They even offer free tools to help your sales and marketing team. [Click Here](https://hubspot.sjv.io/c/4112805/1001257/12893 "Free Tools Link") *Connect with us on LinkedIn* - [Richard Harris](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/) - [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese/) *Want to go to Costa Rica? Come to the next Surf and Sales event! [Register Here!](https://www.surfandsales.com/)* **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E8 - How to grow your expansion sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e8-how-to-grow-your-expansion-sales/) **Published:** April 3, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e8-how-to-grow-your-expansion-sales?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Stay tuned for more events!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/stay-tuned-for-more-events/) **Published:** March 23, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Categories:** Events --- ### [S4E7 - How to pick the right rocket for your moonshot](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e7-how-to-pick-the-right-rocket-for-your-moonshot/) **Published:** March 20, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Elizabeth started her career in financial services and pivoted and figured out how to find the right start-up. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e7?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E4 - How to close $1m with an abundance mindset in MidMarket with JC Pollard](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e4-how-to-close-1m-with-an-abundance-mindset-in-midmarket-with-jc-pollard/) **Published:** February 27, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** JC Pollard joins the show and explains how he closed $1m in 2022 with 40+ deals. And most are outbound [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e4-how-to-close-1m-with-an-abundance-mindset-in-midmarket-with-jc-pollard?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E5 - Your Sales Practicing is All Wrong](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e5-your-sales-practicing-is-all-wrong/) **Published:** February 27, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you are running your sales training and coaching at game speed is hurting you. Jordana Zeldin and Jonathan Mahan share all the right and best practices to help you adjust. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e5?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E3 - Salespeople are going to be replaced with Daniel Wiener](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e3-salespeople-are-going-to-be-replaced-with-daniel-wiener/) **Published:** February 27, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The average salesperson will be replaced soon, and Daniel explains why. We then dig deeper into what it’s like being a co-founder with a close friend. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s4e3-salespeople-are-going-to-be-replaced-with-daniel-wiener?tdest_id=3907902) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S4E2 - Small Wins = Big Wins with Matt Ferguson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s4e2-small-wins-big-wins-with-matt-ferguson/) **Published:** February 15, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What if you were a professional golfer and decided to move into sales and sales leadership coach? Essentially this is the Sales Manager 101 episode even if you’ve been doing it for 10 years. Welcome to the show Matt Ferguson. Topics include: 1. Are you a pipeline manager or a structure manager? 2. How to ATM your sales team: Awesome, Typical, Mess 3. Small Wins = Big Wins **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E58 - What about Sales Leadership Sucks with Katy Mcfee](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e58-what-about-sales-leadership-sucks-with-katy-mcfee/) **Published:** December 20, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** So you climb the ladder of success to EVP of Sales and then decide it’s not what you want; what do you do? She had to slow down and learn what lights her up. Stop believing the fear of what you think people think about you. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E56 - How to build a better pipeline for 2023 with Donald Kelly](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e56-how-to-build-a-better-pipeline-for-2023-with-donald-kelly/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Pipeline, pipeline, pipeline. Without a pipeline you have no sales. Donald Kelly is a savant when it comes to building pipeline and he shares some of this best practices for 2023 to help you grow your pipeline. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E55 - Baby shoe selling with Craig Thomas](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e55-baby-shoe-selling-with-craig-thomas/) **Published:** December 12, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Want to learn how to use baby shoes to help you sell? Want to learn about the kryptonite of sales? Don’t miss this episode with our good friend, Craig Thomas **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E54 - Stock Options Straight Talk with Colin Cadmus](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e54-stock-options-straight-talk-with-colin-cadmus/) **Published:** November 30, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Listen in and learn all the things you need to know about how stock options work in the start-up world. Nobody ever teaches you this, until now. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E53 - There's one word every founder and salesperson needs to know, with Eldad Postan-Koren](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e53-theres-one-word-every-founder-and-salesperson-needs-to-know-with-eldad-postan-koren/) **Published:** November 7, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The ultimate founder unicorn. Someone with a sales background and the ability to actually code the product. Eldad from Winn.ai shares amazing insights on combining these two roles together including: How a global pandemic can drive the creation Why does it take 1-2 hrs/ day to update the CRM What you need to get right when moving from beta to scaling the business What tech founders need to understand about moving from founder-led sales Finding the right partner in your first sales hire as a founder Forecasting the first time. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E52 - Getting the right pipeline at the right time, with Joe McNeill](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e52-getting-the-right-pipeline-at-the-right-time-with-joe-mcneill/) **Published:** October 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As the sales world shifts towards a more revenue focus, it’s critical to understand how to effectively measure marketing and sales as with a single alignment. The skillsets needed from marketers and sales needed for 2023 How to create a combined compensation model for sales and marketing All the new revenue titles and what it means How to find out if the new company has What’s the number one driver of conversion rates The value of curiosity and problem solvers **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E51 - Be prepared for change, with Amy Leigh Looper](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e51-be-prepared-for-change-with-amy-leigh-looper/) **Published:** October 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** After 18 years in corporate sales in big tech, it was time to leap into her starting her own business. Oh, and along the way, she had some of the biggest personal challenges, particularly as a mom. What it means to fail forward Fear of success can be as powerful as fear of failure. Why farming is entrepreneurial The wrong image of postpartum depression Finding the balance as a mom and a career woman. Why culture starts bottom up with front line leadership than top down. The cues that your culture is bad. What founders need to understand about culture going from Seed to A, to B. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E50 - The Sales Innovation Paradox with Dr. Howard Dover](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e50-the-sales-innovation-paradox-with-dr-howard-dover/) **Published:** October 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When does the capacity of technology start hurting the experience? Many tools in the sales stack are built with intent, not purpose. We create tools because the VC market wants to make money. Technology is changing the buyer’s behavior but will it stop the spam or keep making it worse? What do we do when the customer is in a constant state of shift? We have to be constantly agile, says Dr. Dover. Scaling culture does not mean replicating the 0 to 10 team member culture. Culture through contagion, not just deployment of strategy. Gen Z wants the opposite of Millennials – so what is it? **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E49 - Scary Good Sales Stories](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e49-scary-good-sales-stories/) **Published:** October 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Did you hear the one about… When you’re taught to lie to your customers at your first sales job. When your leadership tells you to lie to your customers The time the mob said meet me outside in my black Cadillac When the customer pulled the baseball bat during the walking-in cold call Why betting on yourself will always get you through the scariest moments. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E48 - Is Warm Calling the New Cold Calling with Peter Skidmore](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e48-is-warm-calling-the-new-cold-calling-with-peter-skidmore/) **Published:** October 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The skills you learn early in your sales career never go away as you grow your career, even when you become a founder. What it means to slow down to speed up Navigating the founder mindset to focus on the “one thing.” Two keys to successful leadership. The difference between rejection as a founder and sales. The value of time is driving decisions Chasing time is more valuable than chasing money. Why the sales interview process is still broken **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E47 - You are not born excellent at anything with Mona Akmal](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e47-you-are-not-born-excellent-at-anything-with-mona-akmal/) **Published:** October 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ROI is the biggest behind Crypto Understanding how the economic downturn helps your company. The insights economic downturns teach founders. Brute force to first $1m-$2m will not get $100m Finding thought partners with your first customers is the most important thing. Founders must show their early customers they care, not pitch “the baby” How to get your first customer to be a big customer. Enlightened self-interest is greater than humility. Time is more scarce than money. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E46 - What's the worst that could happen? with Monique Mills](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e46-whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-with-monique-mills/) **Published:** October 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What if you were a founder with an engineering degree and an MBA? Well, Monique Mills is that person. This episode will let you bridge the gap between being a revenue individual and a technical founder. Dealing with a Technical Founder as a Sales LeaderThe origin story from engineering to sales and leadership Connecting the dots be Providing value to someone willing to Everything must have value to someone else, not just you. How does a founder know when to let go? I give people the things I wish I had **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E45 - Go from being a 6 to 7 Figure AE *Live Bonfire Session*](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e45-go-from-being-a-6-to-7-figure-ae-live-bonfire-session/) **Published:** October 3, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** There is only one way to describe this episode. Pure Fire. So much wisdom dropped. What are your 5 Dream Lives 7 figures are the NEW 6 figures You cannot make your identity based on your money The 12-Week Year We all need running mates, mentors, and mentees Sometimes we have to embrace the suck **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E43 - Re-humanizing Sales with Amarpreet Kalkat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e43-re-humanizing-sales-with-amarpreet-kalkat/) **Published:** October 3, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Knowing your audience is key in sales. Amarpreet has been working to solve this problem so that we don’t have to spend hours researching. He shares his wisdom on solving the issue as well as taking an idea to product and the product market fit. The struggles of early-stage product market fit. Finding the right balance of product market fit between growth and your roadmap Personalization / Relevance – No…Buyer Intelligence is what‘s next More than teaching reps how to use information Understanding why to do something comes before teaching how. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E42 - What's broken about the sales recruiting model with Kurt Wilkin](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e42-whats-broken-about-the-sales-recruiting-model-with-kurt-wilkin/) **Published:** September 26, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kurt Wilkin has been doing sales and executive recruiting for a very long time. And he shares what’s broken and how to fix it. What’s wrong with the recruiting pricing model Retrain your brain on how to leverage the recruiter relationship better Why do most companies not get the recruiter relationship wrong? The blindspots of entrepreneurs when it comes to growing The four questions you should ask about your current team to grow to the next level Does your employee have the experience and skills to get to the next level? **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E41 - Just shut and do it, it will be ok. with Keith Daw](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e41-just-shut-and-do-it-it-will-be-ok-with-keith-daw/) **Published:** September 5, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Keith Daw has an amazing story. After spending years working for others, he cut the cord and built his own business. He shares his advice on how to: The mindset founders struggle with. You pay me to tell me what to do, not what you want to do Deciding to bet on yourself and cut the W2 Figuring out your pricing and contracts when starting your consulting business. What about the ROI phrase **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E40 - The Velocity of Prospecting with Vlad Karukes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e40-the-velocity-of-prospecting-with-vlad-karukes/) **Published:** September 5, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Vlad’s first job was selling popcorn on his bike. Now he is an enterprise salesperson selling 6 and 7-figure deals with multi-year sales cycles. He shares amazing insights around the growth mindset and how to achieve your dreams. Understanding your customer before you speak with them Your growth in sales will be based more than on your work experience Working on your confidence in sales The key to success starts with repairing the damage from growing up **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E39 - ROI is Dead and More with John Barrows](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e39-roi-is-dead-and-more-with-john-barrows/) **Published:** August 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** It’s always fun chatting with our good friend John Barrows. This is a recording of the live Bonfire Session we did with him on the topic of ROI is dead, and we answered questions from the crowd as well. **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E38 - Everything is broken — just get comfortable with it, with Todd Busler](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e38-everything-is-broken-just-get-comfortable-with-it-with-todd-busler/) **Published:** August 29, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Todd brings a unique perspective to sales leadership and being a founder. Going all the way back to his time as a Sales Engineer, the first GTM hires to VP of Sales, and finally a founder. Seeing the problem vs. taking the leap of faith The first step to becoming a founder What the MVP should look like and how not to overbuild What makes the best first GTM salesperson Optimizing growth for people who want to learn Improving the relationship between the AE and Sales Engineer **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Personal Brands in Sales: Should a Sales Person Have a “Brand”?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/personal-brands-in-sales-should-a-sales-person-have-a-brand/) **Published:** January 17, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The answer is short and simple: salespeople, in fact all people, should have a brand. Here are some thoughts around why everyone needs a brand. And please remember, it’s never too late to start building your brand. On the flip side, it’s never too early to start either. You have a story to tell, even if you’re just getting your career going. That’s your origin story. Everyone loves an origin story. There are two primary branding opportunities I see: 1. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) 2. Communities At the highest level, branding for salespeople is about creating engagement with you, the person. Creating conversations that can turn into conversions—creating opportunities for both your current business and your future business. Always be you. Be your authentic self. Not some glossy image the CEO or CMO wants. #### Content Is an Asset 1. 1. Most sales people will create their brand on LinkedIn first, which is pretty normal. You can do that or you can go to places, including Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. 2. You can repurpose anything you post on LinkedIn as a blog post, Tweet, etc. 3. Anything you share in your communities like [Modern Sales Pros](https://modernsaleshq.com) or [Thursday Night Sales](https://thursdaynightsales.com), can also be a blog post, etc. #### **LinkedIn Advice** 1. **Your brand is your own LLC.** 2. **Your brand is yours, not your company, never, ever, ever.** 1. If they ask you to put their image in your background, it’s a simple 2-word response, “PAY ME!”. 1. It’s not in the job description. 2. It’s not part of the salary. 3. Lebron ain’t pitching Sprite just for the taste. 3. **Per-fessional image.** 1. Personal + Professional 4. **It’s not as much your reputation as it is your presence of being.** 5. **Know your audience(s)** 1. Your prospects and customers. 2. Your future bosses and co-workers. 3. Your educational brand. 1. Learning 2. Teaching 6. **Messaging** 1. Don’t post terrible marketing content just because your company asks you to. 1. Marketing knows very little about personal branding and posting on LinkedIn. 2. Give away great stuff for free. 1. If you know me, you know I walk the walk on this one. 3. Industry conversations matter. 4. Lead from the heart. 5. Controversy (professionally) matters. 6. Drive for an emotional response. 7. Be vulnerable: 1. Sharing your mistakes often creates better engagement than sharing your successes. 2. My most engaged post ever was when I talked about posting a big fat donut for a month. 3. Share passion projects. I will post about [mental health](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-my-lifelong-struggle-with-depression-became-my-super-power/) a lot if you know me, especially in sales. 7. **Recruiting** 1. Recruiting your new employer, yes, you are a free agent and you recruit them more than they can recruit you. 2. If I have a good brand as a leader, what do I need a recruiter for (sorry to my recruiting friends)? I want to recruit people who know me. 3. If I am looking for a new company to go to, and I don’t see my leadership team being active in communities or online, then I have great pause for joining them. 4. In fact, one of the questions I encourage sales reps and leaders to ask when they are being interviewed is around the company and new bosses’ view of personal branding. Good luck, and remember it’s never too late to build personal brands in sales (or any industry). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S1E163 - 2021 Modeling, Planning, and Forecast with Robert McClaw of bunrate.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e163-2021-modeling-planning-and-forecast-with-robert-mcclaw-of-bunrate-io/) **Published:** October 26, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Robert “hated” salespeople. Didn’t like them, didn’t want to talk to them, and now he loves them. He loves them because he understands the struggles and pains they have in providing proper guidance. And with 2021 looking like nothing else we’ve ever seen, he’s diving in deep to share some very simple solutions. Hear how he shares: 1. How he learned how to love sales 2. Why 87% of sales spreadsheets have errors 3. Building in seasonality, attrition, delayed product releases, product lines, and market fluctuations 4. The simple mistake that will kill your career as VP of sales in your spreadsheet 5. Your capacity planning is junk science based on simple excel errors [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e163-2021-modeling-planning-and-forecast-with-robert-mcclaw-of-bunrateio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E180 - Progress isn't always about moving forward every time with DeJuan Brown of Seismic](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e180-progress-isnt-always-about-moving-forward-every-time-with-dejuan-brown-of-seismic/) **Published:** December 1, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We can’t be human together if you aren’t willing to sit in my pain with me. Stop making your decisions based on what you think others want. Getting to the place where you don’t give a fuck about other people’s opinions. Whistling Vivaldi How a leader helps you build and support your brand. What makes a good community Accepting the mind-shift of 1 step back to 2 steps forward. The gift of gab in sales Leaving and coming back to a company you love The struggle of changing careers and industries [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e180-progress-isnt-always-about-moving-forward-every-time-with-dejuan-brown-of-seismic?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E34 - How I captured the Wolf of Wallstreet with Brandon Bornancin of Seamless.ai](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e34-how-i-captured-the-wolf-of-wallstreet-with-brandon-bornancin-of-seamless-ai/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Brandon was born to be in sales. He’s worked his butt off his entire life. Made big money, and lost big money and he holds nothing back as he shares his successes and failures and how that has led him to be a better friend, husband, business leader, and salesperson. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e33-how-i-captured-the-wolf-of-wallstreet-with-brandon-bornancin-of-seamlessai?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E49 - Why Sales Enablement should NOT report to the CRO with Aaron Evans](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e49-why-sales-enablement-should-not-report-to-the-cro-with-aaron-evans/) **Published:** June 7, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Aaron has been doing sales enablement since before the term even existed. He shares his insights on: How Sales Enablement becomes the center of the organization The true evolution of sales enablement Quantifying the value of sales enablement to the CEO and CFO People only build processes for the current state and why that is wrong. What motivates sales enablement is being a change agent What to look for in hiring someone for sales enablement How to compensate someone from sales enablement Build your enablement process first before you buy your enablement stack Scaling sales enablement [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e49-why-sales-enablement-should-not-report-to-the-cro-w-aaron-evans?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [The Buyers’ Journey Is a Lie](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-buyers-journey-is-a-lie/) **Published:** November 16, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The concept of a [buyer’s journey](https://mailshake.com/blog/buyers-journey/) is dead and, frankly, was misunderstood and taught incorrectly for decades. It’s about the Buyer’s Experience *through* your journey. *How was dinner at \_\_\_\_?* *How was your vacation to \_\_\_\_?* *What was it like flying during the summer of 2022?* Nobody is asking you about your journey. They are asking about the experience. In short, follow the money. 1. A reminder, what we build is a hypothesis and we should expect it to change/be different over time and growth, and economic climate. 2. Build the flow based on a PO going from Stage 1 to Stage 2, etc. Not the people. 3. If your feedback is telling you its different, would it make sense to rebuild based on that feedback? (Even if it means we don’t like what we see/hearing?) 4. Build the exit criteria based on the personas. 1. IT Approval (Which means: confirmed IT Pains, and they agree we solve them). 2. IT Approval (Which means confirmed Security Team Pains and they agree with solving them). 3. Security Team Approval, etc… 4. End User Approval 5. And so on… 5. This means having strong Exit Criteria from one stage to the next. The exit criteria are things like: 1. First meeting conducted 2. Demo Conducted (Not a Stage Name) 3. Meeting with \_\_\_\_ department conducted 4. Approval from \_\_\_\_ department head 5. Timeline confirmed 6. Proposal Sent (Not a Stage Name) 7. Contract out for redlines 8. Discussed and understood how the decision is made 9. Discussed and understand the approval process once the decision is made 10. Discussed and understood the contracting process 11. Confirmed we will have signed contract by . 6. Now, the challenge is making sure you don’t create field creep in the CRM. 1. We recommend these be drop-down or simply check boxes As you can see, this type of information helps your sales reps follow a process as well as ensure a great experience for your [prospects](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-your-aes-must-prospect-even-with-sdr-support/) and customers. **Final Tip:** One exit criterion is often overlooked in each stage. *The next meeting will be on or I will contact them on .* We hope you have enjoyed your experience. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [How to Expand Your Sales Capabilities](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-expand-your-sales-capabilities/) **Published:** October 24, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** **“What’s the one thing I could have done better?”** This simple question will expand your sales capabilities and [skills](https://theharrisconsultinggroup33816.ac-page.com/4-soft-sales-skills-your-team-needs-right-now-to-hit-targets) more than anything else you do. It shows you are in a [growth mindset](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/6-stages-of-growth-in-sales-teams/) to the person(s) you are asking. It’s a professional way to lead with vulnerability. Here are some scenarios: 1. Sales Leadership in your 1:1: Ask each rep to share one thing you could do better. 2. Sales Reps: Ask your leader what you could be doing better. Even ask a co-worker. 3. Sales Reps: Ask your customer, even if you just won the deal, “What’s the one thing I could have done better?” 4. Anyone: Ask your partner or kids. You’d be surprised what an amazing conversation occurs. Whether I am a guest on a podcast or webinar, or they someone else is a guest on one of mine, I always want to know what is one thing I can do better. And for the sales leaders, I encourage you to ask this question to your team. It will absolutely change the culture and candor of your sales machine. So, I’ll leave you with one simple question. What is the one thing YOU could be doing better today? **Categories:** Blog --- ### [The Perfect Out of Office Message](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-perfect-out-of-office-message/) **Published:** October 17, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The hardest part of being in sales is reducing the guilt we feel when taking time off. We know we need to do it, we want to do it, and we actually do it, except we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. So here’s the out of office message we’ve cultivated over the years. Interestingly, we get replies telling us they love it and are going to “steal” it and use for themselves. **Subject Line:** Choose Wisely as I am OOO Thanks for contacting me. Presently I am in \[insert place\] with my \[insert those you are with\]. I will not be checking emails sporadically because, let’s face it, we will check them all day long. You can be guaranteed an immediate response by texting me based on the following: - - It must be urgent, 415.596.9149. (Yes, I am on WhatsApp) - If it’s non-urgent you can contact my Chief of Staff, Carrie Franklin, carrie@theharrisconsultinggroup.com, and she can help us find time on the calendar. - Upon my return, I will spend (2 hrs) reviewing my inbox and starting with the most recent emails. If you are concerned I will not see your email, please send it again the day after my return. - If you try to pitch slap me on my cell while on vacation, you will be shamed by the sales gods and miss your FYE 2022 quota. Plus, you’re just being rude. And yes, feel free to steal and use this OOO reply. You don’t even have to do the little finger air quotes when you share it with someone else. Sincerely, Richard --- When you’re back in the office, you might want to check out [these tips for building a process for time management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/building-a-process-for-time-management/) so the rest of the time you stay sane too. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Giving Feedback is Terrible (Try Sales Coaching Instead)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/giving-feedback-is-terrible-try-sales-coaching-instead/) **Published:** September 12, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We believe reps want mentoring over feedback. That does not mean we don’t provide feedback. The difference in our mind is that feedback feels like a one way street. So we encourage folks to change feedback to coaching. **Mentoring ->** The transfer of knowledge so that a person can become more self-sufficient and accountable to themselves. **Coaching ->** Guidance to a specific behavior towards an intended result that includes an open dialogue between both parties. We’ve rounded up some of our best resources for sales coaching so you can help your team, not only reach company and sales goals, but their individual goals as well in the positions they are in. **Blog** – [Top 3 Mistakes That Kill Your Sales Coaching Potential](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-3-mistakes-that-kill-your-sales-coaching-potential/) **ebook** – [5 Sales Coaching Tactics Your Team Can Start Using Today](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/5-sales-coaching-tactics-your-team-can-start-using-today/) **Webinar On-Demand** – [3 Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Sales Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/3-mistakes-to-avoid-when-building-a-sales-coaching-culture/) **Blog** – [A Safe Place to Fail. Creating Successful Sales Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/a-safe-place-to-fail-creating-successful-sales-coaching-culture/) Not sure where to start? Check out our [4 week training program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) that includes weekly sales coaching sessions or [contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [6 Stages of Growth in Sales Teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/6-stages-of-growth-in-sales-teams/) **Published:** August 30, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As sales leaders, we sometimes have to deliver bad news. It most certainly affects us emotionally, as well as the other person. It’s important to acknowledge what people may be going through. It’s not the same for everyone, and perhaps not always in this order. Some call it the [6 Stages of Grief](https://presencelearning.com/insights/6-stages-of-grieving/). Perhaps we can call it the 6 Stages of Growth in sales teams: ❌ It starts with **DENIAL**..“that’s definitely not me”, “I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear that.” 😠 Then comes the **ANGER**…“how could they say that to me?!”, “why am I even here, I’m just wasting my time!” 🙏 Onto **BARGAINING**…“if you give me this promotion, I swear I’ll never make another mistake.” (This is also a sub set of Anger IMO) **😢 SADNESS** and even depression can set in…“I’m not good at this anyway”, “I’ll never reach my goals.” **❤️ ACCEPTANCE**…“I’ve learned from this experience”, “I understand and accept what happened.” **🌱 GROWTH** – “What will I do differently”, “What will I start doing now?” --- Need help effectively training your sales team to be more successful in their roles? Check out our [4 week training program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) or [contact us today](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S3E37 - The Buddha of Sales with Denis Champagne](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e37-the-buddha-of-sales-with-denis-champagne/) **Published:** August 22, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Selling is a spiritual experience. This was just one of the knowledge bombs dropped by our guest Denis Champagne. Denis is one of these folks who have so much wisdom about life, not just life, and a ton about sales including: Winning is about the achievement, not beating the opponent The discipline to be good Realizing that sales about treasures of the heart It’s easier to change plans than not to make them. You can hide the face but not the voice, especially in prospecting. Personal wealth is preceded by personal growth Target, Execution, Account for Activity, Measure, Manage, Success [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e37-the-buddha-of-sales-with-denis-champagne?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E36 - Building a Team of Teams with Richard Sgro of Insight Partners](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e36-building-a-team-of-teams-with-richard-sgro-of-insight-partners/) **Published:** August 22, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Richard has a unique and different background in becoming a sales leader. Going from product to solutions engineering to VP of Sales. Why does a VC have a VP of Sales and Customer Success Coming from product engineering to a sales leader Is your sales team Wolf of Wall Street or Moneyball Is product management the future of sales What founders do not understand what they need in go-to-market strategy, hires, and companies What’s the difference between a VP of Sales at $1m, $5m-$10m What has this person done vs what have they been a part of It’s ok to hire the #2 or #3 rep on the sales team [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e36-building-a-team-of-teams-with-richard-sgro-of-insight-partners?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E34 - People are the biggest problem — and the solution with Nick Larson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e34-people-are-the-biggest-problem-and-the-solution-with-nick-larson/) **Published:** August 22, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nick has always loved chasing revenue and waves. He shares his experiences of each Why chase revenue What is the value of performance reviews Getting your first customer How to find your first customer Do you have an adaptability question Taking something you are good at and apply to something you are bad at [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e34-people-are-the-biggest-problem-and-the-solution-with-nick-larson?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E35 - Advice from Richard and Scott with Jordan Freedman](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e35-advice-from-richard-and-scott-with-jordan-freedman/) **Published:** August 22, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A reverse episode where we let the guest ask all the questions. Here are just a few. How do you know which sales methodology is the right one for you? How do you choose the right type of mentor? What books are you reading? Painting pictures of pain How do you run a discovery call? How do you determine access to authority? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e35-advice-from-richard-and-scott-with-jordan-freedman?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E33 - 3 Symptoms of Burnout with Emily Johnson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e33-3-symptoms-of-burnout-with-emily-johnson/) **Published:** August 1, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Through her own experiences, Emily recognized where her passion for success caused her to burn out and turned it into her business. She shares a ton of real-world and practical advice so we can all feel a little less stress. You don’t have to meditate to be mindful Resilience and Prevention The primary differences in how people experience Recognizing the triggers of your burnout When you define your personal worth based on your success Recognizing Where to start when you are feeling burned out. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e33-3-symptoms-of-burnout-with-emily-johnson?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E32 - Your level of income will never exceed your level of self-worth, with Elyse Archer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e32-your-level-of-income-will-never-exceed-your-level-of-self-worth-with-elyse-archer/) **Published:** July 25, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Elyse took her annual 6-figure income to 7-figures in 6 weeks, literally. She shares her growth and is over the hump of the fear. Getting unstuck from the $150 OTE is more than about the money Sales are not just about the hustle Difference between masculine and feminine energy Feminine is about play, fun, relationships, the journey Masculine energy, the destination, structure, where you are going Leaning into your intuition in your sales process The difference between 6-figure and 7-figure income people [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e32-your-level-of-income-will-never-exceed-your-level-of-self-worth-with-elyse-archer?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E110 - How to leverage your own impatience in a sales role with Sr. Biz Dev Mgr Josh Roth of WalkMe](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e110-how-to-leverage-your-own-impatience-in-a-sales-role-with-sr-biz-dev-mgr-josh-roth-of-walkme/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to have a genuine sales conversation that benefits both parties. What’s like to start a new job and one week later a pandemic occurs. What it’s like [being a sales rep](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e23-what-you-are-doing-wrong-in-your-video-sales-calls-with-julie-hansen/) for a professional sports team (NY Mets) What do you do when your competitor is WAAAY better than your product? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e100-how-to-leverage-your-own-impatience-in-a-sales-role-with-sr-biz-dev-mgr-josh-roth-of-walkme?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Reducing & Rescheduling No-Shows](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/reducing-rescheduling-no-show/) **Published:** September 28, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One of the biggest letdowns is sales aside from losing a deal is when someone no-shows for a meeting or a demo. Aside from the lost opportunity for an opportunity, it also means the AE will have immediate dead time, may feel unmotivated, or they will just “chill” until the next thing on their calendar. It will always happen, but here are some sure-fire steps to help reduce the no-shows and then what to do when there is a no-show. **Appointment Setting Process** 1. 1. The 3 Pronged 5 Touch Appointment Setting Process 1. **SDR/BDR** sends calendar invite 2. **SDR/BDR** immediately sends email with “proposed agenda for demo with \_\_\_\_” 1. Include all prospect parties 2. Includes Agenda 1. Introduction 2. Understanding what prospect wants to get out of the demo aside from 3 high level points prospect wanted to discuss. 3. Answer prospect’s questions 4. Determine next steps 3. Include all AE’s, SEs 4. Provides “intro to AE” 3. **AE** – Replies immediately to the email, *“Thanks for the handoff, looking forward to chatting, if you have any questions ahead of time let me know.”* 4. **SDR** – Connect on LinkedIn 5. **AE** – Connect on LinkedIn That is 5 touches within 24 hours around the appointment. No, it is not too much. We have been teaching it for years, teams love it, and it’s always a top 5 favorite sales training topic. Here are some reasons why it works. It’s actually very similar to the Ben Franklin/[Rules of Reciprocity Effect](https://www.businessinsider.com/ben-franklin-effect-2016-12). 1. It sends a subconscious message to your prospect about how your organization handles business, not just what you do. 2. It provides [real accountability](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/one-cannot-preach-accountability-without-first-discussing-awareness/) for SDR, AE, and the Prospect. 3. The multi-touch increases the knowledge transfer to the prospect from short term to long term memory, thereby increasing the urgency and importance factor the prospect feels around your solution. 4. This increased urgency and importance works to make them feel obligated to “return the favor” by showing up. 5. If they do not show up, when they do finally respond, they again feel obligated to apologize. This actually gives you a “boost” of confidence going into the conversation. Often because we feel like “they owe us something”. **Define Your No Show Process** What do you do when someone does actually no-show? It’s fairly simple, just like prospecting, there is a sequence or cadence to it. We like to teach it this way, feel free to tweak as you see fit. 1. Can be SDR or AE managed 2. 7 Attempts 1. Two by mail 2. Three by phone 3. Two by LinkedIn (1 AE and 1 BDR) 4. or 1 LI and 1 Text --- If you need advice or help with reducing and rescheduling no-shows, contact us [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). Check out our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks) or our self-paced individual and team trainings [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling-online-sales-training/). **Categories:** Blog, Customer Success Training, Discovery Skills, Field Sales, Inside Sales, Inside Sales Training, Online Sales Training, Sales, Sales Trainer, Sales Training, SDR Training --- ### [Achieving Powerful Discovery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/achieving-powerful-discovery/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** According to [Chorus](https://www.chorus.ai/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-discovery-calls), 32% of cold calls become discovery calls. And only 19% of those become Closed Won deals. Imagine increasing that number 1%-3%, measured over your LTV of a customer. We all know discovery calls can quickly go awry. We’ve all had days where we may not have done enough research, we ask closed-ended questions, or we were thinking too far ahead. When it comes to finding *real* pain and sharing real world value in each discovery call, Nikki Ivey (Sales Development at [Emtrain](https://emtrain.com/) and Co-Founder of [SDRDefenders](https://www.sdrdefenders.com/)), has over a decade of sales and marketing experience refining the discovery process and breaking into opportunities with [authenticity and empathy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e101-what-the-best-sales-people-bdrs-and-sdrs-do-to-succeed-with-alex-olley/). In this webinar, you’ll get actionable steps to ensure you never waste another discovery call again. Gain exercises that will make you go pro *before* you pick up the phone and understand the psychology behind the questions you **should** be asking. Watch the recording below. Here are some main takeaways: **Creating Capital Through Asking Good Questions** For sales professionals, creating capital comes down to understanding the people (e.g. ideal client profile, industry), the process (e.g. buying process, how they go about their day to day activities that your product will address), and the product (e.g. the knowledge of your own product). The understanding needs to be able to be conveyed within a couple sentences so that you’re not only talking to the prospect, but getting them to engage with you. Some signals to listen out for to know you have found some “capital” in the conversation is tricky, but comes down to things like: - Have they turned on the camera? - Are they looking at the camera? - How are they responding? - Are they distracted? - What is their tone or body language? **Prepping for Discovery Calls** **LinkedIn** In prepping for a discovery call, seek out content that the company or individual might have related to the topic that you will be talking about and make note of the content to be able to bring up in conversation. Or seek out their content where their engagement might be low and make note of that as reference points to bring up if relevant to the conversation. You can bring it up in ways like, *“The other day you mentioned \_\_\_\_ and it made me really curious…”*. **Google** Secondly, do some Googling or research on your prospect’s website, it’s beneficial to find out what is important to the board or overall at a company level (e.g. their values). Then discover how your solution directly affects the person’s role that you will be speaking with. **Objections** Always be as prepared as possible to handle objections. This means finding out who their competitors might be and what pains the persona has that you’ll be talking to. Stepping into the prospect’s shoes beforehand will help you be more prepared to predict what they might say. Script this information out and spend 15 minutes before the call to review everything so you don’t stumble through objections that might be thrown your way. **Improving Listening Skills** **Hit The Mute Button** If you have a tendency to ask compound questions, use that mute button! This can help you [break that habit](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e151-theextraordinary-sales-habits-with-andrew-sykes/) and allow you to pause before you answer or respond to the prospect. This also helps you show them that you are actively listening. **Be Curious** You can’t fake curiosity, so choose a job where you can sell things you care about to people who you can muster up enthusiasm for. If you have a job that doesn’t fit this criteria, you will have to work *very* hard to find something you can be excited about and be able to actively listen. **Have Open and Closed-Ended Questions** In order to talk less about your offer and focus more on digging deeper to find your prospect’s problem, be prepared with a set of open ended questions, like who, what, when, where, and why. Then prepare closed ended questions, like “can we set a meeting?”. If you haven’t done a good job asking open ended questions, then their rational mind will stick to the status quo. **Take Notes** Note taking is critical throughout discovery calls. It’s important to note that you will be typing notes as you go, so you can send them a follow up after (and that it doesn’t sound like you’re just catching up on emails while you talk). Note taking makes it so it keeps you accountable. Take notes on their challenges, team, sales process, and next steps. Afterward, start off the email stating that you made notes from the call and to let you know if you got everything correct, ensuring you’re both on the same page. --- *Achieving Powerful Discovery is just a taste of the types of training and insight you can get through The Harris Consulting Group’s training courses. If you’re an individual or team needing online training at your own pace, check out N.E.A.T. Selling™ [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling-online-sales-training/). If your team needs in-depth coaching and sales reinforcement, check out our 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks).* **Categories:** Blog, Discovery Skills, Field Sales, Inside Sales, Inside Sales Training, Online Sales Training, Sales, Sales Trainer, Sales Training, SDR Training --- ### [Optimizing Your Sales Recruiting for 2022](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/optimizing-your-sales-recruiting-for-2022/) **Published:** October 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The sales department is the core of your business. It gets cash flow into your business, adds loyal clients to your customer base, and is often the first impression of your brand that potential clients get. As your business grows, you’ll need to scale your sales team, most likely creating an inside sales team including the following roles: SDR or BDR, Account Executives, Account Managers, Pre-Sales Engineers, Customer Success, and some leadership to help manage them. When the time comes to hire new sales reps for your brand, do you know how to plan, execute, and optimize your recruitment to ensure that your new employees start making an impact as soon as possible? In this blog, we’ll give you our best practices for hiring and training your salespeople for maximum results! But before we get into what you *should* do, we need to mention the most detrimental sales recruiting mistake that kills your chances of having a productive and profitable year. ### **The Biggest Sales Recruiting Mistake** The worst recruiting error that sales leaders commit is starting their hiring process too late. If you’re hiring for 2022, you cannot wait until then to get started. This is a faulty and inefficient approach. When you hire a new sales rep, they don’t immediately start closing sales. They have to go through onboarding and then often a ramp compensation plan. Which can include everything from administrative, to product training, sales training, and systems training, ramping compensation plan, sales coaching and more. What does this mean for your recruiting? There will always be a significant delay between when you initiate your recruiting and when new sales reps can start driving revenue. It requires an investment, and yeah it’s expensive. Everyone wants to do better, faster, and cheaper, yet most organizations can only do 2 of the 3 at one time. People start practicing idolatry believing that faster and cheaper is better. Let me set the record straight, it’s not. If you wait till January to authorize your hiring process (like many sales leaders do), you won’t have the right people when you need them. It takes several interviewing cycles to find and recruit the right salespeople. Then, it takes several more to onboard and train your new employees. By the time your newly-recruited sales reps are active, you’re already in Q2 – you missed an entire quarter because you didn’t start recruiting soon enough! And now you’re behind the 8-ball for the entire year. What’s the solution to this problem, you ask? Firstly, as you might have guessed, the best way to get sales reps sooner is to begin recruiting sooner. Figure out how long an average recruiting and onboarding process for your company takes, and subtract that time from your ideal sales rep activation date (the day you need your new sales reps to be *selling*). For example, if hiring takes two months and you need new salespeople activated by the new year, initiate your recruiting in November! The second step to overcoming the recruiting hurdle is recruiting enthusiastic sales reps and training them in the most *efficient* way possible. ### **Finding and Activating Your Ideal Sales Reps** When it comes to finding the right people to join your team, it’s all about recruiting *self-actualized* sales reps. These are people who fit their sales role so well that they *want* to do more. Hiring and activating self-actualized sales reps has two main steps. First, you must identify which candidates are self-actualized during the hiring process. Then, you must put these people in the ideal positions to help them succeed and perform. #### Finding Self-Actualized Sales Reps When you’re digging through candidate applications and performing interviews, it can be challenging to find the *real,* high-performing salespeople your business needs to grow. After all, all of your candidates will put their best foot forward during recruiting, so even ineffective sales reps can start looking self-actualized. The best way to discern which sales reps are genuinely self-actualized isn’t by looking at their resume, experience, or what they say in an interview. While these are all vital factors to consider when hiring, the best thing to look at is *how* they conduct the sales hiring process. The best sign that you have found a self-actualized salesperson is that they treat their recruiting like a sale. In their mind, you’re not a recruiter – you’re a potential client! They are following up, trying to set meetings, and keeping in touch to ensure they’re doing everything they can to get hired. When you find a person like this, it’s a sign to bring them on board! #### Activating Your Salespeople Once you’ve identified and hired your self-actualized sales reps, you must put them in positions where they can thrive. Doing this all comes down to identifying your new sales rep’s talents and assigning tasks accordingly. Not every salesperson is the same. Some reps are social sellers and excellent communicators – they love meeting clients, having conversations, and using their charisma to close sales. Other sales reps might be the total opposite – they enjoy looking at statistics and taking a mathematical approach to finding and closing their ideal clients. There are many more sales rep archetypes, and they can all be effective and self-actualized if you put them in the ideal positions to perform. For example, imagine you’ve just hired a salesperson who’s not a great speaker but an excellent writer and digital communicator. If you want to get the most out of this person’s performance while maximizing their job satisfaction, you shouldn’t put them in outbound phone sales where they have dozens of phone conversations every day. Instead, they’ll be much more effective in performing tasks like email follow-ups and social media outreach! Accurate and informed talent management can make the difference between an average quarter and a record-breaking one. ### **4 Ways to Invest in Your Salespeople** Invest in your people, and they’ll invest back into you. The idea of investing to improve your business isn’t a proprietary one, but many sales decision-makers still struggle to identify their investment opportunities. When it comes to improving your company’s sales performance, there are four main ways you can invest your resources and take your sales department to the next level: #### Invest in Great Salespeople Your people are at the core of everything your sales department does. If you don’t have individuals with the right soft skills, mindset, and motivation to succeed, no amount of sales tech or training will help your bottom line. Investing in great salespeople is the best way to grow your sales performance. #### Invest in Excellent Sales Tech The 21st century is the age of automation and technology. In the past two decades, computer programming and the development of software have made significant bounds. Tech has taken over the world – and the sales industry is no different. Investing in great sales tech helps your salespeople become more efficient and lets them focus on important tasks while automating repetitive duties. #### Invest in Training Your Reps to Use the Tech Once you’ve invested in some sales tech, you need to invest in teaching your salespeople to use it. The more efficient and experienced your team is with applying your sales tech stack, the higher their sales performance will be, and the greater ROI you’ll get on the sales tech you bought. #### Invest in Training Your Reps to Sell The final way you can invest in your salespeople is to train them in the art of selling. From understanding how to contact clients to knowing the best practices behind negotiating and closing deals, new sales reps must learn how your company approaches sales. Check out [these 7 ways sales training can help you and your sales team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/7-ways-sales-training-can-help-you-and-your-team/). Training your people is all about identifying the key skills and strategies it takes to find clients, overcome objections, and close sales. That’s why we created the [4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5weeks/). Check it out or find a time to chat with us [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S3E31 - It's not all about "A" players with Mark Smith](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e31-its-not-all-about-a-players-with-mark-smith/) **Published:** June 20, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Mark Smith tells it how it is. A VP of Sales multiple times over, he has dabbled in politics, consulting, advising and investing. So why leave everything behind and take a sabbatical? We sit down with Mark to discuss how his definition of success has evolved over the years, and the lessons he hopes to impart upon the next generation of sellers and leaders. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e31-its-not-all-about-a-players-with-mark-smith?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E29 - When Mom Says "I Don't Think You'd Be Good in Sales" with Molly Grossman](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e29-when-mom-says-i-dont-think-youd-be-good-in-sales-with-molly-grossman/) **Published:** June 13, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Recognition that shows value more than the promotion itself. Managing a team of North American SDRs from the UK Learning how to let go lets you have more control What could you do to position yourself for the next role as an SDR Accelerate out of your current role. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e29-when-mom-says-i-dont-think-youd-be-good-in-sales-with-molly-grossman?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E30 - Why a No-Commission Sales Team is Right for You](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e30-why-a-no-commission-sales-team-is-right-for-you/) **Published:** June 13, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What if you could prove that a higher based salesperson with no commission would be happier, perform better, and reduce your retention? That’s exactly what we discuss in this live Bonfire Session. Topics include: Why do commissions even exist. What is recruiting like for a no-commission sales organization? How does this affect your customer’s experience? How do you set goals? How do you have the conversation with underperformers? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e30-why-a-no-commission-sales-team-is-right-for-you?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Who handles inbound leads?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/who-handles-inbound-leads/) **Published:** March 23, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** This is one of the longest-running discussions I see in saas sales today. The options typically are the following although there may be some slight variances. 1. Inbound leads go straight to AE’s 2. Inbound leads go to the newest and most inexperienced SDRs 3. Inbound leads go to senior and more tenured SDRs Here is what I recommend to everyone, and then adjust accordingly based on data. 1. **Inbound leads always go to senior and tenured SDRs.** - Inbound leads are your most precious gemstones - A lot of time and money (marketing and product) has been spent driving these precious gems to you. Don’t waste that money - Conversion is all that matters. - Putting inexperienced reps hurts your chances for conversion because they don’t have enough knowledge yet. - Let’s say you make it to the Superbowl. Why aren’t you putting in your 2nd string quarterback to start if your 1st string is healthy? - It’s bad customer experience. - I am sending you the best buying signal possible and you want me to deal with someone who doesn’t know enough? - Missing career path opportunity - You can/should have a different level of qualification for inbound - Getting your most senior SDRs on these calls lets them actually learn how to do qualification which should come in handy if they make the next step - Getting your newbie reps to cut their teeth on outbound allows them to exercise their muscles differently and start their career path. 2. **Inbound leads should not be used to “train” newbie SDRs.** - For reasons mentioned above, these folks are deeper into the buying cycle and you want to have the best-qualified people handling them. A misfire on these leads costs a lot of money and can hurt the reputation of your organization. That doesn’t mean newbies aren’t capable of handling these leads. We just believe from a desire for higher conversions to revenue it makes more sense to put a different group of folks on them. 3. **Inbound leads should NEVER go straight to AEs.** - They simply won’t put in the effort to stay on top of them after the first 2-3 attempts to contact someone yields no response. - AE’s are a very expensive proposition for qualifying. Their salaries are too large to spend on this tactic. - Exception 1: It’s an actively working opportunity with substantive conversations happening in the last 14 days. This means clearly defined next steps, demos, POC conversations, introductions, meetings set, etc. - Exception 2: It’s from their targeted list or a Fortune company, etc. Who do you think should be handling your inbound leads? Got questions, [contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog, SDR Training --- ### [The Right AE to SDR Ratio](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-right-ae-to-sdr-ratio/) **Published:** April 6, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** I am not a fan of 1:many. Since I don’t know how you define many, I will say 1:4. 1 SDR to 4 AE’s as I rant. 1. The rent is too damn high!! In short, it’s too expensive. 1. If one has that many AE’s and you force rank them on productivity (figure out properly about AE’s ramping or pull them out) I can assure you the ones consistently at the bottom should be let go and you can typically hire SDRs 2:1 ratio (excluding SF/NYC). I do realize these folks are humans so I am not suggesting you fire for the sake of an Excel spreadsheet. They have lives, families, and personal goals. 2. Nobody wants to have 4 bosses who want 4 things done a different way. Imagine if you had 4 different direct line bosses. Your job would be chaotic, even on a good day. There is no VP of anything who would want to report to 4 people. We can barely get VPs of Sales and VPs of Marketings to get along in many cases. 3. The process could be broken – Every time I see a 1:4 ratio I see a company that claims to have a process but in reality the AE’s each do their own process of doing things, how they want things qualified, how it should be in the CRM. Not sure if that exists here, but I”ve seen it enough to know its a [big problem](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e57-bethebounce-with-trish-bertuzzi/). 4. Immaturity of SDRs/ AEs – If your SDRs are typical, early in their career. They simply lack the courage and confidence to stand up to the Jerk-Store AE. Even worse the AE often does not know how nor want to “train” an SDR only to get 25% of effort, and then lose them in a few months as things always get shifted. 5. ***The 1 to many allows an SDR to be exposed to different styles and experiences as they develop their own sales acumen***. This is a HUGE concern to me. This means you have someone, again, young and impressionable, being left to the whims of salespeople who in many cases can barely get their shit in the CRM correctly. They will pass off secretarial tasks to the SDR and call it training. Your AE’s are not managers or coaches, they are AEs and to expect them to step up is a dream but I have yet to see reality. 6. ***One proposal has been a semi-monthly cadence where the SDR spends 15-20 minutes with a rep at the completion of an intro/qualification call from an opportunity they’ve identified to execute the agenda***. I am not sure who thinks one can learn anything in 15-20 minutes 1x/ month. In this case, it sounds like this will happen 4 different times, one per AE. While it exposes an SDR to a lot, I am not sure it’s the right play. Btw, I am going to spend 15-20 minutes a month learning to juggle chainsaws. #HighFive 7. Management Training and Coaching – This is what line managers are supposed to do. Yes, you can learn from AE’s and there will be some that will help, but my experience is that maybe 30% of AEs are helpful. The rest “take what they can get from the SDR” and then bad mouth the company and executives because the strategy doesn’t work. **So what’s the solution?** 1. Assume you have 20 AE’s, that would mean you have 5 SDRs (1:4) 2. Rank AE’s on goal attainment, 1-20, make sure you include the ramps of new AEs. 3. Take the bottom 5 people on that list, and move them out of Sales. 4. Then hire 10 more SDRs to get close to a 1:1 ratio. 5. In short, make the AE’s beg and scream that they are too busy for meetings. 6. Then you can [hire more](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e78-youre-in-the-people-business-w-costas-perkas/) AE’s. Got questions, [contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S3E28 - Ask Scott and Richard Anything, Straight from The Crow's Nest with Travis Matthews of Docusign](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e28-ask-scott-and-richard-anything-straight-from-the-crows-nest-with-travis-matthews-of-docusign/) **Published:** June 6, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The Crow’s Nest is a special place in Costa Rica where sincere and intimate conversations happen with attendees. We want to create the same moments away from Costa Rica and this is one of those episodes What to do when transitioning your role Navigating the interview process Recruiters are the gatekeeper Shrinking the delta between idea and action Why you don’t need to SEO Amazon when you write a book. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e28-ask-scott-and-richard-anything-straight-from-the-crows-nest-with-travis-matthews-of-docusign?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E105 - The difference between Millennials and Gen Z in sales Dr. Howard Dover, University Texas, Dallas](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e105-the-difference-between-millennials-and-gen-z-in-sales-dr-howard-dover-university-texas-dallas/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Dr. Howard Dover has an amazing perspective not just on sales but also on the generational aspects of salespeople. Join us in this episode and you will learn about: Gen Z is coin-operated and isn’t looking for trophies. We let people do it stupid very, very long. The sales and academia relationship. How to teach someone the numbers side of sales. How sales really rocket science. My first sales job was selling junk mail to my neighbors. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e105-the-difference-between-millennials-and-gen-z-in-sales-dr-howard-dover-university-texas-dallas?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E27 - How to Support Mental Health With Your Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e27-how-to-support-mental-health-with-your-sales-team/) **Published:** May 27, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A special episode with our friends from Salesforce supporting your team around the topic of mental health. Amazing insights are shared by Niraj Kapur, Lindsey Boggs, Elyese Archer, Richard Harris and Marcus Chan [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e27-how-to-support-mental-health-with-your-sales-team?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E26 15 minutes Tyler Bennet Asks Richard Questions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e26-15-minutes-tyler-bennet-asks-richard-questions/) **Published:** May 27, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** An impromptu podcast episode. Decided to let the guest interview the host. Tyler asked some awesome questions and the answers will surprise you. 1. How does your newsletter play into your overall strategy? 2\. How do you measure yourself when you aren’t held accountable to a number as a solo-preneur [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e26-15-minutes-tyler-bennet-asks-richard-questions?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E25 - LIVE Bonfire Session - Unique Gifting and Personalization to Inspire Human Connections](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e25-live-bonfire-session-unique-gifting-and-personalization-to-inspire-human-connections/) **Published:** May 23, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** RevOps leaders are focused on providing their teams with support and outreach strategies to boost engagement with prospects and customers. In our digitally-saturated world, it’s more important than ever to include personalized touchpoints into sales workflows. How do you use your gifting process to keep prospects engaged during a long sales cycle? What percentage of gifts are branded vs. un-branded? And this is what people get wrong about the whole gifting idea.? When gifting goes wrong Should gifting be used in the recruiting stage Using a sequence of gifts through the sales cycle [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e25-live-bonfire-session-unique-gifting-and-personalization-to-inspire-human-connections?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [The President's Club in 2021](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-presidents-club-in-2021/) **Published:** December 16, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The President’s Club, the much sought after trip for top sales professionals to relax and revel in their success. In 2020, that idea looked a lot different. And now that 2020 is dragging on into 2021, it’s time to start planning what President’s Club looks like in 2021. **Timing** 1. Delaying all trips until September 2021, often taking advantage of the Labor Day week, can be slower. 2. Yes, they are still planning for January/February 2022 for the 2021 President’s Club to incentivize the end of the year. **Incentives** 1. The idea of a salesperson, and their significant other, getting 2 trips in 4 months is very incentivizing. 2. More companies are allowing [SDRs/BDRs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sdr-promotion-request/) to go on President’s Club as well because it builds trust, loyalty, and can extend the rep staying in the role a bit longer if 2 trips are on the line. 1. Some companies are allowing SDR/BDRs to “win” if they get promoted in that time, but that requires some unique planning. **Legal Issues** 1. 1. As for COVID, the most anyone can do is ask someone to sign a waiver that the company is not responsible if they get COVID. 2. Most companies require a waiver anyway. 3. In the case that you CANNOT ask someone if they had the vaccine, there could be massive HIPPA concerns around this, so check with legal. 4. Be sure you check with your own insurance companies and legal team on these trips. 5. If someone does not want to go, then offer equal cash value to them or a big travel gift card so they can take a trip when they feel comfortable. **Good and Inexpensive Travel Insurance and Reimbursements** 1. Many places are allowing for cancellation with little or no fees on your deposit up until May/June. 1. Be sure you check this and print out anything you see on a website, just in case. 2. For [Surf & Sales,](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-podcast/)we suggest (not require) people to buy an inexpensive travel insurance policy from [World Nomads Travel Insurance,](https://tracking.cirrusinsight.com/2413a0a2-8831-4d1a-affe-c82d7b4fdde1/worldnomads-com-usa-travel-insurance) and check carefully about pandemic language. 1. As an example, a January trip to Costa Rica for a week is $71-$114 depending on the chosen plan. **Conclusion** I’m not a legal scholar, health professional, or insurance specialist. Take this all under advisement and do your own research. If I were running a sales team, I would be leaning heavily on having trips planned and adjust as necessary. I would also work on building a culture around everyone having a [revenue innovator](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-revenue-mindset-for-all-roles/) mindset. Contact us [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) if you have additional questions. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S3E24 - The Ultimate RevOps Discussion with Feras Abdel of Outreach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e24-the-ultimate-revops-discussion-with-feras-abdel-of-outreach/) **Published:** May 2, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Feras started in sales and fell in love with revenue operations after carrying a bag for years. He shares amazing insights on Revenue Operations best practices. The value of a sales focus being in RevOps Running rev ops with 20 employees vs 1,000 Understanding the revenue lifecycle Recognizing enterprise risk Tool familiarity cannot be the only hiring criteria The pitfalls of 3rd party full-time contractor Should RevOps have variable compensation What does an advisor even do [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e24-the-ultimate-revops-discussion-with-feras-abdel-of-outreach?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E23 - Here to make salespeople happy with Scotland Foss of Scratchpad](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e23-here-to-make-salespeople-happy-with-scotland-foss-of-scratchpad/) **Published:** April 25, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Rare is the first head of sales making it past 18 months at a startup. Scotland is in rarified air and shares his experiences with us including: Go to market workspace First 18 months as head of sales at 16 months The priorities of a new head of sales for the first 16 months Build a capacity plan vs forecasting plan Don’t overly process in the early stages 3 Types of early-stage revenue operators Recapturing the momentum after a miss Pricing integrity [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e23-here-to-make-salespeople-happy-with-scotland-foss-of-scratchpad?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E22 - Picking Scott and Richard's Brain with Zac Scalzi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e22-picking-scott-and-richards-brain-with-zac-scalzi/) **Published:** April 25, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A must-listen episode! An interesting episode where the guest asks all the questions. Zac came prepared and asked some of the best questions everyone thinks about. Where do you invest in sales post-Series A to scale? What are the steps and in what order to best define product-market fit? How do we go from nice-to-have to must-have? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e22-picking-scott-and-richards-brain-with-zac-scalzi?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Pay People: Managing Compensation In Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/pay-people-managing-compensation-in-sales/) **Published:** April 19, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame on you. Just because someone lives in the middle of the country does not mean they shouldn’t be paid what someone in NYC or San Francisco makes. If the LTV (Lifetime Value) of the customer is the same, then [pay people within your organization equally](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/supercharging-your-revenue-with-customer-success-ops/). It simply means they are smarter than you about money. As [Morgan Gebhardt](https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-a-gebhardt) told me, *“Pay people for the value they create, not for where they live.”* Agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments. Or [contact us here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) to have a chat! **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Sales, sales philosophy --- ### [S3E21 - Do what you shouldn't with Nadja Komnenic](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e21-do-what-you-shouldnt-with-nadja-komnenic/) **Published:** April 18, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** It’s never about personalization at scale, its about relevancy at scale and Nadja shares these best practices as well as others What its like to turn down $30m and stay bootstrapped Building a community from the ground up Why LinkedIn is a requirement for all employees Leading a team through the Ukrainian crisis Personalization at scale is misaligned Proper monetization of your community [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e21-do-what-you-shouldnt-with-nadja-komnenic?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E20 - What Sales Engagement and Intelligence Means for Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e20-what-sales-engagement-and-intelligence-means-for-your-team/) **Published:** April 18, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A live conversation with Max Altschuler of Outreach.io to discuss everything under the sun related to sales engagement including: The cross-over between Sales execution, sales engagement, sales forecasting, conversational intelligence What people get wrong about sales engagement When scaling, best practices for revamping and who manages sequences Will AI take away the SDR role [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e20-what-sales-engagement-and-intelligence-means-for-your-team?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E19 - The Skill Up Acceleration of Covid with Alex Meade](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e19-the-skill-up-acceleration-of-covid-with-alex-meade/) **Published:** April 18, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A fascinating conversation with Alex Meade about coming from a marketing and development perspective to lead business development and sales efforts. When you are in marketing and have to figure out sales. The differences between marketing and sales emails. What do you do when the tasks become too much for one person. Evolving your ICP as your business grows In love with teaching and coaching Maximizing time as a sales team of one. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e19-the-skill-up-acceleration-of-covid-with-alex-meade?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E34 - Freemium vs. Free Trial vs. Neither with Pouyan Salehi of Scratchpad](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e34-freemium-vs-free-trial-vs-neither-with-pouyan-salehi-of-scratchpad/) **Published:** April 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** 1. The one thing to do before you start building your product How much should be in the MVP Free Trial or No Free Trial What looking at the graveyard in your industry will teach you Know what signal you are looking for before you start building anything The emotional challenges during the ideation stage to MVP 2. What is easier and harder in building a start-up in 2021 What it means to recapture your time What working at a Dominos taught me about entrepreneurship Understanding the experience is more important than the product or service [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e34-freemium-vs-free-trial-vs-neither-with-pouyan-salehi-of-scratchpad?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Getting Your AEs on Board With AE Prospecting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/getting-your-aes-on-board-with-ae-prospecting/) **Published:** April 14, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** So often these challenges collide when it comes to AE prospecting: they don’t want to prospect, don’t know how to, and, in many cases, were not taught how to prospect. Here are some suggestions for navigating these conversations. And yes, we are very aware that in today’s market people can leave. Let’s talk about the last issue first. If people are leaving, that is not always a bad thing. This means you can revamp your team, your way. ### **Compensation** If AEs are leaving for a higher salary, you only have one choice: meet the market rate. A good AE or [SDR](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-hire-killer-sales-reps/) will know your options are worthless, so don’t try to sell on that. If your founder doesn’t believe this, then [have them contact me](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). I am happy to explain in specific detail. Pay your people the market rate, or better yet, 5% higher and you solve this problem. ### **AE Prospecting** Now let’s talk about AE prospecting. Yes, all AE’s should be prospecting even when supported by an SDR team. These reps will often be your most successful. It doesn’t matter if you are selling into the Fortune 100, all [AEs MUST PROSPECT](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e16-why-your-aes-must-do-prospecting-even-with-sdr-support-with-anthony-netoli-of-outreach-io/), period. Be sure to set the expectations in the [interview process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/optimizing-your-sales-recruiting-for-2022/). Ask them to describe a time they prospected from beginning to end on a deal. Have them explain each step. Have them explain how recent it was. Have them explain which tools they’ve used to do AE prospecting. And ask them, “How do you feel about prospecting in this role? It is a requirement.” If they get squirmy, marinate in that, and be sure they are clear and you are clear on expectations. If you have a team, or inherited a team, that has not been prospecting, it’s time for a reality check. You will need to be honest and direct. You will need to show them the support you will give them, be it prospecting training, tools training, or time management. Under no circumstance should you ever start with “Hey, I know you aren’t going to like it.” That just puts you into a position of weakness. You can address the issue when they bring it up. However, you must find a way to acknowledge they have been heard and that its time to accept it or move on. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to share in the comments. If you need to chat, you can [schedule time directly with me here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** account executives, sales philosophy, sales reps --- ### [S3E18 - The Side Hustle Isn't Always Glamorous with Joel Lalgee](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e18-the-side-hustle-isnt-always-glamorous-with-joel-lalgee/) **Published:** April 4, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The challenges of the side hustle people don’t talk about. The challenges of recruiting in 2022 What a start-up should know about hiring recruiting There is a shortage of good recruiters What are the skillsets of a good recruiter Stop trying to hire the perfect product when you hire people [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e18-the-side-hustle-isnt-always-glamorous-with-joel-lalgee?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E17 - Strategically Break the Rules in Sales with Chris Bogue](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e17-strategically-break-the-rules-in-sales-with-chris-bogue/) **Published:** March 28, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sometimes we get so process-oriented, we lose sight of the creativity in sales. Chris Bogue is on a mission to change that. Check out his insights on all of these topics. Video and comedy is perfect for selling to the elite Play to the top of your intelligence Speak from the hear is key to comedy and sales. Permission mindset is the same in comedy and sales Content that educates, informs and entertains [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e17-strategically-break-the-rules-in-sales-with-chris-bogue?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E16 - Why Your AEs must do prospecting even with SDR support with Anthony Netoli of Outreach.io](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e16-why-your-aes-must-do-prospecting-even-with-sdr-support-with-anthony-netoli-of-outreach-io/) **Published:** March 28, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The #Sales AEs who prospect their own business are often the most successful. This Live Surf and Sales Bonfire Webinar explores this topic deeply with Anthony Netoli of Outreach.io who lives this every day. He shares his insights, wisdom and takes questions from the audience about optimally performing sales prospecting as an individual contributor while also coaching his SDR and BDR partners. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e16-why-your-aes-must-do-prospecting-even-with-sdr-support-with-anthony-netoli-of-outreachio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E15 - My Rap Career was Shorter Than a VP of Sales Ding Zheng](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e15-my-rap-career-was-shorter-than-a-vp-of-sales-ding-zheng/) **Published:** March 21, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One of the most creative salespeople in the game. Ding has turned the sales thought leadership world upside down. Enter the Sales Evangelist. - The creator economy - The Sales Evangelist - Co-Selling where the reference is coming from matters - Thought Leader vs. Evangelist - If most people are saying yes to your prices, you are not charging enough [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/title-surf-and-sales-s3e15-my-rap-career-was-shorter-than-a-vp-of-sales-ding-zheng?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E12 - Crow's Nest - Career Advice with Eric Steeves](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e12-crows-nest-career-advice-with-eric-steeves/) **Published:** March 14, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This is a different episode. Its the one where the guest comes on and asks for career advice. Eric is a fractional CRO looking to build his brand and business. He’s helped start several sales teams and is trying to figure out “scaling”. We won’t give it away too much in the show notes. Listen in and learn. What it means to sell to SaaS companies when you don’t have a lot of Saas experience Which comes first on LinkedIn, content on connections Your brand claims you, you don’t claim your brand [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e12-crows-nest-career-advice-with-eric-steeves?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E13 - A No Commission Sales Org with Erol Toker](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e13-a-no-commission-sales-org-with-erol-toker/) **Published:** March 14, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Listen to 2nd half of this episode first! It’s hard being a founder. However, they bring a fresh perspective. Erol brings an amazing point of view about the no commission sales world and a whole lot more Eliminating manual data entry into CRM Getting to the quality data from your quantity data Why your SMB, MM, Enterprise sales experience is not that important What it means to hire a sales leader too early or too late Understanding your customer maturity model The value of eliminating commissions in your sales model [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e13-a-no-commission-sales-org-with-erol-toker?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E14 - The Tequila & Sales Episode with Jason Riedel](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e14-the-tequila-sales-episode-with-jason-riedel/) **Published:** March 14, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This episode is like a Marvel movie with a secret scene. - When an engineer builds a sales tool - Recruiting is a sales job, and what makes a good communicator - How should Heads of Sales work with a CTO - There is only so much you can do to save an employee - The pressure of results on sales from an outside point of view. - Are sales targets misaligned to customer happiness? - Salespeople get paid for immediate results, engineers get paid for future performance - Compensation reflective of ownership - How to get more stuff done when sales and engineering communicate well. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e14-the-tequila-sales-episode-with-jason-riedel?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E11 - Event Planning is the 5th Most Stressful Job with Alan Newton](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e11-event-planning-is-the-5th-most-stressful-job-with-alan-newton/) **Published:** March 7, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** So often we think of founders as technical founders. There are also operational founders. Alan is one of them and shares a lot of knowledge from that perspective and building a company in a crowded market. How do you know when you have a product-market fit? What happens when you have multiple products and only one fit complete What’s better than making assumptions when determining product-market fit. The difference between the technical founder and the operational founder. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e11-event-planning-is-the-5th-most-stressful-job-with-alan-newton?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E10 - Modern Customer Success with Irit Eizips](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e10-modern-customer-success-with-irit-eizips/) **Published:** March 7, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Irit was at the forefront of the Customer Success revolution that started with Gainsight. She has since built her on customer success organization helping companies of all sizes build, re-build, and grow the customer success function. She shares a ton of knowledge with us. Understanding what customers want beyond the scope of the project Fundamental KPIs for the first implementation of Customer Success The NRR – Net Retention Rate The number one mistake when setting up Customer Success The right leading indicators necessary to get Customer Success right Behavioral KPIs to track in Customer Success What makes a good CSM What makes a good weekly CSM One on One What consultants should be doing for their own Customer Success score [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e10-modern-customer-success-with-irit-eizips?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E7 - Questions from a first time Director of Sales with Jason Lopez](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e7-questions-from-a-first-time-director-of-sales-with-jason-lopez/) **Published:** February 21, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Making commitments and sticking them Define your time horizon What to do once you get product-market fit What do you do in the first 60-90 days The advantage of focusing on the low hanging fruit How and when to hire a Sales Ops What makes a good sales ops hire [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e6-questions-from-a-first-time-director-of-sales-with-jason-lopez?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E8 - The ultimate sales to customer success conversation with Kelsey Calabro](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e8-the-ultimate-sales-to-customer-success-conversation-with-kelsey-calabro/) **Published:** February 21, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kelsey has the ideal path for a revenue leader. SDR to AE, to Customer Success. She shares her knowledge and wisdom with you. The struggles of writing professionally. How to build a business using a podcast The value of sales in customer success Should everyone in customer success have a sales background Should CSM roles have variable compensation Don’t get blinded by losing the quota when you move to customer success from sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e8-the-ultimate-sales-to-customer-success-conversation-with-kelsey-calabro?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E9 - You're closer to your 5-year goal than you think you are with Derek Harvey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e9-youre-closer-to-your-5-year-goal-than-you-think-you-are-with-derek-harvey/) **Published:** February 21, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We all have our goals in life, and often create plans. Derek explores why you are closer to your 5-year goal than you really think you are along with his journey from pastry chef to sales leader The best advice for AEs need to hear about prospecting Why you should hire a person with no sales experience and nowhere else to go for the sales role From Pastry Chef to Sales The difference between internal and external fear and how they motivate you When it makes sense for SDRs to report to marketing The state of SDR compensation What does being part of a merger feels like [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e9-youre-closer-to-your-5-year-goal-than-you-think-you-are-with-derek-harvey?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E6 - Growth and management wisdom with Andrew Newcomb](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e6-growth-and-management-wisdom-with-andrew-newcomb/) **Published:** February 1, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Managing and growing the skill set of your leaders and managers and managers is an important topic, but rarely discussed. Until now. Andrew Newcomb has years of experience as a senior sales leader and shares his wisdom with us. Creating better rigor with your sales leaders What do people get wrong about coaching sales coaches The skillset you’re you should be coaching your managers. Are you HSP – Highly Sensitive Personality The difference in selling over a chat. How to transfer the conversation from a chat. Best advice for new sales leaders. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e6-growth-and-management-wisdom-with-andrew-newcomb?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E5 - The Value of Dedicating Time To Think About It with Derek Jankowski](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e5-the-value-of-dedicating-time-to-think-about-it-with-derek-jankowski/) **Published:** January 31, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Derek has an amazing perspective and was fortunate enough to work with two amazing leaders, Justin Welsh and Kevin Dorsey. He shares a ton of advice including: It’s not the advice that matters, it is how you work through it with your hypothesis No matter how much experience you have, you will still make mistakes. There is nothing you can do to take away the feelings others experience. The temperament of a great leader and a rep are very different The primary variables to increase the average sales price [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e7-the-value-of-dedicating-time-to-think-about-it-with-derek-jankowski?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [The Complete Guide to How AI is Changing Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-complete-guide-to-how-ai-is-changing-sales/) **Published:** January 27, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** With technology becoming a more influential part of people’s lives every day, AI is a hot topic in today’s world. When most folks think of AI, they imagine a conscious futuristic robot who can think, feel, and act like a human. Although some such technologies exist, everyday AI is much simpler and more common. From self-driving cars to navigation services and text editors, artificial intelligence is a more significant part of daily life than most people realize. As AI begins to integrate into human lives more closely, it’s no surprise that sales companies are looking at [artificial intelligence technologies](https://www.regie.ai/) as a way to streamline their processes and save money. In this blog, we’ll demystify sales AI, discuss the future of automated sales, and investigate the possibility of artificial intelligence taking over salespeople’s jobs in the near future. ### **Why Intelligent Sales Automation is the Future** Although there are many reasons why AI is taking over the business world, it all comes down to one thing: operational efficiency. If your company has dedicated salespeople, chances are that they spend most of their days doing things like sending emails, creating follow-ups, establishing LinkedIn connections, and so on. What’s the problem with this, you ask? When your sales team spends hours on these tasks, your salespeople aren’t doing what they actually love and excel at: having conversations and closing sales. This is where AI comes in! [Artificial intelligence assistants](https://www.regie.ai/blog/meet-your-new-personal-ai-sales-copywriting-assistant) are the future of sales. These AI programs help automate the relatively menial and repetitive tasks that your salespeople are doing on a daily basis. As artificial intelligence becomes more sophisticated and adaptable, it can take over all of the processes that don’t directly contribute to your company’s sales revenue. For example, let’s say your salespeople spend two hours every day sending emails and connecting with prospects on social media. Allowing AI to take over this process frees up an extra two hours for your salespeople to close sales and make a difference in your company! In other words, your AI assistant handles formatting and sending emails, messages, and responses while your salespeople focus on the highly complex, tactical, and emotional process of connecting with clients and building trust. By incorporating artificial intelligence into your sales process, you can unlock the full potential of your salespeople by cutting out the repetitive admin that takes up most of their working hours! This is the core purpose of AI integration in sales. ### **How Will AI Impact the Future of Sales?** With artificial intelligence already playing such a significant role in the sales world, you might be wondering what the future holds for AI. As artificial intelligence technologies become more sophisticated and human-like, many people are worried that AI might eventually automate and take away their jobs. Although this is a valid concern for anyone, the possibility of AI taking away people’s jobs en masse isn’t something that the average salesperson has to worry about any time soon. Even though AI may replace – or even outperform – humans in the future, the current mission of artificial intelligence in sales is to augment human performance, not replace it. In other words, the goal of technologies like AI sales assistants and automation technologies isn’t to cut humans out of the value chain but rather allow them to do their jobs more efficiently. The risk of losing a few jobs to AI is far outweighed by the opportunities that such technologies will provide. When businesses incorporate AI to manage and execute routine and semi-repetitive tasks, their people get the freedom to do the things they excel at: creativity, ingenuity, building relationships, and closing sales. The general principle to keep in mind when considering adding AI to your business is that artificial intelligence is made ***by*** humans ***for*** humans. AI technologies strive to create a symbiotic relationship with humans – not to compete with us for our jobs. Although AI gets “smarter” every day, human beings are still very much in control of these technologies. Despite the rapid growth of artificial intelligence in recent years, the threat of an AI workforce takeover is not one that we’ll have to worry about for a long time! If you want to keep your business competitive, incorporating AI into your sales cycle is a must. Unfortunately, navigating the high-tech, complex world of artificial intelligence technologies can quickly become overwhelming. That’s why we sat down with CEO & Co-Founder of [Regie.ai](https://www.regie.ai/), Srinath Sridhar, and Co-Founder & President of [Regie.ai](https://www.regie.ai/), Matt Millen, to cover the bases. If you want to learn more about how AI can change your sales team, [check out our webinar on-demand here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-ai-will-change-your-sales-team-in-2022). **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S3E4 - Every founder must listen to this episode with Wayne Morris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e4-every-founder-must-listen-to-this-episode-with-wayne-morris/) **Published:** January 24, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Whether you’re a founder, work for a founder or want to be a start-up founder: this episode is a must. Wayne’s passion is building start-up sales teams. He loved it so much he decided to quit being a VP of Sales and start helping organizations build their sales team and he shares his knowledge with us. Going from product/market fit to scale What steps do founders skip when scaling When should a founder stop selling and give to the sales team Founders do not know how to transition from founder-led sales to a sales team The grunt work most founders avoid in sales When should a founder bring in ahead of sales What good inbound really means Can this product effect your share price [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e4-every-founder-must-listen-to-this-episode-with-wayne-morris?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E1 - Confessions from the first revenue person with Lori Dunn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e1-confessions-from-the-first-revenue-person-with-lori-dunn/) **Published:** January 10, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** An amazing conversation to start of Season 3 with Lori Dunn. So good we let her take over to ask us more questions. Overcoming the “We are ok right now” Messaging the old tech to sell new tech The hardest part of building from scratch in sales Pricing in the early stages The right questions to ask your CEO at a start-up Shifting from Founder-led sales Identifying the metrics in the early stage [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e87-confessions-from-the-first-revenue-person-with-lori-dunn?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [5 Myths About AI You Still Believe in 2022](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5-myths-about-ai-you-still-believe-in-2022/) **Published:** January 21, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** From online chatbots to the facial recognition feature on your smartphone, artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming ubiquitous in the modern world. Although the idea of artificial intelligence was conceived back in 1958, creating AI technologies seemed like a distant dream up until recently. Every day, computer scientists, engineers, and programmers find new ways to improve AI functions, creating increasingly sophisticated and adaptable technologies. With iconic business names like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos investing in the growth of AI technologies, artificial intelligence is a common topic in the modern media. Despite this, there are quite a few commonly-held beliefs about AI tech that are completely false! In this blog, we’ll bust five AI myths that you might still believe in 2022! ### **Myth 1: AI is replacing workers!** One of the most common concerns people have about artificial intelligence in the workplace is that AI will replace people at their jobs. While this situation isn’t outside the realm of possibilities, most people don’t have anything to worry about. Currently, AI is largely used to increase the efficiency of relatively predictable and menial tasks in the workplace. A leading example of how businesses apply AI to improve their operations is online chatbots that answer customer questions. If someone’s entire job revolves around answering questions, AI technology could replace their job, but the person will likely be able to pivot to another role within the company. In other words, the vast majority of workers have no reason to fear competing with artificial intelligence in the near future. ### **Myth 2: Automation and AI are the same thing.** Despite their ubiquity in the world, artificial intelligence technologies are still very misunderstood. A common example of this misunderstanding is when people confuse automation with artificial intelligence. Automation technologies don’t necessarily have to involve AI integrations. Automation is any machine or computer program that is used to perform a highly repetitive task. For example, machines that paint automobiles at a vehicle factory assembly line use automation – every car is painted with the same pattern, coating, and procedure. Artificial intelligence, on the other hand, is much more adaptable and used for non-repetitive procedures. A key feature of AI is its ability to perform tasks in dynamic scenarios that don’t involve an identical process each time. This means that artificial intelligence technologies can “think for themselves” and find solutions without having explicit steps to follow. An increasingly common example of AI in action is in self-driving cars. Every road is different, with unique markings, various autos, and pedestrians. Thus, the AI in a vehicle must be able to adapt to irregular situations and find solutions without a standard procedure. ### **Myth 3: Artificial Intelligence is approaching human intelligence.** While AI technologies are undoubtedly impressive, they’re far from reaching a level of intelligence that could be considered human. Although artificial intelligence technologies are becoming “smarter” and increasingly adaptable, they aren’t anywhere close to rivaling the intellect and potential of the human mind. Despite being able to outperform humans at some tasks, AI is still very constrained in its abilities to improvise and think creatively. When it comes to artificial intelligence technology, we can visualize it as being stuck inside a box – it excels at its area of expertise but can’t do much more than that. For example, [a text editor AI](https://www.regie.ai/) that is excellent at analyzing written works would become utterly useless if you asked it to compose a musical melody. Humans, on the other hand, are much better at improvising and pivoting between tasks. ### **Myth 4: AI is dangerous and difficult to control!** Because of its highly technical nature, the capabilities of AI are often misunderstood – and commonly exaggerated. One prevalent belief people hold about AI is that it’s dangerous and difficult to control. While it may be entertaining to consider the idea of artificial intelligence taking over the world, it’s not a situation that we’ll encounter anytime soon. Yes, AI is becoming more sophisticated and independent. But it’s important to remember that human beings are the creators of AI, and we’re not losing control of it anytime soon. Modern AI, while impressive in its abilities, is still very predictable, safe, and easy to manage. While there’s a distinct possibility that artificial intelligence will work closely alongside humans in the near future, we don’t have to worry about an uprising of conscious robots just yet! ### **Myth 5: Incorporating AI into your business is expensive!** With some of the biggest and richest companies in the world incorporating AI into their operations, many business owners believe that these technologies are incredibly expensive to acquire. While it’s true that adding artificial intelligence technologies to your business can be a significant investment, AI comes in all shapes and sizes! From Google’s multi-million dollar machine learning systems to a $10 online AI text editor subscription, artificial intelligence for your business can come in all shapes and sizes! As AI technologies become more common, they also become more affordable for even the smallest companies. If you’re a business owner who wants to boost your company performance with AI, you’re almost guaranteed to find a technology that fits your brand’s needs! If you want to learn more about how AI can change your sales team, [check out our webinar on-demand here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-ai-will-change-your-sales-team-in-2022), where the CEO & Co-Founder, Srinath Sridhar, and Co-Founder & President, Matt Millen, of [Regie.ai](https://www.regie.ai/) joins us. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S3E3 - You are the expert on your experiences with Alexis Scott](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e3-you-are-the-expert-on-your-experiences-with-alexis-scott/) **Published:** January 17, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alexis has amazing views regarding sales, self-awareness, and the difference between being picky or particular. She shares them all in this episode What is a Partnership Manager really do? What do you focus on first when defining your ICP ICP = Ideal Collaboration Profile Execs are more interested in the results as much as the how How to coach yourself out of impostor syndrome Navigating the work from home and returning to office mandate. How to be a remote sales leader [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e3-you-are-the-expert-on-your-experiences-with-alexis-scott?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S3E2 - The new role: Sales Evangelist with Will Aitken](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s3e2-the-new-role-sales-evangelist-with-will-aitken/) **Published:** January 17, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Evolve or die. That is the lesson in this episode. There is no need to be an influencer, be a sales evangelist. Join us as Will Aitken jumps in and shares his journey from salesperson to sales evangelist. We dive into: The new role in sales is a sales evangelist Using TikTok to leverage The transition from full-time sales to an evangelist “You don’t have to wait for the promotion” [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s3e2-the-new-role-sales-evangelist-with-will-aitken?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E86 - Why your customers need a better demo experience with Adam Jay of Reprise](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e86-why-your-customers-need-a-better-demo-experience-with-adam-jay-of-reprise/) **Published:** December 27, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The demo environment and demo experience are broken. And so is the interview and job hiring process. Adam Jay shares amazing insights on both of these and other topics including: What makes a bad a demo? Why you should only offer a POC Why you shouldn’t pay for a POC Recruiting requirements for VP of Sales What are the questions candidates should ask a VP of Sales The value of “Tell me more” [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e86-why-your-customers-need-a-better-demo-experience-with-adam-jay-of-reprise?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E85 - All in on SDR Enablement with Brooke Bachesta of Outreach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e85-all-in-on-sdr-enablement-with-brooke-bachesta-of-outreach/) **Published:** December 20, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Brook started in sales and worked her way up to enablement. She’s now running enablement for over 100 reps, both inbound and outbound. She shares amazing and tactical thoughts on enablement at scale, enablement in the remote world, and more including: Building a hybrid training model that works in a remote/ hybrid world Inbound and Outbound Comp How many SDRs are needed to justify an inbound team? Proper Manager to SDR Ratio Why it’s important to teach your team real business acumen. How long should an SDR be in the role before going to the next role The difference between a Manager, Team Lead and a Jr. Team Lead What does the first Enablement leader focus on at an early stage company? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e85-all-in-on-sdr-enablement-with-brooke-bachesta-of-outreach?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E84 - LIVE Bonfire Session - AI in Sales with Matt Millen and Sri Sridhar of Regie.ai](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e84-live-bonfire-session-ai-in-sales-with-matt-millen-and-sri-sridhar-of-regie-ai/) **Published:** December 20, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** 77% of people recently surveyed say they don’t trust AI in sales yet. This conversation works to help remove the disbelief. We covered a host of topics including: Where are we today with AI in Sales? How AI has evolved as technology and why it matters for sales leaders Is AI going to kill the SDR role? The perfect partnership: How humans and AI should work together to analyze and optimize your content [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e84-live-bonfire-session-ai-in-sales-with-matt-millen-and-sri-sridhar-of-regieai?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E83 - How to hire and coach a full cycle sales rep with Thomas Boccard](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e83-how-to-hire-and-coach-a-full-cycle-sales-rep-with-thomas-boccard/) **Published:** December 13, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Thomas is an active SVP of Sales. He stays in the trenches and has built amazing sales teams and he believes in the full cycle rep. Check out his advice on this episode What it takes to be a full-cycle sales rep. What prospecting “smarter” really means. Even execs have to stay in the trenches Achieve Your Goals by Helping others achieve theirs Why you are better at your job when you have a side hustle Why it matters to have internal and external training What makes branding and social so important the higher your title [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e83-how-to-hire-and-coach-a-full-cycle-sales-rep-with-thomas-boccard?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E81 - How community has evolved with Zoe Hartsfield of Dooly.ai](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e81-how-community-has-evolved-with-zoe-hartsfield-of-dooly-ai/) **Published:** December 13, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Zoe started in a traditional SDR role and rather than take the normal path to AE, she shifted into what is now the hottest part of the sales community. She’s a community builder. This goes way deeper than “Channel Sales” it engages the human element. We are lucky enough she shares her wisdom with us. Where do you start when building a community. Community differences between retention and acquisition. How to be a good partner as a community with your sponsors. The best way to engage the community. No more pitch-slapping in social selling Understanding how to find your true value [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e81-how-community-has-evolved-with-zoe-hartsfield-of-doolyai?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S282 - Building the Right Life Mindset with Andrew Mewborn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s282-building-the-right-life-mindset-with-andrew-mewborn/) **Published:** December 13, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Understand the emotional LinkedIn post vs the value add post Content will always drive pipeline What’s a deep work session of 90 minutes and how to use it. Why it’s not easier to sell at a unicorn as it is an early-stage company Why every salesperson will become a content creator Why everyone in sales needs to understand copy writing [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s282-building-the-right-life-mindset-with-andrew-mewborn?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E80 - Welcome to the SaaSholes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e80-welcome-to-the-saasholes/) **Published:** December 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Definitely one of our favorite episodes. Our friends over on The SaaSholes podcast had us on as their guests. And they were kind enough to let us drop to our listeners too. Give it a listen, check them out, and let us know what you think. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e80-welcome-to-the-saasholes?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E78 - It's still about the basics with Luigi Prestinenzi Sales IQ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e78-its-still-about-the-basics-with-luigi-prestinenzi-sales-iq/) **Published:** December 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Luigi’s first sales job at 17 was selling $7,000 high-end suits. And he fell in love with sales while working in a call center. His journey is unique and now he’s partnering with Tony J. Hughes helping other organizations grow their revenue. Realtime feedback = Growth Mindset How to coach rapport building How my mom and Mary Kay affected my sales career The tactics of retail clothing sales you can use today. The challenges of sales training and enablement in 2022 What’s broken in the current sales models [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e78-its-still-about-the-basics-with-luigi-prestinenzi-sales-iq?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E79 - Why you don't dip salmon in chocolate with Paul Kreiter](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e79-why-you-dont-dip-salmon-in-chocolate-with-paul-kreiter/) **Published:** December 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Everyone has the ability to be better at presenting. The question comes down to one’s ability to listen and implement the feedback. Paul shares an abundance of knowledge and wisdom around improving your communication and presentation skills. What do you think you know about presenting that is all wrong Presentation skills are not soft skills Everyone can learn to be better The little things Preparing your audience for an experience and leaving them a memory. Trimming the fat in your storytelling. Being a better storyteller by dancing better with your virtual sales conversations [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e79-why-you-dont-dip-salmon-in-chocolate-with-paul-kreiter?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E77 - Humility, Vulnerability, and Curiosity in Sales - Casey Jacox](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e77-humility-vulnerability-and-curiosity-in-sales-casey-jacox/) **Published:** November 1, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Humility, Vulnerability, and Curiosity If you have to tell people how great you are then you aren’t that good. The power of going first as a leader. It’s ok to not know every answer, it’s not ok to do nothing about it. Teaching the TED framework – Tell Explain Describe Selling only causes resistance, just ask questions [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e77-humility-vulnerability-and-curiosity-in-sales-casey-jacox?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E76 - LIVE Bonfire Session - Building a Successful SKO for Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e76-live-bonfire-session-building-a-successful-sko-for-your-team/) **Published:** October 19, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Joined by Chloe Stewart (CRO of Pilot.com), Niraj Kapur (Managing Director of Everybody Works in Sales), Belal Batrawy (Startup Advisor at DeathToFluff) and moderated by Tim Clarke (Senior Director of Marketing at Salesforce) we talk about: To SKO or not to SKO? Are they always necessary? How can we redesign the structure of SKOs What’s the key component of an SKO? \*Hint\* engagement. How to bring engagement virtually or in-person and we dive deeper into popular opinions and some not-so-popular opinions on hosting events like this. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e76-live-bonfire-session-building-a-successful-sko-for-your-team?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E76 - How to De-Risk Your Pipeline with Tony J. Hughes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e76-how-to-de-risk-your-pipeline-with-tony-j-hughes/) **Published:** October 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Everything looks pretty good up until the middle of the quarter, but then it all evaporates. Deals slip and fail to close. What are the root causes and how do you solve it? Tony J. Hughes joins us in a Surf and Sales Bonfire session to give you all the answers. The biggest differentiation is based on the experience of your buyer The Middle is where deals go to die It’s not about closing, its is about opening 3 Reasons A Deal Pushes and Dies What Leaders Should Manage Specifically What Leaders Should Coach Their Teams on Better [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e76-how-to-de-risk-your-pipeline-with-tony-j-hughes?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E74 - What's wrong with demos today with Jonathan Friedman](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e74-whats-wrong-with-demos-today-with-jonathan-friedman/) **Published:** October 11, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jonathon has spent his life and career living in various parts of the world and building businesses that help grow through practical product-led growth. He shares amazing insights and some actionable steps folks can use in growing their ability to do better demos. A demo is a product story Demos are an intimate moment What is wrong with demos today People will forget the features but remember the narrative. Compressing the demo Do you have a demo matrix What is the ideal demo length The biggest thing you have to get over is indifference. How to use Product Led Growth for your demo [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e74-whats-wrong-with-demos-today-with-jonathan-friedman?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E71 - "Why do we pay a salesman's wage for CRM data entry?" with Chris Beall, CEO of Connect and Sell](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e71-why-do-we-pay-a-salesmans-wage-for-crm-data-entry-with-chris-beall-ceo-of-connect-and-sell/) **Published:** October 4, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Volume is about time reduction 5 Step Sales Process: Fear – Trust – Curiosity – Commitment – Action Why a dial shouldn’t be considered a “step” What professional gambling taught him about selling How to combat the relentlessness and loneliness of remote work [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e71-why-do-we-pay-a-salesmans-wage-for-crm-data-entry-with-chris-beall-ceo-of-connect-and-sell?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E72 - People are the foundation of sales with Bob Perkins, Co-Founder of AA-ISP](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e72-people-are-the-foundation-of-sales-with-bob-perkins-co-founder-of-aa-isp/) **Published:** October 4, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Use sponsor dollars to drive membership costs down not up Sponsors who flourish think long term not near-term conversions Why he thinks there’s a “little bit of Hollywood in SaaS” Why he thinks nobody wants to go back to the office full-time Learning through osmosis is lazy sales leadership [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e72-people-are-the-foundation-of-sales-with-bob-perkins-co-founder-of-aa-isp?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E73 - Marketing Ops Supports Sales with Daniel Murray of Service Titan](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e73-marketing-ops-supports-sales-with-daniel-murray-of-service-titan/) **Published:** October 4, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Daniel understands how marketing ops and sales have more in common than most people think. He shares his knowledge with us on a variety of topics How soon should you hire marketing ops in your organization? Where do I find a marketing ops person? Key components of defining marketing ops. Where should the CRO come from, Sales or Marketing? Does and don’ts giving VP Sales and Marketing Ops The big don’t, “the blame game” What a good relationship between Marketing Ops and Sales should be Understanding the purpose of different social media Ppl who aren’t standing out are not branding themselves very well [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e73-marketing-ops-supports-sales-with-daniel-murray-of-service-titan?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E70 - What leaders need to know planning 2022 with Justin Michael of HYPCCCYCL](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e70-what-leaders-need-to-know-planning-2022-with-justin-michael-of-hypcccycl/) **Published:** September 27, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Justin is a sales savant who can explain the complex in simple ways. He shared some amazing insights that all Sales Leaders need to know about building their revenue organization for 2022 When hiring, how do you find grit? What do “good communication skills” really mean? How to win the Recruiting War for 2022 6 levels of genius As a rep, what should I look for in a sales leader? The buyers who buy are the hardest to get to. Talking to someone over digital is not always making progress. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e70-what-leaders-need-to-know-planning-2022-with-justin-michael-of-hypcccycl?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E67 - "Yes, South Dakota has startups" w/ Steven Schmidt](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e67-yes-south-dakota-has-startups-w-steven-schmidt/) **Published:** September 20, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Steve shares his personal journey through addiction to business leader. He shares amazing insights on all levels including: Being a non-sucky company is harder than you think The discipline for getting great and not being distracted The key is consistency Growth is not the problem, control is the problem Measuring for curiosity and discipline VPs of Sales need to do more than steer the ship [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e67-yes-south-dakota-has-startups-w-steven-schmidt?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E68 - Going for it with Heather Monahan](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e68-going-for-it-with-heather-monahan/) **Published:** September 20, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Heather started from not just humble beginnings, but as she says, “poor”. And she’s used that to drive her own successes. The advice she gives is AMAZING! We can do hard things How to teach confidence How to find your passion and purpose Make sure you know you’re in a growth industry Move fast, break things, and grow How to get uncomfortable How do you become a speaker 101 Fear means greenlight and go faster. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e68-going-for-it-with-heather-monahan?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E66 - Why we haven't truly reached AI in sales yet with Howard Brown of RingDNA](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e66-why-we-havent-truly-reached-ai-in-sales-yet-with-howard-brown-of-ringdna/) **Published:** September 13, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Howard breaks down the concepts of AI in sales in the simplest and easiest conversation to date. We are getting there, but we aren’t there yet. Learn about the following from Howard: How AI will augment us, not hurt us What AI in sales won’t replace Own your failures will help you grow. Why passion matters more than anything. Statics. Math and Machine Learning are NOT AI Difference between statistics, math, and AI Prediction models are not AI How to find people who are coachable [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e66-why-we-havent-truly-reached-ai-in-sales-yet-with-howard-brown-of-ringdna?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E65 - Founder $5 million with Breezy Beaumont](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e65-founder-5-million-with-breezy-beaumont/) **Published:** August 30, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** PLG – Product Led Growth. All the rage and not quite all the understanding. In this episode we speak with Breezy Beaumont of Correlated to discuss where and how sales, marketing, and customer success should be aligned. Topics include: Understanding how Growth differs from CRO. Best collaboration tools. How not to use a collaboration tool. No human thrives with no autonomy. Freemium, Self-Serve, and a Sales Team How to leverage a brand in a micro-community [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e65-founder-5-million-with-breezy-beaumont?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E64 - Best sales hires won't come through HR with Brent Gette](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e64-best-sales-hires-wont-come-through-hr-with-brent-gette/) **Published:** August 23, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sales=Transactional. BD = Relational based Care more about the personality type than your pedigree Difference between selling to HR than other departments Manage to performance is better to manage tenure No Undergrad degree but I have an MBA Understand the process more than the product The one thing missing in your 30, 60, and 90-day plan [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s2e64-best-sales-hires-wont-come-through-hr-with-brent-gette?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E63 - Is AI in sales making us lazy with Barry Trailer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e63-is-ai-in-sales-making-us-lazy-with-barry-trailer/) **Published:** August 16, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Difference between Millennials and GenZ in sales The day that turns your life around The best line for handling the competition EVER Going from being an engineer to a life of sales Technology is accelerating faster than our DNA 5 Things that can kill every deal. No need, no desire, no urgency no budget, no trust The future is already here it’s just not evenly distributed Moving from persuasion to co-collaboration Innovation is the crossroads of purpose and passion [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e63-is-ai-in-sales-making-us-lazy-with-barry-trailer?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E62- What you work on, works on you with Nigel Green](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e62-what-you-work-on-works-on-you-with-nigel-green/) **Published:** August 16, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What medical device sales are really like. Job Security = Money, work for self, flexibility You don’t have to always be accessible Optimizing happiness and money Re-starting after taking 2 months off [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e62-what-you-work-on-works-on-you-with-nigel-green?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E61 - LIVE Bonfire Session - Mistakes to Avoid When Building A Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e61-live-bonfire-session-mistakes-to-avoid-when-building-a-coaching-culture/) **Published:** August 2, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ashley, Galem, and Niraj provide great feedback and answer audience questions. Topics include: Effective 1:1s Driving Accountability Creating a safe place to learn How the Sales Stack is Evolving into a coaching stack What to do when you don’t have the saas coaching tools [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e61-live-bonfire-session-mistakes-to-avoid-when-building-a-coaching-culture?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E60 - From AE to Found with Kris Rudeegraap of Sendoso](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e60-from-ae-to-found-with-kris-rudeegraap-of-sendoso/) **Published:** August 2, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kris went straight from AE to co-founder and has raised over $50m. He shares a ton of sales, leadership, and fundraising insights including: How corporate gifting evolved When does it go from cool idea Going after venture money is just a sales process The term sheet is just an MSA What it means to “be prepared” when raising money How to leverage your early stage investors How to determine the right VC right for you The founder experience is what VC’s should focus on The mistakes to avoid when using gifting Creativity is the new secret weapon As a sales leader how to resist taking over the sale [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e61-from-ae-to-found-with-kris-rudeegraap-of-sendoso?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E59 - Great Leaders Do What Drug Addicts Do with Michael Brody-Waite](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e59-great-leaders-do-what-drug-addicts-do-with-michael-brody-waite/) **Published:** July 26, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Michael has been through the wringer, literally. As he did the hard work to become sober he eventually realized the similarities he saw in the business and leadership world. He shares actionable insights into leadership and accountability with us during the episode Stop telling people what to stop doing. Rigorous Authenticity of Who You Are Surrender the Outcome, not trying to control them Doing Uncomfortable Work The 3 mistakes leaders over and over again Mask addiction in the leadership world 3 types of uncomfortable conversations we all have How your weaknesses get you promoted The empowerment of saying ‘no’. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e59-great-leaders-do-what-drug-addicts-do-with-michael-brody-waite?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E57 - What's a real sales relationship? with David Nugent](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e57-whats-a-real-sales-relationship-with-david-nugent/) **Published:** July 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** David’s had one of those jobs many of us dream about. Combining business and sales skills with professional sports teams and leagues. He shares some fun stories and insights including Chief Commercial Officer vs CRO Sports Ops vs Business Ops in Professional Sports The more money you make the more risk-averse you may become What you take when leaving one successful company to another Starting with a founding principle of how much money Trading money for commitment in a real partnership [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e58-whats-a-real-sales-relationship-with-david-nugent?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E58 - Surprise!! Happy birthday, Scott!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e58-surprise-happy-birthday-scott/) **Published:** July 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Today, we’re celebrating our favorite man and resident Surf & Sales co-host: Scott Leese. In honor of his birthday, we wanted to bring on some of his closest Thursday Night Sales friends like Amy Volas, Mike Hook, Kelsey Calabro, and more. We know how much he loves attention on his birthday, so what better way than a podcast to talk about all of the reasons we love Scott, our favorite memories with him, some of his most common expressions, and what we wish for him in the future. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e57-happy-birthday-scott?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E56 - Your Flywheel and Sales Funnel with Mike Wolber, CRO of Rent Dynamics](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e56-your-flywheel-and-sales-funnel-with-mike-wolber-cro-of-rent-dynamics/) **Published:** June 28, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One of the most interesting topics we all know but never discuss. Navigating a personal relationship with a co-worker. Not the whole episode, but definitely something that is rarely discussed. We did discuss it and a whole bunch more. The value of telling a story for your career growth. Vertical Specific SaaS Sales Managing headcount growth in a smaller market The 4 questions to ask when you take a leadership role What it means to show up and be present in a new leadership role [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e56-your-flywheel-and-sales-funnel-with-mike-wolber-cro-of-rent-dynamics?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E55 - LIVE Bonfire Session - A Masterclass on Negotiating with Procurement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e55-live-bonfire-session-a-masterclass-on-negotiating-with-procurement/) **Published:** June 21, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Negotiating with procurement is often one of the dark holes in the abyss at the bottom of the deepest ocean of the sales process. We brought the former SVP/General Manager, Global Business Development at American Express and former VP of Global Sales at Eventbrite to share real-world strategies to help you see them as an asset, not a hindrance. What does procurement actually mean Understanding what risk mitigation means How to hold onto price and premium What is procurement’s goal [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e55-live-bonfire-session-a-masterclass-on-negotiating-with-procurement?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E54 - The cost of adoption with Head of Revenue Robb Finkelstein](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e54-the-cost-of-adoption-with-head-of-revenue-robb-finkelstein/) **Published:** June 21, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** RevOps is the NKTOB and its influence for improving revenue growth cannot be ignored. Robb from Heyday shares his insights on what it really means to build a successful machine. 3 Keys to RevOps Systems / Process / Data The next evolution of Revenue Operations What’s a proper spend per rep on the sales stack What to know when in RevOps Why RevOps and Sales Ops need to be early in a start-up The gold standard of RevOps Cleaning up the mess when a RevOps piece did not exist “the ‘hidden’ cost of adoption” Managing the anxiety of change management More formalization less tribal knowledge Simplifying the sales reps world [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e54-the-cost-of-adoption-with-head-of-revenue-robb-finkelstein?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E53 - What it takes to go from VP of Sales to CRO with Tyler Barron](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e53-what-it-takes-to-go-from-vp-of-sales-to-cro-with-tyler-barron/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A long-time friend and first-time guest on the Surf and Sales podcast. He’s gone from VP of Sales to CRO and shares his insights. Figuring it out how to scale The biggest mistakes new CRO’s make when coming in How to build cross-functional relationships in your CRO role How to learn marketing when you have a sales background How do you give a CMO a revenue number. Where marketing can help later in the funnel Yes, transactional salespeople can close 7 figure deals. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e53-what-it-takes-to-go-from-vp-of-sales-to-cro-with-tyler-barron?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E52 - What everyone gets wrong about Inbound Sales with Francois Bordeau](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e52-what-everyone-gets-wrong-about-inbound-sales-with-francois-bordeau/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Francois was side hustling before it was ever such a thing. Check out his insights on these topics and more Should you double down on career or start side hustle Don’t confuse inbound interest with purchasing intent Should inbound and outbound be compensated differently Who handles inbound, experienced or new reps Building your brand and why it’s important [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e52-what-everyone-gets-wrong-about-inbound-sales-with-francois-bordeau?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E51 - How good product marketers help their sales team with Brandon Redlinger of RingDNA](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e51-how-good-product-marketers-help-their-sales-team-with-brandon-redlinger-of-ringdna/) **Published:** June 14, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What if a product marketer actually started their career in sales, and was good at sales? That’s who Brandon Redlinger is and he shares a wealth of information about what good product marketers do to help their sales teams succeed The 5 Key Pillars of Product Marketing Defining your value metric What is your value metric and how does it help with building prices How do you know when to increase price Navigating the pricing objection How do you know when your product is ready to be sold How often should sales and product marketing be talking? What goes into determining price [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e51-how-good-product-marketers-help-their-sales-team-with-brandon-redlinger-of-ringdna?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E50 - From SDR to AE: how to prepare with Ashley Zagst, Chili Piper](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e50-from-sdr-to-ae-how-to-prepare-with-ashley-zagst-chili-piper/) **Published:** June 7, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ashley moved from marketing to sales so much she took a part-time SDR role to prepare for the interview. This isn’t the first time she’s prepped for something this way and she shares her best practices for always achieving your goals. How to position yourself to become an AE from the SDR role How to prepare for your next role Selling the meeting not the product as an SDR Translate marketing message to sales messaging What’s fun about sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e50-from-sdr-to-ae-how-to-prepare-with-ashley-zagst-chili-piper?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E47- 27 years at #7 F500; LisaMarks former SVP/GM, Global Biz Dev at American Express](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e47-27-years-at-7-f500-lisamarks-former-svpgm-global-biz-dev-at-american-express/) **Published:** May 31, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Lisa spent 27 years at one of the largest companies in the world. She shares so much advice that is perfect no matter the size of your own organization or your role in it. Good leadership is when your leader doesn’t make you feel embarrassed when you don’t know things. How to network with your leadership Why you should go 2 leaders up when networking Why you should always have a relationship with the finance team. How leaders can help their team to be accountable to their goals. How you walk into the room matters How to navigate the red tape of a corporate world The biggest and simplest thing you can do to win more deals [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e47-27-years-at-7-f500-lisamarks-former-svpgm-global-biz-dev-at-american-express?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E48 - How to identify the toxic organization with James Ski, Founder of Sales Confidence](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e48-how-to-identify-the-toxic-organization-with-james-ski-founder-of-sales-confidence/) **Published:** May 31, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode, we get to talk to James Ski, Founder of Sales Confidence + Partnerships expert with Drift. He speaks openly about mental health and what it takes to ride the highs and lows of the sales profession and we’re fortunate to have him on this week Keeping attention on moving with the times USA vs the UK selling energy When you are joining a company you are really joining the leadership The best question to ask in an interview to understand the culture of an organization The secret sauce of the LinkedIn algorithm How sponsorships and shared values go hand-in-hand Leveraging positive attention vs. negative association [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e48-how-to-identify-the-toxic-organization-with-james-ski-founder-of-sales-confidence?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E46 - Quota is hard with Meghann Misiak](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e46-quota-is-hard-with-meghann-misiak/) **Published:** May 31, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How many of your reps should be going to Presidents Club What makes a great President’s Club event? How to your promotion path interview really hard What is sales mastery What it means to have a merit-based interview processHow I bounced back from burnout What causes burnout, saying yes to everything, and putting your boss too high on a pedestal. The value of rethinking the way you work in sales. What are your warning signs for self-care Sales metrics are really lagging indicators [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e46-quota-is-hard-with-meghann-misiak?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E45 - Your difference is your advantage with Mercy Lee Bell](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e45-your-difference-is-your-advantage-with-mercy-lee-bell/) **Published:** May 31, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Connecting with someone’s deepest emotional memories. Clinging to sales performance when you don’t like yourself Disconnecting productivity from yourself Joining in on something but not really living. Understanding your authentic presence What it really means to really live in gratitude Get quiet, listen to stories, and be curious When a leader listens and cares I will work harder. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e45-your-difference-is-your-advantage-with-mercy-lee-bell?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E44 - LIVE Bonfire Session - Strategies for Mental Health Resilience in Sales in 2021](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e44-live-bonfire-session-strategies-for-mental-health-resilience-in-sales-in-2021/) **Published:** May 25, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sales professionals are experiencing more pressure than ever right now. In one of the most competitive, fast-moving, and high-pressure jobs, sales have been hit especially hard by COVID. So what are the most successful salespeople doing to stay mentally resilient and engaged during these challenging times? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e44-live-bonfire-session-strategies-for-mental-health-resilience-in-sales-in-2021?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E43 - Being Metrics Driven vs Metrics Aware with Amos Schwartzfarb of Tech Stars](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e43-being-metrics-driven-vs-metrics-aware-with-amos-schwartzfarb-of-tech-stars/) **Published:** May 10, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Being able to ask a VC is always a great conversation. Amos does not disappoint at all in this session. He shares a ton of great ideas and guidance in an open discussion. What it means to have a data and metrics-driven plan Are you on the part to product/market direction and product/market fit What you need to know to claim you have product/market fit What I fell in love with within my first sales job The excitement, the expectations, and the reality of an acquisition The 1999 Sales Process How do you know what to do and when in your early-stage start-up The disparity of equity and success Biggest mistakes founders make when approaching a VC The difference between of an accelerator and other VCs [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e43-being-metrics-driven-vs-metrics-aware-with-amos-schwartzfarb-of-tech-stars?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E41 - Getting real on revenue with Amy Hrehovcik](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e41-getting-real-on-revenue-with-amy-hrehovcik/) **Published:** May 3, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Like many, Amy didn’t plan to go into sales. She wanted to be in politics, lobbying, etc. Then after one of her first engagements with a political campaign, that all changed. From politics to sales There are two types of workers, processors, and producers What it’s like having a mentor in your first year. Understanding Speed, Status, and Experience Bad news does get better with time, so lean in. Be aware of the internal win rate based on inbound/ outbound. How managing SDRs to the moment is crushing their soul. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e41-getting-real-on-revenue-with-amy-hrehovcik?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E40 - LIVE Bonfire Session - The Future of Sales is Female](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e40-live-bonfire-session-the-future-of-sales-is-female/) **Published:** April 25, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** 2156. That’s the year if things stay the same when women will be compensated equally to men. Alexine Mudawar and Gabrielle Blackwell joined forces with us to host a forum to help solve this issue. We discussed many things including: Mentorship vs. Sponsorship Handling the “You’re being emotional” comment Why it’s ok to be shameless about asking for help Non-Violent Communication Skills [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e40-live-bonfire-session-the-future-of-sales-is-female?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E39 - Recognizing your own uniqueness with Kyle Porter of Salesloft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e39-recognizing-your-own-uniqueness-with-kyle-porter-of-salesloft/) **Published:** April 25, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kyle Porter has vision. Not just about product or company, but life overall. Learn how his early childhood struggles worked to shape his desire and strength for success. Organizational health is your competitive advantage Thinking about the long, long, long term plan Sellers are loved by the buyers they serve Know your enabling strategies Know your growth strategies Learn faster than the rate of your experience [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e39-recognizing-your-own-uniqueness-with-kyle-porter-of-salesloft?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E38 - LIVE Bonfire Session - Making a side hustle, THE HUSTLE](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e38-live-bonfire-session-making-a-side-hustle-the-hustle/) **Published:** April 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The key to everything is to “allow yourself to feel it”. This is how you will find your passion for a side hustle to be your real hustle. Here’s other things we discussed during the conversation. How do you decide what is the right side hustle to make the hustle? How do you handle the internal conversations with your boss once they notice your side hustle? How to make money aggregating the google search Narrowing your focus [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e38-live-bonfire-session-making-a-side-hustle-the-hustle?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E37 - How to take video to the next level with Nick Capozzi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e37-how-to-take-video-to-the-next-level-with-nick-capozzi/) **Published:** April 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Honestly, who has more energy and passion than Nick Capozzi? Certainly not us. Here Nick’s answer to who would make a better “duty free salesman – Scott or Richard” and hear about his journey from cruise ships to a rocketship. Becoming a first-time tech VP of Sales What selling on a cruise ship What are the resources you will use to skill up in your new role Choosing the right community to you. Where are we getting wrong and right in video Creating interaction with your prospects from different cultures. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e37-how-to-take-video-to-the-next-level-with-nick-capozzi?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E36 - When the negotiation starts at "no" with Michael Litt of Vidyard](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e36-when-the-negotiation-starts-at-no-with-michael-litt-of-vidyard/) **Published:** April 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We meet Michael Litt, CEO of Vidyard today for the first time and this guy is really impressive. Super down to earth, progressive in his ideas and approach, and a breath of leadership fresh air. Scaling hackers and hustler mentality at scale Pros and Cons of a Y-Combinator engagement How to leverage your impostor syndrome Building a strong culture Navigating dysfunction at scale Shifting to a freemium model and navigating sales team fears Growing into a distributed workforce [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e36-when-the-negotiation-starts-at-no-with-michael-litt-of-vidyard?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E18 | Turn Customer Success into Revenue with Randy Sparks](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e18-turning-customer-success-into-a-revenue-machine-with-randy-sparks/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Randy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ransparks/) has helped build a team that includes 75 individuals in the customer success arena. Lots of different roles and responsibilities. What you will learn: - What it takes to be a Customer Success rep in 2020 - What to look for in hiring customer success people who have revenue targets - How to better navigate and manage conflict between [customer success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?s=customer%20success), sales, and product —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Surf & Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e18-turning-customer-success-into-a-revenue-machine-with-randy-sparks?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Women in Sales – XX Factor with Jenna Cronin of VorsightBP](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/women-in-sales-the-xx-factor-with-jenna-cronin-of-vorsight-bp/) **Published:** May 5, 2015 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One day while speaking with our good friend [Steve Richard](https://www.linkedin.com/in/saleskickoffspeaker) of [VorsightBP](http://vorsightbp.com/) on the concept of the perfect SDR to AE handoff for inside sales and field sales teams, we mentioned our series about [Women in Sales – The XX Factor](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-xx-factor-in-sales-volume-1/). Knowing Steve’s passion for sales and quality sales people we asked him if knew anyone that would be a good fit for our [Women in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/xx-factor/) series. Steve was kind enough to introduce us to [Jenna Cronin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennacronin). Jenna is newer in her sales career than many of the women we have already profiled. However as you read you will most likely come to the conclusion we have, which is that she is wise beyond her years. Jenna currently works for VorsightBP as a Sales Consultant. She’s personally made over 30,000 (not a typo) cold calls that yielded over 1,500 conversations! If ever there is someone who could write a book about the [top of the funnel](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e161-why-i-went-from-ae-to-bdr-with-founder-of-sassy-women-jobeth-hanak/) it would most definitely be Jenna. In the meantime, Jenna, welcome to The XX Factor. **Q: How many years have you been in sales?** A: 5 **Q: Can you please describe the “aha” moment when you decided you wanted to be in sales?** A: It wasn’t so much an “aha” moment as an idea that I allowed to grow on me… begrudgingly I might add. My parents and grandparents were sales people and entrepreneurs. My father’s family had a milk farm and my mother’s family had a bakery. In fact, that’s how they met. Eventually they ended up opening a chocolate shop and that is where I spent my summers working and learning about running a business. Like others who feel the need to “rebel” against their parents I wanted to break the mold, so I went off to college to study Architecture and then French Literature! Over time I grew a little frustrated about architecture and academics. I could not understand how people could get so caught up in the art, but did not understand difference between practical and beautiful. I often found myself in my architecture class reviews thinking: these renderings look breathtaking, but are they really functional? Would business people invest in them actually getting built? Then came 2008. The “Great Recession” certainly weighed heavily on me as I am sure it did others. It was all hands on deck in the family business and I had student loans that needed to be addressed. Based on the work ethic instilled by my family I had to make some important decisions. It was at this time that I realized I could no longer deny my roots and I adopted a philosophy called: “It’s great to have hobbies, but do the thing that makes you money.” Embracing my sales mind was the best decision I’ve ever made and I have no regrets. **Q: What can you tell us about the single biggest sale you ever closed ($, sales cycle, company/ industry, etc.)** A: The single biggest sale I ever closed was surprising in a number of ways! 1. The sales cycle was about three months (but it felt like it was at least double that). 2. The company fell outside of the typical industries to which my clients belong (it was a roofing manufacturer). 3. The company had never bought sales training or consulting service like ours before (which made creating a business case that much tougher). Selling a service like sales training is a little more unique than other products and services. In many ways our clients are buying “hope”. We can share our clients’ experiences, our track record and the awards we’ve won, but the factor that makes our clients *trust* us is our ability to address that lingering question: “yes, but will it work for me?” This particular deal confirmed for us the real value of planning, process, diligence, and how a little creativity can be more effective than relying on the instant credibility of direct experience. A lot of time and energy was spent on helping the client feel confident in not only what they were purchasing, but the outcomes that they would realize. By the time it came to signing the deal it surprisingly fell right into place. **Q: Which women in sales do you admire most?** A: I’ve had the honor of working with a number of inspirational women in sales. Some of my favorites include: [Liz Cain – Sr. Director, WW Business Development of NetSuite](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizcain) – Liz is not only one of the most ambitious and driven people I’ve met, but I noticed right away that she connects will all levels of management/tenure and has her entire organization’s respect. [Georgie Donahue VP of Sirius Decisions](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/georgie-donahue/1/130/7b2) – I admire Georgie’s ability to strike the balance between work and family. Her colleagues appreciate it too – the last time I was on site, her younger (male) colleagues were telling me stories about her dedication to work and motherhood as if she were a legend. [Jill Ulvestad Founding & Managing Partner of VorsightBP](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jill-ulvestad/2/160/816) – No coach has had a larger impact on my career than Jill, both in leading by example and getting me to discover things about myself. She’s taught me that you don’t have to have a “shark” personality to become a world class seller and that it’s more powerful to embrace your own strengths, even if they don’t align with the stereotypes of a powerful business woman. Of course I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention [Clara Shih, CEO and Founder, Hearsay Social](http://hearsaysocial.com/about/management/), and [Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook](http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/03/04/10-things-sheryl-sandberg-gets-exactly-right-in-lean-in/); they’ve had an immeasurable impact on how I’ve reflected on my own career path and development. **Q: If you could go back and give your early career minded self, advice about a career in sales, what would that be?** A: I think this is always applicable but, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good! For example, in the process of proposal writing, connecting a client’s situation and challenges to our offerings is a delicate process. I would often agonize over creating a mind-blowingly insightful analysis when instead, asking the client for help with it would have saved me time and a lot of creative energy. Beyond that, it’s important to consider the complexity of the engagement when allocating time to different projects. Long story short: do not try to come out of the gate with a brilliant assessment on your own. It should be collaborative with the client. Also, I would remind myself to speak up, knowing that every idea might not hit the mark. It’s better to say something or try something and have to tweak it rather than hold off until you’re sure it’s flawless. **Q: What advantages do you think women have in sales over men?** A: Having undoubtedly been the overlooked parties in the room at one time or another, I think women are more sensitive to the different (and perhaps more reserved) perspectives in a consensus-based decision. In a sales meeting where the seller is seeking to understand the vision of a group of buyers, typically 1-2 buyers run the show. It’s critical to be equally observant of the people who are NOT participating as openly and be sure to engage them. Often these buyers that sit quietly and process things before speaking will share the most valuable insight! Women also tend to express empathy more innately, which has been shown to be a key attribute of a good listener and consultative salesperson. **Q: What advice would you give to men about working with women in sales?**A: There are a few things I would mention here. 1. “Bringing in” actions are a great way to balance different perspectives, as long as you’re not putting anyone on the spot. If you know your colleague Mary has some great ideas that are relevant to a group discussion but she hasn’t shared them, a simple “Mary, what are your thoughts?” once in a while can go a long way. 2. I would remind men that women tend to listen first and speak second. Silence does not equal agreement. Too often, conversations move so quickly that the real opinions surface after the discussion is over. 3. If you invite us to conversation please be sure to let us join the conversation. I have been invited to meetings where folks thought I had something valuable to add. However as the conversation ensued, they couldn’t stop talking to let me get a word in edge wise. Stop to take a breath and maybe you’ll learn something! Wow Jenna, this is amazing and tremendously insightful. Thank you for sharing! Oh, and when you write the book let us know, we are all very eager to learn more from you. **Additional Resources:** Connect with Jenna on LinkedIn: [HERE](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennacronin) Follow us on Twitter: rharis415 and @saasselling **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [S1E12 | Comfortable with uncomfortable with Henry Frazier](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e12learning-to-be-comfortable-with-uncomfortable-with-henry-frazier/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Henry has an amazing sales story. He went from a high pro-file Division I college wide receiver to startup sales to Oracle, back to startup sales and now working for NY Life a Fortune 100 company. His focus is to bring joy to the joyless, empower the powerless. —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) Spotify [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e12-with-henry-frazier?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Your 2021 Sales Process and Staging Update](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/your-2021-sales-process-and-staging-update/) **Published:** March 2, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Every year, we work to help organizations better clarify their [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e119-from-sdr-to-comedian-to-sales-trainer-with-jon-selig/) naming and staging in their [CRM systems](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e176-whats-broken-in-your-crm-with-sara-beam-of-virago-ventures/). Whether you have an Inside Sales Team, BDR or SDR Sales Team, Outside Sales Team or [Field Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e10-as-a-buyer-what-bugs-you-the-most-with-kevin-donville/) Team, this stuff really matters. We’ve always believed there is a difference between a Stage Name and an Exit Criteria. We believe anything that is an actual discussion or activity is an exit criteria. As an example, Demo is not a stage name. Demo is an activity either under the Discovery or the Selection process of your sales process. We’ve laid this out in specific detail as a “Best Practice” for Staging and [Sales Process. Of course](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e33-the-socrates-of-sales-with-alex-boyd/), please change it to make sure things align with your own business model. We are aware of CRM [engagement by sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e69-the-future-of-sales-engagement-in-the-sdr-and-ae-industrial-complex-with-justin-michael/) people is not always easy, and, yes, we also know there is such a thing as “field creep” on your CRM Opportunity Page. So again, please use the below as a best practice/guideline for building your [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-process-vs-methodology/) in your CRM. Lastly, before you make changes to your CRM, be sure you are aware of any reporting or dashboards that could be affected by changes. **Stage 0 – Identification** - Exit Criteria – Intro Call Scheduled - Exit Criteria – Intro Call Completed - Intro Call Completed - Intro Call DQd **Stage 1 – Qualification** - Exit Criteria – Pains Identified and align with our [solution at high level](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e16-how-interrogation-skills-made-this-vet-a-master-of-hemp-sales-with-jacob-mccandless-vice-president-of-sales/) - Exit Criteria – Demo Scheduled - Exit Criteria – Initial implementation date discussed - Exit Criteria – Next meeting confirmed with actual acceptance - Exit Criteria – ECONOMIC IMPACT Exercise to their pains are starting to be discussed **Stage 2 – Discovery** - Exit Criteria – Demo Completed - Exit Criteria – Specific Use Cases discussed and VERBALLY confirmed as a [priority by client](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e183-from-curiosity-to-accountability-in-growth-with-hugo-robinson-of-weploy/) - Exit Criteria – Prospect CONFIRMS our solution is better than current state, competitor etc. - Exit Criteria – ECONOMIC IMPACT – Exercise completed and confirmed by prospect. - Exit Criteria – Competition identified (Others, do nothing, etc.) - Exit Criteria – Understanding if “buying committee” is involved - Exit Criteria – Understanding of selection process - Exit Criteria – Defining close date - Exit Criteria – Defining onboarding process - Exit Criteria – Next meeting/ demo scheduled and confirmed on the calendar - Exit Criteria – Commercial terms discussion, but not “confirmed” - Exit Criteria – Confirming ALL parties in the decision making process - Exit Criteria – Confirming ALL parties in the approval process - Exit Criteria – Confirming, “At this stage, what could possibly stop this from moving forward?” - Exit Criteria – Next meeting scheduled AND accepted on calendar **Stage 3 – Selection** - Exit Criteria – Competitors confirmed - Exit Criteria – Differentiation specifically confirmed - Exit Criteria – Confirmed competitor “betters” are actually important in making the decision - Exit Criteria – Bake-off criteria identified - Exit Criteria – Confirmed timeline for decision making - Exit Criteria – Confirmed timeline for implementation - Exit Criteria – Begin discussion of larger approval process - Exit Criteria – Begin discussing the legal process (aka redlines) - Exit Criteria – Commercial Terms confirmed (specific to ECONOMIC IMPACT exercise - Exit Criteria – Confirm the date of you will send a proposal / contract - Exit Criteria – Confirm date you will be able to walk through the proposal with the prospect - Exit Criteria – Confirm who else will review proposal/contract - Exit Criteria – Confirm “normal” response time to approving (redlines) once a proposal/ contract has been sent. - Exit Criteria – Confirming, “At this stage, what could possibly stop this from moving forward?” - Exit Criteria – Next meeting scheduled AND accepted on the calendar - Exit Criteria – Does this mean we have a deal and all that is left is paperwork? **Stage 4 – Negotiation** - Exit Criteria – Meeting occurs with final decision-makers including finance when necessary. - Confirmed commercials terms, add-ons, etc. - Exit Criteria – Confirm date to get contract signed back - Exit Criteria – Confirm launch date - Exit Criterial – Confirm implementation date - Exit Criteria – Confirming, “At this stage, what could possibly stop this from moving forward?” - Exit Criteria – Contract sent for signature **Stage 5 – Closed Won/Lost** - Exit Criteria – Received signed contract --- *Need help with your sales process and staging update? Whether you have an Inside Sales Team, BDR or SDR Sales Team, Outside Sales Team or Field Sales Team, we help organizations better clarify their sales process naming and staging in their CRM systems. Book a time to chat about your goals [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/).* **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E96 - Different Approaches to Social Selling with Ian Moyse EMEA Sales Director Natterbox](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e96-different-approaches-to-social-selling-with-ian-moyse-emea-sales-director-natterbox/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Why is EMEA/ UK “behind” in Social Selling? Origins of [Social Selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/social-chorus-2/) The Changing Dynamic Why Marketing should not control your personal LinkedIn brand Measuring success on LinkedIn is worth it. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e96-different-approaches-to-social-selling-with-ian-moyse-emea-sales-director-natterbox?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E35 - What growth doesn't want you to hear with Keith Daw](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e35-what-growth-doesnt-want-you-to-hear-with-keith-daw/) **Published:** April 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The [self-proclaimed](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e136-where-do-you-go-to-learn-about-being-a-cro-with-zorian-rotenberg-cro-infotelligent/) VP of Get Shit Done has joined the podcast and drops serious knowledge on humanity in sales and the per-fessional growth Leveraging your intellectual collateral for [career growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e17-the-first-step-to-growth-is-humility-with-ian-koniak-of-salesforce/) The value of vulnerability in leadership How to develop self-awareness in yourself and your team How to check your ego at the door. The difference between a fresh perspective and a real perspective [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e35-what-growth-doesnt-want-you-to-hear-with-keith-daw?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E94 - Blake Johnston of Outbound View](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e94-blake-johnston-of-outbound-view/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Blake Johnston has a background in marketing and sales which gives him a unique perspective on being a CEO. In this episode hear his views on: Strengthening the relationship between Founder/CEO and the VP and Sales. The good and bad of being a CEO with a sales and marketing background What does Top of Funnel Activities really mean? When should you hire an outsource top of funnel lead gen agency What is the difference between onboarding and ramp when working with an outsourcing agency Training and onboarding your sales team in a remote environment. How should marketing be measured and compensated [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e94-blake-johnston-of-outbound-view?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E95 - I am not Idle with Amy Quick](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e95-i-am-not-idle-with-amy-quick/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Being self-aware to know the deal cycle you will thrive in Life is a series of adventures and challenges. What I learned about sales while being a professional equestrian How my personal brand has helped me drive real revenue. Finding the quirky people on LinkedIn Who’s gonna save you from yourself? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e95-i-am-not-idle-with-amy-quick?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E87 - Making Bolder Decisions with Mark Roberge](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e87-making-bolder-decisions-with-mark-roberge/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** NOT your standard Mark Roberge interview. Mark is not your typical “sales leader”. He did not come up through the ranks of sales, Yet, he’s become one of the most thought-provoking sales leaders in the business community in the last 20 years. We went deep with Mark on a ton of stuff including: Is the 1-year cliff, 4-year vest a broken model? How to survive past 18 months as a VP of Sales What is your CEO’s one Get Out of Jail card? How the current generation is better positioned than any other to tackle world problems. Why larger deals are closing faster during and post COVID How to Baby-Step your tech-minded founder to better understand sales Purebred VP sales must be [more analytical](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e54-we-sell-to-people-not-personas-with-andy-paul/), but need to understand Ops Defining sales against to revenue, growth, and goto market [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e87-making-bolder-decisions-with-mark-roberge?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E196 - How to get promoted to VP of Sales with only BDR/SDR leadership background with Amy Miller of Celonis](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e196-how-to-get-promoted-to-vp-of-sales-with-only-bdrsdr-leadership-background-with-amy-miller-of-celonis/) **Published:** December 29, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Amy is massively competitive by nature. And has taken advantage of her skills to build a [career in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e126-the-first-line-of-communication-for-ibm-sales-with-rahki-voria/). Listen as she shares about the following topics. [Helping SDRs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e142-should-you-outsource-your-sdr-team-with-nimit-bhatt-of-memory-blue/) and BDRs to personalize From being a peer to a leader in career trajectory The added complexity from 4 direct reports to 10. Coaching the money-motivated rep vs the recognition rep Why metrics are huge in the [SDR/ BDR world](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e192-how-to-create-compounding-interest-in-your-career-growth-with-host-of-millennial-sales-podcast-and-new-strategic-account-executive-tom-alaimo-of-gong.io/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e196-how-to-get-promoted-to-vp-of-sales-with-only-bdrsdr-leadership-background-with-amy-miller-of-celonis?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E6 - Your desire for knowledge is a strength, not a weakness with Jordana Zeldin](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e6-your-desire-for-knowledge-is-a-strength-not-a-weakness-with-jordana-zeldin/) **Published:** January 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jordana has one of the most unique sales backgrounds we’ve ever had on the show. She sold high-end art to high net worth individuals in New York City What it’s like to lose a $7M art deal Doing your skill while [training your skill](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e191-how-much-is-too-much-automation-in-emailswith-will-allred-of-trylavendar/) What do human beings need in a human relationship applying to the sales world. Scripting vs. Tonality Coaching tonality to [salespeople](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e158-keenan-on-life-and-life-with-keenan/) Connecting with yourself in the sales process. Deciding to start my own company as a COVID layoff [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e6-your-desire-for-knowledge-is-a-strength-not-a-weakness-with-jordana-zeldin?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E135 - Why marketing should be running your demos Olivier L'Abbé of MetaData](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e135-why-marketing-should-be-running-your-demos-olivier-labb-of-metadata/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Olivier has spent time at some of the best and [brightest startups](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e12learning-to-be-comfortable-with-uncomfortable-with-henry-frazier/). Glassdoor, G2, and others. He now he’s the President of Metadata.io and has solved the [sales vs. marketing dynamic](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/marketingisdead-and-heres-how-i-know/). Join us as we discuss: How do you measure the start of the sales cycle [Using FOMO](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e41-overcoming-fomo-and-impostor-syndrome-with-jack-wilson/) to drive business How the recruiting process is [changing in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e94-blake-johnston-of-outbound-view/) The value of having a sales background when running a company The only difference between traditional sales and fund raising sales cycles is mindset. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e135-why-marketing-should-be-running-your-demos-olivier-labb-of-metadata?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E23 - What you are doing wrong in your video sales calls with Julie Hansen](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e23-what-you-are-doing-wrong-in-your-video-sales-calls-with-julie-hansen/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Julie went from [sales to acting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e1-mastering-sales-enablement/), appearing in 75+ TV shows, and then [back to sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e95-i-am-not-idle-with-amy-quick/). She shares some amazing advice on the transferable skills of both professions. Interpreting “Resting Business Face” Managing the eyes of your audience Finding the parts of yourself to bring to your role. The difference between [selling and lying](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e170-everything-you-are-doing-wrong-or-right-in-your-zoom-meetings-susan-ibitz/) How to talk to the camera Trusting your peripheral vision on [zoom calls](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/handling-“call-me-back-next-year”/) Navigating your Zoom camera, audience, demo and notes. How to remain authentic in a [sales role](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e150-best-everything-advice-with-ralph-barsi/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e23-what-you-are-doing-wrong-in-your-video-sales-calls-with-julie-hansen?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E30 - Behind The Curtain with Lauren Bailey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e30-behind-the-curtain-with-lauren-bailey/) **Published:** March 28, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Lauren Bailey is an amazing woman and sales leader. She tells it like it is, even if when it might be uncomfortable. Check this episode out and learn. And yes, men you better damn well pay attention to this episode. How are [promotional decisions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e87-making-bolder-decisions-with-mark-roberge/) really being made in the boardroom? What women should do better now to set themselves up for promotions. Why women should stop trying to be perfect. Stop the wishful thinking that if you do well, you will be promoted. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e30-behind-the-curtain-with-lauren-bailey?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E16 - How interrogation skills made this vet a master of hemp sales with Jacob McCandless Vice President of Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e16-how-interrogation-skills-made-this-vet-a-master-of-hemp-sales-with-jacob-mccandless-vice-president-of-sales/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Everything you wanted to know Understanding the hemp industry Overcoming objections and building rapport for tactical questions How interrogation [relates to sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e8-a-clear-path-to-winning-with-cory-bray/) in qualification and discovery [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e16-how-interrogation-skills-made-this-vet-a-master-of-hemp-sales-with-jacob-mccandless-vice-president-of-sales?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E33- The Socrates of Sales with Alex Boyd](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e33-the-socrates-of-sales-with-alex-boyd/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** So you are a little shy, got a liberal arts degree in philosophy and the prose repair shoppe was not accepting applications. So what do you? You launch a sales career of course! Be sure and check out this episode of The Surf and Sales podcast where we speak with Alex Boyd founder of RevenueZen. In this episode, you hear about: 1\. How to use LinkedIn content for real lead generation 2\. How to use both data and emotions to hire the right people. 3\. How one person got 10 of their first 12 sales hires right! 4\. The origin of entrepreneurship is hating laziness [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e33-the-socrates-of-sales-with-alex-boyd?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E24 - Owning my pipeline with Vin Matano from DemandBase](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e24-owning-my-pipeline-with-vin-matano-from-demandbase/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Vin’s knowledge of prospecting and sales is well beyond his experience. He shares tons of great nuggets in this episode You can’t scale creative prospecting. Fostering a strong AE/ SDR relationship Learning the value of quality of Defining and understanding multi-threaded sales processes Defining multi-threaded and omni-channel and how to do it. Which role is harder SDR vs AE How he got GaryV to respond to him [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e24-owning-my-pipeline-with-vin-matano-from-demandbase?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E18 - Building a Revenue Operations Rocket Ship](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e18-building-a-revenue-operations-rocket-ship/) **Published:** February 26, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sales Operations vs. [Revenue Operations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e12-defining-sales-ops-rev-ops-sales-enablement-with-patricia-mclaren-of-revshoppe/) is the big topic of 2021. Whether you are a start-up or a Fortune 100 organization. The data matters.We were joined by Salesforce, SmartBug Media, and Paycor to help understand how to build this rocket ship while still flying it. Topics Discussed: Difference between Sales Ops and Revenue Ops. Why sales enablement is critical for a strong RevOps function? Which role comes first in a sales ops hire? How do you measure RevOps success/what metrics make up your KPI’s? How to design the limit between Operations, Analytics and Data Science? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e18-building-a-revenue-operations-rocket-ship?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E13 – 7 Figure deal with Jeff Kirchick VP of Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e13-what-it-felt-like-to-close-his-first-7-figure-deal-with-vp-of-enterprise-sales-at-next-call-jeff-kirchick/) **Published:** February 8, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** On this episode we bring on Jeff Kirchick: author + VP of [Enterprise Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e189-what-real-enterprise-sales-are-like-with-tony-marshall-of-contentsquare/) at Next Call. We discuss: Loving the [complex sale](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e141-stop-saying-the-right-things-to-the-wrong-person-with-ryan-staley-of-whale-boss/) Balancing productivity on a per head basis Why my fear of failure What to look for in a first sales hire Automation is not Authenticity Having problems can give you meaning [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e13-how-to-make-sure-shit-doesnt-hit-the-fan-with-author-and-vp-of-enterprise-sales-at-next-call-jeff-kirchick?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E8 - Soberforce with Marin Nelson RVP, Enterprise at Salesforce](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e8-soberforce-with-marin-nelson-rvp-enterprise-at-salesforce/) **Published:** January 25, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Marin is 15 years sober and in late 2020 she and a few co-workers at Salesforce realized there was an opportunity to support their peers. This is that story. . Soberforce, the creation of a community for those struggling with addictions in a Fortune 500 company. Overcoming the stigma based on your career How do I navigate my sobriety in my career growth? Living in a solution of sobriety What integrity means in your career [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e8-soberforce-with-marin-nelson-rvp-enterprise-at-salesforce?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E4 - On your time and your terms with Shruti Kapoor of Wingman](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e4-on-your-time-and-your-terms-with-shruti-kapoor-of-wingman/) **Published:** January 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Shruti has a very unique perspective. She’s both a VC and CEO of a start-up in the crowded conversational intelligence space. She shares a ton of valuable insights with us. What it takes to GTM from India to US Entering a crowded market with your technology company. Getting involved in micro-communities as a busy founder. How do you know if you can go to market as a technologist Traits and attributes of a founding team when looking to invest? When I lose a deal why am I losing a deal? When one rep does better than the other, what is the real difference? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e4-on-your-time-and-your-terms-with-shruti-kapoor-of-wingman?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E3 - When and how you monetize your community with Mark Birch](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e3-when-and-how-you-monetize-your-community-with-mark-birch/) **Published:** January 11, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Fighting for attention is the value of a community The value of monetizing your community Building a community for large scale vs a targeted micro-community How do you make a member feel special? The difference between a community and an audience. Stop just “trying to make a deal” when selling into APAC. Crafting messages to get someone’s attention in APAC Onboarding in a new gig half a world away. How I built a career for an overseas role. The APAC start-up help from AWS [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e3-when-and-how-you-monetize-your-community-with-mark-birch?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E1 - Negotiating a higher salary with Sam McKenna](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e1-negotiating-a-higher-salary-with-sam-mckenna/) **Published:** January 11, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** From the moment Sam starts speaking, all you want to do is listen. She is on fire in this episode and shares amazing insights around: Fight for what you’re worth Pay Equality and [how to negotiate](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e4-negotiating-salary/) What I love about Sales Even big great companies have rep churn Show me you know me Personalization over LinkedIn People are afraid to shoot your shot [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e1-negotiating-a-higher-salary-as-a-woman-with-sam-mckenna?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E200 - Fuck yeah and thank you! Surf and Sales 2020 Year In Review](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e200-fuck-yeah-and-thank-you-surf-and-sales-2020-year-in-review/) **Published:** December 30, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A fun look back at the 200 episodes we released for [Surf and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-10-reasons-ways-to-justify-the-spiff-for-coming-to-surf-and-sales/). We could not have done 200 episodes if it were not for everyone who is willing to listen, our guests who came on and of [course to all](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-become-the-next-unicorn/) our sponsors this year Findem, Lead411, Perception Predict, Gong.io, and Vidyard. Exciting news coming in 2021 [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e200-fuck-yeah-and-thank-you-surf-and-sales-2020-year-in-review?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E199 - Understanding Channel Sales with Ed Porter](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e199-understanding-channel-sales-with-ed-porter/) **Published:** December 30, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** One of the best ways to grow your revenue is by implementing a channel program. Ed Porter shares it all. 1. What are the different types of [channel sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e155-affecting-diversity-within-the-organization-with-tiffany-muckleroy-at-centre-technologies/) models? 2. What are the 3 things you need to know before starting a channel program? 3. How do you manage channel conflict? 4. How long does it take to see revenue from your channel investments. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e199-understanding-channel-sales-with-ed-porter?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E195 - I like to swing big with Jackie Hermes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e195-i-like-to-swing-big-with-jackie-hermes/) **Published:** December 29, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jackie has an amazing outlook on building a social brand. She shares what she does, how she does and what works including… 1. Setting the course as an entrepreneur for yourself and your clients 2. My video social strategy on LinkedIn 3. How do I make decisions on what to post on LinkedIn? 4. What to do with the trolls on LinkedIn 5. Navigating [impostor syndrome](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e157-impostor-syndrome/) as you come up with pricing [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e195-i-like-to-swing-big-with-jackie-hermes?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E197 - Ramping on a complex product with Amanda Fisher of Aircall](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e197-ramping-on-a-complex-product-with-amanda-fisher-of-aircall/) **Published:** December 29, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When its a [complex product](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e26-product-marketing-sales-with-chris-orlob-of-gong/) or service ramp time is critical. Miranda, a surf and sales alum joins us to discuss the following Understanding the right type of demo Proper demo onboarding What did I love about cold calling Why are alumni sales scripts so bad How I’ve translated sales skills into my personal life Which role is harder SDR or AE Advice on getting promoted from SDR to AE How to manage WFH. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e197-ramping-on-a-complex-product-with-amanda-fisher-of-aircall?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E186 - Growing up with parents who looked down on the sales profession with Niraj Kapur of Everybody Works in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e186-growing-up-with-parents-who-looked-down-on-the-sales-profession-with-niraj-kapur-of-everybody-works-in-sales/) **Published:** December 14, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to teach people to not be afraid of the phone Navigating seasonality in your business. Understanding rejection early and only. [Biggest mistakes salespeople make](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e104-what-it-means-to-sell-with-purpose-with-blake-hudson-sales-manager-of-victory-lap/) on LinkedIn Everything they teach you in school is the wrong thing Young people are open to learning except when it comes to picking up the phone. The value of asking, “How much do you want this?” [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e186-growing-up-with-parents-who-looked-down-on-the-sales-profession-with-niraj-kapur-of-everybody-works-in-sales?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E184 - Goal Setting with Kevin Dorsey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e184-goal-setting-with-kevin-dorsey/) **Published:** December 7, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to set goals What is a vision board and how to use it How to use a 3×3 on daily, weekly, and monthly goals What it means to never miss twice with your goals. Define and writing down your “slight edge” The difference between your quota and your goals Why most people over set goals for 1 year, and underestimate in 3 years. Why you NEVER limit your kid’s goals [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e184-goal-setting-with-kevin-dorsey?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E178 - The DNA to entrepreneurship Kyle York](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e178-the-dna-to-entrepreneurship-kyle-york/) **Published:** November 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What tells you they are a good technologist as a founder You work for what you get. The challenge tech founders must face to really be successful Avoiding conflict between departments is the [biggest challenge](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/is-the-american-judicial-system-rigged/) companies may face [Advice for building](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e58-why-executives-wo-sales-experience-struggle-w-forecasting-w-rob-jeppsen/) a Revenue Operations team Founder CEOs vs CEOs Lead constrained vs. Feed Constrained The biggest mistakes an early-stage founder makes in the pitch meeting. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e178-the-dna-to-entrepreneurship-kyle-york?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E173 - with Brian Trautschold co-founder Ambition](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e173-with-brian-trautschold-co-founder-ambition/) **Published:** November 16, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The value of not knowing what you don’t know. Competition is just about product and service overlap The only real competitor is fighting over budget dollars. How do you position yourself as a must vs nice to have. How to quantify culture in the sales organization. Why we stayed away from the VC world Preventing the co-founder fracture Co-founder dating is the worst experience. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e173-with-brian-trautschold-co-founder-ambition?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E140 - The hidden talk track of top performers with Lisa McCleod](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e140-the-hidden-talk-track-of-top-performers-with-lisa-mccleod/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** 10 years ago, 2010, Lisa faced one of her biggest hurdles in life based on the Great Recession. She shares a ton of wisdom and knowledge on sales, life, maturity, family, and so much more. Being a service bigger than ourselves, is the meaning of life. Moving your relationship beyond transaction with your employees. You can be competitive and compassionate as a sales person You don’t have to have passion for the product or service you sell to be successful What does it mean to sell with a noble purpose. Identifying the top performers differentiation. Mental talk track of top performers [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e140-the-hidden-talk-track-of-top-performers-with-lisa-mccleod?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E130 - At 6 I Decided to Be the boss with RVP of Sales Catie Ivey of Demandbase](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e130-at-6-i-decided-to-be-the-boss-with-rvp-of-sales-catie-ivey-of-demandbase/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** At six years old Catie told her mom “I will be the boss” when you hear this episode you will understand. She’s a natural-born leader with [amazing insights](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e24-owning-my-pipeline-with-vin-matano-from-demandbase/) into these topics: The value of lateral relationships in the workplace Choosing the right company means knowing what you are good at Creating and supporting a network of women in sales The challenge of running sales and customer success What it means to [scale and grow](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e23-growing-into-a-sales-manager-with-daniel-molas-of-solarwinds/) in a strategic manner What it means to lead a team at 18. The real definition of ABM What questions should we ask to help better define your ICP Do you start SMB and work up market Do you start in Enterprise and work your way down [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e130-at-6-i-decided-to-be-the-boss-with-rvp-of-sales-catie-ivey-of-demandbase?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Is the American Judicial System Rigged?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/is-the-american-judicial-system-rigged/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This is an episode of MillennialX Coffee Talk. It’s a conversation about the American Judicial System with a public defender of 35+ years experience making sure people get fair trials. Listen to this discussion to learn more about how jury trials are not really “of your peers”. What kinds of legislation is necessary to improve racial equality on juries, and a bunch more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/is-the-american-judicial-system-rigged?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E114 How to be in the moment when we need to be - Jason Gant](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e114-how-to-be-in-the-moment-when-we-need-to-be-jason-gant/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to improve your focus in the difficult moments. Being in the present moment How to stop being overwhelmed Handling high-intensity moments Mindfulness is all about awareness Awareness of mind, body, and surroundings with an attitude of curiosity and kindness Not trying to fix anything, it’s about changing my relationship with something. The difference between mindfulness and meditation **VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguity** [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e114-how-to-be-in-the-moment-when-we-need-to-be-jason-grant?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E81 - Does Brand Trump Acumen w/ Sam Dunning](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e81-does-brand-trump-acumen-w-sam-dunning/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sam is the Co-Owner and Sales Director at WebChoice, and is in his 4th stink at the company. From being a teenager playing video games all day on the couch, to selling cameras in a retail store, to successfully selling around the globe, Sam has worked hard to build the acumen to stand up a brand upon. But has brand become more important than acumen? Hear his take on this question and others like: Is getting people to spend money right now impossible? Do inbounds still need discovery? \[Hint – yes!\] Why does selling cameras suck so badly? Do customers really understand their own budgets? What is a recent mistake he made that he is still learning from? How come some orgs still take too long to respond to inbounds? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e81-does-brand-trump-acumen-w-sam-dunning?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E60 - Team USA vs Team UK Sales Showdown](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e60-team-usa-vs-team-uk-sales-showdown/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Team USA v. Team UK. USA has a larger follower count. But the UK claims to have better engagement from their followers. A Sales Showdown discussing crowdsourced topics that are relevant to you, right now. So who do you think will win? We’re proud to be part of Team USA along with Kevin “KD” Dorsey, Dale Dupree, Rob Jeppsen, Morgan J Ingram, Richard Harris and Scott Leese. The other guys are putting up Costas Perkas, Daniel Disney, Richard Smith, Sam Dunning, and Alex Olley. The event is moderated by Canadian Darryl Praill and you – the audience – are the judges. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e60-the-most-important-part-of-the-sales-process-sales-coaching-with-dave-kennet-of-replayz?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E57 - #BeTheBounce with Trish Bertuzzi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e57-bethebounce-with-trish-bertuzzi/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you don’t know Trish Bertuzzi, where the hell have you been? We were very excited she decided to join us on the Surf and Sales podcast in our first LIVE recording. Check it out and you will hear: What it means to be deliberate your message Why everyone should stop shining the light only on SDRs. Why it’s not an SDR problem to solve messaging during a pandemic. What taking care of people really means if you are in sales leadership How to get past the assistant. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e57-bethebounce-with-trish-bertuzzi?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E54 - We sell to people not personas with Andy Paul](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e54-we-sell-to-people-not-personas-with-andy-paul/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Andy has been through quite a bit in his sales career. Everything from being told he’s too analytical to be in sales all the way to recently selling his podcast. Join us as we discuss this and a whole lot more. - You will learn about: - How to leverage an analytical mind in a sales world - Everything is about momentum - Bad sales managers too tied to the metrics - What it takes to build a podcast - Adjusting to a slower pace of activity - How to choose an online sales training program [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e54-we-sell-to-people-not-personas-with-andy-paul?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales E1E48 - Surfand Sales Wives Edition](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-e1e48-surfand-sales-wives-edition/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Meet Cathy and Janet, the two people who put up with our shenanigans and “sellers’ mind” on a daily basis. We’ve been threatening to do this for a while now. Hear what its like to be married to someone who tries to “therapy” you, or “sell you”. Is it helpful, annoying, funny? How about all of the above. Stay safe and healthy everyone! [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/ss1e46-surfand-sales-wives-edition?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E24 – Legacy, Kobe, Federer, What’s yours?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e24-24-legacy-kobe-federer-whats-yours/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When fate intervenes… This episode came about because a guest needing to reschedule at the last minute. We decided we should use the time wise to speak about what’s happened this week with Kobe and legacy, which then led us to speak about what Roger Federer did at the Australian Open. Which then led us to discuss what’s it mean to have a legacy. Do you try to plan it out, or does life help you figure it out along the way? At the end of the recording, we realized this is actually our 24th recorded episode. We didn’t plan it, and yes a few are in the can waiting to be released but we felt this was too important to hold back. \#RIPKobe #24 [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e24-24-legacy-kobe-federer-whats-yours?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E13 | Scoring is wrong with Becc Holland](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e13-current-lead-scoring-is-completely-wrong-with-becc-holland/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Becc Holland is a force when it comes to sales leadership and marketing. She brings a completely different and logical approach. She brings a fresh approach and explains how the funnel is not a funnel at all and how there is something now called “the Dark Funnel” —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to [Surf & Sales Playa Grande 2020](https://www.surfandsales.com/new-page) to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e13-with-becc-holland?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E19 | “Brand Archetypes” and Video w/ Ryan O’Hara](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e19-an-introduction-to-brand-archetypes-and-video-w-ryan-ohara/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Ryan O’Hara](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanmohara/) is the VP of Growth and Marketing at LeadIQ. He was also one of the earliest folks on LinkedIn using video to [build his brand](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e75-outbounding-best-practices-with-belal-el-batrawy-of-bravado/). He is also one of those nerdy sales guys who applies some Jungian psychological philosophies into his selling approach. What one of the 12 brand archetypes is he? He says he is “The Jester.” You be the judge. —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to [Surf & Sales Playa Grande 2020](https://www.surfandsales.com/new-page) to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e19-an-introduction-to-brand-archetypes-and-video-w-ryan-ohara?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E15 | What’s it like being “The Only” w/ Kevin Dorsey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e15-whats-it-like-being-the-only-w-kevin-dorsey/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Kevin Dorsey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kddorsey3/) is a captivating sales leader, with a big heart who cares deeply about his team and personal growth. He is also an African American VP Sales in the SaaS world. He discusses the ways he felt compelled to change who he is, and when and why he chose to stop playing games and be his true self; and how he feels a responsibility to inspire the next wave of African American sales leaders. —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e15-whats-it-like-being-the-only-w-kevin-dorsey?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E16 | Sales Leadership with Brandon Calley baseball coach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e16-what-does-little-league-baseball-have-to-do-with-sales-leadership-w-brandon-calley/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Brandon Calle](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandoncalley/)y is an established [sales leader](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e133-understanding-scale-with-paul-salamanca-with-security-scorecard/) in Austin who has been a part of many successful tech companies. He is also a rival baseball coach in Austin to Scott. In this episode, Brandon talks about what Little League teaches you about [sales and coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e61-the-most-important-part-of-the-sales-process-sales-coaching-with-dave-kennet-of-replayz/) reps. He also talks about how critical it is to instill discipline in sales teams while keeping focused on retaining talent in a highly competitive sales market. —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e16-what-does-little-league-baseball-have-to-do-with-sales-leadership-w-brandon-calley?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E17 | Remote Selling with Jason McElhone](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e17-remote-selling-with-jason-mcelhone/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Jason](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmcelhone/)? So he’s seen a lot and done a lot. He’s now figured out how to build, coach, and maintain remote sales organizations. He’s now figured out how to build, coach, and maintain remote sales organizations. On this episode learn: - How having a remote team increases customer satisfaction and profits - How to start letting your teamwork remotely as an experiment. - And a whole bunch more! —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e17-remote-selling-with-jason-mcelhone?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E8 - A Clear Path to Winning with Cory Bray](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e8-a-clear-path-to-winning-with-cory-bray/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Were you overly competitive in first grade? Did someone’s mom call your mom about it? Well, that’s exactly what happened to our friend and most recent guest, [Cory Bray](https://www.linkedin.com/in/buy-triangleselling/) from https://clozeloop.com/. Join Scott and Richard as they explore these theories and more with Cory Bray. In sales we all know it’s about observing, planning, strategizing, and finally execution. We cover all this and more, including: How to pool relates to sales How to write a book What happened when Cory was in first grade —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4)) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e8-a-clear-path-to-winning-with-cory-bray-0?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E11 – Solving the Marketing with Jack Kosakowski](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e11-solving-the-marketing-and-sales-dynamic-with-jack-kosakowski/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Jack’s](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackkosakowski1/) first “sales job”? He was 16 and his grandfather took him on a sales run to sell fire alarm systems the old fashioned way, knocking on doors. Jack also shares how he became the best salesperson on the team in less than a year with NO sales calls. Jack shares all of this and so much more around the entire sales and [marketing dynamic](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e135-why-marketing-should-be-running-your-demos-olivier-labb-of-metadata/). —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e11-solving-the-marketing-and-sales-dynamic-with-jack-kosakowski?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E9 – Recruiting Advice for Leadership with Carolyn Betts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e9-recruiting-advice-for-leadership-and-candidates-with-carolyn-betts/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In January 2010, [Carolyn Betts](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynbetts/) decided to go out on her own and created [Betts Recruiting](https://bettsrecruiting.com/). Join Scott and Richard as they trace her steps to building one of the stronger [sales recruiting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e131-why-your-diversity-and-inclusion-program-is-all-wrong-with-madison-butler-the-blue-haired-recruiter/) agencies in the world. What did she do right? What mistakes did she make? What’s the future of recruiting? And most importantly, how did she politely tell Scott Leese to FOff! —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– To listen to more episodes from the Surf & Sales Podcast, use the following links to subscribe in your favorite podcast player: [ Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/surf-and-sales/id1490003203) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/5oJ9GkVkCiZEQEqCCRpVV4) [ Google Podcasts](https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9zdXJmYW5kc2FsZXMubGlic3luLmNvbS9yc3M%3D&hl=en) —– Are you tired of going to sales conferences in the same old cities, in huge hotels full of thousands of vendors selling you when you’d rather be honing your own skills, building real relationships, and investing in personal and professional growth? We are too, so we changed the game with Surf & Sales 2020 in Playa Grande, Costa Rica. If you’re looking for deeper learning, meaningful relationships, and an experience that will transform you and your career or business, head on over to Surf & Sales Playa Grande 2020 to learn more. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e9-recruiting-advice-for-leadership-and-candidates-with-carolyn-betts?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E6; Can’t Sales And Operations With Claire Morris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e6-cant-sales-and-operations-just-get-along-with-claire-morris/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The conflict between Sales and Sales Ops is real and needs to be addressed. Yet some of the biggest improvements in sales performance happen as a result of a strong partnership with [Sales Operations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e127-making-the-case-for-sales-ops-and-revenue-ops-with-hannah-duncan/). In this episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast, Scott Leese and Richard Harris sit down with Claire Morris, VP Operations at Homeward, to discuss how sales and sales ops can work together as partners. What makes this episode so special is that Claire and Scott worked together 2x in their career. We dive into specifics including: 1. How to get Executive support for bringing in Sales Ops early” 2. How does a VP of Sales realize they’ve found the right sales ops partner? 3. How do two strong leaders who care about revenue get along when disagreements do happen? 4. How does a sales ops leader push back appropriately with a strong-willed sales leader? 5. How does a sales leader learn to “dial it back” and let someone else help them? We discuss all this and more. Download and listen now! [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e6-cant-sales-and-operations-just-get-along?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E142 – Outsource your SDR team with Nimit Bhatt](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e142-should-you-outsource-your-sdr-team-with-nimit-bhatt-of-memory-blue/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The one tool you must have in your tech stack The SDR is the hardest role How to not get bored talking about the same product and service [Managing SDRs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-of-the-year-of-the-sdr-got-even-better-salesstack-2015/) coming right out of college Why SDRs are being more humble in the interview process The creative strategies are breaking through the noise in prospecting. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e142-should-you-outsource-your-sdr-team-with-nimit-bhatt-of-memory-blue?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E143 – Should solicit failure with Gina Trimarco](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e143-why-you-should-solicit-failure-in-sales-with-gina-trimarco-chief-results-officer-at-pivot10results/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Focusing on results People want results more than anything The value of how improv is a natural part of sales Being a good listener, good observer, tap into your emotional intelligence is the same in improv and sale Using improv to build culture and leadership How to manage the uninvited flirting for women [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e143-why-you-should-solicit-failure-in-sales-with-gina-trimarco-chief-results-officer-at-pivot10results?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E150 – Best “Everything” Advice with Ralph Barsi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e150-best-everything-advice-with-ralph-barsi/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A deep and personal conversation with Ralph Barsi that goes way beyond metrics and KPIs. We focused on his passion for drumming, first demand gen job, and first real sales job at UPS and… Ensuring alignment across departments with sales Navigating the 2020 challenges as it relates to sales performance conversations How will you handle the struggle and how do you see yourself on the other side. How Accounts Receivable for delivering newspapers The difference between being on a team and being a part of the team [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e150-best-everything-advice-with-ralph-barsi?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E149 – Identify your value with Darien Pascuzzi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e149-how-to-identify-your-own-value-during-your-job-search-with-darien-pascuzzi/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Do you know your super power? Darien knows hers and she teaches you how to find yours. Digging your way out of burnout The single biggest mistake you are making on LinkedIn recommendations How to prepare for your interview Owning your confidence in your interview process What does a good hiring process really look like ATS is largely broken in the recruiting industry Is your ATS really your CRM in recruiting? How to save the sale with your customers How an HR person uses LinkedIn from a sales perspective [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e149-how-to-identify-your-own-value-during-your-job-search-with-darien-pascuzzi?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E151 – The Extraordinary Sales Habits with Andrew Sykes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e151-theextraordinary-sales-habits-with-andrew-sykes/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Do you have habits or do your habits have you? Andrew Sykes has built an entire business around this and has an amazing perspective on how this affects everyone, including sales people. In this episode we discuss: - How habits effect your sales cycle - The mindset for self-care. - Habits are compound interest on your growth, understanding the miracle process - Stop focusing on the outcomes we want, as opposed to the inputs - The better you get, the more you need to practice. - And more! [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e151-theextraordinary-sales-habits-with-andrew-sykes-0?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E25 - You don't have a closing problem with Jeff Bajorek of Parabola Consulting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e25-you-dont-have-a-closing-problem-with-jeff-bajorek-of-parabola-consulting/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jeff is one of the rare birds in sales. Once he discovered sales he knew he had a great passion for [coaching salespeople](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e186-growing-up-with-parents-who-looked-down-on-the-sales-profession-with-niraj-kapur-of-everybody-works-in-sales/) and has since [built an amazing business](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e21-how-sales-memes-built-a-business-with-daniel-disney/). He shares all of this and more. Sales is not an improvisational exercise What gets in the way of [sales organizations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e120-the-two-best-linkedin-strategies-youve-never-heard-about-with-chris-walker-ceo-founder-of-refinelabs/) in achieving success What its like working with Jeffrey Gitomer It’s nobody’s fault but your own, so fix it. It’s never meant to be the answer, its meant to be a boost. How do you know when to walk away What are the [biggest mistakes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e163-2021-modeling-planning-and-forecast-with-robert-mcclaw-of-bunrate.io/) AEs are making Most commonly missed playbook/ process missed by companies right now Why front line sales manager is the hardest job in sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e25-you-dont-have-a-closing-problem-with-jeff-bajorek-of-parabola-consulting?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E29 - LIVE - Mentorship At Scale Bonfire Session with Cherilynn Castleman and Alan Tarkowski](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e29-live-mentorship-at-scale-bonfire-session-with-cherilynn-castleman-and-alan-tarkowski/) **Published:** March 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Mentorship as either the mentor or mentee is important for everyone. And sometimes its hard to know how to go about being one or asking for one. This session helps answer all those questions and more: 1. Making the distinction of a mentor from the boss, friend, family member 2. 3 Types of Mentors everyone should have 3. Your mentor is shotgun to your therapist 4. The 3 A’s a mentor should be looking for in a mentee 5. The difference between accountability and responsibility 6. How do you ask a stranger to be a mentor 7. How do you know when you’ve outgrown your mentor [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e29-live-mentorship-at-scale-bonfire-session-with-cherilynn-castleman-and-alan-tarkowski?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E27 - Your $750,000 MBA with Ken Lundin](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e27-your-750000-mba-with-ken-lundin/) **Published:** March 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** You can learn a lot from someone who lost $750,000 and declared bankruptcy. Ken shares all of it. How he got there, and how he navigated the downturn, as well as what he would do differently now. Why your fractional VP of Sales Great leadership is related to connecting the How and the Now for your team The difference between confidence vs arrogance Bankruptcy as the ultimate sales slump What to do to avoid bankruptcy Understanding Step costs vs variable costs Is the VP of Sales and CRO role going extinct The mindset of cold calls and doing a 500 lb deadlift is the same [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e27-your-750000-mba-with-ken-lundin?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E28 - Intentional Connection with Brian Sexton](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e28-intentional-connection-with-brian-sexton/) **Published:** March 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The value of intentional and emotional connections is always more value than the quantity of your connections. Brian believes and coaches to this specifically and shares some great insights. As well as some awesome conversations around professional sports. People buy a connection before the make a transaction Even if you’ve never had something bad happen, don’t worry your time is coming Life experiences are commonality You’re gonna get taken deep, even at your best. What does field reimbursement manager really mean Why professional sales teams suck at ticket sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e28-intentional-connection-with-brian-sexton?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E33 - Selling is about making a positive impact with Tony Hughes](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e33-selling-is-about-making-a-positive-impact-with-tony-hughes/) **Published:** March 29, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The problem behind sales success is a sales management Most sellers do enough to not feel guilty, not be successful Sales is meant to be a profession, act accordingly The problem with the sales stack The biggest constraint in sales is lack of time, not lack of market. More reps does not equal more revenue. The mistakes I made as a sales leader Stop holding onto the wrong people for too long Find the driver personality You’re never gonna make a turkey an eagle Take the people who are good become great. Lift the middle don’t try to resurrect the bottom Whoever wins the emotional conversation wins the deal How to make the excuse the reason. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e33-selling-is-about-making-a-positive-impact-with-tony-hughes?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E32 - Black, SaaS, and Kicking Ass with Marcus Knight](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e32-black-saas-and-kicking-ass-with-marcus-knight/) **Published:** March 29, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Marcus always knew he wanted to be in business. Even when he didn’t have people “who look like him” in his vision that much. He shares great insight and advice to what it means about being a POC in [SaaS and Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e187-selling-the-win-and-selling-the-hope-with-andrew-sidney-of-the-detroit-tigers/) world including [How leadership can help](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e9-recruiting-advice-for-leadership-and-candidates-with-carolyn-betts/) before, during and after tragic situations. The love-hate of $0-$35m Discussing black [SaaS leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e40-an-insubordinate-al-bundy-with-unique-ability-with-tenbound-ceo-david-dulany/) Deciding between equity and salary What it means to go from assimilation to authentication How I scaled myself as a [solo-preneur](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e132-the-3-pillars-of-success-in-sales-with-karen-dunne-esquire-from-elation-sales/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e32-black-saas-and-kicking-ass-with-marcus-knight?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E153 - How do I vette, interview and hire a good Sales Engineer with James Kaikis](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e153-how-do-i-vette-interview-and-hire-a-good-sales-engineer-with-james-kaikis/) **Published:** September 28, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** James literally forced his way onto the podcast to have this conversation, and it was absolutely worth it in our opinion. Listen in and hear us discuss: How to measure the value of an [Sales Engineer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e134-the-ultimate-definition-of-a-bad-sales-pitch-so-what-with-jacquelyn-nicholson/) What does Pre-Sales and Sales Engineering means When is right to bring in a Pre-Sales SE to the organization Your Pre-Sales team IS NOT a sunk cost The tactics a Sales Engineer The difference between a Sales demo and a Sales Engineering demo The healthy friction of SEs in the sales process What skills do SEs need to present and Sales Leaders need to understand about each other. How to know if you should be an SE [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e153-how-do-i-vette-interview-and-hire-a-good-sales-engineer-with-james-kaikis?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E141 - Stop saying the right things to the wrong person with Ryan Staley of Whale Boss](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e141-stop-saying-the-right-things-to-the-wrong-person-with-ryan-staley-of-whale-boss/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ryan has spent his career learning the right approach to building and executing [enterprise sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e13-what-it-felt-like-to-close-his-first-7-figure-deal-with-vp-of-enterprise-sales-at-next-call-jeff-kirchick/). Join us in this episode as we discuss the following: The definition of [grit in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e129-the-victim-mentality-vs-warrior-mentality-with-glenn-ladd/). Solving the revenue by focusing on system execution and process How to cross pollinate in the deal cycle with Enterprise sales Working through the legal redlining in the deal cycle Managing the sabatiour of your deal? How do you structure comp on 7 and 8 figure deals. What it takes to keep someone engaged in training. Building the ramp of year long sales cycle [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e141-stop-saying-the-right-things-to-the-wrong-person-with-ryan-staley-of-whale-boss?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E40 - An insubordinate Al Bundy with unique ability with Tenbound CEO David Dulany](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e40-an-insubordinate-al-bundy-with-unique-ability-with-tenbound-ceo-david-dulany/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Fired from his first sales job selling shoes for insubordination, David has weaved himself into the very fabric of SaaS sales and founded one of the most influential sales conferences dedicated to Sales Development. In this episode with David, we cover a lot of ground and it’s full of hilarious anecdotes and stories from how exactly he got fired as a shoe salesman to why he isn’t “very good at working with Methheads.” Looking for substance instead of humor? Don’t worry. In this episode you will learn from David: 1\. What is the pipeline to target ratio he believes [SDR teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e128-good-intentions-are-not-enough-to-make-a-difference-with-sam-nelson-of-oureach.io/) should aim for. 2\. What ACV is required for SDR teams to become essential to a sales orgs success. 3\. Why doubling down on what you’re good at is step one to proper delegation. 4\. A new phrase – “Uniqueability” – what it is and how to reveal it. 5\. Why he started the Tenbound conference despite being advised not to. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e40-an-insubordinate-al-bundy-with-uniqueability-with-tenbound-ceo-david-dulaney?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E164 - Why pitching in your LinkedIn invitation is ok with The Outbound Sales Martin MacArthur](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e164-why-pitching-in-your-linkedin-invitation-is-ok-with-the-outbound-sales-martin-macarthur/) **Published:** November 2, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to connect your LinkedIn message to your next phone call. How to properly prepare for [outbound sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e125-why-your-variable-compensation-plan-is-all-wrong-with-todd-caponi/) calls How I learned from my own mistakes What are sales organizations doing wrong to make turnover so bad How I’ve made my blindness my superpower in sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e164-why-pitching-in-your-linkedin-invitation-is-ok-with-the-outbound-sales-martin-macarthur?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E65 - Taking advantage of a forced actualization with Pete Kazanjy of Atrium and Modern Sales Pros](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e65-taking-advantage-of-a-forced-actualization-with-pete-kazanjy-of-atrium-and-modern-sales-pros/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** To say Pete loves to geek out on sales and data is an understatement. There’s a fire that isn’t just in his belly but all the way in his soul. He cares deeply and passionately about his endeavors and he shares that passion with us during this episode. Hear Pete’s perspectives on: How the buyer journey will shift based on a [global pandemic](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e123-are-you-smarter-at-sales-than-a-6th-grader-with-riley-h/) Why your calendar is your destiny Investors are just fancy pants outside reps Hiring and training in a [remote world](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e14-want-recognition-do-something-first.david-cancel-founder-of-drift/) The future distributed sales function Virtualizing Communications Enabling reps through Product Marketing Going from Growth Mindset to Survival Mode [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e65-taking-advantage-of-a-forced-actualization-with-pete-kazanjy-at-atrium-and-modern-sales-pros?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E83 - Resilience in sales through mental health with Jeff Riseley of The Sales Health Alliance](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e83-resilience-in-sales-through-mental-health-with-jeff-riseley-of-the-sales-health-alliance/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jeff has been through the ups and downs of sales so much that it gave him panic attacks. He realized that sales was crushing him more than he was crushing the number. Join us as he shares his thoughts on the mental wellbeing in work and [sales in a post-Covid](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e11-sales-moving-forward-into-2021-2022-with-keri-brooke-rvp-marketing-salescloud-salesforce/) era and beyond. The top rep on paper, and panic attacks and downward spirals How to cultivate a [sales environment](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e137-why-i-spoke-out-in-this-time-about-misogyny-in-sales-with-rachel-mae/) respecting mental health and metrics Stop basing sales success on outcome-based only Focus on Growth, Learning, and Effort What should reps be measured on instead of outputs Treating your teams like corporate athletes, not just a number of leading and lagging indicators Redefining micromanagement in a healthy way. Understanding burnout Using stress and anxiety to your advantage [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e83-resilience-in-sales-through-mental-health-with-jeff-riseley-of-the-sales-health-alliance?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E10 – what bugs you the most? with Kevin Donville](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e10-as-a-buyer-what-bugs-you-the-most-with-kevin-donville/) **Published:** February 1, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kevin brings an amazing background not only based on high quality sales experience, but also as a professionally trained magician. Listen as he shares: What does field enablement even mean? When you shouldn’t use your tool in the sales cycle Will we ever go back to “field sales”? Why you should bring a magician to your sales call Managing the sales cycle not bully the sales cycle Determining your 2021 [sales messaging](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e124-my-hell-yes-or-heck-no.with-liz-wending/) [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e10-as-a-buyer-what-bugs-you-the-most-with-kevin-donville?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E109 - How Sales is the most democratic career with Former VP Sales Eventbrite Chloe Stewart](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e109-how-sales-is-the-most-democratic-career-with-former-vp-sales-eventbrite-chloe-stewart/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Managing global time zones in a world wide sales organization What it means to have a Center of Excellence in sales Why the VP of Sales role can be very lonely Forced into a career sales because of the [Great Recession](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e140-the-hidden-talk-track-of-top-performers-with-lisa-mccleod/) The advice to give someone looking for a job during a pandemic The core challenge to promoting diversity in an organization [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e109-how-sales-is-the-most-democratic-career-with-former-vp-sales-eventbrite?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E134 - The ultimate definition of a bad sales pitch, "So What?" with Jacquelyn Nicholson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e134-the-ultimate-definition-of-a-bad-sales-pitch-so-what-with-jacquelyn-nicholson/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** - Jacquelyn sold the internet, literally, back in 1995. She’s got so much perspective on sales, culture, [sales engineering](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e153-how-do-i-vette-interview-and-hire-a-good-sales-engineer-with-james-kaikis/), success, and being a woman in a male-dominated industry. - I swore I would never sell the way I was sold to - The difference in sales and sales engineering - Transparency wins the day in sales - When do you really need a sales engineer - How do you know you are in a toxic environment? - The definition of culture is not whether you like people but what it takes to get things done - If you don’t expect them to show up at your funeral, then give them the appropriate amount of attention. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e133-understanding-scale-with-paul-salamanca-with-security-scorecard?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E22 - Sales Development at a Global Level with Julie Mann of Optimizely](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e22-sales-development-at-a-global-level-with-julie-mann-of-optimizely/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Julie Mann, the Sr. Director of Global [Sales Development](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e152-the-sdr-role-is-not-transactional-with-evan-carlton-director-of-development-and-founder-the-sales-development-coach/) has been steadily working her way through sales even though she swore she would never be a salesperson, EVER! The content in this is so tactical it should be copyrighted and trademarked! Join us in this eye-opening and fun conversation as we talk about the following: 1\. How to be relevant in a remote office 2\. How to train a globally dispersed sales team 3\. What to look for in talent 4\. What to look for promoting sales reps into management roles 5\. Gender disparity [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e22-sales-development-at-a-global-level-with-julie-mann-of-optimizely?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E55 - What with it means to be the first sales rep at a start-up with Nick Casale Director of Sales at Sendoso](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e55-what-with-it-means-to-be-the-first-sales-rep-at-a-start-up-with-nick-casale-director-of-sales-at-sendoso/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nick Casale really enjoys being an entrepreneur. So much so, he gambled on himself and trusted the founders to be the first sales rep at a startup. Now he’s running the team and working through managing a team from home transition. Nick shares all kinds of fun learnings and stories including: The wrong way to adjust to Work From Home How to make a daily Stand Up work when Work From Home What to look for in a founder if you want to be the first sales rep at a start-up How to measure attitude and aptitude in hiring Positivity can be a force multiplier [Best advice](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e145-2020-the-year-of-doing-all-the-things-i-dont-want-to-do-with-ashleigh-early/) to follow if you want to be the first sales rep at a start-up What to look for when deciding if you want Adjusting from big energy to work from home? What it means to be the first sales rep at a start-up Hacking your first sales team Learning to manage a sales team [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e55-what-with-it-means-to-be-the-first-sales-rep-at-a-start-up-with-nick-casale-director-of-sales-at-sendoso?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How to Help Predict Burnout and Hopefully Avoid It](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-help-predict-burnout-and-hopefully-avoid-it/) **Published:** March 9, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** My newest favorite book on [sales and leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e139-the-definitive-guide-to-sales-leadership-with-david-weiss-of-outreach.io/) is [“The Score Takes Care of Itself” by Bill Walsh](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002G54Y04/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1). So much practical advice and fun stories. One of my favorite parts was when he addressed burning out. What it meant for him to burn out. What it meant for his friends who were also NFL coaches who felt burned out. He really helped to “define the grind” better than anything else I’ve ever read. **Your Broken Internal Scoreboard** - Negative points (-1, -3, -7) for any loss. - Zero points for a win. Zero, nada, zippo. Clearly this means you will never reach any level of positivity, EVER. And over time this is what can contribute heavily to burnout. Remember, even the greatest can burnout. Michael Jordan, perhaps? He needed to step away and find a new challenge and reset his mind. Then he came back, full throttle. So often when we watch our heroes we often hear them talk about their mistakes. Yes, we should own up to our mistakes and hold ourselves accountable. I can assure you though, even the person who loses the game takes this informations, reviews it, and looks for ways to improve. Even during that, they look at the things they did right to reinforce the right behaviors too. For us, this is what we mean by “cutting ourselves some slack”, “stop being so hard on yourself”, or the ultimate one, “we judge ourselves harder than others judge us.” So whether you are an SDR, Inside Sales Rep, Account Manager or in Customer Success, accept yourself. All of you. All your good. All your bad. All your strengths, and all your flaws. Judgment is just a thing, by definition, it does not mean negative. We can judge ourselves positively as equally as we do negatively. --- *Let’s avoid burnout together. If you want to chat about your goals and how you can avoid burnout in pursuit of those goals, schedule a time to talk [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/).* **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E74 - Can you teach salespeople to be organized with SVP Sales of Kevin Gaither of Zip Recruiter](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e74-can-you-teach-salespeople-to-be-organized-with-svp-sales-of-kevin-gaither-of-zip-recruiter/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** 1. People with charts that go up and to the right get promoted 2. Best questions to a candidate in an interview 3. The best question to ask your rep is “What did you do next?” 4. Can you teach salespeople to be organized? 5. Defining Drive for the reps you seek 6. Need for achievement 7. Competitiveness 8. Optimism 9. Organized, Coachable 10. Difference between High Velocity vs. [Transactional Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1-e138-selling-the-outcomes-with-jake-dunlap-of-skaled/) 11. The key to leadership is resisting the urge to be the bottleneck [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e73-can-you-teach-salespeople-to-be-organized-with-svp-sales-of-kevin-gaither-of-zip-recruiter?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E12 – Defining Sales Ops, Rev Ops with Patricia McLaren](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e12-defining-sales-ops-rev-ops-sales-enablement-with-patricia-mclaren-of-revshoppe/) **Published:** February 1, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Patricia founded her company while on vacation. She shares that story and so much more. The satisfaction of helping others. Which comes first Sales Ops, Rev Ops, [Sales Enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e165-being-obsessed-with-the-outcome-with-ceo-james-mackey-secure-vision/) The subject line of the email best practices What personality traits make a good SDR What personality traits make a good SDR Leader What a [good hiring process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e106-understanding-the-miss-fits-in-sales-with-larry-long-jr/) looks like Being in business with your partner [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e12-defining-sales-ops-rev-ops-sales-enablement-with-patricia-mclaren-of-revshoppe?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E45 - Demand Gen for Sales People with Gaetano DiNardi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e45-demand-gen-for-sales-people-with-gaetano-dinardi/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Demand Generation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e193-your-customer-journey-is-just-a-series-of-moments-with-nina-butler-of-alyce/) is one of those words that sales and marketing love to use but often don’t really understand. Gaetano takes time away from working on his tan in Miami and joins us in the surf and sales studio and breaks it all down for us. He also gives us amazing feedback of what it means to be a remote leader and how to communicate effectively with remote employees In this episode you will hear about: - Conversion [Rate Optimization](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e32-perfecting-salesmarketing-relationship-w-cmo-sydney-sloan-of-salesloft/) - How [outbound sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e164-why-pitching-in-your-linkedin-invitation-is-ok-with-the-outbound-sales-martin-macarthur/) and demand generation can work together - Perfecting the feedback loop in a remote working environment - The value of over-communicating in written form [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e45-demand-gen-for-sales-people-with-gaetano-dinardi?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E72 - Social Capital in an appropriate way with Matt Cameron of SasSy Sales Management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e72-social-capital-in-an-appropriate-way-with-matt-cameron-of-sassy-sales-management/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Matt is one of the smartest people we know in the sales world. He brings his amazing knowledge to the episode and drops all kinds of wisdom! Check out his thoughts around: The [player-coach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e160-why-i-love-the-player-coach-model-with-vp-of-sales-amanda-volz-at-born-goup/) role The Value of Whimsy Fighting the laziness that can overtake a salesperson Doing The Right Thing is Always the Right Thing How I lost $80,000 at 25 My missed opportunity to create the cloud Why salespeople are so paranoid Combining Trust and Expertise in your sales approach The difference of being trustworthy vs. trusted. Understand your customers’ customer Adjusting from in-person to online conversations Puppy Robot and other tools to improve your online engagement [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-ss1e72-social-capital-in-an-appropriate-way-with-matt-cameron-of-sassy-sales-management?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E182 - The power of winning through a team with Mario Martinez of Vengresso](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e182-the-power-of-winning-through-a-team-with-mario-martinez-of-vengresso/) **Published:** December 1, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Understanding A-Syncrhonus digital communications What are the right digital communications? Getting the process out of your head onto paper. How long it take your [sales career](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e159-understanding-the-difference-between-a-sponsor-and-a-mentor-with-christine-rogers-of-aspireship/) to obtain a true enterprise sales role How to do enterprise selling to the Fortune companies The skills you need to move into Fortune enterprise sales Selling internally at your org is just as important as selling externally to your prospect. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e182-the-power-of-winning-through-a-team-with-mario-martinez-of-vengresso?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E9 - Lead smarter with Prateek Mathur](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e9-lead-smarter-with-prateek-mathur/) **Published:** February 1, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What reps who want management should do. What should [managers who want to be directors](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e166-determination-to-twist-the-tools-with-ernest-owusu-of-6sense/) be doing. Managing people is different What it means internally to decide when to explore management [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e9-lead-smarter-with-prateek-mathur?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E80 - How and where does Revenue Ops sit in the organization with Kyle Coleman VP Revenue Growth and Enablement at Clari](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e80-how-and-where-does-revenue-ops-sit-in-the-organization-with-kyle-coleman-vp-revenue-growth-and-enablement-at-clari/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Kyle was the middle child and this made him perfect for leadership. Combine that life experience with a degree in psychology and you have the perfect mix for someone to lead a [Revenue Operations team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e178-the-dna-to-entrepreneurship-kyle-york/) How not to create silos Where does the revenue department sit? Defining [Success for Marketing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e19-an-introduction-to-brand-archetypes-and-video-w-ryan-ohara/) The value of a psychology background in business Developing a fluid language between sales and marketing Should you use emojis in your LinkedIn posts? What does good career pathing look like for SDRs [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e80-how-and-where-does-revenue-ops-sit-in-the-organization-with-kyle-coleman-vp-revenue-growth-and-enablement-at-clari?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E165 - Being obsessed with the outcome with CEO James Mackey Secure Vision](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e165-being-obsessed-with-the-outcome-with-ceo-james-mackey-secure-vision/) **Published:** November 2, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Recruiting Ops, the overlooked part of your hiring process Determining what the right team looks like in your organization Knowing your point of impact in hiring for sales people How to define culture in your [sales organization](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e173-with-brian-trautschold-co-founder-ambition/) Can you teach someone to make decisions faster. Where is the thing that can kill the deal. If you don’t know it means you don’t know, not that it’s not there. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e165-being-obsessed-with-the-outcome-with-ceo-james-mackey-secure-vision?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E179 - Everything you wanted to know about selling into Europe with Thibaut Souryis of SalesLabs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e179-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-selling-into-europe-with-thibaut-souryis-of-saleslabs/) **Published:** November 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** From QA Analyst to Sales How knowing another language [helps in business](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e179-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-selling-into-europe-with-thibaut-souryis-of-saleslabs/). How to sell into Germany from the US [How to sell](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-e1e48-surfand-sales-wives-edition/) into France from the US Why the [sales cycle](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e99-the-origin-of-the-surf-sales-partnership-plus-breaking-the-salesperson-stigma-with-travis-king-and-kevin-mulrane/) takes longer in Europe How to drive urgency in Europe deals [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e179-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-selling-into-europe-with-thibaut-souryis-of-saleslabs?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E31 - Weathering the Perfect Storm with Mike Hook, VP of Sales, ChildcareCRM](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e31-weathering-the-perfect-storm-with-mike-hook-vp-of-sales-childcarecrm/) **Published:** March 29, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We get tactical on this episode with Mike Hook, [VP of Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e185-balancing-a-long-term-strategy-with-customer-requests-with-adam-schoenfeld-of-drift/), ChildcareCRM. We discuss all things from onboarding to prospecting pains as well as how he weathered the storm of coming in to a new company, a new role, COVID and going remote all at once, as well as: How they got creative on churn during COVID How he feels about the infamous “breakup email” His strategy on re-engaging clients that ghost you The most important (and least talked about) aspect of onboarding success What he wishes he knew a year ago Leaning in to say no to people sooner [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e31-weathering-the-perfect-storm-with-mike-hook-vp-of-sales-childcarecrm?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E189 - What real enterprise sales are like with Tony Marshall of Contentsquare](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e189-what-real-enterprise-sales-are-like-with-tony-marshall-of-contentsquare/) **Published:** December 21, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What does fair compensation look like in enterprise sales? How do you get comfortable asking for 6-figure and then 7-figure deals? Why I chose to commit to Ultra Marathons What it means to not rely on SDRs What makes it advantageous to not hire folks who are “willing” to do their own prospecting. How do you interview your transactional role into an [enterprise sales role](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e182-the-power-of-winning-through-a-team-with-mario-martinez-of-vengresso/) What is your strategy going through procurement Understanding what it means to move into Latin America [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e189-what-real-enterprise-sales-are-like-with-tony-marshall-of-contentsquare?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E183 - From curiosity to accountability in growth with Hugo Robinson of Weploy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e183-from-curiosity-to-accountability-in-growth-with-hugo-robinson-of-weploy/) **Published:** December 1, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Learning how to be curious in a [leadership role](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e183-from-curiosity-to-accountability-in-growth-with-hugo-robinson-of-weploy/) How to figure out where to begin on your own knowledge gaps The incongruence between what you think you know, what you really know, what you prospects think they know, and what they really know. Which means you and your product or service is really much lower someone’s priority list than you may think. What you need to understand about selling into Australia / New Zealand What makes the process matter more than the tech. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e183-from-curiosity-to-accountability-in-growth-with-hugo-robinson-of-weploy?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Cannot preach accountability without discussing awareness](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/one-cannot-preach-accountability-without-first-discussing-awareness/) **Published:** October 30, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** One cannot coach the concept of accountability without first speaking to awareness. Awareness of yourself as an individual first. Understanding you are not your thoughts, you are not your feelings, you are not your emotions. You are just you. Only then can you speak as a leader to help others become self-aware. Helping them to understand they are not their thoughts, they are not their feelings or emotions. They are just themselves. Once you can understand the [concept of awareness](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e114-how-to-be-in-the-moment-when-we-need-to-be-jason-gant/), you don’t even have to agree with this definition, just understand we must be aware. Then you can start to teach accountability. At best you can encourage people to be more accountable based on their own awareness. You cannot force awareness or accountability, you can only encourage it. It’s up to each individual to decide how to interpret this. \#sales #coaching #management #leadership **Categories:** Blog, Sales Training **Tags:** sales leadership, sales manager, sales training --- ### [S2E14 – Want recognition? Do something first.. David Cancel](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e14-want-recognition-do-something-first.david-cancel-founder-of-drift/) **Published:** February 8, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** When data is a rearview mirror What it means to truly be “customer-oriented” How to recognize when the ego takes over. Building culture, through a-synchronous [communications in a remote](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e118-from-teen-mom-to-sdrdefender-with-nikki-ivey-mtrain-and-sdr-defenders/) world. Going remote for good. Being a role model as an organization, not just a person. I never saw anyone else who looked like me. The difference between diversity and equitable Culture – the sum of the people at that time in the group Values – Actions promote and applaud and won’t tolerate. The minute you are not willing to live the value your culture Ritual – It’s not about the meeting. Its about the support and collaboration because of those meetings. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e14-want-recognition-do-something-first-david-cancel-founder-of-drift?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E97 Healthy Headspace Selling with Alex Smith of Headspace](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e97-healthy-headspace-selling-with-alex-smith-of-headspace/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alex Smith is a true advocate of healthy work environments, and proper work life integration. She walks the walk – working for both Headspace and UnCrushed to encourage conversations around mental health and sales. She is also a powerhouse [sales leader](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e116-understanding-social-reciprocity-with-ethan-beute-chief-evangelist-at-bombbomb/), super positive and full of killer insights into the world of sales. In this episode you will hear her talk about: - Free offers from Headspace - How being a performer \[singer/theatre\] prepared her for a life in sales - Why [stubbornness](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e15-battling-the-challenge-of-not-focusing-on-whats-easiest-with-elizabeth-niemczyk-of-extend/) might be a key to getting a sales hire right - Selling something you believe in increases your tolerance for work B.S. - How to sell into HR departments - Empathy is hard to learn if all you are is tactical [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e92-healthy-headspace-healthy-sales?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E5 - Why it's hard to scale an SDR and AE delineated team with Brendan Cassidy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e5-why-its-hard-to-scale-an-sdr-and-ae-delineated-team-with-brendan-cassidy/) **Published:** January 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Brendan has accomplished and done a ton throughout his tenure in the business world Understanding aspiration vs. work ethic Brute force [SDR selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e112-alway-s-ask-for-what-you-want-with-evp-of-global-marketing-allison-macleod-of-flywire/) won’t work well enough Not leveraging the intellectual capital of sales motions between companies Processitizing the private referral network at scale. Why a CEO empowering the VP of Sales at a [startup is a must-have](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e107-understanding-field-sales-with-brian-potter-sapconcur/). What you need to know about going into a board meeting as a VP of Sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e5-why-its-hard-to-scale-an-sdr-and-ae-delineated-team-with-brendan-cassidy?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E21 - The Motorcycle Queen of Sales Acronyms with Cherilynn Castleman](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e21-the-motorcycle-queen-of-sales-acronyms-with-cherilynn-castleman/) **Published:** March 8, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** From the [moment the conversations starts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e110-how-to-leverage-your-own-impatience-in-a-sales-role-with-sr.biz-dev-mgr-josh-roth-of-walkme/) with Cherilynn, you know it’s going to be great. Cherilynn has spent years in sales and is a black woman and shares what it takes to help people of color and leadership embrace change in a healthy way. How to have a [SAFE conversations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-resilient-and-empathetic-sales-person/) The difference between challenging people vs criticizing them Collaboration, Analytical, Relationships, Development, Strategic When you start a sentence with the word “I” you are not being empathetic First, Finest, Future, and Failure Leadership means silence is not an option and you must make a stand Be intentional with your hiring [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e21-the-motorcycle-queen-of-sales-acronyms-with-cherilynn-castleman?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E120 - The two best LinkedIn Strategies you've never heard about with Chris Walker CEO & Founder of RefineLabs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e120-the-two-best-linkedin-strategies-youve-never-heard-about-with-chris-walker-ceo-founder-of-refinelabs/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Chris Walker is a growth marketer, but don’t let that fool you. He is all about driving revenue and creating new and [unique strategies](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e111-getting-hired-the-unconventional-strategies-work-austin-belcak/). He shares a ton of insights in this episode including: Is marketing getting better at selling or is [sales getting better](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e22-the-right-hand-of-the-cro-with-jeremy-donovan-svp-sales-strategy-salesloft/) at marketing? The intuition behind being great at demand gen Best tip for salespeople in sales to learn and use for demand gen and branding Staying focused on the long game My scariest moments as an entrepreneur You need to understand common sense, not just attribution Understanding the value of video [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e120-the-two-best-linkedin-strategies-youve-never-heard-about-with-chris-walker-ceo-founder-of-refinelabs?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E152 - The SDR role is not transactional with Evan Carlton Director of Development and Founder The Sales Development Coach](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e152-the-sdr-role-is-not-transactional-with-evan-carlton-director-of-development-and-founder-the-sales-development-coach/) **Published:** September 28, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Evan is a Sales Development savant. His experience and expertise on leveraging the [sales development](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e22-sales-development-at-a-global-level-with-julie-mann-of-optimizely/) community is second to none. Join us as we discuss: [Leveraging Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e109-how-sales-is-the-most-democratic-career-with-former-vp-sales-eventbrite-chloe-stewart/) Development from an expansion effort How AEs can leverage SDR for Airsupport on long sales cycles The lack of alignment between SDR and Senior Management The proper data to use in comp plans for SDR The glass ceiling of SDR leadership [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e152-the-sdr-role-is-not-transactional-with-evan-carlton-director-of-development-and-founder-the-sales-development-coach?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E19 - Building a Community of Black Sales Professionals with Jacob Gebrewold](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e19-building-a-community-of-black-sales-professionals-with-jacob-gebrewold/) **Published:** February 26, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Join us as Jacob shares the need, ideation, and execution of building a community for black sales professionals. From creating a list, building a social community and measuring success. 1. What it takes to [build a community](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e103-the-top-performer-you-have-to-terminate-on-your-sales-team.ceo-kate-lewis-of-e4enable/) 2. How to define “value” in your community 3. How to help your community evolve your value 4. Finding a manager that will help you learn your craft 5. Nobody wants to be the token hire 6. Creating [Sales For The Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/building-a-sales-culture-takes-guts/) 7. The challenges won’t be solved by a list 8. Attracting black people to the sales profession [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e20-building-a-community-of-black-sales-professionals-with-jacob-gebrewold?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Building A Sales Culture Takes Guts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/building-a-sales-culture-takes-guts/) **Published:** October 21, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Building any culture for that matter. I had the fortunate experience of attending [**Gong.io**](https://tracking.cirrusinsight.com/d771f8dc-5d55-48fd-bd83-5d2fccf9eefb/linkedin-com-company-gong-io)‘s Celebrate summit a few weeks ago. Lots of great content but the thing that stuck out out to me the most was the interview between [**Amit Bendov**](https://tracking.cirrusinsight.com/d771f8dc-5d55-48fd-bd83-5d2fccf9eefb/linkedin-com-in-acoaaaamxykblgqtvqu0mczbmyvt2cwfbvsn-2q) and Headcoach of the Golden State Warriors, Steve Kerr. Amit asked about building a culture and Coach Kerr shared a story of where and how he started when he first took over as head coach in 2014. He explained that he asked and went to watch the Seattle Seahawks training camp and spend time with Pete Carroll their head coach. At one point Coach Carroll asked Steve to come into his office, and he asked Steve, “How are you going to run your team?” Coach Kerr asked, “Do you mean, what kind of offense?” And Coach Carroll, explained, “Not that, but how will you build your [culture to run your team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e89-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-sales-with-sara-levinson/)?” Steve then spent some time thinking through this and came up with 4 pillars for which to build the culture for the Warriors. **Pillar 1: Joy** Coach Kerr wants the team to have fun. Whether it’s music in the locker room, humor, and even letting the team coach themselves throughout the season. **Pillar 2: Competition** It’s professional basketball, come on! Apparently all the skills and drills they run during practice also include some tracking of metrics and competition between the players. Given his resume in basketball, and in particular, playing with what he calls the most competitive person he ever met/played with, Michael Jordan, that seems appropriate. **Pillar 3: Compassion** While these are grown men playing a game, one must still have compassion for them. Also, he wants to pursue compassion in the community, not just the locker room. **Pillar 4: Mindfulness** This is definitely a piece of what he learned under Phil Jackson and the Bulls. He spoke specifically about the meditation. All the Bulls, MJ included, who would spend time meditating, learning to breathe, and learning to create white space moments in thought where you learn to think about nothing. Through this, it allows you to better focus on things when you are thinking. All of this is critical in building culture, in particular, a #[sales culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e19-building-a-community-of-black-sales-professionals-with-jacob-gebrewold/). **What is the mentality of your culture?** **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [S1E198 – The 5 KPIs VCs look at when to invest with Ray Rike](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e198-the-5-kpis-vcs-look-at-when-choosing-to-invest-with-ray-rike-of-revopssquared/) **Published:** December 29, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The data behind encouraging sales, marketing, and customer success alignment 1. Rule 40 2. CAC – Payback period and ratio 3. Retention 4. Gross Margin 5. CLTV vs CAC What is the Magic Number when you are a start-up? Who owns the [CRO role](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e187-building-an-environment-to-help-people-succeed-with-ryan-walsh-of-repvue/), VPSales, CMO, CSO [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e198-the-5-kpis-vcs-look-at-when-choosing-to-invest-with-ray-rike-of-revopssquared?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E187 - Building an environment to help people succeed with Ryan Walsh of RepVue](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e187-building-an-environment-to-help-people-succeed-with-ryan-walsh-of-repvue/) **Published:** December 14, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Just get on the rocketship and hold on The values of leadership that drive loyalty Accountability has nothing to do with hitting the number What’s wrong with the interview process for sales What [self-awareness](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e190-whats-it-like-being-in-sales-in-new-zealandwith-mike-stokes-of-indicator/) a salesperson should have before taking a role Defining the CRO role How to last longer than the average 18 months as a sales leader How to leave properly after 18 months [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e187-building-an-environment-to-help-people-succeed-with-ryan-walsh-of-repvue?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E191 - How much is too much automation in emails with Will Allred of TryLavendar](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e191-how-much-is-too-much-automation-in-emailswith-will-allred-of-trylavendar/) **Published:** December 21, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Selling the vision over the minutiae as a technical founder Too many easy buttons is not the same as coaching and feedback Can perfection hurt [personalization](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e191-how-much-is-too-much-automation-in-emailswith-will-allred-of-trylavendar/) Understanding fair between founders and VCs [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e191-how-much-is-too-much-automation-in-emailswith-will-allred-of-trylavendar?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E176 - What's broken in your CRM with Sara Beam of Virago Ventures](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e176-whats-broken-in-your-crm-with-sara-beam-of-virago-ventures/) **Published:** November 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to avoid field creep in your CRM What you don’t realize you are doing wrong in CRM How to choose the right CRM for your organization What owners need to understand about [onboarding](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e197-ramping-on-a-complex-product-with-amanda-fisher-of-aircall/) themselves into a CRM [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e176-whats-broken-in-your-crm-with-sara-beam-of-virago-ventures?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E155 - Affecting diversity within the organization with Tiffany Muckleroy at Centre Technologies](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e155-affecting-diversity-within-the-organization-with-tiffany-muckleroy-at-centre-technologies/) **Published:** October 5, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Tiffany has an amazing story about going from teaching to sales. She explains the relevance of teaching in sales. She also shares what [channel sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e199-understanding-channel-sales-with-ed-porter/) really means. Understanding what its like to be a channel rep Transitioning from teaching to sales What good sales training has in common with teaching. Balancing parenting The internal and external challenges of being a black woman in tech sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e155-affecting-diversity-within-the-organization-withtiffany-muckleroy-at-centre-technologies?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E175 - The greatest skill you will ever have is being your own advocate, ALWAYS! With Gabrielle Blackwell of Gong](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e175-the-greatest-skill-you-will-ever-have-is-being-your-own-advocate-always-with-gabrielle-blackwell-of-gong/) **Published:** November 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The human story of success in business. Understanding the right amount of micro-community engagement. What makes a high performing SDR team Making sure you don’t let one person own the air space in the team Managing BDRs in a remote environment Focusing on awareness and maturity impacting others in conversations with your team. What is the benefit to moderate a [micro-community](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e3-when-and-how-you-monetize-your-community-with-mark-birch/) channel? How many micro-communities can you effectively be a part of? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e175-the-greatest-skill-you-will-ever-have-is-being-your-own-advocate-always-with-gabrielle-blackwell-of-gong?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E112 - Alway s ask for what you want with EVP of Global Marketing Allison MacLeod of Flywire](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e112-alway-s-ask-for-what-you-want-with-evp-of-global-marketing-allison-macleod-of-flywire/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Allison is a Global Marketing Leader, wife, and mom of 3 boys. She shares her wisdom on making it all work. And she’s also a big advocate of [sales and marketing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e2-behind-the-s.a.d.n.e.s.s.scene-corporate-bro-aka-ross-pomerantz/) working well together. What’s your bumper sticker for your career? How marketing can help sales reps with individualized demand gen Leveraging your customers during a downturn to help them which helps you. What happens when your SDR team is not You can’t go global if you don’t trust your team. Should sales people become demand gen for themselves How to move from sales to marketing in my career [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e112-alway-s-ask-for-what-you-want-with-evp-of-global-marketing-allison-macleod-of-flywire?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E69 - The future of sales engagement in the SDR and AE Industrial Complex with Justin Michael](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e69-the-future-of-sales-engagement-in-the-sdr-and-ae-industrial-complex-with-justin-michael/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to use #hastags on LinkedIn, “The gift for gab” really means knowing when to shut up Why your next sales job will be related to your ability to have a social network on LinkedIn The riches are the niches How to challenge your sales rep in their space to help drive success The future of sales engagement in the [SDR and AE](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e5-why-its-hard-to-scale-an-sdr-and-ae-delineated-team-with-brendan-cassidy/) Industrial Complex Getting things done is more important than rainbow strategies [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e69-the-future-of-sales-engagement-in-the-sdr-and-ae-industrial-complex-with-justin-michael-need-audio?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [9 Steps To Hack Your Interview Process & Score More Job](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/9-steps-to-hack-your-interview-process-score-more-job-offers/) **Published:** June 5, 2017 **Author:** Josh **Content:** My wife thinks I’m crazy for saying this, but I love the sales job [interview process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e82-building-world-class-sales-organizations-with-steven-norman/). And no, I don’t mean interviewing candidates, I mean interviewing *as a candidate*. I love it so much that a close friend, [Scott Leese](http://linkedin.com/in/scottleese), SVP of Sales at Qualia Labs, and I often joke about how if we could make money just by landing job interviews, we would do it full time. Landing, and of course, nailing job interviews is an invaluable life skill, and if you’ve ever had to wade through the job market, you probably know that your single greatest point of leverage is securing multiple job offers simultaneously. This puts pressure on employers to take you more seriously and make hiring decisions more swiftly. Therefore, the purpose of this post is not only to help score a job, but to help you score more job offers. *Note: While this guide is written from the sales perspective, I have given this advice to many friends in other industries, all of whom say it works flawlessly.* The following guide is structured with a sales funnel in mind. A sales funnel is the process which customers journey through before making a purchase. When you’re searching for a new gig, you must journey through a similar funnel, one which leads you from job posting to job offer. ## **Step 1: Update your resume** 1. Include real data. 2. Put numbers first. 1. Bad Example: 1. Achieved 105% of goal Q4 2016 2. Achieved 102% of goal CYE 2016 3. Conversion rate of 75% from qualified to closed won 2. Good Example: 1. 105% Q4 2016 2. 102% CYE 2016 3. 75% conversion rate ## **Step 2: Update your LinkedIn Profile** 1. Use professional picture (no party pics). 2. Update jobs and dates. 1. Ensure your LinkedIn timeline matches your resume timeline. 2. Ensure your LinkedIn metrics match your resume metrics. 3. Be sure to get recommendations (not endorsements) from colleagues. Nothing [demonstrates your value](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e149-how-to-identify-your-own-value-during-your-job-search-with-darien-pascuzzi/) more than testimonials from your own customers (or in this case co-workers). 4. Include your phone number in your contact info. 5. Follow Step 1 when it comes to mentioning your successes. ## **Step 3: Know your ICP (Ideal Company Profile)** 1. Establish your ideal type of organization. 1. A [Fortune 500 company](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e8-soberforce-with-marin-nelson-rvp-enterprise-at-salesforce/)? A start-up? 2. What stage? Early, expansion, growth, exit? 2. Determine what type of sales cycle you thrive under. 3. Define your ideal type of selling. 1. B2B or B2C? 4. Identify your ideal position at your targeted company. ## **Step 4: Apply to the positio**n 1. Apply using the company’s website when possible. ## **Step 5: Identify the most likely hiring manager** 1. Connect with them on LinkedIn. 2. Personalize the message using a variation of the following: - *Hi \_\_\_\_\_,* *I just applied to the open position on your website. Assuming you are the right hiring manager, what’s the best way to get 15 minutes on your calendar to discuss? If you are not the right hiring manager, can you please direct me to the correct person?* *Sincerely* *XXXX* 3. If you are unable to connect, send them an InMail with the same message: ## **Step 6: Find the company’s head of HR** 1. Connect with them on LinkedIn. 2. Personalize the message using a variation of the following: **Hi \_\_\_\_\_,** *I just applied to the open position on your website. I understand there is a process for applying, but I certainly want to do everything I can to make myself stand out from the rest of the candidates.* *What is the best way to get 15 minutes on your calendar for an initial discussion?* *Sincerely* *XXXX* ## **Step 7: PICK UP THE FRIGGIN PHONE!!!!** 1. Call the potential hiring manager and leave a similar message to the one you sent on LinkedIn. Of course, feel free to be a little more creative. *Hi \_\_\_\_\_,* *I just applied to the open position on your website. Assuming you the right hiring manager, what’s the best way to get 15 minutes on your calendar to discuss? I sent you a connection on LinkedIn as well.* *Oh, and I promise I’m not stalking you, I’m just excited about the role and don’t want to leave it all up to a single click on the “Apply” button on your website.* ## **Step 8: PICK UP THE FRIGGIN PHONE AGAIN!!!!** 1. Call the potential HR person and leave the same message. ## **Step 9: Wash, Rinse, Repeat after 48 hours** 1. Be sure to keep it creative. Don’t say you’re following up or checking in on your resume submission. Spice it up. 2. Leave the following message for both the HR person and the Hiring Manager. - *Hey, I know you’re probably busy with 10 other things on your to do list. Would you do me the courtesy of letting me know where things stand so I don’t have to keep bugging you?* *Thanks again for your time. This is \_\_\_\_\_ and I am the one who sent you emails, left voicemails, and sent a LinkedIn request regarding \_\_\_\_\_\_ position. Here’s my number \_\_\_\_\_\_\_.* ## **FAQ’s** - Why do all this? 1. To prove you are more dedicated than the other 99% of candidates. 2. Because nobody else is doing it. - In my communications, should I mention that I am also reaching out to the hiring manager or HR department? 1. No, let them do their own detective work. They can ask you about it in the interview if they want. *You* are then in the driver’s seat. 2. If they ask if you have reached out to others, then by all means answer truthfully. Keep your reply simple and brief. For example, “Yes, I have.” Elaborate further and you will be at risk of “talking past the close.” 3. Remember, a magician never tells his secrets. - What if I am not a 100% match? 1. It doesn’t matter. Apply for everything (within reason) and you may be able to network a bit, help someone else find a job, and in short, put out good karma in your job search. 2. Stop creating a false belief system! Far too often people [do not apply for a job](https://hbr.org/2014/08/why-women-dont-apply-for-jobs-unless-theyre-100-qualified) internally at a company because they don’t feel they meet the requirements. - What if the HR person and hiring manager compare notes? 1. They will agree that they appreciate the extra effort. 2. They never compare notes (really, they don’t). 3. They will think it’s overkill (and trust me you wouldn’t want to work for someone who cannot appreciate your hard work). - Who else can I contact besides HR or the Hiring Manager? 1. Someone on the Board. - Does all this really work? 1. YES (See below). - Do you prefer email or LinkedIn? 1. I prefer using all means necessary. I would even direct you to tweet them. You have absolutely nothing to lose. Here are a few LinkedIn examples that worked. ![image3](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/image3.png) ![image2](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/image2.png) ## Conclusion Whether you’re applying to be a VP of Sales for a tech start-up’s Inside Sales Team, or you’ve got your eye on a marketing manager position at a Fortune 100 company, following the above steps will guarantee you more interviews. And for those still unsure about this process, no, you’re not being annoying. There’s something called *Persistent Pestering*, and with so much competition and ever-increasing standards, the only way to distinguish yourself from the masses is to step out of your comfort zone and digitally tap on a few shoulders. **Categories:** Blog, Inside Sales **Tags:** hiring manager, inside sales, Inside Sales Team, interviews, job interviews, resume, Sales, sales leadership, sales manager, update your resume --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E61 - The most important part of the sales process, sales coaching with Dave Kennet of Replayz](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e61-the-most-important-part-of-the-sales-process-sales-coaching-with-dave-kennet-of-replayz/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Dave Kennet has been working to improve the ability of sales reps, sales leaders, and sales managers around the most important part of the [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e6-your-desire-for-knowledge-is-a-strength-not-a-weakness-with-jordana-zeldin/) coaching. In this episode we discuss: The most effective way to coach sales reps How to be strategic with coaching Maintaining optimism through a sales slump, downturn, or pandemic Coaching towards ROI and Economic Impact conversations [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e63-the-most-important-part-of-the-sales-process-sales-coaching-with-dave-kennet-of-replayz?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [The Evolution of Sales: Welcome to N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-evolution-of-sales-welcome-to-neat-selling/) **Published:** August 2, 2016 **Author:** Josh **Content:** Over the last few years, we’ve talked sales with more people than I can count, and while our conversations run the gamut of sales topics, a select few never fail to make an appearance: BANT, ANUM, and AN. For the uninitiated, - BANT is a sales qualification process based on a prospect’s Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeframe. - ANUM is a sales qualification process based on a prospect’s Authority, Need, Urgency, and Money. - AN, which was inspired by ANUM, focuses on the top of the sales funnel, where Authority and Need are discussed first. For years, salespeople have clung to one or more of these acronyms, confident in their time-tested power. But like everything else in the world, things either need to evolve or they will be left behind. BANT was created in a different era. ANUM and AN improved greatly over BANT, and now it’s time for the next phase in the evolution of sales processes and sales methodologies. Whether you are in outside sales, inside sales or beginning a career in sales as an SDR, it’s time to adapt and evolve. So without further ado, we at [The Harris Consulting Group](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) and [Sales Hacker ](https://www.saleshacker.com/)are here to say that BANT, ANUM, and AN need to move over and make room for **[N.E.A.T Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/).** ## **Linear vs. Fluid** I’ve suspected these acronyms were on their way out for some time, but my suspicions were confirmed after talking with enough people who “claim” to follow the BANT qualification process. Perhaps it’s me, but BANT and, to a certain degree, ANUM have felt linear and somewhat static. They feel like they speak to a specific part of the sales process as if it’s a finite thing with a singular answer. For sales in the 21st Century, that feels like a square peg in a round hole. When I have conversations with other sales leaders, CEOs, SDRs, and Sales Reps, they also feel like these two concepts are a bit foggy. You can see the shoreline but still aren’t sure if there are rocks ahead of you. They’re primed for change and ready evolve. Now don’t get me wrong. ANUM and AN certainly have their charm, and like many of you, I once fell in love with these acronyms and used them frequently in my work. But I eventually realized they were still not the right fit. Because just like BANT, ANUM and AN’s effectiveness hinges on the sales process that feels **linear**. Whether you are an SDR, AE, or even in Customer Success, there is one thing we all know: Sales in the 21st century is definitely not linear. Sales is often more fluid, more unpredictable. I once had a sales rep tell me that today’s sales conversations often feel like you are trying to play fusion jazz while jumping on a trampoline. To confine yourself to a rigid sequence is to handicap your natural sales abilities. ## **N.E.A.T. Selling™** An alternative—and much more up-to-date—qualification process is N.E.A.T, which stands for: ### **N – Need** – *What are your prospect’s core needs?* To understand a prospect’s needs at the deepest levels. Far too often we see sales and marketing focusing on surface pains. This is typically represented by focusing on features and benefits of the solution itself, aka – surface pains. What our customers want is for us to understand their core pains. This means understanding why [solving the pain](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e11-solving-the-marketing-and-sales-dynamic-with-jack-kosakowski/) matters to them both as individuals and as an organization. This is often best achieved by making sure your sales team has a clearly defined [Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/), both for verticals and for titles/roles within the organizations. An ICP helps you understand the context the prospects operate within, granting you better opportunities to dig beyond surface pains and uncover those at the core. Don’t treat the symptoms, treat the disease. ### **E – Economic Impact** – *What is the economic impact of your prospects’ needs?* Executing this segment of [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) isn’t about proving your ROI to the prospect. Instead, it’s simply about helping the prospect understand the economic impact of their current situation combined with the economic opportunity based on implementing a solution. After all, everyone has a price, and at some point, the economic pain will be great enough to tip the scales in your favor. In today’s SaaS selling world everyone is claiming that economic efficiencies are differentiators. In reality, that’s only part of the solution. If you are going to bring up efficiencies, which often means saving time, that does have value. But the other half of the equation is to ask your prospect: Once you have X more hours a week, what would you be doing with that time and how what would be the positive economic impact of that? In short, put some concrete value to the opportunity costs. ### **A – Access to Authority** – *Who can give you access to authority?* According to the latest studies, the average purchasing decision actually involves five people, all of whom may be decision influencers and decision makers. This is often referred to as the “Consensus Buying Cycle”. In many cases, not one person can singularly say “yes”, but any one person can say “no.” Furthermore, in an [outbound sales cycle](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e45-demand-gen-for-sales-people-with-gaetano-dinardi/), many prospects don’t reach an ultimate decision until much later in the sales process. So your goal as an SDR, Inside Sales Rep, or Account Executive is to determine which of these five people can get you access to authority. Champion is a word often used in this scenario, but people typically select the wrong champion by overestimating the decision-making power of the user. Yes, you do need to connect with the user, but if they don’t have the juice to get you access, then are they really a champion? By the way, most people we speak with identify the champion as a single person, “The One”. What if you had different champions for different parts of the solution? Can’t the actual “do-er” or “end user” of your service be a champion to help convince their boss on how much easier their job would be? What if the “do-er’s” boss used this information to make the presentation to their boss? How about speaking to the end user to understand the internal politics of the organization? Wouldn’t that knowledge help you better position for Access to Authority? ### **T – Timeline** Many salespeople base their timeline on a perceived deadline. Furthermore, they get a simple date on the calendar from the prospect and then just accept it as gospel… until it passes. We should all know better by now. Unless you really qualify timeline, you are just drawing a line in the sand and hoping the high-tide of EOM or EOQ doesn’t come along and wash it away and drag your deal back out to sea. Instead, base your timeline on the implications of either meeting or not meeting the perceived deadline. For example: If there are no negative consequences for failing to meet the proposed timeline than the timeline is just a date on the calendar and you need to prepare for high tide. ### **Connecting the Dots** And finally, [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) will not always follow a linear and logical progression. Like a compass needle, it will swing back and forth based on the direction of the conversation. In some cases, you may kickoff the process with Need. In others, you may begin with Timeline, or Economics, or even Access. As long as you collaborate with the prospect rather than preach to them, you will both come to identify what works best. --- ## **Conclusion** We are entering a golden age of Inside Sales, where sales reps have more information about their prospects, as well as more sales tools at their fingertips than it was possible to imagine even a decade ago. But as the sales landscape is changing, so too must the sales process. The time is nigh for a new idea. A new paradigm. One with a more fluid sales process that works just as well for simple sales calls as it does a complex sales cycle. This new process must be agile, nimble, and versatile. It must provide enough guidance to keep salespeople on track and sufficient flexibility to allow for course corrections. It can no longer be a static map which ones follows to the big shiny X. Instead, must now be the compass that helps you make sure you’re using the map correctly. **It must be effective. It must be efficient. It must be simple. It must be N.E.A.T.** The philosophy behind [N.E.A.T Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) comes from our personal time in the trenches and years of observing and working with inside sales professionals in all types of sales organizations. We’ve talked with thought leaders, CEOs, CFOs, VPs, Engineers, VCs, SDRs, AEs, and Managers, all of whom live by a particular sales process, methodology, or philosophy. But with N.E.A.T Selling™, our goal is not to build a single ideology, but to make room for more creativity within the sales world. For some, N.E.A.T will be a sales philosophy. For others, a sales methodology or process. And for many, it will be all three. And as the sales world continues to morph, the barriers between philosophy, methodology, and the process will degrade until there is only [N.E.A.T Selling™.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) **About The Author** Richard is a Saas, Sales and Start-Up veteran bringing 20 years of experience to his role as owner of [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) and as Director of Training and Consulting Services at [Sales Hacker](http://www.saleshacker.com/). Clients ask Richard to help with defining, implementing, and measuring sales as it relates to **The Four P’s: People, Performance, [Planning, and Process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e20-heart-hunger-and-hustle-with-mike-lindstrom/)** at the top, middle, and back end of the sales funnel. He specializes in helping organizations improve the quality of the conversations SDRs, Sales Account Executives, and Customer Success Professionals have with prospects and clients which yield [revenue growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e73-the-most-important-types-of-sales-content-with-martin-roth-vp-of-revenue-at-levelset/) including larger order sizes, shorter sales cycles, higher profitability, and reduced churn. [The Harris Consulting Group](https://www.theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) clients include [Gainsight](https://www.gainsight.com/), [Datanyze](https://www.datanyze.com/), [Udemy](https://www.udedmy.com/),[Litmos](https://www.litmos.com/), [Research Gate](https://www.researchgate.net/), [Revel Systems](https://www.revelsystems.com/), [LevelEleven](https://www.leveleleven.com/), [TopOpps](https://www.topopps.com/), [PushPay](https://www.pushpay.com/), and a host of others. You can **[contact Richard here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/)** if you have questions pertaining to your own unique situation(s). **Categories:** Blog, Sales **Tags:** anum, bant, inside sales, Sales, sales strategy --- ### [S1E190 - What's it like being in sales in New Zealand with Mike Stokes of Indicator](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e190-whats-it-like-being-in-sales-in-new-zealandwith-mike-stokes-of-indicator/) **Published:** December 21, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The strengthening of the sales community The two biggest attributes successful sales rep show What does [self-awareness mean in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e85-the-entrepreneurs-godmother-with-alison-edgar/) What’s unique about selling into APAC The mood of the sales leader [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e190-whats-it-like-being-in-sales-in-new-zealandwith-mike-stokes-of-indicator?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [What to expect when budgeting for a sales stack](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-to-expect-when-budgeting-for-a-sales-stack/) **Published:** November 25, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** One of the most common questions around supporting inside sales, field sales, or enterprise sales teams is, “How much should I budget for the [sales stack](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e50-im-coin-operated-with-max-altschuler-of-outreach.io/)?” Here are some thoughts in no particular order. 1. Be sure you define your stack specifically based on what your desired outcomes for each tool will be. Be sure to reference (First post) on how to choose the right tools. 2. Don’t let executives “blame” the sales team for being expensive. My response is simply “no S— sherlock, ain’t nothin free” and so is engineering (especially in the Bay Area) But since we can’t really say that out loud here is how I would try to couch it. 1. #### **Pre-Communication Tools & Hardware** 1. Should not be solely seen as a “sales expense”, they are overheard like a desk, chair, etc. 1. Nobody will believe you, but that is not the point. The point makes them aware there are things that simply have to exist or the company will not succeed just like headsets, computers, etc. 2. Data resources (sources, tools, etc) Zoominfo, even Navigator again these are like chairs and desks. 3. Data Entry – Sales reps should not be doing initial data research and entry. 2. #### **Communication Tools** 1. These are the actual tools in the stack that let the rep do their job. 2. Outreach, SalesLoft, Gmail, SFDC 3. #### **Training** – should be in the budget I often call it a communications tools since that’s what it really is. But it may be wiser to pull this out separately as a line item Why I separate Pre-Communications and Communications tools are simply this: Pre Communication Tools are a requirement, heck all of this is a requirement but when people “complain” about the cost of data, they often “blame the sales rep”. It is not the reps fault that Zoominfo and team are geniuses and figured out [how to make money](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e25-good-vcs-vs.bad-vcs-with-doug-landis-of-emergence-capital/). The same for Outreach, Salesloft, Salesforce, and Gainsight At each of your companies if your CEO’s CFO’s didn’t do the same thing, then they WOULD BE FIRED! Tell your exec team to stop acting like you are a non-profit while building a sales team but thinking they are Gordon Gecko when approaching the market. Don’t let people blame reps for their own false belief systems that sales is simple, and easy. From a [budgeting perspective](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e84-navigating-the-no-budget-conversation-with-richard-smith-co-founder-head-of-sales-of-refract/), annually its probably close to 12%-14%. Ask for that, settle for 10%, but don’t show them this article. **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E47 - How Halo gaming made me good at sales with Morgan J Ingram](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e47-how-halo-gaming-made-me-good-at-sales-with-morgan-j-ingram/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** We had the pleasure of the one and only Morgan J Ingram join us on the podcast for this episode. We talk about a ton of things, we go deep on personal connections, accelerating your [career path](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e80-how-and-where-does-revenue-ops-sit-in-the-organization-with-kyle-coleman-vp-revenue-growth-and-enablement-at-clari/), and more. In this episode you will hear about: What it means to have “deal insurance” Selling pokemon cards at school What it was like to go from SDR to closer How to seek and implement feedback right away. How to stop being over-analytical How to own your career path [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e47-how-halo-gaming-made-me-good-at-sales-with-morgan-j-ingram?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E170 - Everything you are doing wrong or right in your Zoom meetings Susan Ibitz](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e170-everything-you-are-doing-wrong-or-right-in-your-zoom-meetings-susan-ibitz/) **Published:** November 16, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The specifics you need follow for a good video Zoom meeting How do you replace the handshake with a smile? Interpreting the visual cues in a Zoom call How to respond appropriately to the visual [cues your customers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e72-social-capital-in-an-appropriate-way-with-matt-cameron-of-sassy-sales-management/) give you in Zoom. Sales is a craft, a behavior, and a A different mirroring technique People remember the first part of the meeting and the last part of the meeting Understanding your own dictionary The best strategy for not discounting The best thing to do with the [deals that you simply cannot close](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-confirming-the-physical-commitment-helps-you-close-deals/) at the end of the month. Why you need to understand compound questions in your discovery. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e170-everything-you-are-doing-wrong-or-right-in-your-zoom-meetings-susan-ibitz?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E161 - Why I went from AE to BDR with Founder of Sassy Women JoBeth Hanak](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e161-why-i-went-from-ae-to-bdr-with-founder-of-sassy-women-jobeth-hanak/) **Published:** October 26, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Handling difficult emotions and trusting yourself and the universe What gym membership sales taught me about selling Protecting your mental and physical health You are not your career SaaSsy Women in Sales Balancing life as a BDR, and founder Navigating the job change during Covid Why I went from an AE to BDR role Navigating LinkedIn as a [branding and selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e71-adjust-quickly-to-win-w-sarah-brazier-of-gong.io/) tool. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e161-why-i-went-from-ae-to-bdr-with-founder-of-sassy-women-jobeth-hanak?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E64 - When Scott and Richard disagree](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e64-when-scott-and-richard-disagree/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Understanding Job Security and [Employment Security](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e70-your-resume-is-your-super-bowl-ad-with-amy-volas-of-avenue-talent-partners/). So what happens when this is all over? What happens to commercial real estate industries, automotive industries? Will inside sales stay in the office or migrate to WFH? What about your field and outside sales reps? How the buyer journey has had a seismic shift. Accelerating the rate of extension of sales as we know it. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-ss1e64-when-scott-and-richard-disagree?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E107 - Understanding Field Sales with Brian Potter SAP/Concur](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e107-understanding-field-sales-with-brian-potter-sapconcur/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Navigating the [sales cycle during a crisis](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e68-you-cannot-top-down-lead-during-a-crisis-with-steve-benson-of-badger-maps/) What does qualifying for President’s Club The Good and bad of working for a global organization Do I stay an IC or move into management? Performance, Impact, and Exposure What to ask those senior executives when you have those moments Shifting from a big company to a startup Shifting from a startup from a startup [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e107-understanding-field-sales-with-brian-potter-sapconcur?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E53 - Sometimes the path forward is not a straight line with Victoria Abeling of SailPoint](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e53-sometimes-the-path-forward-is-not-a-straight-line-with-victoria-abeling-of-sailpoint/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Scott loves to call Victoria the best kept sales secret in Austin, Texas. Once you listen to her speak you will understand why. In this insightful episode you will hear about: 1\. Why you need to stop saying, “Basically…“ 2\. Finding the right “truck stop” in your .career 3. How to know if your SDR/BDR should move into sales or another department. 4. How to determine if someone has “grit and resilience” for sales. 5. What it means to be a working parent. 6. Practical and [tactical advice](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e60-team-usa-vs-team-uk-sales-showdown/) for being a working parent. 7. How to support women in sales 8. Sales management in a pandemic [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e53-sometimes-the-path-forward-is-not-a-straight-line-with-victoria-abeling-of-salipoint?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E78 - "You're in the people business" w/ Costas Perkas](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e78-youre-in-the-people-business-w-costas-perkas/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Costas has run sales teams in North America, the UK and SE Asia, originally hailing from Greece while now living in the UK. To say he has a good grasp of global selling and [recruiting practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e63-the-way-you-do-anything-is-the-way-you-do-everything-with-olga-penchenko-of-revenue-hire/) would be an understatement. He was also the one who came up with the Transatlantic Takedown idea. He is passionate about coaching, training and developing his team members; and you will hear him drop pearls of wisdom throughout this episode. Some highlights are: 1. The joy in hearing from old colleagues and the impact you’ve made 2. Why he asks himself “would I hire this person at HQ?” before every satellite hire 3. How process helps you develop people and why caring for your people matters now more than ever 4. The time he was somebody 1 phone call when they found themselves in some trouble 5. If you want to know who to hire – look for somebody who is Smart, Coachable, Curious and Optimistic. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e78-youre-in-the-people-business-w-costas-perkas?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E62 - Running Sales Ops Under Quarantine w/ a Toddler While Pregnant - JM Wilke is doing it all.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e62-running-sales-ops-under-quarantine-w-a-toddler-while-pregnant-jm-wilke-is-doing-it-all/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** JM is a successful saleswoman, sales mgr, [SDR mgr](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e52-how-an-extreme-extrovert-learned-to-sell-remotely-w-blanche-reese-of-salesloft/) and Head of Sales Ops in Austin. From selling girl scout cookies in Sacramento as a child to planning her days and weeks in advance to optimize her days as a working mother, she covers a lot of ground and gets tactical. Right up until the moment that “life” intervenes. It’s a Surf and Sales first! You’ll have to listen to find out what happens. - Topics include: - Challenges of being a working mother under quarantine - How planning in advance helps her get things done - How her parents hated selling – while she hated girl scouts – but they both got what they wanted - The value of having a “trusting leader” - The top 3 things a new Head of Sales Ops should get done - Why vendor relationships matter [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e62-running-sales-ops-under-quarantine-w-a-toddler-while-pregnant-jm-wilke-is-doing-it-all?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How to choose a tool for your sales stack](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-choose-a-tool-for-your-sales-stack/) **Published:** June 28, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** 8 Tips for selecting any tool or service to support your organization. Applies to #sales, #marketing, #engineering, #HumanResources The success of adoption and usability by your end users (internal or external) relies on a strong input BEFORE selecting the tool. 1\. At the end of implementing \_\_\_\_\_, we expect our team to be better at \_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_. 2\. We will define success as a change in the following metrics/ kpis \_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_\_. 3\. We hold these truths to be self-evident. 3a. Some metrics and KPIs may increase others may decrease 3b. A decrease in quantity may could lead to an improvement in quality (which is good) 3c. We have baseline metrics from which to measure against? 3d. If we do not have baseline metrics we agree that we need 2 full sales cycles to measure reality. 4\. Any failure to follow these rules will only lead to anger and frustration by those who don’t “get sales” or simply want to push for the sake of pushing. While that is a valid option, it’s not always based on reality. We sware this is our blood oath and we bend the knee!! \#OwnIt #Sales #InsideSales #SalesTip #ColdCalling #Prospecting #MindSet **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E70 - Your resume is your Super Bowl ad with Amy Volas of Avenue Talent Partners](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e70-your-resume-is-your-super-bowl-ad-with-amy-volas-of-avenue-talent-partners/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Amy cut her teeth as an Enterprise Sales rep before starting her our recruiting agency. Her voice in the industry carries a ton of weight, so it was fantastic to connect with her in this unprecedented time. Some of the topics we covered are: How to make stage [appropriate hiring](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e49-goal-oriented-communications-with-matteo-cde-baca-of-renaissance-leadership/) decisions Why technical hiring mgrs struggle to hire salespeople Job security vs. Employment security How the resume means more than it has in years in this overcrowded and desperate market and more.. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e70-your-resume-is-your-super-bowl-ad-with-amy-volas-of-avenue-talent-partners?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E174 - All about Revenue Operations with William Jager and Greg Gsell of Salesforce](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e174-all-about-revenue-operations-with-william-jager-and-greg-gsell-of-salesforce/) **Published:** November 15, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Why has it taken so long for folks to come around to embrace rev ops? How do you [pitch the ROI](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e42-software-developer-to-printer-sales-to-cmo-with-darryl-praill-cmo-of-vanilla-soft/) of rev ops to the higher-ups? How sales ops is different than [Revenue Operations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e6-cant-sales-and-operations-just-get-along-with-claire-morris/). The difference between a VP of Sales and a CRO. How do I hire a Revenue Ops person? What the value of collection of cash is part of Revenue Ops [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e174-all-about-revenue-operations-with-william-jager-and-greg-gsell-of-salesforce?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Best Day of The Month to Buy a Saas Solution and Why?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/whats-the-best-day-of-the-month-to-buy-a-saas-solution-and-why/) **Published:** March 13, 2017 **Author:** Josh **Content:** If you’ve read any of my other posts, you know that I’m all about harsh truths. My experience in the sales industry has taught me that when someone or something is underperforming, excuses get tossed around like confetti in a hurricane. Sales trainers blame inside sales teams, inside sales teams blame sales trainers for poor sales training and negotiation training, sales execs blame sales trainers who blame inside sales teams who blame sales execs. And of course, everyone tries to blame marketing. And on and on and on. Well, today’s harsh truth might put some readers off. In fact, I’ve spent months thinking about how to write it, even though when I share the idea with folks, they rarely disagree. So while I may not articulate this perfectly, it’s time to stop wondering and start writing. **While we all know the best day to buy a Saas product is on the last day of the month or quarter.** What we fail to discuss, is why is this? And why does nobody talk about it? We need to discuss this. We must discuss it and its time to come out of the shadows about this topic. In fact, it turns out that both questions may have the same answer. It’s easier to negotiate good prices with [Saas salespeople](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e15-whats-it-like-being-the-only-w-kevin-dorsey/) on the last day of the month, and even easier on the last day of the quarter because organizations are desperate. They are desperate to get their numbers up to hit their goal, save face for a shitty quarter and of course before the next board meeting. And when **companies act desperately, they make their salespeople conduct insane acts of desperation.** And the buyer knows it. The sales team won’t push as hard. They’ll concede easier. They’ll neglect to remind the prospect of the product’s real value, glossing over exactly what the prospect is paying for and how it makes sense mathematically. They’ll lose their backbone, and while they may close the deal, the “win” becomes associated with something negative. We’re happy for the win, and yet we maintain a seller’s guilt like we’re wearing a cheap suit. And so we don’t think about it. We move on and pretend like nothing happened. We say, “No worries, we’ll do better the next time.” And when it becomes clear that the business is missing revenue targets toward the end of the sales period, sales leaders tend to blame the reps. But as is the case with dogs, the problems have less to do with the reps and more to do with how they were trained. Not that salespeople are dogs. For Christ’s sake, I’m a sales consultant, not an analogy factory. So, when you notice a spike in bad deals toward the end of the month or quarter, take a step back and reevaluate your sales negotiation training and coaching, then strengthen it for future reps. Need a good starting place? Here are some common negotiation mistakes, and how to fix them. ## Waiting too long to bring up competitors If you wait until the pricing discussion to bring up your competitors, you’ve already lost. All too often, sales teams intentionally avoid conversations about competitors out of fear that bringing up a competitor will derail the deal. Then, when the prospect brings up the competition, the salesperson is suddenly a deer in headlines. We freeze. A slight panic creeps in. Our stomach churns and the first word out of our mouth is… “Uhhhh…” Instead, address the competition before the prospect does. If you get out ahead of it, you can control the way it’s discussed through pace, tone, and confidence. Try mentioning the competition early in the #salesqualification process, perhaps just before you schedule the demo. Knowing what else the prospect is looking at will help you determine which product strengths will most effectively counter the competition’s. Then highlight those strengths. It’s also important to be subtle. Instead of saying something like, “So have you spoken with X?” try asking, “What else are you seeing in the marketplace?” or “What features specifically matter to you as you look for a solution?” One last thought about managing the competition: Take nothing at face value. It’s like playing blackjack. No matter what the dealer (prospect) shows face up, always assume there is a 10 underneath. The same goes for sales. We should always assume the prospect already knows about the competitor or will find out eventually. So don’t ignore it. Remember, hope and prayer is not a strong #salesstrategy. ## Caving to the “we got burned” plea Tell me if you’ve heard this one. You’re having a good conversation with a prospect. They seem interested. Their needs match your solutions. And then they drop this: “Hey, you know we are a bit leary to spend more money on this because we had a bad experience. Can you help me out?” Whether they’re playing up a bad experience to garner #sympathydiscounts like a highschool kid playing up a sprained ankle to garner attention, or are expressing legitimate concern over being twice burned, caving to their sympathy grab is the wrong move. Why? Because your product should stand on its own. Giving a prospect a discount because they’ve had a bad experience with another business validates their anxiety over your own product. If you’re confident in what you’re selling, let that confidence win over the customer, not the discount. Instead of caving, I suggest taking a very empathetic tone and explain that you understand. I often throw in a [similar story](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e39-1-on-the-leaderboard-doesnt-mean-shit-with-sahil-mansuri-of-bravado/) to demonstrate that we’ve been in a comparable situation. Then I ask the following questions: “I completely understand your frustration with your previous experience, but I have a question for you, and please don’t take it the wrong way. When you were dissatisfied with your previous experience, what happened when you asked them to refund your money or give you additional price breaks?” ***Pause, wait and say nothing until they respond.*** Regardless of their response, you are now back in control of the pricing conversation. Based on their response, politely explain, “I appreciate how your previous situation has left you a little nervous, but as we’ve discussed, we are going to deliver X, Y, and Z. Our price is based on our quality of service, and of our product, and we feel that our price is fair. In fact, I am more than happy to put you in touch with other customers to help ease your mind about working with us.” ***Pause, wait and say nothing until they respond.*** Then follow up with the proper closing conversation, finalize pricing, and contract redlines. One last thing. This entire strategy is based upon the ability to walk away from the deal, or at least give a strong appearance of walking away. If you aren’t willing to walk away, then you are going to have to use The Force along with a Vulcan Mind Meld to pull this one off. ## Fumbling the “How much does it cost?” question When a prospect asks about the “cost,” “price,” or “budget,” offering them a number can snuff out any life the conversation had left. If they like the number, great. If they don’t, buh-bye. So whenever the cost is brought up, shift the rhetoric to “commercial terms.” It sounds more upscale and implies a more fluid, give-and-take situation, rather than something finite, like price or cost. It also suggests the expectation of a negotiation, and reassures the prospect that the pricing and product features/services can be adjusted, but only on fair terms. ## Not knowing when to walk away Closing the deal has got to be the best feeling in #sales. But the second best feeling? Walking away knowing you’ve done your job right, held firm to various pricing and discounting questions, and said no to a bad deal. Because there are, in fact, BAD DEALS. And we must be smart enough to avoid them. Remember: There are two winners in every deal. The person who closes it, and the first person who walks away on their own terms. And the person who walks away *can* be the salesperson. No really, it can. That’s part of their job, and if they’re not trained properly, and don’t know how to maintain control from the first conversation to the last, then they will keep cutting those crazy deals at the end of the month and quarter. ## Conclusion I hope I didn’t ruffle any feathers, but if you confront this issue and invest in negotiation training and coaching, 2017 may just be your best selling year yet. So, what strategies do you employ to keep your sales team from doing heavy discounting at the end of the month or quarter? If you want to strengthen your sales process, reduce your #salescycle, or make sure fewer deals go dark, [contact Richard here.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) We can help you grow your 2017 revenue before it’s too late. **Categories:** Blog **Tags:** Fields Sales Team, inside sales, Inside Sales Team, Sales, sales leadership, sales training --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E49 - Goal Oriented Communications with Matteo C'de Baca of Renaissance Leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e49-goal-oriented-communications-with-matteo-cde-baca-of-renaissance-leadership/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Matteo is someone every sales leader should want to know. Working hard to place executives in [leadership roles](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e30-cowboys-librarians-and-snipers-with-steve-richard-of-execvision/) his entire career, he is full of tips and tricks on how to land these roles, and keep them. You’ll hear him talk about: - When ability to think and execute becomes like breathing, you are ready to lead - Why CEOs need to get better at “Stage Appropriate Hiring” - How he pushed into conversations, then sat back and listened and learned - Why a “Personal Board of Directors” is more important than ever [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e49-goal-oriented-communications-with-matteo-cde-baca-of-renaissance-leadership?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E147 – Land and expand model Chief Customer Officer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e147-comepenstion-mistakes-around-the-land-and-expand-model-chief-customer-officer-at-refine-labs/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Megan is fiercely competitive. Self-described as bad winner and a sore looser. But over time she’s learned to harness this energy to continually grow and build tremendous revenue teams. What it means to have high emotional intelligence that are better than closing skills Creating the crossfunctional collaboration of revenue and marketing teams How do you set expansion [quotas appropriately](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e7-marketing-should-have-real-quotas-too-with-tami-mcqueen/) Why variable compensation for Account Managers and Customer Success is the wrong idea. How to personalize and contextualize Build the round about, not an intersection How and why to get sales to be involved in the first 30 days. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e147-comepenstion-mistakes-around-the-land-and-expand-model-chief-customer-officer-at-refine-labs?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Things that matter..”Just thinking of you, hope you are well”](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/t’s-the-little-things-that-matter....just-thinking-of-you-hope-you-are-well.”/) **Published:** December 16, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Not everyone enjoys the holiday season. For many of us the holidays and EOY bring a tremendous level of excitement, family, friends, commissions, joy. For others, not so much, in fact it’s the worst time of year due to family, personal, and money related issues. If you are struggling at this time of year, please know you are not alone. You may feel isolated, you may feel unappreciated. That is not the case. Everyone has a purpose even when it’s not clear. I spent many years feeling depressed, regardless of the time of year. Over time, I was able to [make my depression my superpower](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/my-suicide-note/). [Here is my story](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-my-lifelong-struggle-with-depression-became-my-super-power/). Please share with anyone you want on any social network you choose, and definitely reach out to one person you may not normally do so, it will be appreciated. Finally, if you know someone who could benefit from UNCrushed.org please send them there. There are tons of stories, resources, and yes, we will gladly take a donation if you’d be so kind. Or you can just send them this message, “Just thinking of you, hope you are well.” It will mean a lot to them. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Perfect Handoff: Best practices for the SDR to AE handoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-perfect-handoff-best-practices-for-conducting-the-sdr-to-ae-handoff/) **Published:** November 12, 2018 **Author:** WhatarmyDev **Content:** Inside sales has come a long way in recent years. One of the fastest growing trends in inside sales is having a team of both inbound and outbound sales development reps (SDRs) handle things at the top of the funnel. The SDR’s primary responsibility is to make sure that anyone who talks to a sales rep is actually worth everyone’s time, both the potential buyer and the seller. In short: qualifying the person. We acknowledge that the topic of what makes someone qualified and whether or not an SDR is qualifying a person or an opportunity is important. That is not, however, the purpose of this post. This post is designed to describe how the SDR conducts the handoff to an Account Executive (AE). So let’s define the following: SDR establishes communications with someone who wants to speak to an AE, or sales rep. The AE may be in the same physical location as the SDR or be a remote field sales rep. Often times, we see the SDR merely send out a calendar invite to the sales rep and prospect that includes dialing instructions. Then the SDR moves to the next prospect. Here is what usually happens: The prospect and sales rep make the call and all is well or the prospect misses the call and tells nobody. Here are two options for making sure to promote success, teamwork, and accountability for all parties. I believe there are two main handoffs: the Email Handoff and the Meeting Handoff. **Option 1 – The Email Handoff In the email handoff, the SDR typically sets a calendar appointment with the AE and prospect; however, this is not the first thing the SDR should do. Here is what s/he should do after the call with the prospect ends. 1. Put together an email that provides the following: - Thank the prospect(s) for their time. - Confirm date and time of appointment and that a calendar invite is coming shortly. - Ask the prospect to review the notes below and correct anything that may have been misunderstood. - Provide [introduction to AE](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-right-ae-to-sdr-ratio/) (who is copied and include a direct #). - Indicate who will now be main point of contact for the prospect (SDR or AE). Will vary based on your organization. - Provide a list of next steps, prospect’s challenges/pains, potential solutions, resources, and other interesting notes from the call. - Thank the prospect(s) again for their time. 2. Send calendar invite with everyone’s email addresses and direct line numbers just in case there is an issue with the conference line. **Option 2 – The Meeting Handoff** In the meeting handoff the SDR does the exact same steps as the email handoff with a very important distinction. The SDR attends the first meeting with the sales AE. See #4 below. After the call with prospect ends, the SDR should: 1. Put together an email that provides the following: - A ‘thank you’ for the prospect’s time. - Confirmation of date and time of appointment and that a calendar invite is coming shortly. - Asks the prospect to review the notes below and correct anything that may have been misunderstood. - An introduction to AE (who is copied and include a direct #). - Indication that they (the SDR) will still be main point of contact. - A list of next steps, prospect’s challenges/pains, potential solutions, resources, and other interesting notes from the call. - Thanks the prospect(s) again for their time. 2. Send calendar invite with everyone’s email addresses and direct line numbers just in case there is an issue with the conference line. 3. Handle the front end of the call including: - Confirming Time - Introductions - Purpose - Agenda - Possible outcomes. Once this has been agreed to, the SDR should politely confirm the AE is ready to take over, and sit back and listen. It is my opinion that the Meeting Handoff should be the standard. Everyone running an inside sales team says the SDR team is their “bench” for sales and that they provide a career path into closing roles. However, when push comes to shove there is not enough real world sales experience happening to help that SDR really understand the closing aspects of an inside sales role. Additionally, the benefits of the Meeting Handoff include: - Building trust and rapport with the prospect through a professional buying experience - Greater teamwork between the SDR and AE on accounts and territory planning - Allowing AE and SDR to be accountable to each other with no ability to point fingers - Allowing AE and SDR to learn from each other – often times an SDR will hear something different but equally valuable to the sales cycle Watch out for the following: - AE starts treating SDR like a secretary - AE tells the SDR the SDR has to put all notes in the CRM (this is a no-no, this is the sales rep’s job) - AE complains they don’t like the SDR on their calls (this is a management issue) One of the best parts of inside sales is the greater ability to understand and know which parts of the sales cycle you can control. Some parts will always be harder than others. Other parts of the sales cycle, like the handoff, will be simple to understand, modify, and improve. **Categories:** Blog, SDR Training --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E88 - The Struggle to Breakthrough w/ Brian Smith Jr.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e88-the-struggle-to-breakthrough-w-brian-smith-jr/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Brian Smith Jr. is a man who has overcome more than most. But he is also human and knows what its like to ride the highs and lows of sales. This is a portrait of a salesman who is fighting his [way out of a slump](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-slump-buster-tips/), burnout, and rejection. We’ve all been there – and its an important subject to cover. Brian talks candidly about: 1. Considering quitting sales when the highs were not high enough 2. Why a supportive partner is key to pushing forward 3. The demoralizing effect of b.s. KPI goals 4. Failure tells you what you need to look out for and work on 5. The differences between SDR/AE/Channel/Leadership and why SDR is the toughest role he has ever had 6. Why diversity matters and how he has been affected by it 7. How finding patterns and identifying attributes has helped him get back on the horse [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e88-brian-smith-jr?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E193 - Your customer journey is just a series of moments with Nina Butler of Alyce](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e193-your-customer-journey-is-just-a-series-of-moments-with-nina-butler-of-alyce/) **Published:** December 28, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Always be personal What does over personalization mean What are the dangers of gift-giving. DIfference between lead generation and [demand generation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-it-really-means-to-be-a-special-snowflake/) What metrics should a demand generation be held to. The department you come out of has nothing to do with you getting a CRO title. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e193-your-customer-journey-is-just-a-series-of-moments-with-nina-butler-of-alyce?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E167 - The skills behind the skills with Sales Strategist LinkedIn Amy Franko](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e167-the-skills-behind-the-skills-with-sales-strategist-linkedin-amy-franko/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What it meant to redefine during a pandemic Self-improvement to thrive moving forward Teaching people to have the courage to take the risk Your prospect really does want to say yes, it’s your job to help them get out of their own way. The skills behind the skills Five [critical skill](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-conduct-cold-outreach-on-linkedin-even-when-you-dont-know-them/) sets that rise above the rest What is the top attribute needed in sales moving into the future? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e167-the-skills-behind-the-skills-with-sales-strategist-linkedin-amy-franko?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [How to Become the Next Unicorn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-to-become-the-next-unicorn/) **Published:** October 20, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [Building a unicorn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/real-unicorns-do-it-better-faster-and-cheaper/) doesn’t happen overnight. Recently, Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with Founder & CEO of [Outreach](https://www.outreach.io), Manny Medina, to discuss what it takes to go from Series A to B, B to C, C to D, and beyond. They discussed: - What do VC’s ask at each stage? - What do VC’s expect at each stage? - What coaching does a founder/ CEO need to grow at each stage? - Finding the right people at each stage. Watch the recording here: Proud sponsors of this Bonfire Session include: - [Outreach](https://www.outreach.io) - [Lead411](https://www.lead411.com) - [Gong.io](https://www.gong.io) - [Perception Predict](https://www.perceptionpredict.ai) --- On a mission to become the next unicorn? [Let’s talk strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/)! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E1 - Mastering Sales Enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e1-mastering-sales-enablement/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** As sales enablement continues to grow, the roles often overlap between Sales Ops, Revenue Ops, Sales Management and [Sales Enablement leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/10-easy-tips-to-becoming-a-sales-jedi-master/). Who owns which part? Is there an easy way to define the roles? This podcast with Richard Harris and Scott Leese discusses all of it and more! [Check out this episode!](http://traffic.libsyn.com/surfandsales/SalesEnablement.FinalEdits.m4a?dest-id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E194 - How I know when to go for the close with Phil Neizvestny from Aircall](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e194-how-i-know-when-to-go-for-the-close-with-phil-neizvestny-from-aircall/) **Published:** December 28, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Which role is harder, SDR to AE? The difference between good and great How to move from SDR to an AE $1.2m goal What tactics are you using in 2020 that is working tactically When and how to bring up the competitor. How to handle a transition into sales leadership above them. What sellers do not do well. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e194-how-i-know-when-to-go-for-the-close-with-phil-neizvestny-from-aircall?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E187 - Selling the win and selling the hope with Andrew Sidney of the Detroit Tigers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e187-selling-the-win-and-selling-the-hope-with-andrew-sidney-of-the-detroit-tigers/) **Published:** December 14, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to “make time” for training The 7th Inning stretch seller What folks in sports ticket sales is different than Saas. The strategy of selling sponsorships, season tickets, boxes Navigating the competition [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/-s1e187-selling-the-win-and-selling-the-hope-with-andrew-sidney-of-the-detroit-tigers?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E185 - Balancing a long term strategy with customer requests with Adam Schoenfeld of Drift](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s1e185-balancing-a-long-term-strategy-with-customer-requests-with-adam-schoenfeld-of-drift/) **Published:** December 14, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to navigate annual long term strategies with short term goals. Playing to win Elon Musk – The Master Plan Focus on who are we best for How does a VP of sales work internally with a strategy team? How to test the values of a company when a merger could happen. What it’s like to go from [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e185-balancing-a-long-term-strategy-with-customer-requests-with-adam-schoenfeld-of-drift?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E181 - The only way to move forward as a leader with Director of Revenue Performance with Michael Tuso of Chili Piper](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e181-the-only-way-to-move-forward-as-a-leader-with-director-of-revenue-performance-with-michael-tuso-of-chili-piper/) **Published:** December 1, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How to discover if the objections you hear are real. How much time should be spent on tonality and delivery in sales training How to coach on tonality and delivery in sales training How to build a sales scripting culture What are the skills required for an SDR in 2021 How do you teach reps to be better at writing copy The only way to move forward The metrics to follow as it relates to training and coaching [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e181-the-only-way-to-move-forward-as-a-leader-with-director-of-revenue-performance-with-michael-tuso-of-chili-piper?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E177 - The pressure of success as a Founder, Mother, and Wife with Mary Grothe of SalesBQ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e177-the-pressure-of-success-as-a-founder-mother-and-wife-with-mary-grothe-of-salesbq/) **Published:** November 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The courage of speaking the truth. Build a plan to 50% of yourself, then be happy with The biggest mistakes a founder makes You will only go so far by investing in on the sales silo. What you need to understand If marketing is not making you money, you are doing it wrong. Your data should tell a story, not make a pretty dashboard [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e177-the-pressure-of-success-as-a-founder-mother-and-wife-with-mary-grothe-of-salesbq?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E169 - Being my best self day to day with Anna Kosior of Ada](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e169-being-my-best-self-day-to-day-with-anna-kosior-of-ada/) **Published:** November 16, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What you will learn in this episode: Combating the feeling of research vs. execution The difference between an entry-level, enterprise, and strategic BDRs Navigating the resistance at different levels of gravity in an SDR role The best channel for strategic prospecting When is the right time to ask for the move from SDR to AE? The biggest barrier to entry to building your LI network [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e169-being-my-best-self-day-to-day-with-anna-kosior-of-ada?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E168 - How to sell in a highly competitive market Diana Hamister](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e168-how-to-sell-in-a-highly-competitive-market-diana-hamister/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Its always about the rapport and the relationship Adjusting the sales process during 2020 What it means to have your house in order when hiring salespeople What do you need to be doing now better than before when working with a recruiter? What due diligence means when being a job Your resume is not the most important part of the job search process. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e168-how-to-sell-in-a-highly-competitive-market-diana-hamister?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E166 - Determination to twist the tools with Ernest Owusu of 6Sense](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e166-determination-to-twist-the-tools-with-ernest-owusu-of-6sense/) **Published:** November 2, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The 3 D’s of the NFL – Debt, Divorce, Dead The next step only takes a bit more effort The difference from good to great to excellence Love to win more than it hating to lose The best way to lead as a manager The culture of FAMILY The Sales Brotherhood and Sisterhood Having a tribe of mentors My favorite social channel approaches for SDRs [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e166-determination-to-twist-the-tools-with-ernest-owusu-of-6sense?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E137 - Why I spoke out in this time about misogyny in sales with Rachel Mae](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e137-why-i-spoke-out-in-this-time-about-misogyny-in-sales-with-rachel-mae/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The title says it all, and there’s more to the story too. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e137-why-i-spoke-out-in-this-time-about-misogyny-in-sales-with-rachel-mae?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E136 - Where do you go to learn about being a CRO with Zorian Rotenberg, CRO Infotelligent](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e136-where-do-you-go-to-learn-about-being-a-cro-with-zorian-rotenberg-cro-infotelligent/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** A self-proclaimed math geek, Zorian answers the pivotal question, is sales an art or a science. And he discusses the following sales topics too: How to quantify an effective phone call Is sales a science or an art What to do your first 90 days as a new VP of Sales How can CEOs have a better relationship with heads of sales, CROs, etc. The reason for a chief revenue officer role [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e136-where-do-you-go-to-learn-about-being-a-cro-with-zorian-rotenberg-cro-infotelligent?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E129 - The Victim mentality vs Warrior mentality with Glenn Ladd](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e129-the-victim-mentality-vs-warrior-mentality-with-glenn-ladd/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Defining Grit in sales Don’t take on the victim mentality of proactively procrastination. How do you find the right place for you in tech and sales I had no idea what sales entials, but I love it. Being competitive towards oneself vs. competing against others. Going out there with nothing to hide behind. You gotta show up if you want to be successful [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e129-the-victim-mentality-vs-warrior-mentality-with-glenn-ladd?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E126 - The first line of communication for IBM Sales with Rahki Voria](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e126-the-first-line-of-communication-for-ibm-sales-with-rahki-voria/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In 1st and 2nd grade Rahki put her lemonade stand on her red wagon and realized the best place for her stand was to roam around. She found a construction site, figured they’d be thirsty, and the rest is history. Join us as Rahki shares amazing stories and insights including: Relationships are the true currency Why women should consider a career in sales How to hire 2000 people in 3 years Best sales hire come from non sales backgrounds What does digital transformation mean Women of IBM Co-Chair [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e126-the-first-line-of-communication-for-ibm-sales-with-rahki-voria?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E127 - Making the case for sales ops and revenue ops with Hannah Duncan](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e127-making-the-case-for-sales-ops-and-revenue-ops-with-hannah-duncan/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Hannah says the competition of being a professional dancer are a huge reason she likes sales. Join us as we chat with her to learn about: Good data vs bad data The difference between sales operations and revenue operations What do you do to bridge the gaps between departments Making the argument for tools in the stack Tips for working with vendors Tips for growing you ops team What does a good demo and a bad demo look like [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e127-making-the-case-for-sales-ops-and-revenue-ops-with-hannah-duncan?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E122 - If I'm under estimated thats the best place for me to be with Camille Clemons Director of Business Development and Cohen and Company](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e122-if-im-under-estimated-thats-the-best-place-for-me-to-be-with-camille-clemons-director-of-business-development-and-cohen-and-company/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Camille isn’t our traditional podcast guest, which is what makes her such a great guest. We definitely talk about business, but we also dive deep on humanity, parenting, family, and so much more. Using video prospecting in an old-school industry Rules for using video The long way is the short way Work hard and be nice The moment you compare yourself to someone else is when you start to lose. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e122-if-im-under-estimated-thats-the-best-place-for-me-to-be-with-camille-clemons-director-of-business-development-and-cohen-and-company?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E117 - How to find your sweet spot in sales with Galem Girmay of Flywire](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e117-how-to-find-your-sweet-spot-in-sales-with-galem-girmay-of-flywire/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Galem Girmay is one an amazingly smart woman. She’s knowledgeable about sales and life to say the least. She shares it all with us including: How to determine which selling cycle is best for you How I got better at discipline in work and life. What I learned about sales and life since the pandemic started Building an online sales community What I gained by giving up Netflix in sales Navigating racial justice in the 21st century How do you get started building confidence to simply get started Working towards inbox 0. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e117-how-to-find-your-sweet-spot-in-sales-with-galem-girmay-of-flywire?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E113 - Why Sales is not a numbers game with David Walter](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e113-why-sales-is-not-a-numbers-game-with-david-walter/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Understanding your belief system is your key to success Why the objection “I’m happy with what I have” is a great sales indicator Claim your qualities Getting over the fear of being terrified of calling your list How to effectively NOT use voicemail How to qualify your list [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e113-why-sales-is-not-a-numbers-game-with-david-walter?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E111- Getting Hired The Unconventional Strategies work Austin Belcak](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e111-getting-hired-the-unconventional-strategies-work-austin-belcak/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Austin has cracked the code on getting deeper into the interview process and shares his unconventional methods with us. Check out this episode and learn about the following: Yes, build a deck to send as part of your interview process Treating your job hunt as a sales process Understanding their needs to add value How to actually do referral marketing in your job search How to stand out as an executive in your job search The 1% Rule Adding value by saying, “Yes and…” The Rule of Reciprocity How to write a good LinkedIn post. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e111-getting-hired-the-unconventional-strategies-work-austin-belcak?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E106 - Understanding the miss-fits in sales with Larry Long Jr](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e106-understanding-the-miss-fits-in-sales-with-larry-long-jr/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Why sales is like match-making How to ask the right questions in the interview Transitioning from Life After Sports Ageism in sales Changing hiring practices Why not having a college degree is better than having a college degree in sales. What it means to have commission breath. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e106-understanding-the-miss-fits-in-sales-with-larry-long-jr?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E104 - What it means to sell with purpose with Blake Hudson Sales Manager of Victory Lap](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e104-what-it-means-to-sell-with-purpose-with-blake-hudson-sales-manager-of-victory-lap/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Immediately a Top 5 All-Time Surf and Sales Guest. Stop reading this, just listen, and you will agree. How to set the vision as a sales team of one. Understanding your Gratitude Gap What running for state senate at 24 taught me about sales. Democratize the sales profession A strong sense of mission 5 Love Languages You are an expert on you. Grab 2 and Go Equality vs Opportunity [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e104-what-it-means-to-sell-with-purpose-with-blake-hudson-sales-manager-of-victory-lap?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E101 - What the best Sales People, BDRs and SDRs do to succeed with Alex Olley](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e101-what-the-best-sales-people-bdrs-and-sdrs-do-to-succeed-with-alex-olley/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Alex Olley brings an awesome perspective to sales. His background as a lawyer and musician make him very different than anyone else we’ve ever spoken with. Join us as we discuss: The biggest mistakes of corporate gifting What it means to be a Founder and BDR beyond empathy Its way more than leading with empathy. Other prospecting channels beyond phone, email, and LinkedIn Using direct mail the right way to get attention. Using a sequence to tell a story. Moving from the athlete sales person to different background [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e101-what-the-best-sales-people-bdrs-and-sdrs-do-to-succeed-with-alex-olley-0?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E102 The 3 sentence cold email approach - James Bawden](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e102-the-3-sentence-cold-email-approach-james-bawden/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** James Bawden is passionate, not just about sales, but life. And it comes through fully in this episode, we explore the following: How to make sales training fun and interactive What is a does a great morning standup look like How to conduct training througoutt the week. Training can be based on calls, activities happening, not just the pitch. The Lunch Break Podcast [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e102-the-3-sentence-cold-email-approach-james-bawden?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E89 - Everything you wanted to know about sales with Sara Levinson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e89-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-sales-with-sara-levinson/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The moment you hear Sara speak, you become instantly hooked. Her experiences in sales are the ones we all love hearing about and she was kind enough to share them with us, including: I was anti-coaching UNTIL… People that care about you will care to the coach about you and want you to get better. Company culture contributes to burnout How I make sure to not Burnout The complexities of closing 6-figure vs. 7-figure deals Painting the picture of how good a business could be. I don’t laugh when discussing pricing People who grew up without money makes it How to determine if the company Women in Sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e89-everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-sales-with-sara-levinson?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E92 What it takes to get that 7 figure executive salary with George McGehrin](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e92-what-it-takes-to-get-that-7-figure-executive-salary-with-george-mcgehrin/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** George McGehrin had it all, and then he lost it all. All the money, all the houses, all the cars. Instead of giving up, he rebuilt it. Learned from his mistakes, and thrives with a new view on building a business the right way. Join us as we discuss: The future of texting in sales Tips for being an entrepreneur Why it’s important to keep track of the math. Business success will be based on your process. The customer comes first the money comes later. Do I really have to take 5 calls? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e92-what-it-takes-to-get-that-7-figure-executive-salary-with-george-mcgehrin?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E93 - Sales are much more than just a performance mindset with Joy Hewitt-Carvajal of The Sales Rebellion](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e93-sales-are-much-more-than-just-a-performance-mindset-with-joy-hewitt-carvajal-of-the-sales-rebellion/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Joy sold dirt at 8 years old, and that’s when she knew she’d be in sales. Join us in this conversation as we discuss this and a bunch of other amazing thoughts from the Sales Rebellion including: How to get more out of virtual training I run at life, not from it. Sales are much more than just a performance mindset Understanding intention and performance It’s not about what happened, its how you respond to them The need for collaboration in sales Using the power of suggestion in sales I went camping because I washed cars My first sales job was selling compost door to door at 8 years old [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e93-sales-are-much-more-than-just-a-performance-mindset-with-joy-hewitt-carvajal-of-the-sales-rebellion?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E98 - Laying the groundwork for selling your company with Elias Rubel of Matter Made](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e98-laying-the-groundwork-for-selling-your-company-with-elias-rubel-of-matter-made/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Elias Rubel is the leprechaun of start-ups. After listening to this episode you will understand why. He’s got a fantastic success story and shares practical tips to helping you grow your job, role, career, company and having a good exit strategy. 1. How to learn that perfect doesn’t matter. 2. What it takes to sell the business 3. The nightmares between sales and marketing and how to move forward 4. MQLs are the scourage of the earth in business metrics and compensation 5. The challenges of non-marketing founders 6. It’s not just a transaction 7. How interviewing Holocaust survivors prepared me to be an entrepreneurial [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e98-laying-the-groundwork-for-selling-your-company-with-elias-rubel-of-matter-made?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E99 - The Origin of the Surf & Sales Partnership plus Breaking the Salesperson Stigma with Travis King and Kevin Mulrane](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e99-the-origin-of-the-surf-sales-partnership-plus-breaking-the-salesperson-stigma-with-travis-king-and-kevin-mulrane/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** During this special episode of Surf and Sales Podcast, your co-hosts, Scott Leese and Richard Harris connect with life-long learner Travis King, and sales leader Kevin Mulrane. The world is evolving, especially the world of sales, but how can we get rid of the stigma around a sales career? Here are a few of our favorite points we discussed: 1. How Scott and Richard’s opposite personalities attract and work well for their partnership 2. 1. Scott – full speed ahead 2. Richard – more conscientious/better at slowing down 3. Scott kicks Richard in the ass, Richard pulls Scott back a bit 1. People typically just fall into sales, but to get more people interested in the career we have to get rid of the stigma around it. 2. It’s not just something to get you by for a few years, there can be a career path within sales, and we have to educate people on the possible paths you can take 3. Everyone you know is in sales and it starts at a very young age. You are always selling or convincing someone of something 3. How to get college kids interested in a career in sales 1. Using videos at different parts of the sales cycle, not just to get leads 4. The evolution of sales/what sales might look like in the future [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e99-the-origin-of-the-surf-sales-partnership-plus-breaking-the-salesperson-stigma-with-scott-leese-and-richard-harris?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E86 - Understanding Content-Based Networking with James Carbary Sweetfish Media and B2B Growth Show](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e86-understanding-content-based-networking-with-james-carbary-sweetfish-media-and-b2b-growth-show/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you ever wanted to know why podcasting is not that hard, then this is the episode for you. James fully admits sales is not his strength and that’s why he hired someone else to do it and watched revenue triple.We spend some time with James talking about sales but we also spend a lot of time talking about the right way and wrong way to do a podcast. What to look for in your second sales hire a candidate? Why SDRs should be more like journalists than salespeople How to leverage your podcast content across various platforms What you should know when starting a podcast for your business? What should you brand your show around as you build a podcast audience? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e86-understanding-content-based-networking-with-james-carbary-sweetfish-media-and-b2b-growth-show?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E85 - The Entrepreneur's Godmother with Alison Edgar](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e85-the-entrepreneurs-godmother-with-alison-edgar/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Are you being your best you and do you believe it Sales and customer service are exactly the same thing. How I managed my dyslexia to be my superpower Leveraging your self-awareness to find and fill your gaps to be successful Nobody knows what you meant to say, so know your content Building a brand by standing out consistently How to keep your cool when you go to 10 Downing Street What it means to be soft and strong in sales [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e85-the-entrepreneurs-godmother-with-alison-edgar?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E82 - Building World Class Sales Organizations with Steven Norman](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e82-building-world-class-sales-organizations-with-steven-norman/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Steve Norman is all about planning. Planning for now, and planning for the future. Be sure to check out this episode and learn how Steve plans around these ideas: Why changing talent is the best thing to change first when sales are slumping Stop hiring for the next territory every time you want to grow revenue. Your job description should evolve. Proper structure of a sales interview process What makes a great salesperson. Personality is more important than the customer. How the buyer journey is still shifting How to sell working from home [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e82-building-world-class-sales-oraganizations-with-steven-noonan?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E84 - Navigating the "no budget" conversation with Richard Smith Co-Founder Head of Sales of Refract](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e84-navigating-the-no-budget-conversation-with-richard-smith-co-founder-head-of-sales-of-refract/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** The person who says “no budget” actually has no control over the budget. How to sell when there’s not a line item in the budget for their service How to get your champion to go and have the right budget conversation when you aren’t there. What’s like being a tech entrepreneur in UK? How to find that trust when seeking a co-founder. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e84-navigating-the-no-budget-conversation-with-richard-smith-co-founder-head-of-sales-of-refract?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E75 - Outbounding Best Practices with Belal El Batrawy of Bravado](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e75-outbounding-best-practices-with-belal-el-batrawy-of-bravado/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** You’re in a fail category until you prove otherwise when it comes to social selling TCold Sequence is about exploring, not asking for anything ouch 1 – X in your outbound Break Up Emails that are persistent vs. pain in the ass The Buyers Journey is always the same. Social Selling vs Brand Building [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e75-outbounding-best-practices-with-belal-el-batrawy-of-bravado-0?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E76 - What must be in your sales playbook with VP Revenue Jake Reni of Tiled](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e76-what-must-be-in-your-sales-playbook-with-vp-revenue-jake-reni-of-tiled/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What does a revenue title really mean? How do we make the content better and engaging? Moving from Adobe to a start-up? What goes in your playbook? How to make sure your playbook is being used? How to onboard a playbook properly You hiring too soon if you expect new rep onboarding to e less than 1 week What every VC should be [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e76-what-must-be-in-your-sales-playbook-with-vp-revenue-jake-reni-of-tiled-0?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E77 - Why it "Doesn't hurt to have a chip on your shoulder" w/ Lori Richardson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e77-why-it-doesnt-hurt-to-have-a-chip-on-your-shoulder-w-lori-richardson/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Lori is the type of saleswoman who learned the power of referrals by having a lemonade stand on a dead end street. As the Founder or both Score More Sales, and Women Sales Pros, she describes not just why we need more diversity in sales, but how we can attain it. She tells us the story of how she learned to stand up for herself, and how direct supervisors often play the most important role in the development of your career. You’re sure to love this episode and Lori shares her on thoughts on topics such as: 1. Why sales is still a black hole 2. Why only 13-18% of revenue leaders are women 3. How everybody needs a “Richard” in their life 4. Imagine not having BIG DREAMS! How awful is that? 5. Why a lack of attention to detail has both won and lost her deals [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e77-why-it-doesnt-hurt-to-have-a-chip-on-your-shoulder-w-lori-richardson?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E73 - The most important types of sales content with Martin Roth VP of Revenue at LevelSet](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e73-the-most-important-types-of-sales-content-with-martin-roth-vp-of-revenue-at-levelset/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Martin is the youngest of 7 kids so he’s been conditioned to give quality content from the get-go. This conversation is no different. Listen and learn how he shares insights around: Understanding your customer in terms of content value. 3 Types of Content Prioritizing Revenue Gains Revenue Ops vs. Sales Ops Training Remotely Lessons learned from losing $380,000 as a founder [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e73-the-the-most-important-types-of-sales-content-with-martin-roth-vp-of-revenue-at-levelset?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E68 - You cannot "Top-Down" Lead During a Crisis with Steve Benson of Badger Maps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e68-you-cannot-top-down-lead-during-a-crisis-with-steve-benson-of-badger-maps/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Steve has spent a lot of time in his career around sales and sales leadership. In this episode, he shares a ton with us including: The hard part of being an extrovert during the COVID epidemic Surviving sales in a crisis situation Cutting costs during a pandemic Communication during crisis moments. Best tip for coaching a sales rep. Which is better, letting go of the bottom 10% or lower salaries by 10% Adjusting from supporting field sales to selling during in a pandemic Time to research new tools. Forecasting in a pandemic Online Demo Best Practices on Zoom [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e68-you-cannot-top-down-lead-during-a-crisis-with-steve-benson-of-badger-maps?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E66 - How Zoom beat Skype on a simple story with Andy Raskin of Self-Employed](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e66-how-zoom-beat-skype-on-a-simple-story-with-andy-raskin-of-self-employed/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Andy’s path is fascinating. A love for technology, the ability to write and get paid as a journalist and then move into product ownership. With stints at Skype and Mashery Andy parlayed his experiences into something magical. Its way more than just “the best pitch deck he’s ever seen” Listen in and learn about: Old game vs new game Why your narrative is deeply connected to the sales deck Handling rejection from a VC What does the other side of an acquisition feel like? Moving from computer science to product marketing Understanding what a Strategic Narrative really means [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e66-how-zoom-beat-skype-on-a-simple-story-with-andy-raskin-of-self-employed?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E63 - The way you do anything is the way you do everything with Olga Penchenko of Revenue Hire](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e63-the-way-you-do-anything-is-the-way-you-do-everything-with-olga-penchenko-of-revenue-hire/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Doing the opposite in recruiting is the best practice Making the rep sell to you. What to listen for when interviewing a candidate. Finding the balance in applying to roles in a quantity or quality way? Managing your relationship with a recruiter. What breaks my heart in the sales recruiting process What makes a good impression with your recruiter as a candidate. What it’s like to be selling at 6 years old What it means to be a businesswoman in Russia and the USA Internship to sales. Execution is what makes everyone fail. How I use mediation for better focus throughout the day. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e63-the-way-you-do-anything-is-the-way-you-do-everything-with-olga-penchenko-of-revenue-hire?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E51 - Life is fleeting, fickle, and fast with Steven Broudy of Bevy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e51-life-is-fleeting-fickle-and-fast-with-steven-broudy-of-bevy/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Steven Broudy has spent his life in the service of others. You learn this by hearing the way he talks, not just what he says. He’s given more than just about anyone we know, having become a Sniper for the United States of America. He has moved on from there and become a massively successful sales leader. In this episode, hear his thoughts around: - Life is fickle, fleeting, and fast. - How being in the military helped me prepare to shift a field team to a WFH team - What I do each day to make sure we add accountability to the WFH team. - What’s the best #1 first hire for your sales team - Defining an A+ player based on their upside, not just their relevant experience. - How to hire and not hire a veteran - Your goal as a sales leader is to make yourself obsolete - How being a level 4 fry technician at In&Out Burger made him great at sales. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e51-life-is-fleeting-fickle-and-fast-with-steven-broudy-of-bevy?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E46 - Why people don't believe in themself enough with Evan Carmichael](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e46-why-people-dont-believe-in-themself-enough-with-evan-carmichael/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** There have been a few “cult classic” episodes of the Surf and Sales Podcast. This one is bound to end up there as well. Evan Carmichael shares some of his secrets for success. What it takes and how we need to adjust our mindset. Definitely not just for salespeople that’s for sure! Learn all about: 1. 1. The Dorito Effect 2. That your biggest fear is not external. 3. How he shows himself, love, by doing difficult things 4. What to do when you are afraid 5. That most people are afraid of are other peoples’ judgment 6. Your purpose comes from your pain. 7. How to make big decisions [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e46-people-dont-believe-in-themself-enough-with-evan-carmichael?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E59 - Why its Good to be Selling Services During a Recession - from $3m Quota Carrying F500 Sales Legend Scott Ingrim](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e59-why-its-good-to-be-selling-services-during-a-recession-from-3m-quota-carrying-f500-sales-legend-scott-ingrim/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Scott Ingrim is an “Intentional Individual Contributor” who has found a multitude of ways to be a leader in the sales community. From his sales summit to his podcasts to his books and live virtual events, he works tirelessly to elevate the profession of sales. How does he do it all? - He seeks connections and learning opportunities - Focuses on value of events – Content and Connection - You can never have too many conversations - Our job is to challenge old thinking and share knowledge - Why leading from the field was the right choice for him - And a special moment where he gets on his Soapbox with a powerful message to companies across the world [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e59-why-its-good-to-be-selling-services-during-a-recession-from-3m-quota-carrying-f500-sales-legend-scott-ingrim?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E58 - Why Executives w/o Sales Experience Struggle w/ Forecasting, w/ Rob Jeppsen](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e58-why-executives-wo-sales-experience-struggle-w-forecasting-w-rob-jeppsen/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Rob describes himself as competitive from birth and a troublemaker who pushed back on everything. He also started selling in HS and kept at it through college. A sales leader who ran a team of ~1000, who is now a CEO/Founder, Rob goes in hard on topics such as: 1. Nobody has to predict future more than a sales leader 2. Why CEOs cut sales leaders forecast by 20% 3. Why pipeline forecasts built on averages are stupid 4. Advice to CEOs on how to learn trust VPs of Sales 5. 4 levels to look for when hiring a salesperson 6. Why CEOs cant miss a forecast more than once [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e58-why-executives-wo-sales-experience-struggle-w-forecasting-w-rob-jeppsen?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E44 - Busting the myth that sales cannot be a remote workforce with Nicolas Vandenberghe of Chili Piper](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e44-busting-the-myth-that-sales-cannot-be-a-remote-workforce-with-nicolas-vandenberghe-of-chili-piper/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** So you keep hearing about remote workforces. You think its good for departments like engineering, marketing, etc, but NEVER for sales. In this episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast, we blow that myth wide open with one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the tech industry. He shares his secrets to this and all the things he’s learned over the years about building, scaling, and surviving in the Silicon Valley tech world. How to make decisions with a remote workforce Write a decision memo Making complex decisions Running a remote sales organization Surviving the .bomb of 2000 [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e44-busting-the-myth-that-sales-cannot-be-a-remote-workforce-with-nicolas-vandenberghe-of-chili-piper?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E41 - Overcoming FOMO and Impostor Syndrome with Jack Wilson](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e41-overcoming-fomo-and-impostor-syndrome-with-jack-wilson/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jack Wilson follows, coaches and teaches the principles of Ikigai which helped him achieve the right balance in his life and career. In this episode you will hear about: Using Ikigai Principle What’s the best approach to motivation Making people comfortable with disruption. Running from failure. When will the general public accept sales as a noble profession? [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e41-overcoming-fomo-and-impostor-syndrome-with-jack-wilson?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E43 - I am a unicorn! I always wanted to been in sales! Ben Simms VP of Commercial Client Services of Market Source](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e43-i-am-a-unicorn-i-always-wanted-to-been-in-sales-ben-simms-vp-of-commercial-client-services-of-market-source/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ben grew up knowing he wanted to be in sales. So much so his mom even said he didn’t need to go to college. Ben now oversees 30 different sales teams. Be sure to listen in and hear the following: How do you know when to leave? How a library vacation changed my life. Why having a list of people you admire matters How Sales Methodologies are Management Methodologies Interviewing during the trough of the day Top Core Competencies for all salespeople – Active Listening, Results-Oriented, Energy, Work Ethic, Coachable [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e43-i-am-a-unicorn-i-always-wanted-to-been-in-sales-ben-simms-vp-of-commercial-client-services-of-market-source?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E39 - #1 on the Leaderboard doesn't mean Shit with Sahil Mansuri of Bravado](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e39-1-on-the-leaderboard-doesnt-mean-shit-with-sahil-mansuri-of-bravado/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sahil was supposed to be a doctor or a lawyer. He was never meant to be a salesperson. At least that’s what his parents kept telling him. And they were almost right. Sahil freely admits he was TERRIBLE when he started in sales. An entertaining episode of life, parents expectations, and success. In this episode: 1\) What his parents said when they saw his first 6-figure commission check. 2\) Why sales is the best fucking job in the world! 3\) The real reason your number one salesperson leaves. It’s not what you think! [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e39-1-on-the-leaderboard-doesnt-mean-shit-with-sahil-mansuri-of-bravado?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E37 - I hate seeing my name in Red with Lindsay Boggs of Citrix](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e37-i-hate-seeing-my-name-in-red-with-lindsay-boggs-of-citrix/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Lindsay Boggs is a force of nature when it comes to sales. She figured out Social Selling before most of us, and she’s a true leader and pioneer in the SDR landscape. But as you listen to her story, it wasn’t always the case. In fact, like many of us, she never thought of sales as a career choice, until… In this episode hear: 1\. What happened when she saw her name in red. 2\. What it was like having a target on her back. 3\. Her favorite interview questions for SDRs [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e37-i-hate-seeing-my-name-in-red-with-lindsay-boggs-of-citrix?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E36 - My Dad was Dwight from Dunder Mifflin - The Sales Rebellion with Dale Dupree](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e36-my-dad-was-dwight-from-dunder-mifflin-the-sales-rebellion-with-dale-dupree/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** This episode is sure to be an instant classic. Dale is an amazing storyteller. He opens up about his struggles, his love for his father, and the passion and compassion his father taught him by being a copy salesman. He even shares the dark underbelly of life and sales that will scare, surprise, and thrill you. Things you will hear about: How being a great parent is like being a great salesperson. How sales can be a dangerous place and when it will test you. How to be intentional and present in sales and life What it takes to commit your dreams to paper [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e36-my-dad-was-dwight-from-dunder-mifflin-the-sales-rebellion-with-dale-dupree?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E31 - How Men Can Be Less "Clumsy" in the "Me Too" Era with Paige Drews](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e31-how-men-can-be-less-clumsy-in-the-me-too-era-with-paige-drews/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Farmer? Check! Assistant Heart Surgeon on Pigs? Check. VP Sales w/ an exit? Check! Family member an original suffragette? Check! Make a cold call during the interview and get it closed? Check! Paige Drews brings probably the most non-traditional background to her sales career we’ve seen yet. She’s passionate about leadership, helping others first, and she’s done it all to say the least. But is has not been easy. She’s definitely experienced gender bias, been overlooked, undervalued and never let it slow her down. In the “me too” era when so many people are afraid to talk about it, she is not. Paige exemplifies and articulates her story on the topic without preaching, but really teaching what we can all do. She not only wants to discuss it but also wants to help people understand the differences and the changes we can make. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e31-how-men-can-be-less-clumsy-in-the-me-too-era-with-paige-drews?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E30 - Cowboys, Librarians and Snipers with Steve Richard of ExecVision](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e30-cowboys-librarians-and-snipers-with-steve-richard-of-execvision/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Steve Richard is a legend in sales leadership, training, and coaching. But it didn’t always start out that way. Long before ExecVision, Vorsight and Corporate Executive Board there was the big donut of 0 for 22, yes, TWENTY-TWO consecutive failed interviews. He then figured it out and went 5 for 5. Fast forward a few years and you now get the wisdom that is Steve Richard. In this episode learn about: 1\. Cowboys, Librarians, and Snipers on your sales team 2\. Why you should NOT call coach your bottom 20%. 3\. Defining Good reps from bad [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e30-cowboys-librarians-and-snipers-with-steve-richard-of-execvision?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E32 Perfecting Sales/Marketing Relationship w/ CMO Sydney Sloan of SalesLoft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e32-perfecting-salesmarketing-relationship-w-cmo-sydney-sloan-of-salesloft/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Sydney Sloan offers an amazing perspective of Sales and Marketing. She’s worked at Fortune brand companies like Nestle and Adobe and brings that experience to her role as the CMO of SalesLoft. In this episode hear how 1\. Selling Sweet Corn 13 for $1 helped Sydney grow. 2\. When to declare “Email Bankruptcy” 3\. Step by step how to delegate. 4\. Which are the money slides in a sales presentation **5. First-ever Easter Egg in a Surf and Sales Podcast** [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/perfecting-sales-and-marketing-relationship-with-cmo-sydney-sloan-of-salesloft?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E29 - The Individual Contributor Mindset with Taylor Lobdell of RollWorks](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e29-the-individual-contributor-mindset-with-taylor-lobdell-of-rollworks/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Taylor is a legitimate sales person and surfer. He doesn’t remember the first time he was on a board, but he remembers the first time he bought one at Play it Again Sports. He’s been a surf instructor, sales leader, and is now back in an IC role and loving it. In this episode hear about: 1\. Vetting if someone really is the Decision Maker 2\. Getting out of a sales slump 3\. Giving back with the City Surf Project in San Francisco [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e29-the-individual-contributor-mindset-with-taylor-lobdell-of-rollworks?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E27 - Red Wagon Selling with James Buckley of JBarrows Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e27-red-wagon-selling-with-james-buckley-of-jbarrows-sales-training/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** What do a red wagon and ferret, and sales have in common? Tune into this episode of Surf and Sales as we speak with Mr. “Say What Sales” James Buckley. In this episode you will hear about: 1\. How AEs are generating better leads than marketing some times. 2\. The trend in sales training to create “Super Teams” 3\. And a whole lot more [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e27-red-wagon-selling-with-james-buckley-of-jbarrows-sales-training?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E26 - Product + Marketing + Sales with Chris Orlob of Gong](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e26-product-marketing-sales-with-chris-orlob-of-gong/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** There are a few things Chris Orlob knows. Chris knows about sales. Chris knows about product marketing. And Chris knows he’s not Neil Peart, but he loves to drum. In this episode with Chris, we sit down and talk about his passions which include all 3. He’s a self-described marketer in a sales person’s body. He spent the last few years at Gong focusing on product marketing. Then after a while, he decided to move back into sales in a leadership role and is now running a sales team. In this episode you will learn from Chris: 1\. What is the problem with product marketing? 2\. How product marketing really supports sales? 3\. Owning the position of leadership in the mind of the customer 4\. Training vs. Coaching 5\. Why you cannot scale dependency [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e26-product-marketing-sales-with-chris-orlob-of-gong?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E23 - Growing into a Sales Manager with Daniel Molas of SolarWinds](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e23-growing-into-a-sales-manager-with-daniel-molas-of-solarwinds/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Daniel is the Director of Sales at SolarWinds. Before he got to this company he spent a lot of time in start-ups. He found a great leader to learn from and now wants to share what he learned to get there. In this **episode we discuss:** . 1. What it takes to get promoted from sales to management. 2. What it’s like to open a new office in a new city. 3. How to spot a rep who should be given their shot at management. 4. How managers handle “training fatigue”. 5. How to integrate teams when your company buys another company. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/-surf-and-sales-s1e23-growing-into-a-sales-manager-with-daniel-molas-of-solarwinds?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E21 - How sales memes built a business with Daniel Disney](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e21-how-sales-memes-built-a-business-with-daniel-disney/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** It started as an idea, and it grew into a business. The irony of this story, is well, all the irony. Join us as we speak with Daniel Disney of the Daily Sales. Learn about how he became enamored with sales early on. How his first job was selling kitchen remodels at the age of 16. Hear his advice for a great SKO, and some of the differences between selling in the US and everywhere else in the world. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e21-how-sales-memes-built-a-business-with-daniel-disney?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E20 | How a Control Freak Can Learn to Scale Sales with Justin Welsh](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e20-how-a-control-freak-can-learn-to-scale-sales-with-justin-welsh/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Scaling a sales team takes a certain level of trust. Not just in others, but in yourself as well. As you hear Justin’s origin story you will learn he came from a different mindset. He says he was quiet, shy, and even picked on a bit. Justin Welsh shares how he learned to learn all throughout his career. You will hear: 1. Skills to look for in the person you want to promote in management. 2. Why pedigree doesn’t matter when building sales 3. How to “learn to let go” so you, your team, and your company can thrive. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/title-surf-and-sales-s1e20-how-a-control-freak-can-learn-to-scale-sales-with-justin-welsh?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E7 - Marketing Should Have Real Quotas too! with Tami McQueen](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e7-marketing-should-have-real-quotas-too-with-tami-mcqueen/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** In this episode, we speak with Tami McQueen of 31 South, formerly of SalesLoft and one of the original Surf and Sales I attendees! We discuss: 1. Should marketing carry a number? 2. How do you determine the right numbers for marketing be driving other than MQLs? 3. Can sales make you a better marketer or does marketing make one better at sales? 4. What’s up with ABM in 2020? 5. Why micro-conferences are better than the big ones Be sure to download this episode, give it a listen, and then give us some feedback on what you liked and didn’t like. Richard and Scott [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e7-when-sales-and-marketing-get-along-with-tami-mcqueen?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E26 - Stock Options Straight Talk with Sam Jacobs and Collin Cadmus](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e26-stock-options-straight-talk-with-sam-jacobs-and-collin-cadmus/) **Published:** March 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nobody teaches this or talks about it in a way for folks to learn. Excited that we were able to join Sam Jacobs and Colin Cadmus. Chatting about what are those options worth? When to monetize for options vs salary? And a ton more [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e26-stock-options-straight-talk?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Handling “Call me back next year”](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/handling-“call-me-back-next-year”/) **Published:** December 9, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Answer to the dreaded “Call me back next year.” objection. The following are a few different options you can use. So be sure to think it through. 1\) Sometimes people say “call me back in January and they really want me to call them. Other times they are just being polite and really don’t want me to call back. So I don’t waste your time in the future, can you let me know which one it is so I can move forward appropriately? 2\) Great, let’s do something on Jan \_\_\_, how does 10am work for you? 3\) Great, happy to call you back then, does this mean what we do is going to be a project in 2020? 3a) Great, happy to call you back then, does this mean budget has been allocated for this type of project in 2020? 3b) Great, will do. Does this mean we are on the agenda for 2020? (softer than 3 and 3a) 4\) Outstanding, does that mean you are looking at \_\_\_\_, \_\_\_\_, and \_\_\_\_ in 2020 (this is used if you have a multi-threaded product or service so you can figure out about other departments who you could reach out to. 5\) No worries, happy to call you then. BTW, every now and then we find companies with budget dollars they haven’t spent and they want to “buy now” but install in 2020. Might you be in a situation like this? (If no go back to #1) How do you like handling this objection? **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [It was a great year for books](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/it-was-a-great-year-for-books/) **Published:** January 7, 2019 **Author:** WhatarmyDev **Content:** One of the greatest things I’ve really grown to appreciate over the last few years has been reading. I used to hate it in most cases. For the longest time it felt like, “a chore” or “studying” and worst of all I had what I refer to as a typical Gen-X mentality of, “I already know it all.” I have since changed my tune and have read a ton of great books over the last few years. Many I discover on my own, some are recommendations from peers, and some from rock stars like Duff McKagan of GNR fame. As such here are a list of the books I read in 2018 and maybe you will find something of interest to you. Of course, please add your list in the comments as well as I am always looking for something new to read myself. Yes, you will note that I am not reading as many “business books”. The reason for this is based on some of my own projects where I want to make sure my thoughts and ideas are authentically my own. In no particular order: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen – Ok, I lied, this one is my favorite. If you don’t know, I’m a huge Springsteen fan and have been for years. I highly recommend the audio version of this book as Bruce reads this one himself. He’s an amazing story teller. From his early days in NJ and living in a surfboard factory to how he made millions but never paid his taxes in the 70’s after his success of Born To Run because as he puts it, “nobody he knew in New Jersey ever paid taxes” to how he was able to make peace with his father, and how he himself has dealt with depression. Grant by Ron Chernow – Fascinating book about Ulysses S. Grant our 18th President. As a kid I was always fascinated by US History, growing up in the south I certainly was very aware of the Civil War. This book paints an interesting portait of him as he grew up, went to West Point, hated slavery but married a woman from the south whose father disagreed with him. It shows his poor business skills, his lack of desire for the limelight, and the type of soldier he was. It absolutely shows how alcoholism one of his many weaknesses. It’s long but if you like the subject you may find it interesting. It’s So Easy and Other Lies/ How to Be a Man by Duff “Rose – The King of Beers” McKagan – Outstanding books from the bass player of Guns-N-Roses which talks about everything you wanted to know, at least from his point of view about what it means to party like a rock star, be an alcoholic, falling down and getting back up again. Amazing insights into how he “earned his way into a solid college and got his degree. As he said you have no idea what it means to “party like a rock star” until you are such an alcoholic that you drink so much, throw up, pass out, only to try to drink the alcohol back up. Or the moment when he was throwing a birthday party for his 13 year old daughter, (who badgered him, “you and mom are staying upstairs for the party, right?” Only to turn the corner at one point and find his daughter kissing a 13 year old boy. Great travel tips How to Be a Man as well. The Heroin Diaries by Nikki Sixx – Pure and utter debauchery during the year of making Girls, Girls, Girls. You will never want to do this drug or any others after reading this book. A Poloroid Guy in a Snapchat World – David Spade – After all the rock-n-roll craziness I needed something “light” to mellow me out. Funny, quick read, The Truth by Neil Strauss – From the world’s greatest “pick-up” artist and author of “The Game” as he throws his entire life into turmoil of trying to have his cake and eat it too as it relates to relationships, monogamy, polyamory, and true love. He tries it all from poly-relationships to sex addiction therapy where he ends up on the floor crying, to having to “remove” his relationship with his mother for a while he finds his true self. He holds nothing back, so not for the faint of heart. The Forever War – Joe Haldeman – On recommendation from Duff McKagan – An outstanding long term story of the war in Afghanistan. Explaining not only the history of the country but our involvement or lack there of through out the US presidencies all the way back to Reagan. There is no easy answer for this part of the world and this book explains why. The Brave Ones by Michale J. McCloud – A 40 year old reporter decides to enlist in the Army and becomes a paratrooper and writes about his experiences. From seeing the “boys” in his troops who could be his sons to explaining what its like to hold down double duty of being a reporter and a paratrooper. Endurance by Scott Kelly – The story of the first American to spend a year in space on the international space station. Fascinating insights that explores the joy and loneliness of space. Not to mention he was a self-proclaimed “fuck-up” as a kid with no real college or job prospects until he stumbled upon the adventure of being an astronaut. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari – A good book by all accounts but got a little dry and truthfully have not finished. If someone else can share their thoughts on this book please feel free to do so. Shoe Dog – Phil Knight – Amazing story of Nike and how it all started in his garage. The battles he had to have with his bank who never wanted to loan him money even after he could prove he could pay it back over and over again. The politics and shenanigans of the early sneaker wars, and some amazing insights into how he mentally handled all of it. Bad Blood – John Carreyrou – The story of one of the greatest rise and falls of the unicorns of Silicon Valley and the founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes. Her goal of being able to run a litany of tests to help people from a simple pin prick on the finger instead of drawing from the arm is more than admirable. If it ever happens it will be amazing. However, that’s not what happened here. What could possibly go wrong with these folks on your board? Apparently, everything! Previous board included Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of Defense Bill Perry, former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Senators Sam Nunn and Bill Frist, former Navy Admiral Gary Roughead, former Marine Corps General James Mattis, and former CEOs Dick Kovacevich of Wells Fargo and Riley Bechtel of Bechtel. You Just Can’t Win by Jack Black – Another recommendation by Duff McKagan Not the Hollywood Jack Black. This is a fascinating story and period piece from the turn of the century 1800’s-1900’s. Where as a young man Jack chooses a life as a “bum and a hobo” hopping the trains from town to town and how he became a theif to support himself and his own drug habits. What it meant to be in thief before electricity, the amount of planning it took to break into someone’s home, how to slowly open the door for hours, literally, because the world was so quiet. **Categories:** Blog --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E2 - Interviewing Skills for EVERYONE!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e2-interviewing-skills-for-everyone/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Scott Leese and Richard Harris bust all the interviewing myths wide open on this episode of the Surf and Sales Podcast. Some of the myths we cover: 1\. The company isn’t interviewing you, you are interviewing the company! And how to handle this. 2\. What’s the best question to ask during your interview? This one will literally land you the job! 3\. You’re a manager/ leader, and you want to know how to interview better and increase your retention rate? Whether you are in inside sales, field sales, sales management, sales leadership or just want to be better at interviewing from either side of the desk, join us for this massive mind shift. You will be glad you did! [Check out this episode!](http://traffic.libsyn.com/surfandsales/InterviewingSurfandSalesPodcastS1E2AudioOnly.m4a?dest-id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E5 with Sarah Drake](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e5-with-sarah-drake/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** So often we hear from the veterans on podcasts. This time we flip it a bit and take time to learn from someone who’s career is just getting started. Enter, Sarah Drake. Sarah is a Sr. SDR as of the recording date in December 2019. She has a degree in marketing but considers herself heavily aligned with SDRs and Inside Sales and Field Sales. She drops massive knowledge on her story. How waiting tables taught her to sell, cross-sell, upsell, and how to listen and lead her customers through the journey. No matter your experience level in sales, you will enjoy this episode for sure. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s1e5-surf-and-sales-with-sarah-drake?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E38 – Bringing Humanity Back into Sales with Tim Clarke](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e38-bringing-humanity-back-into-sales-with-tim-clarke-of-salesforce/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Tim Clarke has lived many lives inside and outside of the sales arena. Like the rest of us, he’s had ups and downs personally and professionally, and he’s willing to “go there” with us on this episode. He’s worked tirelessly to make sure we take care of sales people at the human level. In this episode: 1\) What metrics are bullshit in marketing 2\) How Sales is Marketing and Marketing is Sales 3\) Why Sales People are at the Breaking Point Emotionally 4\) Tips for supporting your sales team’s mental health. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e36-bringing-humanity-back-into-sales-with-tim-clarke-of-salesforce?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E67 - Understanding equity with Collin Cadmus](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e67-understanding-equity-in-startups-with-collin-cadmus-of-aircall/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nobody teaches anyone about equity in startups until its too late. During this conversation with Collin Cadmus, we dive deep into what equity means. Why its an old antiquated system and what something new should look like. In this episode learn about What it means to exercise your options How much should I care about equity as an SDR or AE Common Stock vs. Preferred Stock What to ask about equity in an interview What to do when the new ICP finds you. It’s not always the team, its the leader. Retail sales to Inside Sales What it’s like to work your way out of debt What I learned about business while working for CVS Staying true to the core with month to month during a pandemic [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e67-understanding-equity-in-startups-with-collin-cadmus-of-aircall?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E90 Bounce-back Ability with Jules White](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e90-your-bounce-back-ability-with-jules-white-of-live-it-love-it-sell-it/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Jules White has faced some serious life challenges both personally and professionally. She’s also bounced back to become more successful than ever. Be sure to check out this episode where she shares What it means to have a personal brand Where does your “personal brand” come from Your journey defines your brand You always choose how you feel about something Getting beyond the “old school” sales methodology What are the pivots folks are making for the COVID The changes you make to go from outside sales to inside sales How to prepare for a TedX in 7 days. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e90-your-bounce-back-ability-with-jules-white-of-live-it-love-it-sell-it?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E91 Customer Success with Nick Mehta](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e91-way-beyond-customer-success-with-nick-mehta-of-gainsight/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Nick Mehta is simply a beautiful human being and he’s built that way from the inside out. This episode will prove it to you and we go way deeper than a typical Customer Succes conversation. Hear his opinions on: What it means to stop chasing bad money How to manage the bad customer Your employees will see every time you don’t live up to your own company values The single thing that will your company culture Differences in customer success community vs. the sales community Leading from the front in cross sell sales or customer success How do you find the executive market fit. Free CS Training by Gainsigh [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e91-way-beyond-customer-success-with-nick-mehta-of-gainsight?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [3 Kinds of Demos](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/3-kinds-of-demos/) **Published:** June 15, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** There are 3 types of demos in [\#sales](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6655941357296852992&keywords=%23sales&originTrackingId=ceg4xehXRvCTxJjjzz5u4Q%3D%3D) when following N.E.A.T. Selling. N.E.A.T. = Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority and Timeline 1. Trailer – This is essentially an explainer video. This gives people just enough to understand the pains you solve to entice them into a deeper conversation. 2-3 minutes 2. Main Feature – This is a demo that actually walks your prospects through their specific use cases as it relates to your product or service. 3. Director’s Cut – This more like a POC or trial. Or perhaps a [\#CustomerSuccess](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6655941357296852992&keywords=%23CustomerSuccess&originTrackingId=ceg4xehXRvCTxJjjzz5u4Q%3D%3D) demo of a new application Throughout the [\#salescycle](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6655941357296852992&keywords=%23salescycle&originTrackingId=ceg4xehXRvCTxJjjzz5u4Q%3D%3D) you must determine what is your equal get for giving these to people. 5 more tips about demos 1. Demos are used to uncover pain, not showcase your UI 2. Demos – The UI should sell itself, but only if you ask “how does this compare to your current way of doing things?” 3. Demos are NEVER product training. 4. Demos should be given when you feel it will help you get to the next stage 5. Pre-qualify the demo, “Hey, before we do this demo. Assume it goes well because if it doesn’t I won’t hear back from you, what happens next from your side?” **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [S2E11 – Sales moving forward 2021 + 2022 with Keri Brooke](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e11-sales-moving-forward-into-2021-2022-with-keri-brooke-rvp-marketing-salescloud-salesforce/) **Published:** February 1, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How does an accountant become the RVP Marketing of Salescloud at Salesforce? Keri Brooke shares her story here Navigating management excellence in sales post-COVID The first thing Salesforce did in March and April 2019 because of COVID How to establish trust in your team Every learning needs an action How organizations have changed their business model You can’t change a business model in a spreadsheet Planning for 2021 and 2022 [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e11-sales-moving-forward-into-2021-2022-with-keri-brooke-rvp-marketing-salescloud-salesforce?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Living WFH Through The Holidays](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/living-wfh-through-the-holidays/) **Published:** November 9, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Working from home can be a challenge any time of year, but as the holidays are approaching, Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with Co-CEO and Co-Founder of [Predictable Revenue](https://predictablerevenue.com), Aaron Ross, to discuss how we can support our employees and how we can support ourselves and our families during the holidays. They discussed: - Executives who are parents (both sides of life duty) - Managing employees who are parents - Being a working parent - Coping with stress, family, and mental health Watch the recording here: Proud sponsors of this Bonfire Session include: - [Predictable Revenue](https://predictablerevenue.com) - [Findem](https://www.findem.ai) - [Lead411](https://www.lead411.com) - [Gong.io](https://www.gong.io) - [Perception Predict](https://www.perceptionpredict.ai) --- Need help navigating working from home through the holidays (or anytime)? [Let’s talk](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/)! **Categories:** Blog --- ### [S2E17 – First step to growth is humility with Ian Koniak](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e17-the-first-step-to-growth-is-humility-with-ian-koniak-of-salesforce/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Ian shares two amazing stories with us. One centered around career growth at a large company. The other, he’s a recovering addict and wants to share his journey with us. How to share your struggles with your boss. Personal belief and infinite possibilities Your sense of worth has nothing to do with your W2 Building a land and expand model Learning to speak a different language What it takes to learn your role at a company. Setting real goals, visualization. [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e17-the-first-step-to-growth-is-humility-with-ian-koniak-of-salesforce?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E15 – Focusing on what’s easiest with Elizabeth Niemczyk](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e15-battling-the-challenge-of-not-focusing-on-whats-easiest-with-elizabeth-niemczyk-of-extend/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Elizabeth has always been stubborn. She knows it, and she shares her ability to use it as a tool and something she is working on. Join us as she shares more about: The honesty that exists in a start-up world vs. the corporate world. The allure of a new challenge Battling your own stubbornness Maintaining balance How to take days off intensely Who do I want people to know me as is my motivation The little words that can throw someone off their game. The best and worst advice I’ve gotten [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e15-battling-the-challenge-of-not-focusing-on-whats-easiest-with-elizabeth-niemczyk-of-extend?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S1E148 – Sales is a Thinking Process with Mike Simmons](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e148-sales-is-a-thinking-process-with-mike-simmons/) **Published:** September 24, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Mike is a highly sought after sales leader. He brings amazing perspective and energy to the process. Join us as we discuss: Finding the catalyst of your sales deals The Free Me, the Inexpensive Me, and the Expensive Me [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e148-sales-is-a-thinking-process-with-mike-simmons?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [S2E20 - Heart, Hunger and Hustle with Mike Lindstrom](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s2e20-heart-hunger-and-hustle-with-mike-lindstrom/) **Published:** March 1, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** How does a mentor recognize someone who wants to be mentored? 3 things to look for in people: Heart, hunger, and hustle Every day brings you new material How beliefs drive behaviors Why the speed of the leader dictates speed of the pack Power of planning – What’s written is real [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/s2e19-heart-hunger-and-hustle-with-mike-lindstrom?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E35 - Learning to Say No with Paul "Wick" Kline](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e35-learning-to-say-no-with-paul-wick-kline/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Saying no to upper management How to prioritize your day for yourself and your team Why your inbox will be the death of your management Vagueness is the killer of productivity Leveraging and Managing Up [Check out this episode!](http://surfandsales.libsyn.com/surf-and-sales-s1e34-learning-to-say-no-with-paul-wick-kline?tdest_id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [Surf and Sales S1E3 - Origin Story - Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e3-origin-story-richard-harris/) **Published:** September 23, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Everyone has a story. Every. Single. Person. In this episode, Scott gets Richard to share his origin story into sales. How and why he chose the profession. What mistakes he’s made and learned from, and how his own childhood directly affected his desire to be in sales. [Check out this episode!](http://traffic.libsyn.com/surfandsales/S1E3SurfandSalesPodcastRichardsOriginStoryAudio.m4a?dest-id=2365394) **Categories:** Podcast --- ### [The Missing Piece To Your Sales Puzzle](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-missing-piece-to-your-sales-puzzle/) **Published:** May 26, 2015 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ![insidesales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Clouds.jpg)I was talking with [Scott Leese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottleese), the SVP of Sales for [OutboundEngine](http://www.outboundengine.com/) the other day. Scott is not only one of the smartest sales leaders I know; he’s also a great friend. To give you some perspective…Scott has successfully built 4 different inside sales teams that sell into the local space. Team sizes have ranged from 75 to 100+ reps in multiple cities. To say the least he knows how to build and scale. We were just catching up about family and stuff and he was telling me about his experience with building a 1000 piece puzzle. It’s a picture of Athens, Greece. Scott and I like doing puzzles. It’s very relaxing to work on puzzles at the end of a work day to take your mind off of work and focus on something mindless. It’s also a good way to spend time with kids to teach them organization, discipline, and focus. Scott has a goal to go to Greece. I know Scott will make it, he always achieves his goals. A puzzle is very easy because you know you have all the pieces there to complete it. Scott and I often discover we are wired similarly. We both find it terribly frustrating when you are trying to find one particular piece. If you’ve done a puzzle perhaps you can relate. You end up spinning your wheels looking for that one particular puzzle piece. Then you become stubborn and will not focus on any other part of the puzzle until you find this one particular piece. Then the boom drops. You feel defeated because sometimes you just cannot find it. We then both laughed when we realized if you walk away from the puzzle and start to work on another part, then and only then do we run across the one piece that had temporarily defeated you. The reason I bring this up is because this correlates with our process as sales leaders. We are given the pieces to complete the puzzle and when we only focus on one part, close rate for example, we get nowhere. When we take our mind off the thing stumping us and start to focus on the other parts of our process and putting them in place, then and only then do we stumble on the missing piece we spent enormous amounts of time and energy on. Next time we are focused on only the target we should all take a step back and focus on what gets us our deals (calls, process, value), and then will we find the missing piece (deal). When you are only focused on the next sale, you will almost never find it. Just like trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle, the best thing is to step back for a second, come back to the puzzle, and build the thing the way you know how. Find the corner pieces. Find the edge pieces. Build other sections. And then when you stop thinking about the missing piece? There it is! Same thing with that one sale you want so badly, keep building the puzzle and you’ll find it. Scott, thanks for sharing an awesome story. So what’s your missing puzzle piece in sales? Follow Scott on Twitter: @sleese555 Follow [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/) on Twitter: @rharris415 **Categories:** Blog, Sales --- ### [Learning Work/Life Balance While Swimming With Sharks](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/learning-worklife-balance-while-swimming-with-sharks/) **Published:** June 1, 2015 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** If you have been following our recent posts you will have most likely read our first two post in this series about the things we learned by from Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank. We were attending the [TopOpps](http://topopps.com/) DRIVE 2015 conference in NYC at the beg![work life balance](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/sharkshades.jpg)inning of May where Mr. O’Leary was one of the keynote speakers. If not, you can find them here: [What I Learned About Metrics While Swimming With a Shark](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-i-learned-about-metrics-while-swimming-with-sharks/) and [What I Learned About Sales While Swimming With a Shark](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/what-i-learned-about-sales-while-swimming-with-a-shark/). For our final post in the series we are going to do something a bit different. This time we are going to disagree with [Mr. Wonderful](http://www.businessinsider.com/shark-tank-investor-kevin-oleary-2015-2). We did an internal survey of co-workers, friends, and family. Everyone we know from [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ "The Harris Consulting Group") seems to be struggling with finding the right work life balance at some time or another. It does not matter whether or not you are in inside sales, field sales, a teacher, a plumber, or a home maker. It’s a crazy world, work, life, spouse, significant other, kids, family, and of course making time to post it all on social media lest we become “irrelevant”. It’s enough to drive you crazy with guilt over what you are not doing as opposed to enjoying the things you are doing. One of the things that Mr. Wonderful stated has a certain element of truth to it but frankly we do not agree entirely. What he stated was that there is no such thing as a work/life balance. If you want to be successful you will have to make sacrifices. He implied that the only way to be successful is that you must miss everything. And everything must be sacrificed for the betterment of your career success. This is where we disagree with Mr. Wonderful. While the word “balance” might imply a 50/50 ratio. We do not see it that way. We believe that you, the individual can determine what is the right level of balance. For many folks that may mean that work takes 60%, 70%, or 80% of their time. But in the end, as long as you recognize this yourself, make a mental contract with yourself, then you can establish the right work/life balance that works for you. Are you going to miss some things? Yes, you will. No matter what, you will miss some things along the way. What you do not need to do however is beat yourself up over it. Make the time you spend on personal things quality time instead of hitting yourself over the head about the quantity of time. Have meaningful conversations with your family and friends. In our family we do two things: 1. Be sure that at meal times the electronics are gone. This goes for adults as well as kids. 2. Roses and Thorns. Each person goes around the table and expresses one thing that was great for the day and one thing that did not go so well. As the parents of a 7 year old and 5 year old you can only imagine some of the things we hear. And frankly, the things they tell us, well, they remind you to enjoy the little things in life. Remember you get to determine what is the right amount of work life balance for you. And you get to control the quality of that balance as well. These are your decisions, make the most of them. Would love to hear how others are managing the work/life balance. How do you manage it? **Categories:** Blog, Sales **Tags:** field sales, inside sales, Sales, work/life balance --- ### [Sales is a science, not an art](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-is-a-science-not-an-art/) **Published:** November 5, 2018 **Author:** WhatarmyDev **Content:** A lot of people may and probably will disagree with me, which is fine, I think it’s a healthy debate. It used to be, and in some circles still is, that the sales reps are known for having “the gift for gab”, being a “conversational Cyrano de Bergerac”, or a “connoisseur of conversation”, whatever. But ultimately that “art” is 100% rooted in science. That science is called psychology or psychiatry. How people make decisions is not an art, it’s a psychology that has been talked about for decades. Understanding the science of human behavior and decision making is what’s behind this artificial art form people call sales. Whether we are inside sales reps, field reps or customer success reps, one thing I have noticed consistently, we tend to be behind the curve a bit. Marketing has always been ahead of us when it comes to research and data (the science of sales) to drive customers’ behaviors. Fortunately, over the last few years sales teams and sales operations, and some very smart sales entrepreneurs teams have helped us crack the science of sales code with the sales stack. We are just now beginning to better track and measure the “science” of what makes someone respond via email, phone call, text message, swiping left or right, etc… Remember, the essence of sales is not to convince someone to buy your product or service, its to help them realize their life will be easier, better, etc. by utilizing your product or service, and that my friends, is psychology. Share your thoughts below. Is sales a science or an art? **Categories:** Blog, Sales **Tags:** inside sales, sales methodology, sales philosophy --- ### [How Confirming The Physical Commitment Helps You Close Deals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/how-confirming-the-physical-commitment-helps-you-close-deals/) **Published:** February 1, 2017 **Author:** Josh **Content:** [![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-460x259.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/)### [ Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) [ Read More » ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) **Categories:** Blog, Sales Training **Tags:** inside sales, Sales, sales leadership, sales methodology, sales rep, sales training --- ### [The 6 Dumbest Phrases Sales People Used in 2015](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-6-dumbest-phrases-sales-people-used-in-2015/) **Published:** January 4, 2016 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Now that we’ve (hopefully) all recovered from a weekend of New Year’s festivities, let’s take stock of the damage done to our sales lexicon in 2015, with eye on improving for 2016. We all know that sales people love to talk. Whether you’re an SDR, BDR, Inside Sales Rep, or Field Rep, one of our biggest challenges (us included) is just shutting up. Furthermore, there is a big misunderstanding that everyone seems to looking past when it comes to the best attributes of a sales person. Many people think that the single most important thing that a sales person should have is the ability to close. We disagree with this statement down to its very core. The single most important attribute a sales person can have is to be an effective communicator. If you can communicate effectively, then the sales should follow. Which brings us to the point of this post. At The Harris Consulting Group, we see and hear a lot of things when coaching and speaking with sales people, and all too often many of these words do more harm than good. In fact, they should never be uttered during any part of the sales process or sales conversations. So here is a list of some of the best of the worst we heard in 2015. We challenge everyone to stop making these silly statements and work on doing what you were hired to do in the first place: being an effective communicator. **\# 6 – “Don’t worry it only takes five minutes to install”** Every time we hear a sales rep say this, it truly churns our stomachs. This does not make you different, in fact it actually makes you sound just like everyone else. It typically comes up in one of two ways: 1. **The Sales Rep Says It** – There is no reason a sales rep should bring this up unless the prospect asks. If the prospect hasn’t asked how long it takes to install, then it’s a complete non-issue. Additionally, how long it takes to install something only matters when the prospect has bought in completely on the pain your solution solves. Any discussion of installation before the prospect says they want your product is most likely premature. 2. **The Prospect Asks** – So this is the funny one in our opinion. Often times when a prospect asks this question, there are two dialogues occurring simultaneously. The first conversation is in the sales rep’s mind, it “sounds like” a buying signal. So the sales rep wants to answer the question in the most affirmative way possible. They also want to make sure the prospect feels like it’s the simplest solution. Unfortunately, in most cases this is the wrong mindset and wrong thing to assume. The other conversation is going on in the prospects head and it could be what the rep is thinking but in many cases is something completely different. What the sales person should be doing is answering the question truthfully, but then following up with a question about why that matters to the prospect? What made them ask that question at this point? For example, the prospect may be asking simply because they want to know how they will assign the resources for installing as opposed to comparing the installation time between vendors. Without knowing why the prospect asked this question, or any other question for that matter, you are merely a dog and pony show. **\# 5 – “Machine Learning Algorithm”** Just because you have a machine learning algorithm does not differentiate you in the least. In fact, unless you are the only person doing what you do, who are you to say your algorithm is better than your competitors? Unless you are a real data scientist, most people in the room don’t even know what machine learning algorithm even means. It has become as common and overused as the word unicorn has become in the startup lexicon. So here’s the deal, unless you are actually willing to show us your Pythagorean Theorem, we’d rather you say something like this, although perhaps not as crass: “I know we have a ton of smart people building our platform, and in fact we have 50+ customers using it on a daily basis. So if you want to ask me anything about the value of our product or service, please do so. I’d love to share everything. And if I do not know the answer I will find it out for you personally and get back to you. So yeah, we do have some fancy machine learning algorithm, but honestly, the easiest thing to say is that our shit works and if it didn’t we wouldn’t have the customers we already have. Now if you don’t mind me asking, how does understanding the working nature of the algorithm actually affect our ability to do business?” **\# 4 – “What keeps you up at night?”** This one actually makes us throw up in our mouths just a little. This question may actually differentiate you from your competitor. Unfortunately, it will be in their favor, not yours. We are genuinely shocked when we hear sales people ask this question, which seems to have lasted well beyond its use in the 1990s. In today’s world, it’s expected that a sales rep know their prospects’ pains and challenges better than the prospect themselves. Furthermore, you should be asking more questions around *why* things keep them up at night, not *what* keeps them up at night. Please, for the love of all that is holy to sales, stop asking this ridiculous question. **\# 3 – “I will take off my salesperson’s hat and speak directly to you.”** You mean you’ve been a lying a-hole all this time?! Seriously, this one just makes us downright angry. If you are the sales person who actually says this, it’s your fault the rest of us have a bad reputation. And yes, I am talking to you, car salesman who I met with last week and actually spawned this post! It was literally that line that made me just walk away from you. In good conscience, I cannot allow you to earn a commission from me. No matter how much I want that vehicle, my disdain for you overrides my own personal needs, wants, and desires. **\# 2 – “Does That Make Sense?”** So this is a new one that seems to have been born in this latest start-up bubble. Like many of the other phrases mentioned here, it probably started with good intentions. And just like all other things with good intentions, it eventually went sour. We believe that because of this round of technological advances in SaaS offerings and the complexity with which they work, one may want to confirm with the prospect that they understand. However, what has happened is that during the presentation of every pitch deck (which is a terrible waste of time BTW), the standard go-to phrase has become “Do you understand the image on the slide I have shown you with the words printed and me just regurgitating them so I feel like I know what I am doing?” What might be better to ask is, “Do you have any questions at this point?” Or better yet, don’t ask anything and just move along in your conversation. **\#1 – “Like” (and its cousin “Literally”)** Oh brother! We are all guilty of this one. Many people think this word originated back in the 80s, and depending on which century you’re referring to, you might be right. While most people associate “like” with with Moon Unit Zappa’s “Valley Girl”, in actuality it has been documented all the way back to 1886 in Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, *Kidnapped*, with the line, “‘What’s like wrong with him?’ said she at last.” Regardless of your thoughts, though, there are two simple definitions in the English language for the word “like”: - **Similarity** – It’s blue like the color of the sky. - **Enjoyment** – I like chocolate chip cookies. That’s it, no other proper uses. So…like, stop saying it, ok? **What are some of the words and phrases you’d like to see sales people stop using on a regular basis?** **Categories:** Blog --- ## Pages ### [Blog & Events](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/blog-events/) **Published:** August 29, 2020 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## Sponsored By [ ![surf-and-sales-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/surf-and-sales-logo-q17w2ym8x9r33npmked8q7hc2i2y2cnqvzqvo0xnww.png "surf-and-sales-logo") ](https://www.surfandsales.com) [ ![Backstory](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Backstory.svg "Backstory") ](https://www.people.ai/) [![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/ "Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders") [Blog](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/blog/)### [ Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The ... 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[](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e1-front-row-frankie-the-secrets-to-achieving-no-bad-days/)##### [ S7E1: Front Row Frankie – The Secrets to Achieving ‘No Bad Days'” ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e1-front-row-frankie-the-secrets-to-achieving-no-bad-days/) Back for Season 7! Special guest Front Row Frankie joins us dive deep into the world of entrepreneurship, sales, and personal growth. Discover Frankie’s unique ... [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e36-navigating-the-shift-from-remote-to-hybrid-strategies-for-sales-teams/)##### [ S6E36 – Navigating the Shift from Remote to Hybrid: Strategies for Sales Teams ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s6e36-navigating-the-shift-from-remote-to-hybrid-strategies-for-sales-teams/) In this episode of the Surf and Sales podcast, Scott Leese and Richard Harris sit down with Victor Vatus, the CEO and founder of TrackRec, ... [ Load More ](javascript:void(0);) ### Free Resources [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/pre-sales-power-mastering-the-art-of-asking-the-right-questions-at-the-right-time/) [![Mastering the Art of Asking the Right Questions at the Right Time](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mastering-the-Art-of-Asking-the-Right-Questions-at-the-Right-Time-460x258.jpeg)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/pre-sales-power-mastering-the-art-of-asking-the-right-questions-at-the-right-time/ "Pre-Sales Power: Mastering the Art of Asking the Right Questions at the Right Time") ##### [ Pre-Sales Power: Mastering the Art of Asking the Right Questions at the Right Time ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/pre-sales-power-mastering-the-art-of-asking-the-right-questions-at-the-right-time/) Richard Harris joins Trailblazer Talks with Piyusha Pilania to discuss pre-sales and mastering the art of asking the right questions at the right time. He ... [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-sales-teams-managers-resist-sales-training/) [![The Rural Sales Show](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Rural-Sales-Show-460x259.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-sales-teams-managers-resist-sales-training/ "Why Sales Teams & Managers Resist Sales Training") ##### [ Why Sales Teams & Managers Resist Sales Training ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-sales-teams-managers-resist-sales-training/) Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group, joins St John Craner on this episode of The Rural Sales Show to discuss why so many ... [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-win-2023-with-sales-enablement/) [![How to Win 2023 With Sales Enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/How-to-Win-2023-With-Sales-Enablement-1-460x241.webp)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-win-2023-with-sales-enablement/ "How to Win 2023 With Sales Enablement") ##### [ How to Win 2023 With Sales Enablement ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-win-2023-with-sales-enablement/) In this on-demand with The Harris Consulting Group and Highspot, we gathered some of the best in the business to discuss the good, the bad, ... [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/if-you-dont-invest-in-yourself-why-should-a-company/) [![Invest in Yourself](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/featured-img_If-You-Dont-Invest-in-Yourself-Why-Should-a-Company-460x259.webp)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/if-you-dont-invest-in-yourself-why-should-a-company/ "If You Don’t Invest in Yourself Why Should a Company") ##### [ If You Don’t Invest in Yourself Why Should a Company ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/if-you-dont-invest-in-yourself-why-should-a-company/) In this Surf & Sales Bonfire, we discuss the best ways to ensure your employment by investing in yourself first. [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/stock-options-straight-talk/) [![Stock Options Straight Talk](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Stock-Options-Straight-Talk-460x241.webp)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/stock-options-straight-talk/ "Stock Options Straight Talk") ##### [ Stock Options Straight Talk ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/stock-options-straight-talk/) In this Surf & Sales Bonfire, we dive deep into what equity means, why it’s an old antiquated system, and what something new should look ... [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/scary-good-sales-stories-and-skills-for-your-team/) [![Scary Good Sales Stories and Skills for Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Scary-Good-Sales-Stories-and-Skills-for-Your-Team-460x241.webp)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/scary-good-sales-stories-and-skills-for-your-team/ "Scary Good Sales Stories and Skills for Your Team") ##### [ Scary Good Sales Stories and Skills for Your Team ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/scary-good-sales-stories-and-skills-for-your-team/) In this on-demand, Dale Dupree, Kevin Gaither, Scott Leese, and Richard Harris share some of the biggest stories and lessons learned over the years and ... [ Check out more resources ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/) ## Let's Strategize Our clients tell us their teams find our training sessions engaging, fun and useful with immediate impact increasing the velocity and volume of the sales funnel. Let’s strategize and see how we can do the same for your team. [ Schedule Now ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Frequently Asked Questions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/frequently-asked-questions/) **Published:** December 11, 2025 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** # Frequently Asked Questions Modern sales training isn’t about scripts — it’s about **teaching reps how to earn the right to ask questions**, **which questions to ask**, and **when to ask them**. Below are the most common questions we get from SaaS and B2B revenue leaders about our [customized sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training) programs, built around [NEAT Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling), consultative selling, and real deal coaching. This FAQ also explains how our training supports [founder-led sales teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/#founder-led-sales), SDRs, AEs, managers, and Customer Success, with optional [negotiation training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/mastering-sales-negotiations-how-to-win-deals-without-losing-margin/) in every program. ## 1. Do you offer customized sales training for SaaS teams? **Yes.** All [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training) programs are fully customized to your **sales motion, ICP, industry, and live deals**. We coach real opportunities in your pipeline and reinforce skills weekly so the training sticks. ## 2. What is NEAT Selling™? [NEAT Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling) is a modern sales methodology created by Richard Harris. It stands for: - **Need** - **Economic Impact** - **Access to Authority** - **Timeline** It teaches reps how to run consultative discovery and align deals to measurable business outcomes. ## 3. What does “earn the right to ask questions” mean? “Earning the right” means **building trust before asking deeper questions**. Reps learn to open conversations, prove awareness, avoid interrogation-style discovery, and **time questions for impact**. This is a core principle of [consultative selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/earn-the-right-to-ask-questions-with-n-e-a-t-selling/). ## 4. What results do companies see from your training? Most teams see: - higher win rates - shorter sales cycles - better negotiation timing - stronger champions - more confident discovery These outcomes come from real deal coaching — not classroom theory. ## 5. How is your training different from generic sales programs? We don’t run lectures with scripted frameworks. Your team is coached on: - **your pipeline** - **your deals** - **your ICP** - **your calls** - **your decision makers** This is live deal coaching, powered by [NEAT Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling). ## 6. Do you train SDRs and BDRs? **Yes.** SDR training includes: - opening conversations - earning the right early - discovery that qualifies real pipeline - messaging matched to ICP pain This creates a foundation for AE success. ## 7. Do you train Account Executives? **Yes.** CS teams learn: - value-based expansions - renewal conversations - pricing confidence - stakeholder alignment Without turning CS into “sales.” ## 8. Do you train Customer Success teams? **Yes.** AE training focuses on: - consultative discovery - economic impact - multithreading - champion development - negotiation timing ## 9. How do onsite workshops work? Onsite engagements are **two days**, fully customized: - **Day 1:** NEAT Selling™ + discovery - **Day 2:** live deal coaching + negotiation practice You can choose virtual or onsite training based on team needs. ## 10. How does the 4-week reinforcement work? Weeks 2–4 include: - weekly manager coaching - weekly team coaching - deal reviews - negotiation role-plays - call reviews This is where behavior change happens. ## 11. Do you help founder-led sales teams? **Yes.** We coach founders through: - early deals - scalable motion - hiring strategy - live deal execution This is personalized, [founder-led sales coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/#founder-led-sales) designed for zero-to-one growth. ## 12. Do you offer sales negotiation training? **Yes.** Our [negotiation training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) covers: - timing - pricing confidence - internal approvals - champion leverage ## 13. Do you coach sales managers? **Yes.** Managers learn: - deal inspection - coaching frameworks - pipeline reviews - business case analysis ## 14. What industries do you work with? We work primarily with: - SaaS - B2B technology - data/AI platforms - financial services - professional services If your team sells to business buyers, we can help. ## 15. Who leads the training? All training is led by **Richard Harris**, founder of The Harris Consulting Group, and creator of NEAT Selling™ and the **“Earn The Right”** philosophy. ## 16. How do we get started? Schedule a call: - **Call/Text:** 415.596.9149 - **Email:** richard@theharrisconsultinggroup.com Or use the [contact page](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us) to discuss your goals. --- ### [Customer Success Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/customer-success-training/) **Published:** August 10, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/two-women-looking-at-a-laptop.png) # Customer Success Training for CSMs You’ve made the sale, now it’s time to focus on Customer Success. Whether its creating an onboarding process, building QBRs, or Upselling and Cross-Selling, The Harris Consulting Group can hand you the tools, support, and guidance to turn your customers into your loudest advocates. ## What You’ll Learn #### Improve Renewals How to improve renewal rates. #### Customer Retention Custom retention and expansion skills. #### Exceed Expectations How to exceed expectations throughout the customer lifecycle. ## What is Customer Success? It is the ability of your organization to make your clients wildly successful. Focusing on this outcome helps you to reduce churn and increase customer retention while also upselling and cross-selling your clientele. Customer success is not simply a box to check in your sales motion. [Customer Success training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-keys-to-achieving-customer-success-beyond-the-sale/) is critical. It is the key to ensuring successful outcomes for customers, which results in direct success for your business by helping to reduce churn and increase customer retention. Our Customer Success Training will teach your reps how to focus on fulfilling your customer’s strategic business initiatives, while learning how to listen for upsell and cross-sell opportunities. Get Started ![man talking to a woman over video on the computer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/man-talking-to-a-woman-over-video-on-the-computer.png) ## What Our Clients Say “Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales.” Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I’ve used Richard’s training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We’ve seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers’ pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I’d definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Give your sales team the skills to succeed. Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. Get Started --- ### [Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/) **Published:** February 19, 2015 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** ![smiling business woman meeting with coworkers](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/smiling-business-woman-meeting-with-coworkers-q17y7leuty1eqsvrlluh62stgobzd84mq1u5deknxs.png "smiling business woman meeting with coworkers") # Our Services We have a complete suite of services including Go-To-Market Strategy, Sales Training, and Leadership and Executive Coaching. All of them are customized to your specific needs. [ Contact us now ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## Accelerating Your Revenue and Growth - Sales Training Customized [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/salestraining-program-how-to-choose-the-best-one/) teaches your reps how to authentically, and in their own voice #EarnTheRight to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when to ask them. This is a customized sales training and reinforcement program that includes separate coaching sessions for your managers and is guaranteed to stick while improving sales forecasts and closing skills. - GTM Strategy Services Customized to achieve your goals and vision. And includes everything from ICP creation, pitch development, sales operations, [Founder-Led Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-power-of-founder-led-sales/) coaching, and scaling your entire revenue machine. - Sales Operations Support Do you trust your sales funnel to deliver an accurate forecast? We create or audit your sales process, define exit criteria,and completely enable organizations to drive sales teams to sell better, faster, and more efficiently. - [ 1:1 Coaching Services ](/neat-selling/) Whether you’re an individual contributor looking to grow your skill set or a founder looking to improve their own sales skills during the founder led sales stage, [we’ve got you covered](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-you-need-personalized-11-sales-coaching/). - Prospecting Training We train SDRs (Sales Development Reps) and BDRs (Business Development Representative) account penetration strategies that work including email, LinkedIn, cold calling, live pick-up, gatekeeper, voicemail, qualification training and more. - Sales Onboarding Sales reps often fail because they were poorly trained originally. We help you build the right onboarding process including **sales playbooks**, **sales training**, **product training and ramping**. - Sales Tools It’s a mine-field out there. Sales Reps are so busy using tools to be efficient they can no longer actually do their job, sell. We help you find and understand the right tools that help your sales teams execute. - Inbound vs. Outbound There are two kinds of sales leads, Inbound and Outbound. They will each have a different sales process and timeline as well different people in the sales roles [handling them](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/who-handles-inbound-leads/). We help you figure this out to drive revenue faster from each type of sales lead. - Total Addressable Market Define your [Total Addressable Market](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/total-addressable-market/) and how your current market share can increase. - [ Ideal Customer Profile ](/neat-selling/) What is your [Ideal Customer Profile](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/)? Does your Sales and Marketing Team have the same definition? Find which customers are generating the largest revenue. - [ Sales Playbook Creation & Refinement ](/neat-selling/) We help organizations create and refine sales playbooks that are clear, actionable, and tailored to their unique sales process. Our approach ensures your playbook aligns with buyer behavior, integrates real-world sales scenarios, and equips your team with repeatable strategies that drive consistency and results. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## Helping your selling. - Sales Onboarding Sales reps often fail because they were poorly trained originally. We help you build the right onboarding process including **sales playbooks**, **sales training**, **product training and ramping**. - Sales Development We teach your SDRs (Sales Development Reps) account penetration strategies that work including email and voicemail strategies. - Sales Training By utilizing our strategies in N.E.A.T. Selling™ Sales Training, you and your team can start getting better, qualified deals entering your pipeline and increase revenue significantly. - Sales Process Do you trust your sales funnel? Building a sales process is about paying attention to the right details. We will construct your sales funnel based on your buyers’ journey. - Sales Tools It’s a mine-field out there. Sales Reps are so busy using tools to be efficient they can no longer actually do their job, sell. We help you find and understand the right tools that help your sales teams execute. - Inbound vs. Outbound There are two kinds of leads: inbound leads and outbound leads. We help you ensure the right process and people are used to capture, measure, and execute against your inbound and outbound sales. - Vertical Launch Plan What about sales? Everyone knows what marketing wants. We make sure your sales team has all the right tools to tackle a new vertical effectively. - Total Addressable Market Define your [Total Addressable Market](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/total-addressable-market/) and how your current market share can increase. - [ Ideal Customer Profile ](/neat-selling/) What is your [Ideal Customer Profile](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/)? Does your Sales and Marketing Team have the same definition? Find which customers are generating the largest revenue. [ Get Started ](#) ## Helping your metrics. Understanding the difference between Metrics and KPIs is mission-critical for any sales organization. We help you determine which metrics and KPIs will you the earliest indicators to winning the deals. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ### Sales & Marketing SLA We help you build an efficient, fair, and trusted SLA between sales and marketing to ensure everyone is working and playing well with others. ### Customer Value Analysis Do you really know why your customers buy our products or service or do you think you know? We can lead a cross-team internal audit that will give you real results everyone can use. ## Helping your team. - Management Consulting There is a shortage of sales managers in the world today. Is your company prepared to promote from within and provide the training your sales managers need to be successful? We offer [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) so sales managers are set up for success. - Culture Today’s SaaS sales reps hold all the cards. There are not enough good ones to go around. We help you build the right culture & trust that promotes long term growth and stability for your sales team. - Compensation Plans As the inside sales world expands so do the complexities of compensation. SDRs, BDRs, AEs, & Customer Success combined with geo location make it more challenging than ever. We can help you build out comp plans that align with scaling your business. ![woman sitting down working on her laptop](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/18.jpg) ## Customized To Fit Your Needs We understand each company has different pains. That’s why we offer customized training to help you with specific needs. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [THCG Links](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/thcg-links/) **Published:** August 30, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## Hey there! # The links below will help you with all the things The Harris Consulting Group ![head-shot_richard-harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/head-shot_richard-harris-q17xgvtoifiog9yixl0f9v1v5l0yraer7ydidp7ghw.png "head-shot_richard-harris") [ Top 5 Reasons Why Your Sales Training Will Fail ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/top-5-reasons-why-your-sales-training-will-fail/) [ October 7 Webinar: Building a Successful SKO for Your Team ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?p=17169) [ JB Sales On Demand + N.E.A.T. Selling Training ](https://jbarrows.com/programs/the-neat-discovery-process-7c7844) [ 4 Week Training and Reinforcement Program ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks) [ Previous On Demand Resources - Ebooks, Podcasts, Webinars ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/) [ Blog and Events ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/blog-events/) [ YouTube ](https://www.youtube.com/c/RichardHarrisTheHarrisConsultingGroup/videos) --- ### [About](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) **Published:** August 20, 2013 **Author:** analia.panella@outdoassistant.com **Content:** # Working as Your Trusted Adviser Here at **The Harris Consulting Group**, we listen to your business ideas and concerns and help you implement solutions. ![Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Richard-Harris_circle-1.png) ## The Promise To Our Clients Customize your customers’ journey and the experience you want them to feel. Using your sales conversations through live real-playing and role-playing to prevent the “forgetting curve”. Training your sales teams on how to earn the right to ask questions and which questions to ask and when is at the core of our sales training. Whether you need prospecting training or sales training for SDRs, BDRs, Account Executives, or Customer Success, our customized [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5weeks) programs will solve your challenges. ![training icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/training.png)### Real-World Sales Training ![handshake icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/handshake.png)### Strong Leadership ![gears icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/gears.png)### Operational Experience ## The Promise To Our Clients People buy from you based on how you made them feel during the process. with trust often being the biggest emotional winner. Using your specific value propositions and language and customized role playing and real playing techniques your team will overcome the “forgetting curve”. Training your sales teams on how to [earn the right to ask questions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training-vs-sales-coaching/) and which questions to ask and when is at the core of our sales training. Whether you need prospecting training or sales training for SDRs, BDRs, Account Executives, or Customer Success, our customized [sales training programs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) and [sales management training and coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) will solve your challenges. ![training icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/training.png)### Customized Real World Sales Training ![handshake icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/handshake.png)### Trust ![icon-checkmark](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/icon-checkmark.jpg)### Earn the Right To Ask Questions ## Clients Who Trust Us [ ![Zoom Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/ZoomLogo.png) ](https://zoom.us/) [ ![google logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/google.jpg) ](https://www.google.com/) [ ![gainsight logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/gainsight.jpg) ](https://www.gainsight.com/) [ ![SalesLoft logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/SalesLoft1-e1421352382409.png) ](https://salesloft.com/) [ ![Visa-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Visa-Logo.png) ](https://www.visa.com) [ ![pagerduty logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/logo-pagerduty_1_.jpg) ](https://www.pagerduty.com/) [ ![PandaDoc-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/PandaDoc-Logo.jpg) ](https://www.pandadoc.com/) [ ![Terminus-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Terminus-Logo.jpg) ](https://terminus.com/) [ ![leveleleven logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/leveleleven-logo.png) ](https://leveleleven.com/) [ ![litmos logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/litmos_dark_2.jpg) ](https://www.litmos.com/) [ ![Revel-Systems logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Revel-Systems.png) ](https://revelsystems.com/) [ ![intercom logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/inter.jpg) ](https://www.intercom.com/) ![RHCG-company](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/RHCG-company.png) #### The Harris Consulting Company ## About The Company The Harris Consulting Group was founded after coming face-to-face with many start-up and expansion stage SaaS organizations that were struggling to build or scale their sales teams, yet had strong ideas and a solid product market fit. We have had the pleasure of working with many great companies and have continued to grow along with our clients. The Harris Consulting Group focuses on providing real-world sales, sales training, leadership, and operational experience with companies who want to grow their revenue with proven, measurable results. #### Richard Harris ## The Founder Richard Harris is a multi-award-winning sales leadership expert and trainer who has fundamentally reshaped how modern companies approach sales conversations and customer engagement. As the founder of The Harris Consulting Group, he has earned recognition as a 4-time Salesforce Sales Leader and 5-time AAiSP Top Sales Leader for his innovative “Earn The Right” methodology, which transforms how sales teams navigate customer relationships and drive revenue. Harris’s client portfolio spans Fortune 500 enterprises like General Electric, Visa, and Salesforce to high-growth startups such as Dusty Robotics and Lattice, demonstrating the versatility and effectiveness of his approach across different business scales. His training programs, focused on strategic questioning techniques and authentic customer journey development, have become particularly vital for organizations looking to strengthen their SDR, BDR, Account Executive, and Customer Success teams. Beyond his consulting work, Harris is the co-founder of Surf and Sales and has established himself as a prominent voice in the sales community through his [widely-followed podcast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-podcast/) of the same name, which has aired over 400 episodes. His thought leadership and expertise have made him a sought-after guest speaker on numerous business and sales podcasts. A passionate advocate for mental health awareness in sales, Harris balances his professional achievements with his role as a husband and father of two sons. His approach to sales leadership emphasizes both high performance and human-centric values, making him one of the most respected voices in modern sales transformation. ![computer icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/computer.png)Richard brings over 20 years of technology and SaaS experience in sales training, operations, and sales leadership into his role as a Sales Consultant. [![gtmnow-icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/gtmnow-icon.jpg)](https://www.saleshacker.com/)Richard is also the current Director of Sales Consulting and Training for GTMnow and is a regular speaker at the various GTMnow events, workshops, and SalesStack conference. ![tools icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/tools.png)Richard has built, led, and consulted with a wide range of organizations including start-ups, mid-size companies, and global organizations. ![buildings icon](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/buildings.png)Some of the companies that Richard consults for include Mashery (aquired by Intel), Spanning (acquired by EMC), Outbound Engine, TopOpps, Village Voice Media, Riverdeep (acquired by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), PC Guardian (acquired by Acco Brands), DotNext Inc., Telecom Inc., and Yozio. ## In The News #### How Do You Differentiate Your Approach in a Highly Competitive Market? ![Sales-Consultant](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sales-Consultant.png)SALESCONSULTANT.IO – From leveraging patented technology to prioritizing superior service, these narratives delve into the art of selling in competitive environments. [ Read Now ](https://salesconsultant.io/qa/how-do-you-differentiate-your-approach-in-a-highly-competitive-market/) #### How Can You Align a SaaS Content Strategy With Sales Goals? ![SaaS-Perspective](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SaaS-Perspective.png)SAAS PERSPECTIVE – From identifying core business problems to aligning search intent with promotions, explore the fourteen strategies that these experts swear by for harmonizing content and sales. [ Read Now ](https://saasperspective.com/qa/how-can-you-align-a-saas-content-strategy-with-sales-goals/) #### The Ultimate 15-Point Road Map to Guide You Into a New Manager Position ![Fast-Company-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fast-Company-Logo.png)FAST COMPANY – From seeking support to understanding team challenges, these strategies will equip you to build a thriving team and become a new manager your former peers will respect and admire. [ Read Now ](https://www.fastcompany.com/91139244/the-ultimate-15-point-roadmap-to-guide-you-into-a-new-manager-position) #### N.E.A.T. Selling: Master Sales And Close More Deals With Richard Harris ![the selling well podcast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/the-selling-well-podcast.png)THE SELLING WELL PODCAST – Richard Harris, author of The Seller's Journey, joins the show to debunk sales myths and equip you with practical tools. Discover the N.E.A.T. Selling Compass to identify true customer needs, quantify impact, navigate approvals, and create urgency. [ Read Now ](https://www.inthefunnel.com/thesellingwellpodcasts/neat-selling-master-sales-and-close-more-deals-with-richard-harris-wr3c4) #### Mastering The Art Of Storytelling: How Jobseekers Can Captivate Hiring Teams ![interview-focus-logo-@2x](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/interview-focus-logo-@2x.jpg)INTERVIEW FOCUS – Navigating the job market requires a keen ability to highlight one’s versatile talents. From utilizing the STAR Method to emphasizing similar situations and skills, discover ten strategies that have proven successful for jobseekers in the hiring process. [ Read Now ](https://hbr.org/2017/09/my-competitiveness-was-hurting-my-sales-team-heres-how-i-realized-it) #### My Competitiveness Was Hurting My Sales Team. Here’s How I Realized It ![harvard business review logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/harvard-business-review-e1518639301446.png)HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW – Want to be surrounded by some of the most competitive people on the planet? Work in sales, where paychecks, bonuses, promotions, and stature are usually tied directly to organizational quotas and individual results. Competition can be... [ Read Now ](https://hbr.org/2017/09/my-competitiveness-was-hurting-my-sales-team-heres-how-i-realized-it) #### What Every Sales Kickoff Needs In Order To Start The Fiscal Year Off Right ![forbes logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/forbes-logo.png)FORBES — How are you planning for sales kick off in the new year? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Richard Harris, Top... [ Read Now ](https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/11/07/what-every-sales-kickoff-needs-in-order-to-start-the-fiscal-year-off-right/?sh=1f88a6063fe6https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/11/07/what-every-sales-kickoff-needs-in-order-to-start-the-fiscal-year-off-right/?sh=1f88a6063fe6) ### Want to know more? [ Let's Talk ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## Let's Strategize Our clients tell us their teams find our sales training sessions engaging, fun and useful with immediate impact increasing the velocity and volume of the sales funnel. Let’s strategize and see how we can do the same for your team. [ Schedule Now ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Total Addressable Market](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/total-addressable-market/) **Published:** January 28, 2016 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** ![map-with-pins-on-it-at-different-locations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/map-with-pins-on-it-at-different-locations.png) # Total Addressable Market (TAM) At the Harris Consulting Group we help our clients focus strategic marketing and sales efforts by defining the total available market for a specific product or service. ## Defining Your Market Share The total available market for a specific product or service is known as the Total Addressable Market or TAM and is essential for providing revenue opportunity. More specifically, the Total Addressable Market is the business opportunities available for a given product/service. By defining the Total Addressable Market, we are defining the ideal market for a customer and a product/service. With this knowledge, it is possible to start understanding which factors limit or allow for expansion in reaching those customers. This may sound important only to new companies and startups, but it is just as important for established companies and SaaS defining gains or loses of market share. In order to accurately define a company’s Total Addressable Market, The Harris Consulting Group provides the insight and years of experience in understanding market constraints like competition and distribution challenges. ![two-women-writing-on-a-white-board](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/two-women-writing-on-a-white-board-460x460.png) ![Your-Market-Share-graph](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Your-Market-Share-graph-560x560.png) The limiting factors for a company’s market expansion are called the Serviceable Available Market (SAM). Most companies will not reach their full Serviceable Available Market due to poor sales training, marketing, or other factors. These factors define the true market share a company commands and allows for areas of company growth in the future. The Harris Consulting Group works with you to better align sales and marketing efforts and helps to: - Calculate Total Addressable Market (TAM) - Define Market Specific Limitations - Expanding Market Share Through [Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) - Faster Scaling Ability With Higher ROI - Track Market Trends For Competitive Advantages - Identify Emerging Market Growth Potential [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Define your market, grow market share. Align your sales and marketing efforts and maximize your revenue from your TAM, SAM, and ICP. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) **Published:** September 3, 2013 **Author:** analia.panella@outdoassistant.com **Content:** **NOTICE: THIS PRIVACY POLICY CONTAINS A MANDATORY ARBITRATION AGREEMENT. YOU AGREE THAT ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST US RELATING TO THE WEBSITE OR THE SERVICES, THIS PRIVACY POLICY OR ANY TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED HEREIN MUST BE ARBITRATED, AND YOU EXPRESSLY WAIVE THE RIGHT TO (1) ASSERT CLAIMS AGAINST US IN COURT; (2) PARTICIPATE IN A REPRESENTATIVE OR CLASS ACTION; AND (3) HAVE A JURY HEAR YOUR CASE. YOU EXPRESSLY CONSENT TO HAVE ALL OF YOUR CLAIMS ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS ONLY.** The following policy outlines how “The Harris Consulting Group” collects and uses information about visitors to this website, and by using this website you acknowledge that you consent to these practices. This policy is updated from time to time. The latest version will always be published on this page. The modified terms will become effective at the point that they are published here. We strongly recommend that you review this policy from time to time if you are a frequent user of this site. This website privacy policy was updated on: 6/7/22 If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us using the information at the end of this document. #### **What data we gather** We collect website usage data to better understand how visitors use our website. This may include information about the volume of usage, the types of information sought, and other particulars of how this website is used and accessed. We will use this information for managing the website, examining ways of improving the website or other similar objectives. We may leverage Google Analytics, or other 3rd party tracking solutions to gather and analyze data related to how visitors find and access our site. This information is used only to manage and improve our site. We collect Device Information using the following technologies: - “Cookies” are data files that are placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. For more information about cookies, and how to disable cookies, visit [http://www.allaboutcookies.org](http://www.allaboutcookies.org/). - “Log files” track actions occurring on the Site, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps. - “Web beacons,” “tags,” and “pixels” are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the Site. - Other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers If you choose to communicate with us through this website, we may collect personally identifiable information. This could include name, personal email address, company name, company email, physical address, phone number, etc. We may collect such information to help facilitate communications with you including our newsletter. In some cases, registering for a download, on-demand content, live webinars, training sessions, etc. we may provide your information to our sponsors and partners who may decide to contact you with their services. By choosing to participate and submitting your personally identifiable information with respect to such events, you consent to disclosure of your personally identifiable information to such third parties. You are welcome to unsubscribe at any time or contact us to discuss. We are not responsible for the privacy policy of our sponsors and partners. We may disclose any information, including personally identifiable information, we deem necessary, in our sole discretion, to comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request. We may also exchange information, including personally identifiable information, with other companies and organizations for credit fraud protection and risk reduction. We may retain other companies and individuals to perform functions consistent with our Privacy Policy on our behalf. Examples include customer support specialists, webhosting and e-commerce companies, fulfillment companies, payment processors and e-mail service providers. Such third parties may be provided with access to personally identifiable information needed to perform their functions. If you provide us with any personal information or credentials, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality thereof on our website, and we strongly recommend that you do not disclose this information to anyone. We will never ask you for such information in any unsolicited communication. Please notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your personal information or credentials or any other suspected breach of security. If you would prefer that we not collect any personally identifiable information from you, please do not provide us with any such information. If you are a European resident, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted, or that we provide a copy to you in a portable format. If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us using the contact information at the end of this document Additionally, if you are a European resident we note that we are processing your information in order to fulfill contracts we might have with you (for example if you make an order through the Site), or otherwise to pursue our legitimate business interests listed above. Additionally, please note that your information will be transferred outside of Europe, including to Canada and the United States. #### **Cookies and how we use them** #### **What is a cookie?** A cookie is a small file placed on your computer’s hard drive. It enables our website to identify your computer as you view different pages on our website. Cookies allow websites and applications to store your preferences in order to present content, options or functions that are specific to you. They also may allow site administrators to see information like how many people use the website and what pages they tend to visit. #### **How we use cookies** We may use cookies to: - **Analyze our web traffic using an analytics package.** Aggregated usage data helps us improve the website structure, design, content and functions as described above. - **Identify whether you are signed in to our website.** A cookie allows us to check whether you are signed in to the site. - **Test content on our website.** For example, 50% of our users might see one piece of content, the other 50% a different piece of content. - **Store information about your preferences.** The website can then present you with information you will find more relevant and interesting. - **To recognize when you return to our website.** We may show you relevant content, or provide functionality you used previously. Cookies do not provide us with access to your computer or any information about you, other than that which you choose to share with us. #### **Controlling cookies** You can use your web browser’s cookie settings to determine how our website uses cookies. If you do not want our website to store cookies on your computer or device, you should set your web browser to refuse cookies. However, please note that doing this may affect how our website functions. Some pages and services may become unavailable to you. Unless you have changed your browser to refuse cookies, our website may issue cookies when you visit it. #### **Children under 13** If you are under 13 years of age, you may browse our website. You may not provide personal information to us. For example, you cannot register or make a purchase. This website is not designed or intended for children and we do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from any children under 13. #### **Security** We have implemented strong physical and electronic security safeguards to prevent unauthorized disclosure or access to any information collected through our website. To use certain aspects of our services, we may require credit or debit card account information or bank account information. By submitting such information through our website, you expressly consent to the sharing of your information with third party merchants, billing processors, and payment processors. These third parties may store your credit or debit card account information so you can use our services in the future. We do not have your complete credit or debit card account information, store your credit or debit card account information, or have direct control over or responsibility for your credit or debit card account information. While we require that such third party merchants, billing processors, and payment processors use reasonable procedures to help protect your credit or debit card information, we cannot guarantee that transmissions of your credit or debit card account information or personal information will always be secure or that unauthorized third parties will never be able to defeat the security measures taken by us or our third-party service providers. We assume no liability or responsibility for disclosure of your information due to errors in transmission, unauthorized third-party access, or other causes beyond our control. #### **Links from our website** Our website may contain links to other websites. Please note that we have no control of websites outside of our domain. If you provide information to a website to which we link, we are not responsible for its protection or privacy. #### **California Privacy Rights** California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits those customers that are California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of your personal information to other parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please send an email to or write to us at: . #### **Merger, Sale or Change in Control** In the event that we are acquired by or merged with a third party entity, we reserve the right, in any of these circumstances, to transfer or assign the information we have collected from you as part of such merger, acquisition, sale, or other change of control. #### **Disputes** With respect to any dispute regarding the website or this Privacy Policy, all rights and obligations and all actions concerning this Privacy Policy, shall be governed by the laws of California, as if this Privacy Policy was a contract wholly entered into and wholly performed within California. Any dispute relating in any way to your visit to the website or this Privacy Policy shall be submitted to confidential arbitration before a single neutral arbitrator in Los Angeles, California. Arbitration under this agreement shall be conducted under the rules then prevailing of American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). **YOU AND THE HARRIS CONSULTING GROUP AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING (“CLASS ACTION”). Further, unless both you and Harris Consulting Group agree otherwise in a signed writing, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims, and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT, BY AGREEING TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY, YOU AND THE HARRIS CONSULTING GROUP ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION AND THAT THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SHALL BE SUBJECT TO AND GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT.** Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that any party seeks public injunctive relief, such party may seek relief in a court of competent jurisdiction. If these Class Action restrictions are ever deemed illegal or unenforceable, they shall be severed from this arbitration provision. In that event, any Class Action shall by exempted from this arbitration provision and brought in court of competent jurisdiction, in connection therewith and each of the parties consent to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts of the State of California, in Los Angeles. The arbitrator’s award shall be binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. #### **Contact us** For more information about our privacy practices, if you have questions, or if you would like to make a complaint, please [contact us](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact/ "Contact") as soon as possible. --- ### [Clients](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/clients/) **Published:** February 29, 2016 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** # Why Our Clients Choose Us​ - Customization - We build the training to your actual sales conversations - Stickiness through sales training and reinforcement - Program includes training and weekly coaching sessions for reps and managers - Better qualification means more accurate forecasting - Role-Playing - We role play everything taught into your current prospect and pipelined situations - Immediate sales funnel impact - Experience building SaaS lead generation, inside sales, & field sales teams ![two business women writing on a white board](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/4-copy-q17zmekkblvuml2ux99n67yhw8u1dyvstfuirxbg6w.png "two business women writing on a white board") ![logo_google-cloud](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_google-cloud-q182i7utbzcef2gb94qvjj1lz0uuq8pzn94aij7jl4.png "logo_google-cloud") “Brought in to support the Google Cloud team. In addition to sales training, a cold calling boot camp yielded 13 meetings in under 2 hours on a Friday afternoon.” [ Visit Google Cloud ](https://cloud.google.com/) ![logo_zoom](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_zoom-q182i19y053e5spvbjwhk2pdtbra8czvacjw5lhaso.png "logo_zoom") “We saw immediate and consistent implementation and impact of Richard’s training.” Greg Holmes, Head of Sales, Zoom. [ Visit Zoom ](https://zoom.us/) ![logo_pandora](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_pandora-q182i0c3tb23u6r8h1huzkxx7xvx0nw4y7weobioyw.png "logo_pandora") Pandora is a leading music and podcast discovery platform, providing a highly-personalized listening experience to approximately 70 million users each month. [ Visit Pandora ](https://www.pandora.com/) ![General_Electric_logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/General_Electric_logo-r8iohqj2ut8lw6hjak1p6m6l8o0b3ydv0t6zfjyjq4.png "General_Electric_logo") GE adopted N.E.A.T. Selling™ and conducting enterprise sales training for their entire global sales team. Immediate improvements were seen in the ability to better qualify deals and created urgency resulting in reducing sales cycles and improving close ratios. [ Visit General Electric ](https://www.ge.com) ![Everlaw logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Everlaw-logo-r8iohuah75sdogecsaij495agqzfkdeon4mgpmxvte.png "Everlaw logo") Everlaw decided to invest in their sales team allowing members to work with Richard 1:1 for professional sales development. Results were seen immediately by the individual with improved negotiation and closing skills that led to renewals and new business. [ Visit Everlaw ](https://www.everlaw.com/) ![lattice logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/lattice-logo-r1ikh2vo8fskwfrvzj21w4yhwqw4xx436b4qqmsl4k.png "lattice logo") Lattice was looking for improvements with upskilling their Customer Success team to improve renewals and expansions into their existing client base. Results were felt immediately as the team became more comfortable and not seeing sales as a "dirty word". [ Visit Lattice ](https://lattice.com) ![logo_salesloft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_salesloft-q182i51arh8jg8keplizu1r86v8r35esmv5u2pbq3s.png "logo_salesloft") Richard was brought in to improve the courage and confidence of reps while giving them actionable sales skills to implement and use on a daily basis. [ Visit SalesLoft ](https://salesloft.com/) ![logo_politico](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_politico-q182hygffmzj6ytys0olulf01656l9oo9ylfprlhbc.png "logo_politico") “I think he did a great job of not just teaching but getting the team to apply the things they learned. I also think he did a great job of pushing back on the those won’t work here assumptions” [ Visit Politico ](https://www.politico.com/) ![visa logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_visa-q182hvmwv4vo84y28hgq544m90j2y6dh9kmz9xpnu0.png "visa logo") Richard was brought in to teach several divisions within Visa including Visa Corporate, Authorize.net, and Cybersource. Lessons were for all reps SMB to Enterprise and included all roles, SDRs, AE’s, and Customer Success. [ Visit Visa ](https://www.visa.com/) ![intercom logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_intercom-q182htr8hgt3kx0sjgnh04lp28scis60lbc0bdsg6g.png "intercom logo") The leader in discovering your invisible pipeline was seeking support for the sales organization, including CSRs, account executives, and account reps. [ Visit Intercom ](https://www.intercom.com/) ![gainsight logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_gainsight-q1825h5kotwh1cylnmgxqqso2znqdy4z86rcbi3nxk.png "gainsight logo") “I think he did a great job of not just teaching but getting the team to apply the things they learned. I also think he did a great job of pushing back on the those won’t work here assumptions” [Read more about Gainsight](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/gainsight/) [ Visit Gainsight ](https://www.gainsight.com/) ![cybersource logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_cybersource-q1825f9wb5twe51bylnolr9qw7wzyjxijxgdcy6ga0.png "cybersource logo") A division of Visa. Richard was brought into improve the courage and confidence of the sales team and focused on prospecting and sales training. [ Visit CyberSource ](https://www.cybersource.com/) ![justworks logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_justworks-q18256tclnibhndmc001hbeljr2p19zxirl01gizu0.png "justworks logo") The leader in HR tools and compliance was seeking to improve funnel creation and volatility within their revenue organization. [ Visit Justworks ](https://justworks.com/) ![webgility logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_webgility-q18253zu15egithpsgs5ru47rlgle6oqidmjlmn6co.png "webgility logo") Fast startup looking to improve the performance of their sales organization through the quality of communication between prospects and customers. [ Visit Webgility ](https://www.webgility.com/) ![pandadoc logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_pandadoc-q182516bgnaljzlt8xka2cttzfuhr3djhzo35srcvc.png "pandadoc logo") SaaS platform with electronic signatures, workflow management, a document builder, and CPQ functionality. [Read More about PandaDoc](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/pandadoc/) [ Visit PandaDoc ](https://www.pandadoc.com/) ![datanyze logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_datanyze-q1824ycsw56ql5pwpececvjg7a8e402chlpmpyvje0.png "datanyze logo") “His guidance on understanding the psychology of a buyer and seller at a deeper level was eye-opening!” Jason Vargas – Managing Director, Sales Development [Read More About Datanyze](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/datanyze/) [ Visit Datanyze ](https://www.datanyze.com/) ![clarizen logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_clarizen-q1824ulg4t1lapvdbcpw2whltqqx97nf533osv142w.png "clarizen logo") Clarizen provides project management software and a collaborative work management environment. [ Visit Clarizen ](https://www.clarizen.com/) ![datahug logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_datahug-q1824pw96mv5oo272sor8foaute36q4rgfu9eh82y0.png "datahug logo") By applying the cutting-edge data science of CRM data in conjunction with relationship intelligence, DataHug unlocks valuable signals to highlight momentum during the art of selling. [Read More about DataHug](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/datahug/) [ Visit DataHug ](https://apps.datahug.com/) ![litmos logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_litmos-q1824idjnykv3sd4apfqohkm3qf5h5awremdk9j8bs.png "litmos logo") Litmos by CallidusCloud is the fastest growing learning technology company in the world, supporting more than 3,000,000 users in 130+ countries and 22 languages. [Read More About Litmos](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/litmos/) [ Visit Litmos ](https://www.litmos.com/) ![dynamic signal logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_dynamic-signal-q1824l728goq2m90u8nmdyuzvw1948m3rsku03f1t4.png "dynamic-signal logo") Revolutionizes how companies communicate with employees in a more personalized way that mirrors everyday life. [Read More About Dynamic Signal](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/dynamic-signal/) [ Visit Dynamic Signal ](https://dynamicsignal.com/) ![babylist logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_babylist-q1824o0ksysl1g4xdrvi3g5do1ncrbxas6jafxavag.png "babylist logo") “When we explained our sales process, Richard knew exactly what we were missing. He taught us the value of a sales process and each step, explaining the psychology behind every word, and practiced with us until we got it perfect. We’ve doubled our business as a result.” Brittany Murlas – Director of Marketing and Business Development. [ Visit BabyLi.st ](https://www.babylist.com/) ![becktech logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_becktech-q1824hfph4jks6ehg7143zt5icjs9g76f9yw2zkmi0.png "becktech logo") Beck Technologies is a software development company servicing commercial construction companies that focus on vertical projects, as well as owners/developers with pro formats and scope build-out. [ Visit Beck Technologies ](http://www.beck-technology.com/) ![desco logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_desco-q181rcmvzgkckbh950nrrt4apja5pp26y9tnot1nfs.png "desco logo") dESCO is a SaaS management software solutions for field service industries to track and continually increase production. [Read More About dESCO](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/desco/) [ Visit dESCO ](https://desco.descoindustries.com/) ![evestment logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_evestment-q181reikd4mx7jeiu1h0wsn7wb0w539nmj4mncyv3c.png "evestment logo") “With the combination of a vivacious personality and innovative sales methodology, Richard completely transformed the cold outreach of our sales team.” [Read More About eVestment](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/evestment/) [ Visit Evestment ](https://www.evestment.com/) ![findly logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_findly-q181ri9x4gs2hz92833j6rp29uiczvokz1qkkgtaeg.png "logo_findly") “Richard‘s training methodologies set a new bar for sales and marketing training. His direct, yet humble approach poses for a new way modern sales people should be selling.” Sheridan Gaenger, Director of Marketing [Read More About Findly](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/findly/) [ Visit Findly ](http://www.findly.com/) ![helm logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_helm-q181rm19vsx7sf3lm4q1gqqwndztuo3ibkcihknppk.png "helm logo") Helm Operations sought help from the Harris Consulting Group to contact and sell to an established customer base. The current sales structure was for the SDR team to set appointments, the sales team to close deals, and the customer success team to follow up with a Saas solution for existing customers. [Read More About Helm](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/helm-operations/) [ Visit Helm ](https://www.helmoperations.com/) ![leveleleven logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_leveleleven-q181rnwy9gzsfn0vb5jalq9tu5qka2ayztnhg4kxd4.png "leveleleven logo") “Richard Harris has one of the deepest understandings of the modern sales process of anyone I have encountered. His insights have helped me personally and our team as a whole become aware of blind spots in our approach ” Brad Smagala, Account Executive [Read More About Level Eleven](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/leveleleven/) [ Visit LevelEleven ](https://leveleleven.com/) ![mashery logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_mashery-q181rqqgtz3negwruor6b7k7mbcnx5m607lxvygqug.png "mashery logo") "Richard understands what it takes to be a strong sales leader. He is passionate about his work, colleagues, and always makes decisions based on what he feels is best for the company."– Jim McDonough - VP Sales Threat Stack [Read More About Mashery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/mashery/) [ Visit Mashery ](https://www.mashery.com/) ![outbound engine logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_outbound-engine-q181rsm57n681ou1jpkfg734t33ecjtmogwwuidyi0.png "outbound-engine logo") “The Harris Consulting Group stepped in and helped us quickly build a strong foundation, defined the sales process and implemented a reporting process. All of which has resulted in a significant increase in deal velocity to close. We also now have a new executive dashboard for visibility into our pipeline. We highly recommend THCG services.”– Branndon Stewart, CEO Outbound Engine [Read More About Outbound Engine](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/outbound-engine/) [ Visit Outbound Engine ](https://www.outboundengine.com/) ![pushpay logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_pushpay-q181rvfns5a30ipy38sb5odil8phzn4touvdac9rzc.png "pushpay logo") “Richard was brilliant at explaining complex sales methods in a very understandable/relatable context.” [Read More About Pushpay](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/pushpay/) [ Visit Pushpay ](https://pushpay.com/) ![research gate logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_research-gate-q181rxbc5tcnnqn7s9lkanwfs0g8f1cad46c8w6zmw.png "research-gate logo") “Richard‘s training was insightful, fun and engaging. He used real, relevant examples and showed me how to successfully apply them with immediate results. His teachings made sense to me and I now feel excited about my role and confident that I will get great results in half the time. Highly recommended” -Sophie Fullard SDR. [ Visit Research Gate ](https://www.researchgate.net/) ![revel systems logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_revel-systems-q181s04uqbgimkj4bstg056tk62c24nhdi4soq2t48.png "revel-systems logo") Revel’s inventory management allows business owners to keep track of and manage their inventory directly from the backend management console or a mobile device. [Read More About Revel Systems](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/revel-systems/) [ Visit Revel Systems ](http://revelsystems.com/) ![social chorus logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_social-chorus-q181s20j3zj39sge0tmp54pqqxt2hiuy1rfrna00rs.png "social-chorus logo") “A great perspective refresh on how to engage prospects, I’ve been able to immediately apply some of the learnings to my daily sales rituals.” Brad Evans [Read More About SocialChorus](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/socialchorus/) [ Visit SocialChorus ](https://socialchorus.com/) ![spanning logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_spanning-q181s5rvvbo8k8axev97f3rl4hajcb9vea1pkdug2w.png "spanning logo") “During Richard’s first day of training we secured a CEO meeting that led to our largest 6-figured deal in the history of the company.” Jeff Erramospe, CEO [Read More About Spanning](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/spanning/) [ Visit Spanning ](http://spanning.com/) ![study log logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_study-logo-q181s7nk8zqt7g873w2gk3aib919rphc2jcoixrnqg.png "study-log logo") Founded in 2003 in San Francisco, California by pre-clinical researchers and IT professionals to provide a SaaS application for automating animal research studies. [Read More About StudyLog](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/studylog/) [ Visit StudyLog ](http://www.studylog.com/) ![superior glove logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_superior-glove-q181sah2thuo6a43nfac9kkw3endessj2xb4yrnh7s.png "superior-glove logo") Specializing in cut-resistant gloves, Superior Glove are liscensed manufacturers of Kevlar and Dyneema® products and other high-quality work gloves for every industry. [ Visit Superior Glove ](https://socialchorus.com/) ![terminus logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_terminus-q181sdaldzyj54006yi7z1v9vk9h1w3q3b9leljap4.png "terminus logo") Account-Based Marketing platform that enables B2B marketers to target best-fit accounts, engage decision makers on their terms, and accelerate marketing & sales pipeline velocity at scale. [ Visit Terminus ](https://terminus.com/) ![top opps logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_top-opps-q181sf69ro13sbx9vzbh41e72c07hab6rkkkd5gico.png "top-opps logo") “Within hours of Richard’s coaching we saw immediate results in how sales calls were handled. We had greater command of the conversation, were able to better position our value proposition, and increase the quality and quantity of pipelined deals.” Mark Small – VP Sales [Read More About Top Opps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/topopps/) [ Visit TopOpps ](https://www.xactlycorp.com/company/press-room/xactly-acquires-topopps-revolutionize-revenue-intelligence) ![udemy logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_udemy-q181sh1y5c3ofjujl04q90x493qxwoinftvjbpdq08.png "udemy logo") “Richard is a pro. He helped us up our sales game in a big way and provided us with the tools to crush it. I would absolutely recommend Richard to anyone looking to boost sales.” – Elliot Peterson – Head of Content Development [Read More About Udemy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/udemy/) [ Visit Udemy ](https://www.udemy.com/) ![visistat logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_visistat-q181sjvgpu7jedqg4jclyi7i19d1jrtug7tzrj9jhk.png "visistat logo") “Richard’s training is interactive and fun. Regardless if you’ve had any prior sales training, you will definitely learn something new and realize best practices in a different light with Richard.” Brian Shank – Senior Account Executive [Read More About VisiStat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/visistat/) [ Visit VisiStat ](https://www.visistat.com/) ![workspot logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_workspot-q181smozacbed7mco2khnzhvtez56v51glsg7d5cyw.png "workspot logo") Workspot provides Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) software to help enterprise IT departments deliver apps and data to mobile devices. [Read More About Workspot](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/workspot/) [ Visit Workspot ](https://www.workspot.com/) ![yozio logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_yozio-q181wq9n3bxezznzqccx1g992wrrrcewcw7ojt2ju0.png "yozio logo") "With the combination of a vivacious personality and innovative sales methodology, Richard completely transformed the cold outreach of our sales team." [Read More About Yozio](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/yozio/) Visit YOZIO ![zignal labs logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_zignal-labs-q181wt35nu19ytjw9vksqxjmv2dvefq3da64zmydbc.png "zignal-labs logo") “Richard offered a fun, energetic, and professional approach to coaching. His feedback was pertinent, relevant, and will certainly be implemented as I go forward.” [ Visit Zignal Labs ](https://zignallabs.com/) ![logo_busuu](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_busuu-q1aeqhbkhma7thx6yue25cj1t37vv8lfvk7i738r1k.png "logo_busuu") Seeking to improve command of the sales conversation, better discovery, negotiation, and closing skills for their team. Results were immediate as reps tried the best-in-class sales tactics taught while also improving the courage and confidence of the sales team. Busuu is an international organization that provides learning language services. [ Visit Busuu ](https://www.busuu.com/) ![logo_alphamap](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_alphamap-q1aeqnwftgj82rnmwf8g4sv9ysbgd4bk8grwk0yzu0.png "logo_alphamap") Seeking to improve top-of-the-funnel prospecting activities, the Alpha Map sales team was able to enhance pipeline growth by implementing new outbound cold-calling strategies along with email and LinkedIn skills. Alpha is the first organization technology to help commercial real estate organizations find new tenants based on demographics and specifically provides the contact information needed to reach these prospects in mere seconds. [ Visit AlphaMap ](https://www.alphamap.com/) ![logo_lead411](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_lead411-q1aesczy5ouv1f6vznn74vg8ktyb9g244v6gr0gelk.png "logo_lead411") Lead411 was seeking to improve the conversion rate of new sales calls and wanted to focus on improving discovery, objection handling and pricing negotiations. They saw results within 24 hours of training. Lead411 is a leading provider of B2B Lead Generation that includes intent data for sales organizations. [ Visit Lead411 ](https://www.lead411.com/) ![logo_google-cloud](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_google-cloud-q182i7utbzcef2gb94qvjj1lz0uuq8pzn94aij7jl4.png "logo_google-cloud") “Brought in to support the Google Cloud team. In addition to sales training, a cold calling boot camp yielded 13 meetings in under 2 hours on a Friday afternoon.” [ Visit Google Cloud ](https://cloud.google.com/) ![logo_zoom](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_zoom-q182i19y053e5spvbjwhk2pdtbra8czvacjw5lhaso.png "logo_zoom") “We saw immediate and consistent implementation and impact of Richard’s training.” Greg Holmes, Head of Sales, Zoom. [ Visit Zoom ](https://zoom.us/) ![logo_pandora](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_pandora-q182i0c3tb23u6r8h1huzkxx7xvx0nw4y7weobioyw.png "logo_pandora") Pandora is a leading music and podcast discovery platform, providing a highly-personalized listening experience to approximately 70 million users each month. [ Visit Pandora ](https://www.pandora.com/) ![logo_salesloft](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_salesloft-q182i51arh8jg8keplizu1r86v8r35esmv5u2pbq3s.png "logo_salesloft") Richard was brought in to improve the courage and confidence of reps while giving them actionable sales skills to implement and use on a daily basis. [ Visit SalesLoft ](https://salesloft.com/) ![logo_politico](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_politico-q182hygffmzj6ytys0olulf01656l9oo9ylfprlhbc.png "logo_politico") “I think he did a great job of not just teaching but getting the team to apply the things they learned. I also think he did a great job of pushing back on the those won’t work here assumptions” [ Visit Politico ](https://www.politico.com/) ![visa logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_visa-q182hvmwv4vo84y28hgq544m90j2y6dh9kmz9xpnu0.png "visa logo") Richard was brought in to teach several divisions within Visa including Visa Corporate, Authorize.net, and Cybersource. Lessons were for all reps SMB to Enterprise and included all roles, SDRs, AE’s, and Customer Success. [ Visit Visa ](https://www.visa.com/) ![intercom logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_intercom-q182htr8hgt3kx0sjgnh04lp28scis60lbc0bdsg6g.png "intercom logo") The leader in discovering your invisible pipeline was seeking support for the sales organization, including CSRs, account executives, and account reps. [ Visit Intercom ](https://www.intercom.com/) ![gainsight logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_gainsight-q1825h5kotwh1cylnmgxqqso2znqdy4z86rcbi3nxk.png "gainsight logo") “I think he did a great job of not just teaching but getting the team to apply the things they learned. I also think he did a great job of pushing back on the those won’t work here assumptions” [Read more about Gainsight](/gainsight/) [ Visit Gainsight ](https://www.gainsight.com/) ![cybersource logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_cybersource-q1825f9wb5twe51bylnolr9qw7wzyjxijxgdcy6ga0.png "cybersource logo") A division of Visa. Richard was brought into improve the courage and confidence of the sales team and focused on prospecting and sales training. [ Visit CyberSource ](https://www.cybersource.com/) ![justworks logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_justworks-q18256tclnibhndmc001hbeljr2p19zxirl01gizu0.png "justworks logo") The leader in HR tools and compliance was seeking to improve funnel creation and volatility within their revenue organization. [ Visit Justworks ](https://justworks.com/) ![webgility logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_webgility-q18253zu15egithpsgs5ru47rlgle6oqidmjlmn6co.png "webgility logo") Fast startup looking to improve the performance of their sales organization through the quality of communication between prospects and customers. [ Visit Webgility ](https://www.webgility.com/) ![pandadoc logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_pandadoc-q182516bgnaljzlt8xka2cttzfuhr3djhzo35srcvc.png "pandadoc logo") SaaS platform with electronic signatures, workflow management, a document builder, and CPQ functionality. [Read More about PandaDoc](/pandadoc/) [ Visit PandaDoc ](https://www.pandadoc.com/) ![datanyze logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_datanyze-q1824ycsw56ql5pwpececvjg7a8e402chlpmpyvje0.png "datanyze logo") “His guidance on understanding the psychology of a buyer and seller at a deeper level was eye-opening!” Jason Vargas – Managing Director, Sales Development [Read More About Datanyze](/datanyze/) [ Visit Datanyze ](https://www.datanyze.com/) ![clarizen logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_clarizen-q1824ulg4t1lapvdbcpw2whltqqx97nf533osv142w.png "clarizen logo") Clarizen provides project management software and a collaborative work management environment. [ Visit Clarizen ](https://www.clarizen.com/) ![datahug logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_datahug-q1824pw96mv5oo272sor8foaute36q4rgfu9eh82y0.png "datahug logo") By applying the cutting-edge data science of CRM data in conjunction with relationship intelligence, DataHug unlocks valuable signals to highlight momentum during the art of selling. [Read More about DataHug](/datahug/) [ Visit DataHug ](https://apps.datahug.com/) ![litmos logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_litmos-q1824idjnykv3sd4apfqohkm3qf5h5awremdk9j8bs.png "litmos logo") Litmos by CallidusCloud is the fastest growing learning technology company in the world, supporting more than 3,000,000 users in 130+ countries and 22 languages. [Read More About Litmos](/litmos/) [ Visit Litmos ](https://www.litmos.com/) ![dynamic signal logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_dynamic-signal-q1824l728goq2m90u8nmdyuzvw1948m3rsku03f1t4.png "dynamic-signal logo") Revolutionizes how companies communicate with employees in a more personalized way that mirrors everyday life. [Read More About Dynamic Signal](/dynamic-signal/) [ Visit Dynamic Signal ](https://dynamicsignal.com/) ![babylist logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_babylist-q1824o0ksysl1g4xdrvi3g5do1ncrbxas6jafxavag.png "babylist logo") “When we explained our sales process, Richard knew exactly what we were missing. He taught us the value of a sales process and each step, explaining the psychology behind every word, and practiced with us until we got it perfect. We’ve doubled our business as a result.” Brittany Murlas – Director of Marketing and Business Development [Read More About Babyli.st](/babylist/) [ Visit BabyLi.st ](https://www.babylist.com/) ![becktech logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_becktech-q1824hfph4jks6ehg7143zt5icjs9g76f9yw2zkmi0.png "becktech logo") Beck Technologies is a software development company servicing commercial construction companies that focus on vertical projects, as well as owners/developers with pro formats and scope build-out. [ Visit Beck Technologies ](http://www.beck-technology.com/) ![desco logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_desco-q181rcmvzgkckbh950nrrt4apja5pp26y9tnot1nfs.png "desco logo") dESCO is a SaaS management software solutions for field service industries to track and continually increase production. [Read More About dESCO](/desco/) [ Visit dESCO ](https://desco.descoindustries.com/) ![evestment logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_evestment-q181reikd4mx7jeiu1h0wsn7wb0w539nmj4mncyv3c.png "evestment logo") “With the combination of a vivacious personality and innovative sales methodology, Richard completely transformed the cold outreach of our sales team.” [Read More About eVestment](/evestment/) [ Visit Evestment ](https://www.evestment.com/) ![findly logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_findly-q181ri9x4gs2hz92833j6rp29uiczvokz1qkkgtaeg.png "logo_findly") “Richard‘s training methodologies set a new bar for sales and marketing training. His direct, yet humble approach poses for a new way modern sales people should be selling.” Sheridan Gaenger, Director of Marketing [Read More About Findly](/findly/) [ Visit Findly ](http://www.findly.com/) ![helm logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_helm-q181rm19vsx7sf3lm4q1gqqwndztuo3ibkcihknppk.png "helm logo") Helm Operations sought help from the Harris Consulting Group to contact and sell to an established customer base. The current sales structure was for the SDR team to set appointments, the sales team to close deals, and the customer success team to follow up with a Saas solution for existing customers. [Read More About Helm](/helm-operations/) [ Visit Helm ](https://www.helmoperations.com/) ![leveleleven logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_leveleleven-q181rnwy9gzsfn0vb5jalq9tu5qka2ayztnhg4kxd4.png "leveleleven logo") “Richard Harris has one of the deepest understandings of the modern sales process of anyone I have encountered. His insights have helped me personally and our team as a whole become aware of blind spots in our approach ” Brad Smagala, Account Executive [Read More About Level Eleven](/leveleleven/) [ Visit LevelEleven ](https://leveleleven.com/) ![mashery logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_mashery-q181rqqgtz3negwruor6b7k7mbcnx5m607lxvygqug.png "mashery logo") Mashery helps customers launch their API programs quickly to get new products and services to market faster, and connect with business partners more easily to foster innovation and expand routes to market. [Read More About Mashery](/mashery/) [ Visit Mashery ](https://www.mashery.com/) ![outbound engine logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_outbound-engine-q181rsm57n681ou1jpkfg734t33ecjtmogwwuidyi0.png "outbound-engine logo") “The Harris Consulting Group stepped in and helped us quickly build a strong foundation, defined the sales process and implemented a reporting process. All of which has resulted in a significant increase in deal velocity to close. We also now have a new executive dashboard for visibility into our pipeline. We highly recommend THCG services.”– Branndon Stewart, CEO Outbound Engine Read More About Outbound Engine [ Visit Outbound Engine ](https://www.outboundengine.com/) ![pushpay logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_pushpay-q181rvfns5a30ipy38sb5odil8phzn4touvdac9rzc.png "pushpay logo") “Richard was brilliant at explaining complex sales methods in a very understandable/relatable context.” [Read More About Pushpay](/pushpay/) [ Visit Pushpay ](https://pushpay.com/) ![research gate logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_research-gate-q181rxbc5tcnnqn7s9lkanwfs0g8f1cad46c8w6zmw.png "research-gate logo") “Richard‘s training was insightful, fun and engaging. He used real, relevant examples and showed me how to successfully apply them with immediate results. His teachings made sense to me and I now feel excited about my role and confident that I will get great results in half the time. Highly recommended” -Sophie Fullard SDR. [ Visit Research Gate ](https://www.researchgate.net/) ![revel systems logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_revel-systems-q181s04uqbgimkj4bstg056tk62c24nhdi4soq2t48.png "revel-systems logo") Revel’s inventory management allows business owners to keep track of and manage their inventory directly from the backend management console or a mobile device. [Read More About Revel Systems](/revel-systems/) [ Visit Revel Systems ](http://revelsystems.com/) ![social chorus logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_social-chorus-q181s20j3zj39sge0tmp54pqqxt2hiuy1rfrna00rs.png "social-chorus logo") “A great perspective refresh on how to engage prospects, I’ve been able to immediately apply some of the learnings to my daily sales rituals.” Brad Evans [Read More About SocialChorus](/socialchorus/) [ Visit SocialChorus ](https://socialchorus.com/) ![spanning logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_spanning-q181s5rvvbo8k8axev97f3rl4hajcb9vea1pkdug2w.png "spanning logo") “During Richard’s first day of training we secured a CEO meeting that led to our largest 6-figured deal in the history of the company.” Jeff Erramospe, CEO [Read More About Spanning](/spanning/) [ Visit Spanning ](http://spanning.com/) ![study log logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_study-logo-q181s7nk8zqt7g873w2gk3aib919rphc2jcoixrnqg.png "study-log logo") Founded in 2003 in San Francisco, California by pre-clinical researchers and IT professionals to provide a SaaS application for automating animal research studies. [Read More About StudyLog](/studylog/) [ Visit StudyLog ](http://www.studylog.com/) ![superior glove logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_superior-glove-q181sah2thuo6a43nfac9kkw3endessj2xb4yrnh7s.png "superior-glove logo") Specializing in cut-resistant gloves, Superior Glove are liscensed manufacturers of Kevlar and Dyneema® products and other high-quality work gloves for every industry. [ Visit Superior Glove ](https://socialchorus.com/) ![terminus logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_terminus-q181sdaldzyj54006yi7z1v9vk9h1w3q3b9leljap4.png "terminus logo") Account-Based Marketing platform that enables B2B marketers to target best-fit accounts, engage decision makers on their terms, and accelerate marketing & sales pipeline velocity at scale. [ Visit Terminus ](https://terminus.com/) ![top opps logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_top-opps-q181sf69ro13sbx9vzbh41e72c07hab6rkkkd5gico.png "top-opps logo") “Within hours of Richard’s coaching we saw immediate results in how sales calls were handled. We had greater command of the conversation, were able to better position our value proposition, and increase the quality and quantity of pipelined deals.” Mark Small – VP Sales [Read More About Top Opps](/topopps/) [ Visit TopOpps ](https://topopps.com/) ![udemy logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_udemy-q181sh1y5c3ofjujl04q90x493qxwoinftvjbpdq08.png "udemy logo") “Richard is a pro. He helped us up our sales game in a big way and provided us with the tools to crush it. I would absolutely recommend Richard to anyone looking to boost sales.” – Elliot Peterson – Head of Content Development [Read More About Udemy](/udemy/) [ Visit Udemy ](https://www.udemy.com/) ![visistat logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_visistat-q181sjvgpu7jedqg4jclyi7i19d1jrtug7tzrj9jhk.png "visistat logo") “Richard’s training is interactive and fun. Regardless if you’ve had any prior sales training, you will definitely learn something new and realize best practices in a different light with Richard.” Brian Shank – Senior Account Executive [Read More About VisiStat](/visistat/) [ Visit VisiStat ](https://www.visistat.com/) ![workspot logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_workspot-q181smozacbed7mco2khnzhvtez56v51glsg7d5cyw.png "workspot logo") Workspot provides Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) software to help enterprise IT departments deliver apps and data to mobile devices. [Read More About Workspot](/workspot/) [ Visit Workspot ](https://www.workspot.com/) ![yozio logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_yozio-q181wq9n3bxezznzqccx1g992wrrrcewcw7ojt2ju0.png "yozio logo") Yozio is helping mobile growth, marketing and product teams crack the code on organic mobile app growth. Their Organic Mobile Growth Platform combines powerful app measurement tools, best practices and benchmarks. [Read More About Yozio](/case-study/yozio/) [ Visit Yozio ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/yozio/) ![zignal labs logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_zignal-labs-q181wt35nu19ytjw9vksqxjmv2dvefq3da64zmydbc.png "zignal-labs logo") “Richard offered a fun, energetic, and professional approach to coaching. His feedback was pertinent, relevant, and will certainly be implemented as I go forward.” [ Visit Zignal Labs ](https://zignallabs.com/) ![logo_busuu](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_busuu-q1aeqhbkhma7thx6yue25cj1t37vv8lfvk7i738r1k.png "logo_busuu") Seeking to improve command of the sales conversation, better discovery, negotiation, and closing skills for their team. Results were immediate as reps tried the best-in-class sales tactics taught while also improving the courage and confidence of the sales team. Busuu is an international organization that provides learning language services. [ Visit Busuu ](https://www.busuu.com/) ![logo_alphamap](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_alphamap-q1aeqnwftgj82rnmwf8g4sv9ysbgd4bk8grwk0yzu0.png "logo_alphamap") Seeking to improve top-of-the-funnel prospecting activities, the Alpha Map sales team was able to enhance pipeline growth by implementing new outbound cold-calling strategies along with email and LinkedIn skills. Alpha is the first organization technology to help commercial real estate organizations find new tenants based on demographics and specifically provides the contact information needed to reach these prospects in mere seconds. [ Visit AlphaMap ](https://www.alphamap.com/) ![logo_lead411](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_lead411-q1aesczy5ouv1f6vznn74vg8ktyb9g244v6gr0gelk.png "logo_lead411") Lead411 was seeking to improve the conversion rate of new sales calls and wanted to focus on improving discovery, objection handling and pricing negotiations. They saw results within 24 hours of training. Lead411 is a leading provider of B2B Lead Generation that includes intent data for sales organizations. [ Visit Lead411 ](https://www.lead411.com/) ## Customize To Fit Your Needs We understand each company has different pains. That’s why we offer customized sales training to help you with specific needs. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Awards](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/awards/) **Published:** February 5, 2016 **Author:** Daveh2 **Content:** ![silver trophy with ribbon on it](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/trophy-q17z8n7lztxczxzmygjoop0yeeabtdin3tl8ukwrgy.png "silver trophy with ribbon on it") # The Harris Consulting Group Awards & Recognitions From level setting sales teams, to live training seminars, Richard customizes sales training programs to the exact needs and pain points of his clients. With core services such as NEAT Selling™ and the Respect Contract, he provides the sales training foundations that produce unparalleled results. We are privileged to have had this success noted by our clients and also several national awards. ![Sales-Training-Programs-and-Courses-to-Level-Up-Your-Game](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Sales-Training-Programs-and-Courses-to-Level-Up-Your-Game-qoy069bk3tkkeyp2hk2x8d93s5wcv1w3c5lbzkpzi2.png "Sales-Training-Programs-and-Courses-to-Level-Up-Your-Game") ## Salesforce's Top 22 Sales Training Programs and Courses to Level Up Your Game With so many different sales training options to choose from, finding the program that aligns with your team’s unique needs can be overwhelming. The key is to define your success criteria. The Harris Consulting Group has been included in Salesforce’s top sales training programs and courses to level up your game. Check out the entire list [here](https://www.salesforce.com/blog/sales-training-programs/). ## Salesforce's Top Sales Influencers - 4 Years Straight! Salespeople know that to level up, you sometimes have to look sideways and learn from your peers. And social media is where some of the best sellers convene to push the community forward, sharing their challenges and successes along the way. To help you sift through a sea of talent, Salesforce compiled a by-no-means exhaustive list of their favorite sales influencers to follow, including Richard Harris from 2021-2024. Read the entire list [here](https://www.salesforce.com/blog/top-sales-influencers/). ![Salesforce's-Top-16-Sales-Influencers-You-Should-Know](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Salesforces-Top-16-Sales-Influencers-You-Should-Know-qs5ihlb2v8o7qg29ix1tt9gpuoxvmfv7325xro117i.png "Salesforce’s-Top-16-Sales-Influencers-You-Should-Know") ![hubspot-top-sales-training-programs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/hubspot-top-sales-training-programs-r8kfabfxhfigsaqad51mt2j0m025t32azq4cuq06bc.png "hubspot-top-sales-training-programs") ## HubSpot's 37 Best Sales Training Programs for Every Budget and Team We’re excited to share that The Harris Consulting Group is recognized among the top sales training programs in the industry by HubSpot. This acknowledgment highlights their commitment to delivering impactful sales strategies and empowering professionals to achieve greater success in their careers. View the full list [here](https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/best-sales-training-programs). ## Highspot's 25 Best Sales Training Programs to Boost Team Performance in 2025 The Harris Consulting Group is honored to be recognized as part of the best sales training programs in the industry. Highspot highlights the top sales training initiatives, and Richard’s contributions play a vital source for effective sales strategies. Check out the full list [here](https://www.highspot.com/blog/best-sales-training-programs/). ![Highspot-top-sales-training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Highspot-top-sales-training-r8kfa7okq3dbhuvqz3f4j3h68gkoyandn7iexm5qko.png "Highspot-top-sales-training") ![Chris Orlob Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/chris-orlob-sales-training-r8kfc2f47bwoe66t5e9my4mwetfr4t0bkdtw09esk2.png "Chris Orlob Sales Training") ## Chris Orlob's Best Sales Training Companies Double your win rates and revenue in 2025 with the world’s most tactical skill transformation and sales training program. The Harris Consulting Group is included in this skill transformation platform for sales and revenue teams taught by the top 1% of revenue experts, for virtually every skill gap, topic, and role that exists in sales. Check it out [here](https://www.pclub.io/). ## AA-ISP's (now Emblaze™) Top 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professionals [AA-ISP](https://emblazegrowth.com) (now Emblaze™) recognized [Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) as part of the AA-ISP Top 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professionals from 2015-2019. AA-ISP recognizes individuals who have been instrumental in leading our profession. The sales world is changing and Inside Sales is taking on an ever increasing role in the success of organizations. Today’s Inside Sales Professionals are top notch individuals proficient in a wide variety of skills that were never part of this role a few short years ago. Each year the AA-ISP will recognize 25 individuals who display the following characteristics. Eligible nominees include sales leaders and individuals, technology leaders, and the supporting cast of consultants, trainers, authors, and anyone that contributed to the advancement of Inside Sales. - Committed to advancing the profession of Inside Sales - Known as a true thought leader - Influences others through leading, training, and/or the sharing of best practices - Viewed by peers as someone who positively influences others by word, deed, and character “It is an honor to recognize Richard as this year’s recipient of The TOP 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professional Awards. He has proven their dedication and commitment to advancing the profession of inside sales, which is the mission of the AA-ISP,” stated Bob Perkins, Founder. “We are confident that Richard will continue to have an impact on the inside sales community for years to come,” Perkins said. ![Richard-Harris-aa-isp award](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Richard-Harris-aa-isp-award-q17z8cvf2baz6dg9nfi3s0d9xegbtfjm06ana2no2u.jpg "Richard-Harris-aa-isp award") ![Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-training-session](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-training-session-q17z8foxmteu57c66ypzhhnnpk2fgiut0k93pwjiiw.png "Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-training-session") ![AA-ISP awards](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/awards-q17z878dxb398pogkd2cd1sid384j8x7zedqeew0yw.png "AA-ISP awards") ![Surf-&-Sales-Podcast-Thumbnail](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Surf-Sales-Podcast-Thumbnail-r8iogwgd1lsyllkag4p4i8b2ikak46ebqr54i913ew.png "Surf-&-Sales-Podcast-Thumbnail") ## Best Sales Podcast Awards The Surf and Sales Podcast has been awarded both Best Sales Podcast and Top Sales Podcast over the years including: **★ December 2024 –** [Feedspot’s](https://podcast.feedspot.com/sales_podcasts/?feedid=5297972&_src=f1_featured_email) 60 Best Sales Podcasts **★ May 2024 –** [Feedspot’s](https://podcasts.feedspot.com/sales_podcasts/) Best Sales Podcasts for 2024 **★ January 2024 –** [SalesDaily.co’s](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-43-sales-podcasts-2024-haris-halkic-swtoe/) Top Sales Podcasts for 2024 **★ February 2023 –** Feedspot’s Best Sales Podcasts You Must Follow in 2023 **★ December 2022 –** Hubspot’s Best Sales Podcasts Every Rep Should Listen To in 2022 **★ December 2022** **–** Vidyard’s Top Sales Podcasts, Blogs, and More to Follow in 2023 **★ December 2020** **–** Selling Sherpa’s Best B2B Sales Podcasts **★ November 2020** **–** BombBomb’s Best Sales Podcasts for Any Sales Pro to Grow (and Thrive!) ## What Our Customers Say About Us! Richard is a proven leading in the Sales community. Also, Richard helps Saas organizations create optimal sales organizations by focusing on the 4P’s of Sales: People, Performance, Planning, and Process. Richard is experienced and is generous with his advice to the sales community in addition to creating high quality content in both his writing and other appearances that truly help. In my case, as the CEO of Chorus.ai, he has provided a lot of input on our product and has helped us help organizations get the most out of it. He cares deeply about the profession and improving the skills of the teams he works with, and the experiences of the buyers on the other side. Richard never stops learning and improving his game. His curiosity helps his clients and the overall Inside Sales profession. Whenever I have a question about trends and what’s working at the top of the funnel, I ask Richard first. Richard has come into our organization and completely turned our sales operations around. Our sales people are motivated and we are experiencing an increase in sales that are historic and all because of Richard’s incredible insight. Richard is a legend in the Inside Sales profession. His thought leadership is provoking, and I always find myself searching out his content and advice as we continue to enhance our inside sales/SDR teams. What I most appreciate is how practical his tips always are – our team can implement them right away and see results. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-live-training-session.png) ![40 Most Inspiring Leaders logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/40-Most-Inspiring-Leaders-logo.png) ## Top 40 Most Inspiring Leaders by SLMA Richard Harris has been named as one of the 40 Most Inspiring Leaders in Sales Lead Management by the SLMA (Sales Lead Management Association). “The SLMA has been doing a great job supporting the growth of inside sales teams along with the entire lead generation space. It’s a real honor to be included on this list,” said Richard, Owner. “After being named as one of the Top 25 Influencers in Inside Sales by the AA-ISP earlier this year, I cannot think of a better way to end the year.”, stated Richard will continue to have an impact on the inside sales community for years to come”, stated Perkins [ Read More ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/richard-harris-named-to-40-most-inspiring-people-in-sales-lead-managment/) ## Datanyze's Top 20 Inside Sales Influencers Richard Harris was recognized by [Datanyze](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/datanyze/) as one of their top 20 inside sales rock stars in 2016. The Datanyze Top 20 Inside Sales rockstar list was selected from their peers, partners, and mentors who have helped grow and shape the industry. They further say about Richard, “A seasoned SaaS sales leader and inside sales trainer, Richard helps early stage and expansion stage startups build their sales infrastructure and train their sales teams to “get there faster.” [ Read More ](https://resources.datanyze.com/h/i/249449190-introducing-the-insiders-our-list-of-the-top-20-inside-sales-influencers-of-2016/210740) ![datanyze logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/logo_datanyze-q1824ycvkmhn49iovn5k8m5tmywqcwsbpvprsjki5w.png "datanyze logo") ## Give Your Sales Team the Skills to Succeed From level-setting sales teams to live sales training seminars, we customize sales training programs to the exact needs and pain points of our clients. Core services, such as N.E.A.T Selling the Respect Contract, provide the sales training foundations that produce uparelleled results. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Inside Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/inside-sales/) **Published:** March 24, 2015 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** # Inside Sales Inside sales allow for a sales team to be more efficient and productive yielding a reduced sales cycle, faster scaling ability, and a higher ROI. ![people-working-at-their-desks-in-an-office](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/people-working-at-their-desks-in-an-office-560x560.png) ## Understanding Inside Sales Inside Sales has redefined the sales process as much as the internet has redefined the buyers’ journey. Building a successful inside sales team is the right choice because the customer is now open to the [remote selling process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e16-what-does-little-league-baseball-have-to-do-with-sales-leadership-w-brandon-calley/). Inside Sales allow for a sales team to be more efficient and productive yielding a reduced sales cycle, faster scaling ability, and a higher ROI. However, there are many challenges to actually setting up an inside sales team. Inside sales are much more than just metrics and KPIs. Inside sales is a combination of art and science that requires the organization to invest in sales training and sales coaching beyond “smile and dial”. The Harris Consulting Group helps you avoid the mistakes others have made. We have built, trained, and scaled 20+ Inside Sales teams. We will train your sales reps to professionally control the conversation. And will you save money, increase pipeline volume and velocity, while reducing opportunity costs and driving real revenue. ### Dials To Connects - 12.73 dials to get a connection with a direct phone number. - 18.83 dials to get a connection when calling a general number. ### Dials To Conversations - 22.5 dials to get into a meaningful conversation. - 30+ dials required if it is a highly solicited division such as marketing, IT, or Senior Executives. - 3 Meaningful conversations required to get one appointment. This means 60-90 dials to get one appointment! (Source: Vorsight) [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## Choose Your Stage ### Early Stage Start-Up <$5m ### Pre-Series A or less than $5 million in Funding Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process to generate higher revenue in half the time as traditional sales. The Buyers’ Journey has transitioned to a sales process where they expect instant access to resources before speaking with someone in sales. Have you capitalized on this changing environment? Are you giving your Inside Sales team the edge they need to succeed? The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas and match their pains with your solution. ### How We Help - Identify and Audit Sales Process - Focus on sales messaging to drive interest - Train and coach your sales team to prospect and navigate deals into the pipeline **COMMON PAINS THAT WE HEAR:**- We need to better manage inbound leads. - We want to begin formalizing our sales process. - We think we need sales training. - We need to start doing some outbound prospecting. ### Expansion Stage Start-Up $5m to $25m ### Post-Series A and Up to Series B Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process to generate higher revenue in half the time as traditional sales. The Buyers’ Journey has transitioned to a sales process where they expect instant access to resources before speaking with someone in sales. Have you capitalized on this changing environment? Build your Inside Sales team and give them the edge they need to success. The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas and match their pains with your solution. ### How We Help - Audit & suggest improvements to gaps in the current sales process - Train & coach your SDR and Sales teams to earn the right to ask questions and which questions to ask - Increase close ratios - Improve forecasting accuracy - Train & coach your Customer Success team for upselling & cross-selling **COMMON PAINS WE SOLVE:** - We are not sure what’s next: Sales Training, Hire Management, Hire Sales-Operations? - We know the inside sales team lacks the confidence to ask tough questions. - We know the inside sales team needs to improve their sales skills. - No sales coaching is happening other than a manager being a part of the sales calls. - Should we separate inbound leads from outbound prospecting? - We know we need more outbound prospecting. - 1:1’s are just glorified pipeline meetings. - Our board expects us to have a grip on sales forecasts. - We handle forecasting outside the CRM. ### Growth Stage Start-Up $25m+ ### Series C and Beyond Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process as much as the internet has changed the buyers’ journey. Your buyer is more informed than ever before and does not want to speak with your sales team until they are ready. Is your inside sales team ready to speak to them? Train your inside sales team to give them the edge they need to win more business. The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas, the buyers’ journey, and how to match their pains with your solutions. ### How We Help - Audit & suggest improvements to gaps in the current sales process - Train & coach your SDR and Sales teams to earn the right to ask questions & which questions to ask - Increase close ratios - Improve forecasting accuracy - Train & coach your Customer Success team for upselling and cross-selling **COMMON PAINS WE SOLVE:** - We have a sales process in the CRM but nobody follows it. - We have no formal sales methodology. Everyone does it their own way. - We struggle understanding the difference between sales training and sales coaching. - We do not trust the sales pipeline data in our CRM. - We cannot accurately forecast on a consistent basis. - We do not know how to leverage outbound sales prospecting best practices. - Our board demands more accurate forecasting. ### $100m-Fortune Brands Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process as much as the internet has changed the buyers’ journey. Your buyer is more informed than ever before and does not want to speak with your sales team until they are ready. ***The good news is you have more information about your buyer as well. So the playing field is even.*** Is your Inside Sales team ready to speak to them? Train your inside sales team to give them the edge they need to win more business. The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas, the buyers’ journey, and how to match their pains with your solutions. ### How We Help - Customized training for your specific sales motion & customers - Reinforcement program after the training - Guaranteed next day improvements - Define and drive to proper Exit Criteria - Teaching the "soft skills" that are easy to comprehend - Build consistency through the team **COMMON PAINS WE SOLVE:** - We have painful and inaccurate forecasting. - We have too many teams doing it “their own way”. - We are thirsty for a consistent discovery process. - We are fumbling the competition conversations. - We are frustrated trying to achieve consistency in our processes. ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Give your sales team the skills to succeed. Increase pipeline volume and velocity, reduce opportunity costs, and drive real revenue. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Social Selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/social-selling/) **Published:** February 3, 2016 **Author:** Daveh2 **Content:** # Social Selling and Professional Branding Incorporate social selling into the prospecting and sales cadence of the sales process. ![social-apps-on-a-phone](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/social-apps-on-a-phone.png) ![woman-holding-a-phone-browsing-Twitter](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/woman-holding-a-phone-browsing-Twitter.png) ## Personal One-To-One Connections Your sales team is your brand and if you are not leveraging them socially, especially on LinkedIn, you are missing huge opportunities. The Harris Consulting Group teaches your sales team how to incorporate social selling into the prospecting and sales cadence of the sales process. Traditional emails and phone calls can quickly burn the runway and scorch the earth for potential sales leads. Through our training, the sales team is taught [how social selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e96-different-approaches-to-social-selling-with-ian-moyse-emea-sales-director-natterbox/) incorporates the personalization of turning cold leads into warm leads. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## Natural Sales Process Social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter are the common platforms used to develop a social selling program. The Harris Consulting Group first assists clients with understanding and identifying their [Ideal Client Profile](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/). Through the sales training program the ideal customer profile is then used to identify which social media platforms will provide the best connections to reach potential clients. Sales teams who utilize [social selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e37-i-hate-seeing-my-name-in-red-with-lindsay-boggs-of-citrix/) achieve a higher level of success as potential clients are highly selected and initial communication can be far more direct in nature. This allows for a more natural sales process to occur, instead of the traditional hard sells and cold calls. This targeted marketing also allows for a better brand response and increased customer loyalty. Social selling does not only revolve around the sales process, but it also helps sales teams build their own strong personal brand. This makes it an extension of the social business. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ![man-pointing-to-a-tablet-device-displaying-LinkedIn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/man-pointing-to-a-tablet-device-displaying-LinkedIn.png) ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Give your sales team the skills to succeed. Start connecting to customers socially today. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Sales Kickoff & Sales Training Options](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-kickoff-training/) **Published:** December 1, 2016 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** ![Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Richard-Harris_circle-1.png) # Why hire Richard for your next sales kickoff or sales event? - 100% customized to your team's specific desired growth strategy and skills development. - Ability to motivate across generational divides. - It's not a boring lecture, audience engagement is built-in. - Richard delivers actionable and meaningful content your team will want to utilize immediately. - Trusted by Salesforce, Zoom, Gainsight, Doordash, and Visa to train and motivate their sales teams. ## Motivating Sales Teams Richard Harris, founder of The Harris Consulting Group, is an exceptional sales kickoff speaker and sales trainer and speaker. With over 20 years of experience in sales kickoff training, operations, team motivation, and leadership, Richard has a proven track record of helping organizations build and scale their sales teams, tailored to fit a team’s specific needs and goals. His engaging and practical training methods, such as the N.E.A.T. Selling™ mindset, make him ideal for motivating sales teams and enhancing their skills. Companies like Zoom, Google, and Visa trust his expertise, making him a top pick for any SKO or sales event. ## Most Requested Topics 1. Driving Empowerment and Self-Accountability 2. Improving the Sales Mindset 3. Earning the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when 4. Customized Discovery Exercises 5. Customized Objection Handling Exercises ## Featured Content [ ![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-560x315.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) [#### Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/ "Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders") Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The...[](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) [ ![Harris Consulting Group vs. Richardson vs. Brooks Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Harris-Consulting-Group-vs.-Richardson-vs.-Brooks-Group-1-560x315.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) [#### Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/ "Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026?") Introduction to Understanding Best Sales Training Companies People are always looking for the best sales trainer or best sales training companies, and frankly there are...[](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) [ ![Sales managers analyzing sales forecasting data and revenue intelligence dashboards to assess pipeline health, deal momentum, and forecast accuracy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Sales-Forecasting-Is-Broken-560x315.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/) [#### Sales Forecasting Best Practices: Fix Your Broken Pipeline](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/ "Sales Forecasting Best Practices: Fix Your Broken Pipeline") Sales forecasting fails not because sales reps are bad at predicting outcomes, but because leaders lack visibility into real sales behavior. Accurate forecasting requires understanding...[](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/) [ ![Revenue Operations framework showing tech stack optimization and process design to eliminate waste](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Revenue-Operations-Guide-560x315.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/) [#### Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/ "Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth") Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth What You’ll Learn Revenue Operations also known as RevOps is what we are covering in this...[](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/) ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Featured Books ![The Seller's Journey Book](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Sellers-Journey-Book-560x560.png) ##### The Seller’s Journey Check out Richard Harris’ latest book, The Seller’s Journey, your guidebook to closing more deals with N.E.A.T. Selling™. [ CHECK IT OUT ](https://thesellersjourney.co/) ![Owning-Your-Job-Search](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Owning-Your-Job-Search-560x560.webp) ##### Owning Your Job Search This ebook is your complete guide to getting more interviews, multiple offers, and navigating the negotiation process. [ GET IT NOW ](https://www.amazon.com/Owning-Your-Job-Search-application-ebook/dp/B08TQHBVQF) ## Featured In #### How Do You Differentiate Your Approach in a Highly Competitive Market? ![Sales-Consultant](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sales-Consultant.png)SALESCONSULTANT.IO – From leveraging patented technology to prioritizing superior service, these narratives delve into the art of selling in competitive environments. [ Read Now ](https://salesconsultant.io/qa/how-do-you-differentiate-your-approach-in-a-highly-competitive-market/) #### How Can You Align a SaaS Content Strategy With Sales Goals? ![SaaS-Perspective](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SaaS-Perspective.png)SAAS PERSPECTIVE – From identifying core business problems to aligning search intent with promotions, explore the fourteen strategies that these experts swear by for harmonizing content and sales. [ Read Now ](https://saasperspective.com/qa/how-can-you-align-a-saas-content-strategy-with-sales-goals/) #### The Ultimate 15-Point Road Map to Guide You Into a New Manager Position ![Fast-Company-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fast-Company-Logo.png)FAST COMPANY – From seeking support to understanding team challenges, these strategies will equip you to build a thriving team and become a new manager your former peers will respect and admire. [ Read Now ](https://www.fastcompany.com/91139244/the-ultimate-15-point-roadmap-to-guide-you-into-a-new-manager-position) #### N.E.A.T. Selling: Master Sales And Close More Deals With Richard Harris ![the selling well podcast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/the-selling-well-podcast.png)THE SELLING WELL PODCAST – Richard Harris, author of The Seller's Journey, joins the show to debunk sales myths and equip you with practical tools. Discover the N.E.A.T. Selling Compass to identify true customer needs, quantify impact, navigate approvals, and create urgency. [ Read Now ](https://www.inthefunnel.com/thesellingwellpodcasts/neat-selling-master-sales-and-close-more-deals-with-richard-harris) #### Mastering The Art Of Storytelling: How Jobseekers Can Captivate Hiring Teams ![interview-focus-logo-@2x](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/interview-focus-logo-@2x.jpg)INTERVIEW FOCUS – Navigating the job market requires a keen ability to highlight one’s versatile talents. From utilizing the STAR Method to emphasizing similar situations and skills, discover ten strategies that have proven successful for jobseekers in the hiring process. [ Read Now ](https://hbr.org/2017/09/my-competitiveness-was-hurting-my-sales-team-heres-how-i-realized-it) #### My Competitiveness Was Hurting My Sales Team. Here’s How I Realized It ![harvard business review logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/harvard-business-review-e1518639301446.png)HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW – Want to be surrounded by some of the most competitive people on the planet? Work in sales, where paychecks, bonuses, promotions, and stature are usually tied directly to organizational quotas and individual results. Competition can be... [ Read Now ](https://hbr.org/2017/09/my-competitiveness-was-hurting-my-sales-team-heres-how-i-realized-it) #### What Every Sales Kickoff Needs In Order To Start The Fiscal Year Off Right ![forbes logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/forbes-logo.png)FORBES — How are you planning for sales kick off in the new year? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Richard Harris, Top... [ Read Now ](https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/11/07/what-every-sales-kickoff-needs-in-order-to-start-the-fiscal-year-off-right/?sh=1f88a6063fe6https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/11/07/what-every-sales-kickoff-needs-in-order-to-start-the-fiscal-year-off-right/?sh=1f88a6063fe6) ## Ready for a Successful Sales Kickoff? Let’s talk about your next sales kickoff or upcoming sales event. [ Let's Talk ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Respect Contract](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/respect-contract/) **Published:** April 17, 2017 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** # Respect Contract Breakthrough and take your team to the next level by providing them with training that will help them create mutual respect between them and their prospects. ![men shaking hands](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/download1.png) ## Earn The Right To Ask Questions In sales, especially inside sales, establishing rapport and mutual respect between a potential client and the sales rep is often taken for granted or considered natural instinct. The reality is quite different. Reps often put their prospects and clients so high on a pedestal that they are afraid to ask important questions for fear of “losing the deal”. In turn, this slows down sales cycles, affects accurate forecasting, and allows prospects to ghost you. [We train your sales team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) on how to create a mutual level of respect while avoiding falling into a parent/child relationship where they feel weak and intimidated. We improve their courage and confidence so they know how to earn the right to ask questions. ## Walk Away With: - Earning the right to ask questions, which questions to ask and when - Better qualification - Better discovery [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Business Relationships It is essential to teach sales associates how to quickly gain the trust and respect of potential clients so that they may be able to ask the difficult questions related to budgets, expansions, pains, and concerns. Through the Respect Contract Training Course, The Harris Consulting Group discusses common missteps that sales associates often fall into and trains them to have the confidence to set up the authority to ask anything from clients. The goal is to remove the awkward seller and customer anxiety in the first sales calls so that a meaningful first conversation can progress and determine if the business discussion should continue. ## Respect Contract Training Goals - How to earn the right to ask questions - Giving the Sales Associates Confidence and Courage - Correct Timing - Introductions - Reason For Call - Agenda For Call - Potential of Results From Call - Mini Contract - Transition Statement ## Give Your Sales Team the Skills to Succeed Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [SalesHacker Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/saleshackersalestraining/) **Published:** March 11, 2020 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** ![THCG + Sales Hacker Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/THCG-Sales-Hacker-Logo-q17xw10389lhxc0mpd28wred27529y7dsck7q0etom.png "THCG + Sales Hacker Logo") # Teaching Your Reps How to Earn the Right to Ask Questions, Which Questions to Ask and When The Harris Consulting Group and Sales Hacker have been partnered for more than 9 years to increase qualified pipeline and closed revenue. ## Supercharge Your Reps and Sales Process Get better discovery, shortened sales cycles, and fewer clients going dark with no response. Company Email What can we help you solve? Send ## How We Can Help You [The Richard Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) and Sales Hacker have been partnered for more than 5 years to help you: #### Grow Your Pipeline Improve discovery and shorten sales cycles. #### Qualify Opportunities Have fewer clients going dark with no response. #### Teach Reps To ask the right questions at the right time. #### Identify Champions In complex sales scenarios. #### Stronger Negotiation Skills Understand the psychology of buying. #### Design Your Sales Process Customized to your ideal customer profile. ![PandaDoc_Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/PandaDoc_Logo_PNG.png) ## How We've Helped “After working with Sales Hacker Trainers, PandaDoc was able to 2.5x its lead to opportunity conversion metric for our inbound sales. With literally thousands of MQLs a month, this made a huge impact. By combining a new sales process and implementing call coaching, PandaDoc was able to nearly double our ARR revenue production in 2 quarters.” – Jared Fuller – VP Sales of PandaDoc [ Read Case Study ](https://4du8xa2mi3h47hddn434ubtx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/21642021-0-SH-CS-2017-PandaDoc-.pdf) ![group-of-people-working-on-their-computers-on-a-conference-table-together](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/group-of-people-working-on-their-computers-on-a-conference-table-together.jpg) ![PandaDoc_Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/PandaDoc_Logo_PNG.png) ## We Can Help You “After working with Sales Hacker Trainers, PandaDoc was able to 2.5x its lead to opportunity conversion metric for our inbound sales. With literally thousands of MQLs a month, this made a huge impact. By combining a new sales process and implementing call coaching, PandaDoc was able to nearly double our ARR revenue production in 2 quarters.” – Jared Fuller – VP Sales of PandaDoc [ Read Case Study ](https://4du8xa2mi3h47hddn434ubtx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/21642021-0-SH-CS-2017-PandaDoc-.pdf) ## Looking to make your sales team more effective and efficient? At Sales Hacker we have helped many companies increase their revenue with our full funnel sales training and coaching. We will work with you to identify the areas most in need of supercharging so that your business grows – just tell us about how we can help you. ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Customized Sales Training To Meet Your Needs Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Sales Training Philosophy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training-philosophy/) **Published:** March 3, 2015 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** ![team-working-at-a-conference-table and close up on women on her tablet](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/team-working-at-a-conference-table-and-close-up-on-women-on-her-tablet-q17yrb305v0w8e8xhmlsylptyl63spdz3mdqpbcfg0.png "team-working-at-a-conference-table and close up on women on her tablet") # Sales Training Philosophy Breakthrough and take your team to the next level. Provide them with training that will help them create mutual respect between themselves and their prospects to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when. ## The 4-P's of Sales At [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/), we took a long hard look at the most common sales training questions and determined that successfully scaled sales organizations are built upon four simple tenants. #### People #### Performance #### Process #### Planning From this simple philosophy we are able to provide a holistic approach to sales training, which allows us to easily customize the services and sales training to meet your specific needs based on: **Your Uniqueness** While sales challenges may be similar, the uniqueness of each organization is what matters most. We work with you to make sure your sales reps have real-world sales skills tailored to meet your specific sales process. **Interactive Role-Playing** We believe people learn from doing, not just listening to a lecture. Each training module is designed to integrate your real-world selling conversations so you can feel confident the training will work based on your business model, not a theoretical one. By understanding your uniqueness we can custom build sales training that meets your goals and requirements based on the different roles in your sales organization such as **BDR, Demand Generation, Lead Generation Sales Teams, Inside Sales Teams, Mid-Market Sales Teams, Enterprise Sales Teams**. ![team-training-in-a-board-room with large table](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/team-training-in-a-board-room-with-large-table.png) ## Methodology: Built for Scale It is simple. We want our sales training to provide your team with improved results from day one. We focus our training to utilize best practices as associated with The 4-P’s of Sales and someone’s specific role in the sales process. As you might suspect, depending on your organization’s stage and growth trajectory, the priorities within The 4-P’s of Sales will change over time. This is why our sales training is customized to your organization and providing the foundations to build for scale. If you think about People, Planning, Process, and Performance, you also need the guiding principles of Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline internally within the organization as much as you do externally. This is what we call [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/guidelines-for-n.e.a.t.selling™-even-when-you-use-another-methodology/). ### Step 1: Initial Interest **Goal:** Create a frame of reference for each party to see if there is a good fit and if deeper discussions make sense. **Topics include:**1. Past – Where did things begin? 2. Present – What is instigating this initial conversation? 3. Future – What does a successful sales org look and sound like? 4. Commercial Terms 5. Determine if next steps make sense **Exit Criteria:** All parties agree that additional discussions would be worthwhile. ![smiling woman-drinking-coffee-at-her-desk](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/smiling-woman-drinking-coffee-at-her-desk.png) ![two-business-women-talking-on a couch](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/two-business-women-talking-on-a-couch.png) ### Step 2: Assessment and/or Scoping 1. Have a direct conversation and uncover current challenges and potential solutions. 2. Sales Strategies & Tools: CRM, Dialer, Motivation, Research, etc. 3. May include additional team members. 4. Define a successful outcome. **Exit Criteria:** Both confirm everyone is on the same page with the right end goals in mind. ### Step 3: Confirmation & Preparation 1. Finalize deliverables, time frame, and commercial terms 2. Go / No Go Decision 3. Contract signed **Exit Criteria:** Final confirmation by both parties with signed contract. ![two-business-women-shaking-hands](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/two-business-women-shaking-hands.png) ![two-women-working-on-a-computer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/two-women-working-on-a-computer-1536x1024.jpg) ## Why Our Clients Choose Us - Sales team training designed to "get you there" faster - Real-world sales techniques that improve your close ratio - Experience building Saas lead gen, inside, & field sales teams - Immediate sales funnel impact ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Customized Sales Training To Meet Your Needs Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) **Published:** February 18, 2015 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** ![Richard Harris training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Richard-Harris-training-1.png) # Train Your Team To Their Potential The Democratized Buying Process no longer allows you to simply throw more bodies at the revenue challenge. Today’s most successful SDRs, Inside Reps, and Field Sales Reps are winning because their organization understands that sales training is not a nice to have but a **MUST HAVE**. Today’s buyers are savvier than ever. They have more information, give you less time, and love to bully you into pricing submission. At The Harris Consulting Group, we work to make sure your sales teams truly understand the Buyers’ Journey. Specifically as it relates to qualification, discovery, and deal with the collaborative buying process. All while teaching them to professionally handle the pricing question and negotiating with procurement ## Sales Training That Works! Today’s sales organizations are consistently being challenged to build sales teams that can outsell the competition, and scale quickly. This requires proven sales training that drive to a predictable revenue model. For peak performance, you need to leverage real-world experience to building lead generation, inside sales, and field sales teams. The Harris Consulting Group has worked with some of the best start-ups in the business: BabyLi.st, Gainsight, Level Eleven, Spanning, and TopOpps. We specialize in understanding the SaaS sales model and provide sales team training and strategic solutions services that immediately impact your sales funnel and set the foundation to scale your sales organization for long term predictable revenue. We do not just show you what to do, we teach your sales team how to do it. Lead Generation 35 Opportunites Created 46 Pipeline Growth 53 Forecasting Accuracy 77 ARR Growth 87 ## Check Out What Our Clients Have to Say on G2! "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## We Focus On - SDR and BDR Lead Gen Teams - SMB Sales Teams - Mid-Market Sales Teams - Enterprise Sales Teams - Inside Sales Teams and Field Sales Teams ## It's About You Your challenges are unique to you and your team. They are based upon your industry, your products or services, and your business model. Our sales training is simple, easy to understand, and designed for scale. We also make sure it is customized to meet your specific sales cycle. Our sales training will engage your real-world scenarios, your buyer personas, your objections, your gatekeepers, your posers, your champions, and of course your decision makers. ## Give Your Sales Team the Skills to Succeed Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Sales Process Vs Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-process-vs-methodology/) **Published:** February 17, 2015 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** ![team-working-on-their-computers-at-a-table together](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/team-working-on-their-computers-at-a-table-together.png) # Sales Process vs Methodology It is essential for any business to have a sales process that is defined and scalable. The first step is understanding the difference between Sales Process & Methodology. [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) understand the pains of effectively scaling the sales process. Through an accurate assessment of the process and methodology it is possible for both large and small businesses to develop precise formulas of success. [ Define Your Sales Process Today ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) ## How We Help Our Clients #### Understand The Difference Between Sales Process vs Methodology #### Design A Realistic Pipeline Everyone Understands and Trusts #### Teach The Sales Team To Have Relaxed Business Conversations #### Improve Forecasting Accuracy for Predictable Revenue ## The Sales Process The measurable, consistent, and systematic series of steps that map out and track interaction with prospects from their first point of engagement through the closing of an opportunity. ## The Soft Skill Set of Selling The learned behaviors, tactics, and strategies used by a sales team to execute and fulfill the sales process in a professional and conversation manner. ## Why Our Clients Like Us - We customize your Staging, Aging, and Exit Criteria for part of your sales funnel - Provide a consistent and common language that everyone can follow within your organization - Provide A Sales Process Audit to ensure your process aligns with your conversations - Train to integrate the sales process and methodology into the DNA of the sales team and organization. - Coach your team on how to use the methodology within your process on a daily basis ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Customized Sales Training To Meet Your Needs Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Partners & Tools](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/partners-tools/) **Published:** February 13, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [ ![Surf-Sales-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/53155331-0-Surf-Sales-logo-A3-q17yro8fhor82ltnss80hbei1yiscaz97ilp6pkazy.png "Surf-Sales-logo") ](https://www.surfandsales.com) ![thcg logo white](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/53155356-0-thcg-logo-white.png) # Partners & Tools We Trust When becoming a preferred partner of The Harris Consulting Group and Surf & Sales, you will receive exclusive N.E.A.T. Selling™ Preferred Partner benefits. We work directly with our preferred partners to ensure they receive added-value marketing promotions, VIP training, and ensure special training requests are fulfilled. [ Become a Partner ](#become-a-partner) ![Outreach-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Outreach-logo-q17x6gs2rj7umdqkxe74t83x68909c3waoc6twc47g.png "Outreach-logo") The Outreach Sales Engagement Platform helps efficiently and effectively engage prospects to drive more pipeline and close more deals. [ Learn More ](https://aspireship.com) ![Sendoso-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Sendoso-Logo-pmq4uw4wkab6za89ofeu9fhw5ofpcs4yw6yl5pl3ug.png "Sendoso-Logo") Sendoso, the leading Sending Platform, helps companies stand out by giving them new ways to engage with customers throughout the buyer’s journey. [ Learn More ](https://sendoso.com) ![Highspot-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Highspot-Logo-q17w9kfg67khuexn2lckc0hb0ha8jn4dezw27h3apa.png "Highspot-Logo") Deliver the right resources at the right time, every time. Identify and share best practices across reps. Amplify impact through consistent execution. [ Learn More ](https://www.highspot.com) ![regie-ai-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/regie-ai-logo-q17x6ewdrxrcegel6yaivr2tnpmk50a5z9hjt4fs1k.png "regie-ai-logo") Regie – short for recommendation engine – leverages AI and best practices to create, analyze, and optimize copy for your enterprise. [ Learn More ](https://www.regie.ai) ![Vidyard logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Vidyard-logo.jpg) Keep a human connection with customers and coworkers when you can’t be there in person. Vidyard is the best way to add video into your emails, website, and everywhere else. [ Learn More ](https://www.vidyard.com/surfandsales) ![scratchpad logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/scratchpad-r8f72onwdkmucp2u55pklfkl1urmiqspuua7xqecha.png "scratchpad logo") Scratchpad is the fastest way for salespeople to update Salesforce. RevOps get peace of mind, process adherence, and better data hygiene. Free to use. [ Learn More ](https://scratchpad.com) ![jb sales logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/jb-sales-q261wogc3twozqhg8an5kd102abp0ihiwuvjsdsxsg.webp "jb sales logo") The best source for in-person and online sales training. [ Learn More ](https://jbarrows.com/) ![HBL-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HBL-logo.png "HBL-logo") HBL will teach you how to read people even before you meet them, and EVEN teach you how to read your OWN body language signals and the signals of the people around you! [ Learn More ](https://humanbehaviorlab.com) ![Salesforce-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Salesforce-Logo-460x354.png) Achieve sales success, anywhere, with the #1 growth platform for digital sales. [ Learn More ](https://www.salesforce.com/products/sales-cloud/overview/?d=7013y0000029oO5AAI&nc=&utm_source=surfandsales&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=us_slobcon&utm_content=sales-cloud-overview_7013y0000029oO5AAI&utm_term=&ban=us_surfandsales) ![Lessonly_Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Lessonly_Logo-200x80.jpg "Lessonly_Logo") Train 62% faster with Lessonly’s simple training, enablement, and coaching software. [ Learn More ](https://seismic.com/lessonly/) ![Chili Piper logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Logo-on-White-460x328.jpg) Trusting sales reps to reach out in record time to your hottest leads? Don’t make your buyers wait and risk losing to competition. Create and schedule better buyer journeys with Chili Piper. [ Learn More ](https://www.chilipiper.com) ![Reprise logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Reprise-logo-q261thrzq6ruhwakr2vyj6yexs9hjklqis6z46kphu.png "Reprise logo") The product experience platform for product-led growth. Create interactive demos and product tours. Don’t just show your product – get people to feel and experience its impact. [ Learn More ](https://www.getreprise.com) ![Aspireship logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Aspireship-logo-q17yrtvigh4qqdtn03xu9qhslie4pagg5r5m919b18.png "Aspireship logo") Aspireship is an industry recognized reskilling and job placement platform that helps you pivot your career into SaaS sales. Learn online. Meet companies. Get hired. [ Learn More ](https://aspireship.com) ![Gong logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Gong-logo-on-light-q17wvktczoxcka57grocmzij4t18em9k5mr1nai67c.png "Gong logo") Gong’s Revenue Intelligence platform captures your customer interactions across phone, web conferencing, and email, understands what was said in these interactions, and delivers insights to help your team win more deals. [ Learn More ](https://www.gong.io/) ![Highspot-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Highspot-Logo-q17w9kfg67khuexn2lckc0hb0ha8jn4dezw27h3apa.png "Highspot-Logo") Deliver the right resources at the right time, every time. Identify and share best practices across reps. Amplify impact through consistent execution. [ Learn More ](https://www.highspot.com) ![Chili Piper logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Logo-on-White-q262myzt9zwfr2ajp5sgt8669aqbbpv86zti20tiky.jpg "Chili Piper logo") Trusting sales reps to reach out in record time to your hottest leads? Don’t make your buyers wait and risk losing to competition. Create and schedule better buyer journeys with Chili Piper. [ Learn More ](https://www.chilipiper.com) ![HBL-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HBL-logo.png) HBL will teach you how to read people even before you meet them, and EVEN teach you how to read your OWN body language signals and the signals of the people around you! [ Learn More ](https://humanbehaviorlab.com) ![Reprise logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Reprise-logo-q261thrzq6ruhwakr2vyj6yexs9hjklqis6z46kphu.png "Reprise logo") The product experience platform for product-led growth. Create interactive demos and product tours. Don’t just show your product – get people to feel and experience its impact. [ Learn More ](https://www.getreprise.com) ![Vidyard logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Vidyard-logo-qif51zhui0wf3476p3r2pqfhfxpnjcyb59l1laevqs.jpg "Vidyard-logo") Keep a human connection with customers and coworkers when you can’t be there in person. Vidyard is the best way to add video into your emails, website, and everywhere else. [ Learn More ](https://www.vidyard.com/surfandsales) ![Outreach-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Outreach-logo-q17x6gs3dgls735aytahlpm3hz4py9q5xtvuw4b8s0.png "Outreach-logo") The Outreach Sales Engagement Platform helps efficiently and effectively engage prospects to drive more pipeline and close more deals. [ Learn More ](https://www.outreach.io/lp/watch-demo-b?utm_source=SurfSales&utm_medium=CoMarketing&utm_content=Demo_Request_Web&utm_campaign=NA_Q1FY23__Richard_Blog_Post) ![Alyce logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Alyce-q262n9c1d6alarvj0s9d2nk8sjbcoe09wezuc2e5v2.jpg "Alyce logo") Alyce helps create personal bonds with your prospects, customers, and partners that deliver results through one-to-one gifting. We call it a **Personal Experience Platform.** [ Learn More ](https://www.alyce.com) ![Lessonly_Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Lessonly_Logo-200x80.jpg "Lessonly_Logo") Train 62% faster with Lessonly’s simple training, enablement, and coaching software. [ Learn More ](https://seismic.com/lessonly/) ![Salesforce-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Salesforce-Logo-460x354.png) Achieve sales success, anywhere, with the #1 growth platform for digital sales. [ Learn More ](https://www.salesforce.com/products/sales-cloud/overview/?d=7013y0000029oO5AAI&nc=&utm_source=surfandsales&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=us_slobcon&utm_content=sales-cloud-overview_7013y0000029oO5AAI&utm_term=&ban=us_surfandsales) ![JB Sales Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/JB-Sales-LogoWhite-qif52cnl5peflno2k9fuon3xrbwsj4ejv2pub5vdeq.jpg "JB-Sales-Logo") The best source for in-person and online sales training. [ Learn More ](https://jbarrows.com/) [ Learn More ](https://www.lessonly.com) ![regie-ai-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/regie-ai-logo-q17x6ewezsj7jv819sh8gq36b7dzivip9kkvxke17i.png "regie-ai-logo") Regie – short for recommendation engine – leverages AI and best practices to create, analyze, and optimize copy for your enterprise. [ Learn More ](https://www.regie.ai) ## What Our Partners Say “Bought in to support the Google Cloud team. In addition to sales training, a cold calling boot camp yielded 13 meetings in under 2 hours on a Friday afternoon.” **Thiago Fantini, Enterprise Cloud Specialist** ![google cloud logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/51129603-0-logo-lockup-cloud-li.png) ## Become A Partner Fill out the form below to apply. Tell us about yourself, your company, and what you have to offer and we’ll get back to you with the next steps! First Name Last Name Email Phone Message Acceptance I agree to receive marketing communications from THCG LLC. Don't worry, we don't spam. Submit ## Clients Who Trust Us --- ### [GTMnow Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/gtmnow-sales-training/) **Published:** August 3, 2023 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ![thcg + gtmnow logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/thcggtmnow-logo-r8fd0v60velszesck2sxtuv2l2uytrbex8tjqys638.png "thcg + gtmnow logo") # Teaching Your Reps How to Earn the Right to Ask Questions, Which Questions to Ask and When The Harris Consulting Group and GTMnow have been partnered for more than 9 years to increase qualified pipeline and closed revenue. ## Supercharge Your Reps and Sales Process Get better discovery, shortened sales cycles, and fewer clients going dark with no response. Company Email What can we help you solve? Send ## How We Can Help You [The Richard Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) and [GTMnow](https://www.saleshacker.com/) have been partnered for more than 5 years to help you: #### Grow Your Pipeline Improve discovery and shorten sales cycles. #### Qualify Opportunities Have fewer clients going dark with no response. #### Teach Reps To ask the right questions at the right time. #### Identify Champions In complex sales scenarios. #### Stronger Negotiation Skills Understand the psychology of buying. #### Design Your Sales Process Customized to your ideal customer profile. ![PandaDoc_Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/PandaDoc_Logo_PNG.png) ## How We've Helped “After working with Sales Hacker (now GTMnow) Trainers, PandaDoc was able to 2.5x its lead to opportunity conversion metric for our inbound sales. With literally thousands of MQLs a month, this made a huge impact. By combining a new sales process and implementing call coaching, PandaDoc was able to nearly double our ARR revenue production in 2 quarters.” – Jared Fuller – VP Sales of PandaDoc [ Read Case Study ](https://4du8xa2mi3h47hddn434ubtx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/21642021-0-SH-CS-2017-PandaDoc-.pdf) ![group-of-people-working-on-their-computers-on-a-conference-table-together](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/group-of-people-working-on-their-computers-on-a-conference-table-together.jpg) ![PandaDoc_Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/PandaDoc_Logo_PNG.png) ## We Can Help You “After working with Sales Hacker (now GTMnow) Trainers, PandaDoc was able to 2.5x its lead to opportunity conversion metric for our inbound sales. With literally thousands of MQLs a month, this made a huge impact. By combining a new sales process and implementing call coaching, PandaDoc was able to nearly double our ARR revenue production in 2 quarters.” – Jared Fuller – VP Sales of PandaDoc [ Read Case Study ](https://4du8xa2mi3h47hddn434ubtx-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/21642021-0-SH-CS-2017-PandaDoc-.pdf) ## Looking to make your sales team more effective and efficient? At GTMnow, we have helped many companies increase their revenue with our full funnel sales training and coaching. We will work with you to identify the areas most in need of supercharging so that your business grows – just tell us about how we can help you. ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Customized Sales Training To Meet Your Needs Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/) **Published:** January 28, 2016 **Author:** David Harding **Content:** ![woman-writing-in-a-notebook](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/woman-writing-in-a-notebook.png) # Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) While most companies and SAAS organizations have a general idea of the Ideal Customer Profile, it is essential to directly outline to the sales team and marketing team the makeup and demographics of the ICP. ## Work Smarter, Not Harder Give your sales team the tools to succeed by defining your Ideal Customer Profile. #### Analyze Analyze Your Current Leads & Customer Base #### Define Define Your Ideal Client Profile #### Measure Measure Your Total Addressable Market #### Create Create Appropriate Content #### Share Share With Sales, Marketing, Prospects & Customers ## ICP vs IPP From our experience with [Sales Training,](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/ "Sales Training") we’ve found that most organizations don’t know their Ideal Customer Profile. Like most things in sales, ideas are being split like the atom at a rapid rate. ICP is one of them. Let’s get some definitions straight: 1. ICP = Ideal Company Profile – Industry/Vertical, Employee Count, Revenue, Geo, and Total Addressable Market with specific high level pains. 2. IPP = Ideal Persona Profile – These are the decision makers and decision influencers (good and bad). Here you align the unique pains to the specific persona. Meaning everyone has the same high level pain, aligned with the company strategy, but based on their titles and roles they become nuanced. CRO has a different feel of pain around growing revenue than a VP of Sales, a Sales Manager, and even a Sales Rep. This is also a great place for sales and marketing to coordinate. With the help of sales, marketing and product marketings should be leading the charge on figuring this out. Your product or service may be amazing, but if it is not reaching the customers in your [total addressable market](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/total-addressable-market/ "Total Addressable Market") or if your inside sales teams are courting the wrong prospects, then your revenue and ROI will collapse. Once you have a deeper understanding of your ICP, it becomes easier to focus on messaging from both an outbound and an inbound perspective, as it relates to the various sales roles, such as [Inside Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/inside-sales/ "Inside Sales"), SDR, and Field Sales. At the Harris Consulting Group, we continually stress to give your sales team the tools to succeed and this means defining your Ideal Customer Profile. We fully believe in the 80/20 rule, that 80% of a companies profits will be generated by 20% of their customer base. From this 20% is where the ICP is created. ## ICP Key Points Capitalize on the 20% Average Sales Cycle – 79 Days Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) – $125,000 Lifetime Value (LTV) – $375,000 To define your ICP, we recommend starting by asking these questions: 1. What about our messaging “got through the noise” you experience on a regular basis? 2. When did the pain actually start with your organization, when did it become so unbearable you decided to make a decision? 3. What made the pain grow over that time period? How did it fester? 4. Where did your search for solutions (Google, G2, Referral, MSP thread, etc)? The more you have around this, the closer you can get to define your IPP intent data needs. ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Customized Sales Training To Meet Your Needs Interactive group sessions, real-world experience, and proven sales training skill sets. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ | Thank You!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/5-week-n-e-a-t-selling-thank-you/) **Published:** August 26, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** # Thank you for your interest in the 4 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training & Reinforcement Program We’ll be contacting you soon. In the meantime, check out our free ebooks, podcasts, and on-demand webinars. [ Go To Resources ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/) #### Trusted by companies of all sizes including: ## What Can This Do For Your Team? [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) ![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-460x259.png) #### [Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/ "Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders") Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders Updated for... [Read More](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) ![Harris Consulting Group vs. Richardson vs. Brooks Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Harris-Consulting-Group-vs.-Richardson-vs.-Brooks-Group-1-460x259.avif) #### [Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/ "Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026?") Introduction to Understanding Best Sales Training Companies People are always... [Read More](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/) ![Sales managers analyzing sales forecasting data and revenue intelligence dashboards to assess pipeline health, deal momentum, and forecast accuracy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Sales-Forecasting-Is-Broken-460x259.avif) #### [Sales Forecasting Best Practices: Fix Your Broken Pipeline](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/ "Sales Forecasting Best Practices: Fix Your Broken Pipeline") Sales forecasting fails not because sales reps are bad at... [Read More](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/) ![Revenue Operations framework showing tech stack optimization and process design to eliminate waste](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Revenue-Operations-Guide-460x259.avif) #### [Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/ "Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth") Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth What... [Read More](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/objection-handling-training-stop-memorizing-scripts-start-solving-problems/) ![Comparison of N.E.A.T. Selling vs MEDDIC vs BANT vs SPIN vs Challenger sales frameworks showing evolution from interrogation to modern buyer-centric qualification](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Objection-Handling-Training-460x259.avif) #### [Objection Handling Training That Works](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/objection-handling-training-stop-memorizing-scripts-start-solving-problems/ "Objection Handling Training That Works") Objection Handling Training That Actually Works: Stop Memorizing Scripts, Start... [Read More](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/objection-handling-training-stop-memorizing-scripts-start-solving-problems/) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) ![Consultative sales training framework showing three-level diagnosis from surface symptoms to quantified business impact using N.E.A.T. Selling methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Consultative-Sales-Training-460x259.avif) #### [Consultative Sales Training For Your Team: Harris Consulting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/ "Consultative Sales Training For Your Team: Harris Consulting") Consultative Sales Training That Works For Your Team Updated for... [Read More](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) Load More --- ### [The Seller's Journey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-sellers-journey/) **Published:** October 18, 2023 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ![close-up-of-a-book](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/close-up-of-a-book-560x375.webp) ## COMING SOON! ## The Seller's Journey Your guidebook to closing more deals with N.E.A.T. Selling™, a new book brought to you by Richard Harris from The Harris Consulting Group. Connect with Richard on [LinkedIn here](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415) and stay tuned for release updates soon. --- ## My Templates ### [Default Kit](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=default-kit) **Published:** July 10, 2020 **Author:** Shawna --- ### [Default Block - Single Column](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=default-block-single-column) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** --- ### [Default Block - Multi Column](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=default-block-multi-column) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** --- ### [Single Blog Post](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=single-blog-post) **Published:** January 4, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** # Single Blog Post # Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders *Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The Seller’s Journey* ## What You Will Learn - Why most sales coaching doesn’t work, and the specific reasons it fails - The real differences between sales coaching and sales management - A strong sales coaching framework any manager can implement - Running effective 1:1s focusing on sales skills, not just reviewing the pipeline - The sales coaching skills that separate great sales managers from the mundane - How to build a sales coaching culture in your sales organization - A sales coaching FAQ you will want to keep ## Sales Coaching Done Right: Most Teams Are Managed, None Are Coached You cannot manage people, you can only lead them and coach them. If they don’t have their own internal drive then you have an accountability issue, not a sales coaching issue. Those things ‘check the box’ that sales leadership wants to see. Unfortunately many executive sales leaders, and founders are misinformed about what’s really important. There are two primary types of front line sales managers and leaders: **1. The Dashboard and Data Sales Manager.** This sales leader is metrics driven, loves sitting behind a dashboard and giving commands like they are the Captain Picard of the Enterprise. They lead with numbers first, not humanity. They call them 1:1s but in reality they are just pipeline reviews. They pay little attention to the actual growth of their sales team members unless it’s about their revenue growth. Their primary focus of sales coaching is about inputs and outputs. Not the skills utilized to actually affect those inputs and outputs. And occasionally they will do some call reviews that are basic feedback on what someone ‘should be doing’ and not engage with the rep to actually help coach up a skill that needs particular focus. Their ego thinks that being the Sales Handywoman or Mr. Fix-It is actually developing skills. In reality it’s developing a co-dependency relationship. They have often not been in the sales trenches recently, and let their ego drive their leadership style. Sales coaching is not a priority because they think sales people should just ‘know how to do the job.’ **2. Lead From the Front Sales Manager.** These are the sales managers and sales leaders that employees remember forever. They are the sales leaders that when they leave, their entire team wants to go with them. This is the sales manager or sales leader who likes getting their hands dirty. They understand that metrics matter in terms of giving some direction and that there is more to the metrics than just the numbers they represent. They make sure they know the different types of 1:1s from sales skills development and coaching to life skills development, and leadership development. They even know a non-business related 1:1 brings value and loyalty. And most importantly, they have regular coaching sessions with their sales teams. Whether it’s call review, role playing, or [sales training for the entire team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/), they understand that improving the input skills has a direct correlation and causation to the outputs achieved. So how do we break this down? It’s not as hard as we think it is, and in many cases people already know this is the best practice; they simply have a hard time getting out of their own way to actually execute. Sales leaders are better off thinking about revenue growth based on the following: - Developing the individual skills of their reps - Making this deliberate and consistent - Documenting where they are, where they need to be, and specifically stating the gap - Creating a list of 3 items they should focus on - Training and coaching only one at a time This is the gap seen consistently across all sales teams. And even on the best teams, these gaps still exist. Nobody is above learning more. The distinction between managing and coaching is not semantic. Sales management is defined by focusing on capacity, the sales process and directing work flows, and tracking outcomes. Sales coaching is about developing capability at the individual and the team level. Both are necessary. And the one that actually moves the needle on long-term performance is sales coaching, and it’s the one that gets deprioritized almost every week, on almost every team, in almost every company. An example of this is forcing managers to manage 10-12 reps not 6-8 because somebody doesn’t want to pay another salary. Another example is executive leadership thinking manual processes like dialing, finding contact information, and updating the CRM system all in the interest of ‘saving money.’ Just remind your sales leaders that leaving money in the bank does not actually help the company grow. This guide is for sales leaders, managers, directors, VPs of Sales, and CROs who are serious about building sales teams that don’t just hit a number this quarter. If that sounds like you, explore our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) to see how we build this capability from the ground up. ## Sales Management vs. Sales Coaching: Why the Difference Matters The confusion between coaching and managing is one of the most expensive errors made by founders, executive leadership, and yes, even sales leadership. When managers conflate the two, they end up doing neither well. And it all rolls downhill to the sales reps. Sales ManagementSales CoachingDirects day-to-day activityDevelops individual skillsTracks KPIs and pipelineIdentifies root causes of performance gapsSets quotas and targetsBuilds rep confidence and capabilityResolves immediate problemsAsks questions instead of giving answersEvaluates current performanceInvests in future performanceRuns forecasting callsCreates safe space for growthAdministers the sales processBuilds the coaching relationship over timeProvides ideation of sales strategiesGreat sales leaders do both because they know the difference. You understand your most valuable commodity is their time, and you protect time for coaching the same way you protect time for forecasting. You are relentless about time management. You control your calendar, you do not let your calendar control you. Without coaching, your forecast is just a guess built on a team that’s as good as it was last quarter and smoking a whole lot of hope-i-um. ## Why Most Sales Coaching Programs Fail Sales Managers Let’s name the problems before we talk about solutions. In my work training sales managers and leaders across hundreds of organizations, I see the same patterns over and over: ### Problem 1: Sales Coaching Is Reactive, Not Proactive Most coaching happens after bad things happen. A deal falls apart, a rep misses their number, a call recording surfaces a problem. And worst of all, no planning for training and skills coaching through the whole year. None of this is coaching, it’s simply reactive corrections. And worst of all it’s driven by ego based on their own panic and self-job preservation. Real coaching happens before the problem, not in response to it. It’s a part of your sales forecast, it’s preventive, it’s developmental, it’s called ‘ever-boarding’, and it’s customized developmental activities at both the sales rep and sales team levels. ### Problem 2: Sales Managers Tell Instead of Ask These leaders ‘should on you.’ Don’t ever let someone ‘should on you.’ When a rep describes a problem and the manager says ‘here’s what you should do,’ that’s controlled manipulation and problem solving, not sales coaching. The rep doesn’t develop their own critical thinking, their capabilities, they just follow instructions. The next time they face a similar problem, they’ll ask the manager again instead of thinking through it themselves. Good coaches ask questions that help reps develop their own insight. ### Problem 3: Sales Coaching Has No Structure ‘It will happen when it needs to happen.’ If this is your mindset as a sales leader you should not be a sales leader at all. Effective coaching is scheduled, consistent, and structured. It has a clear relevancy and a clear purpose. It has a defined format with specific expectations and desired outcomes, and it is documented. Improvised coaching is better than no coaching, but it’s nowhere near as effective as a deliberate, repeatable process. ### Problem 4: Sales Managers Don’t Know What to Coach Most sales managers and sales leaders were promoted because they were great individual contributors, could follow a process, knew their numbers, and maybe they helped with some interviewing and early on-boarding. Nowhere in this list is anything about their ability to manage and navigate the human element with soft skills. In reality, the soft-skills are the hard skills. Without that diagnostic capability, coaching becomes generic, and generic coaching doesn’t move the needle for any specific rep. ### Problem 5: No Follow-Through A sales coaching conversation without documented commitments and follow-through is really just a conversation, not sales coaching. Real behavioral change requires repetition, accountability, and reinforcement. If the only time a rep hears about a skill is in a 30-minute 1:1, they won’t change. You have to close the loop, which means assigning responsibilities in both directions, defining what it means to be accountable, regular check-ins, making adjustments, and celebrating progress. If you do not provide positive feedback on successes, then all your rep will hear is critical parenting. ## A Sales Coaching Framework That Works: PREP-OTC for Sales Managers At The Harris Consulting Group, we teach a simple coaching framework that managers can use consistently: PREP-OTC. It stands for: Prepare, Reality Check, Explore, Plan, Observe, Transfer, Celebrate. ### P, Prepare: Know What You’re Walking In to Coach Prepare with the end in sight. No successful leader ever just wings it. Before any coaching session, review the rep’s recent activity, performance data, and call recordings. Identify one to two specific behaviors or skills you want to develop based on the outcome of this conversation. Then go deeper. If you say ‘discovery’ define what type of discovery. Is it a first call discovery? Is it during a demo? Is it during commercial conversations? Yes, there is an element of discovery during commercial conversations. Don’t go into a coaching conversation with a vague sense that ‘things could be better.’ Be precise. ‘In your last three discovery calls, you moved to the demo 10 minutes in without asking about economic impact.’ That’s coachable. ‘Your discovery needs work’ is not. And when you share economic impact, ask them to workshop the conversation with you. Mini role play and real play conversations are the glue to making the sales coaching stick. ### R, Reality Check: Start With Their Perspective Before your conversation share the specifics of what you would like to cover with them. Highlight the calls and deals you are pulling this from and give them time to review. Get specific on the topics you want to review and that you will be asking for their feedback to start, not just you pontificating. Something like: ‘When we catch up I want to discuss \_\_\_ and here’s what I am noticing. I want to hear how you feel about this topic and see if we can work on it together.’ Your 1:1 and sales coaching sessions should never feel like a ‘gotcha.’ Reps will already be on the defensive so it is incumbent upon you to reduce that anxiety for them and let them know it’s about improving their skills and their paycheck and they are not in any kind of trouble. All of this serves three purposes: it tells you whether they have accurate self-awareness, it ensures the rep is mentally engaged rather than just receiving feedback, and reps who can self-diagnose their own problems are far more likely to fix them. ### E, Explore: Ask Questions, Don’t Give Answers Actually one of the easiest parts of management but it is the least exercised muscle when managing humans. In sales, exploring, also called discovery, is crucial. This is a cross-over skill when managing others. Instead of solving the problem for them, it’s critical you teach them to explore solutions beside them. You ask the exploratory questions to the issue at hand and it teaches them to be better at self-assessment and self-accountability. Resist the urge to say ‘here’s what you should do.’ Instead, ask questions like: - ‘When you’re in that moment in the call, what’s going through your mind?’ - ‘What do you think would happen if you asked that economic impact question earlier?’ - ‘What would you do differently if you ran that call again?’ Questions build awareness. Directives build dependency. ### P, Plan: Commit to Something Specific Every coaching conversation should end with one specific, concrete commitment based on what you defined under the prepare section. This is also the beginning of accountability for both parties. You want your sales rep to define their outcomes. It cannot simply be ‘I’ll work on my discovery in future sales calls,’ that’s meaningless. A better definition would be: ‘In my next three discovery calls, I’m going to ask the cost-of-inaction question before we get to the demo.’ Then you have them write it down. Yes, old school, write it down, not take a note on their device or computer. Humans remember things better after they write something down. Date it. Both of you sign off on it. That’s a coaching commitment. When you commit to them, they will commit to you. > *Want PREP-OTC installed in your managers’ actual 1:1s — not just bookmarked?* > *Schedule a free sales training assessment.* ### O, Observe: See It in Action You can’t coach from behind a monitor. The best sales leaders act and lead with intent on helping their sales team members. This includes listening to recordings, live call coaching with the rep’s permission, and shadowing them in a customer meeting. A great sales leader needs to observe the specific behavior you’re coaching before you can assess whether it’s changing. And when you observe it improving, say so, specifically, immediately. Instant feedback helps assure a sales rep will want to repeat what they’ve done and therefore continue to exercise the new muscles. ### T, Transfer: Create Independence, Not Dependence Ultimately a strong sales leader wants to develop a self-reliant sales person through sales coaching. The goal of sales coaching is for the rep to internalize the skill so they no longer need your direction. Or at least need less direction over time so other skills can be developed. A rep who, six months later, is still coming to you with the same problems means the coaching didn’t transfer. That’s not a rep problem, that’s a coaching method problem. ### C, Celebrate: Assures Reinforcement Celebrating the little wins are as important as celebrating the big ones. Every closed sale is based upon a lot of little things done right. It’s these little things that you have been coaching on. When you hear them make one of the little changes you suggested, or ask that deeper discovery question, call that a win and let them know. No matter what anyone says, every human being wants to be seen, heard, and understood. Celebrating these wins incorporates all three. ## How to Run a Coaching-Focused 1:1 So often the 1:1 is simply thought of as a task that needs to be completed. Something that is merely done to ‘check the box.’ If this is your approach, then you are part of the problem, not a solution. The best sales leaders know the true value of one on ones, which are to: - Improve Relationships - Improve Performance - Support Accountability - Drive Recruitment - Drive Retention - Build TRUST The 1:1 is the most underutilized tool in sales management. In most organizations it becomes a pipeline review, the manager asks ‘what’s going on with this deal,’ the rep summarizes, and they move to the next one. That’s not a 1:1. That’s a status update. In reality there are several types of 1:1s: - Skills Review and Coaching - The Week Ahead - Career Conversations - Life Conversations - Feedback to Manager No, you cannot do all of these in a single session. Recognize some 1:1s are more important than others. Recognize each type of 1:1 needs to happen. Define a schedule of 1:1s so both you and the sales reps come prepared. For example, you could break your quarter down across 13 weeks: 5 Skills Reviews, 2 Weeks Ahead, 2 Career Conversations, 2 Life Conversations, and 2 Feedback to Manager conversations. ### First 5 Minutes: Personal Check-In How is the person doing personally? Not the pipeline, the person. Sales is a mentally demanding job. Starting with the human, not the numbers, builds trust and gives you information about the rep’s mental state that affects everything else in the conversation. ### Next 10 Minutes: Their Topics What does the rep want to discuss? What skills would they like to work on based on where they feel their pipeline is stuck? Why do they think that’s the right skill? What ideas do they have around improving the skill? This signals that the 1:1 is their time, not a reporting mechanism. Reps who feel the 1:1 exists for them will actually prepare for it. ### Next 10 Minutes: Coaching Topic This is the one thing you came in to coach. Based on your preparation, bring one specific observation. Use the PREP-OTC framework here. Ask, explore, plan. ### Last 5 Minutes: Commitments and Appreciation This is where you assign accountability for both of you. Confirm the one commitment each of you are making based on this conversation. Confirm what success will look like. Write it down. Be sure to include something you have seen the rep is doing well. Reps who only hear what they’re doing wrong start to believe that’s all there is. > **Pro Tip:** Keep a coaching log, even a simple doc, for each rep. Document the skill you coached, the commitment they made, and whether they followed through. This turns coaching from a conversation into a development program. Over six months, you’ll be able to show a rep exactly how far they’ve come. ## Coaching Different Rep Profiles No two humans are exactly the same, and no two sales reps are exactly the same. One of the most common mistakes in sales leadership and sales coaching is applying the same approach to every rep. Great sales managers know how to coach the individual based on their unique desires and motivators. ### The New Rep (0-6 Months) Newbies need a bit more structure in the beginning, even reps with lots of sales experience may need some additional help when first getting started. Each needs a different level of structure, clarity, and frequent check-ins. They don’t know what they don’t know. Over-coach the fundamentals: discovery, objection handling, how to describe your product in the customer’s language, qualification based on their unique skill set. Build their confidence with specific, genuine praise when they execute well. ### The Developing Rep (6-18 Months) They now know the basics and are developing judgment and improving upon self-awareness. Your job here is to up-skill them. Expand their mindset. They probably need more sophisticated discovery, deal strategy, multi-threading, negotiation. Push them toward independence. Ask more questions and give fewer answers. Celebrate when they solve their own problems. ### The Veteran Rep (18+ Months) This is where we see sales managers falling into a trap. We believe these veterans no longer need or want coaching. In some cases they will even tell you they don’t need or want more coaching. Most veterans need a new and different type of challenge. They often need help with consistency, applying their skills every single call instead of coasting on past success. And one of the biggest issues is they try to short-cut something in their sales process. Make sure this is not happening. It’s usually the sign of a slump. ### The Struggling Rep Is it skill? Is it will? Is it life? This is where sales coaching gets hardest. Remember, the soft skills are the hard skills. A skill issue means more coaching, more practice, more observation, more feedback. A will issue is a management conversation about expectations, consequences, and support. Mixing up these two responses is how you keep struggling reps too long and lose great managers to burnout. ## How to Build a Sales Coaching Culture Your Team Believes In Having strong individual coaching conversations matter. Having a strong team culture matters just as much. A great sales team coaching culture, where development is expected, mentoring is normal, learning is celebrated, and vulnerability is safe is worth everything. It makes everything easier, from recruiting and retaining, to building trust, to achieving revenue targets. Here’s what I’ve seen in the best sales cultures I’ve worked with: ### The Sales Stack If you do not have the right sales stack for your sales organization it’s time to find a new place and leadership team who gets it. The following are table stakes in 2026: - Accurate Prospecting Data - Call Recording and Reporting - Video Call / Zoom Recording - Auto Populate the CRM - A CRM (yes, still worth saying) - Sequence / Cadence Tools - Asynchronous Communication Platforms - Sales Navigator - AI Tools to Analyze and Make Recommendations ### Leadership Models the Behavior It all rolls downhill. If the VP of Sales isn’t being vulnerable and actively learning and openly talking about sales skills improvements, then why should the sales team? Leaders who talk about their own development, who share their mistakes, who celebrate a manager’s coaching improvement as much as a revenue milestone, those leaders build teams that develop. Nobody wants to hear your war stories of success. They probably will appreciate your stories of failure and what you learned from them. ### Coaching Is Inspected If you aren’t measuring it, you cannot coach it. Build manager 1:1s into your cadence. Review coaching logs quarterly. An executive leader needs to ask sales managers what they coached last week the same way you ask reps what deals they’re working. ### Feedback and Mentoring Is Normalized Feedback is transactional. Mentoring is a lifetime. People want to be mentored more than they want feedback. A great sales coaching culture has mentoring happen not just to people but for each other. Build peer feedback, group call reviews, and shared learning into your team rhythms. When feedback becomes part of the air that includes mentoring rather than a special event, people stop being defensive and start being genuinely curious about how they can get better. ### Failure Is a Learning Event Do not sweep this under the rug. Sales is a place where failure happens on a regular basis. A strong sales coaching culture treats failure as data, not verdict. ‘What’s the one thing you could have done better on that deal?’ is the single best question to ask a rep. They will find many more than one thing, and that’s good. Start with one, and see where it takes you. ## Business Case for Sales Coaching: What It Costs When You Skip It Let’s make the business case, because you’re going to need it when you’re asking your CFO or CEO to invest in a sales training, reinforcement, or sales coaching program. Nobody is simply good at their job because they have a title. That includes any founder, CEO, CFO, CRO, CMO, or anything else. They all had to develop their skills over time. It took time, experience, mistakes, and mentors. The research is consistent: companies with structured coaching programs significantly outperform those without. Recruitment is easier. Ramping new reps is shorter. Attrition is lower. Sales cycles shorten, win rates are higher, deal sizes trend larger because reps who are well-coached do better discovery, which leads to more quantified opportunities that are harder to discount. A single bad hire simply from the cost side costs you 6-12 months in salary, and it compounds by 3x on any expected deals you were hoping they would close. It’s not the lost revenue of the first deal, it’s the renewal and upsell revenue on the future deals. A manager who coaches effectively reduces attrition and improves performance simultaneously. If you’re evaluating what great looks like, our [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) page covers what that investment produces in practice. The question isn’t whether to invest in sales coaching. The question is whether you have a system for doing it consistently, or whether you’re leaving it to chance and hoping your managers figure it out on their own. ## Frequently Asked Questions About Sales Coaching ### How is sales coaching different from sales training? Sales training is an event that introduces skills and frameworks in a concentrated setting. In contrast, sales coaching is a process that reinforces, applies, and develops those skills over time through individual attention, feedback, and practice. Both are necessary because coaching is ultimately what makes training stick. ### How much time should a sales manager spend on coaching? High-performing sales managers typically spend at least 30-40% of their working time on development activities, including 1:1s, call reviews, ride-alongs, and skill practice. You must be ruthless in managing your calendar so your calendar does not manage you. ### What should you coach first? Part of the answer is defined by which type of sales rep you are coaching. Is it a newbie or a veteran? Generally speaking the best practice is to start with the activities that will have the most immediate impact on revenue. This does not mean start a newbie with negotiation and closing training. It means start at the beginning so you can get to that part of the training sooner and reduce early stage mistakes. ### Can you coach remotely? It’s 2026. If your organization does not have the tools needed to coach remotely then it’s time to find a new organization. Call recordings, videos, 1:1s, Slack, Zoom, all of these items are table stakes when it comes to building a coaching culture. ### What if a rep is resistant to coaching? Expect and plan for this. Especially with veteran reps who interpret coaching as criticism or micro-management. The solution is to separate coaching from performance evaluation explicitly. ‘I’m not here to judge how you’re doing. I’m here to help you get better at something specific.’ Keep the conversation focused, non-threatening, and specific. Resistance often dissolves when the rep realizes you’re genuinely invested in their development rather than building a case against them. ### How do you measure whether coaching is working? Track the specific skill you coached over a defined time period, typically no longer than 4 weeks. This timeline will be based upon your sales cycle. If you run a transactional sales team this can be done in hours or days. Larger deal cycles may take longer. Try to define metrics around what you’ve been coaching. Are talk ratios improving on calls? Are there fewer bad deals getting in the pipeline? Of the new deals in the pipeline, how much better qualified are they? ### How do you coach a rep who is consistently hitting quota but has skill gaps? Many think you do nothing. What’s better is to ask them what’s going so well. Remember, quota attainment at 100% can mask problems that aren’t showing up now but could cause a slump in the future. Sometimes the question you ask this rep is to make sure they remember something they haven’t had to address in some time. That’s no fault of their own, it’s simply the way the pipeline is working in their favor right now. ### What is the N.E.A.T. Selling™ connection to sales coaching? N.E.A.T. Selling™ is the methodology that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. When you know your reps should be uncovering Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline on every call, call reviews become easy to structure. You’re not asking ‘was that a good call?’ You’re asking ‘did we get to economic impact?’ That specificity is what makes coaching stick. Learn more about [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) and how it anchors every coaching conversation to a measurable outcome. ### Where can I learn more about sales management training? Our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is built specifically for first and second-level managers, AE Managers, SDR Managers, Sales Ops, and Sales Enablement leaders who want to get better at coaching, not just managing. It’s a half-day session available virtually or onsite. ## The Bottom Line on Sales Coaching Nothing beats sales training or sales coaching. While AI can help, we are all still humans. And humans actually need human to human interaction. Sales coaching is the best activity available to a sales leader. Nothing else you do, not a new CRM, not a better deck, not a new compensation plan, will develop your team’s capability the way consistent, skilled coaching does. The organizations I’ve seen build truly great sales teams are the ones that treat sales coaching as part of the infrastructure. It is not considered a bolt on activity. It is not something you do once a year at a kickoff. It’s scheduled. It’s measured. It’s expected of every manager. It’s modeled by leaders. It’s celebrated when it produces results. If your team isn’t where you want it to be, ask yourself: when did I last sit with a rep and develop a specific skill, not review a pipeline, not discuss a deal, but work on a skill? If the answer is longer than two weeks, you’ve found the problem. Now let’s go fix it. **Schedule your free sales training assessment** **→** and we’ll start with how your team coaches today. ***Work With The Harris Consulting Group:** Sales coaching is at the heart of everything we do at The Harris Consulting Group. We work with sales managers, directors, VPs, and CROs to build the coaching skills, structures, and cultures that drive long-term performance. Our [Sales Management and Leadership Bootcamp](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is designed specifically for frontline leaders who want to become great coaches.* ## Related Resources From The Harris Consulting Group - [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) — Built for AE Managers, SDR Managers, and Sales Enablement leaders ready to coach, not just manage. - [1:1 Coaching Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) — Individual and team coaching for reps, managers, leaders, and founders. - [4-Week NEAT Selling Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) — The complete training program with weekly coaching sessions built in to prevent the Forgetting Curve. - [NEAT Selling Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) — The qualification and discovery framework that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. - [Sales Training Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) — Customized training for SDRs, AEs, Inside Sales, Field Sales, and Customer Success. - [Best Sales Training Companies 2026](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) — An honest comparison of the top sales training companies and how to choose the right one for your team. - [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) — What it means to sell consultatively and how we train teams to diagnose before they prescribe. *Richard Harris is the founder of The Harris Consulting Group and creator of the NEAT Selling™ methodology. He is a bestselling author of The Seller’s Journey, a multiple Salesforce Sales Leader Award winner, and AAiSP Top Sales Leader. Richard has trained thousands of sales professionals across global organizations in manufacturing, software, SaaS, hardware, and financial services.* Search #### Recent Posts [![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-460x259.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/)### [ Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) [ Read More » ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) ### [ S7E5 – The Brutal Truth About Layoffs, Severance Negotiation & Why High Performers Still Need Coaching ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching/) [ Read More » ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching/) ### [ S7E4 – The Death of Inbound Leads ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads/) [ Read More » ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads/) #### Related Posts --- ### [Delphi](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=delphi) **Published:** January 23, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ## Say hello to your very own on-demand sales mentor, CoachRichardGPT. We all know sales training is as much about the reinforcement of the training as it is the training itself. Whether you are an individual AE or SDR looking for sales coaching, or your an organization looking for a customized and powerful sales training and reinforcement program, Richard and CoachRichardGPT have your back. Get started for free here. With all our sales trainings, you will also get a fully customized CoachRichardGPT for your team. If you have questions, you can talk the the real Richard [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Give it a test drive here!** ![blue-arrow](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/blue-arrow-qlgqyztcp5zintgktgkli6gv9qr1bmbbo2m42n1sgi.png "blue-arrow") *\*This is still in beta, therefore we are not responsible for any advice one chooses to act upon while utilizing this service.* --- ### [Sliders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=elementor-loop-item-18424) **Published:** November 29, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** --- ### [Header](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=header) **Published:** September 5, 2020 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Content area --- ### [Sales Kickoff - Page - 3325](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=sales-kickoff-page-3325) **Published:** March 3, 2025 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ![Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Richard-Harris_circle-1.png) # Why hire Richard for your next sales kickoff or sales event? - 100% customized to your team's specific desired growth strategy and skills development. - Ability to motivate across generational divides. - It's not a boring lecture, audience engagement is built-in. - Richard delivers actionable and meaningful content your team will want to utilize immediately. - Trusted by Salesforce, Zoom, Gainsight, Doordash, and Visa to train and motivate their sales teams. ## Motivating Sales Teams Richard Harris, founder of The Harris Consulting Group, is an exceptional sales kickoff speaker and sales trainer and speaker. With over 20 years of experience in sales kickoff training, operations, team motivation, and leadership, Richard has a proven track record of helping organizations build and scale their sales teams, tailored to fit a team’s specific needs and goals. His engaging and practical training methods, such as the N.E.A.T. Selling™ mindset, make him ideal for motivating sales teams and enhancing their skills. Companies like Zoom, Google, and Visa trust his expertise, making him a top pick for any SKO or sales event. ## Most Requested Topics 1. Driving Empowerment and Self-Accountability 2. Improving the Sales Mindset 3. Earning the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when 4. Customized Discovery Exercises 5. Customized Objection Handling Exercises ## Featured Content [ ![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-560x315.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) [#### Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/ "Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders") Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The [ ![Harris Consulting Group vs. Richardson vs. Brooks Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Harris-Consulting-Group-vs.-Richardson-vs.-Brooks-Group-1-560x315.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) [#### Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/ "Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026?") Introduction to Understanding Best Sales Training Companies People are always looking for the best sales trainer or best sales training companies, and frankly there are [ ![Sales managers analyzing sales forecasting data and revenue intelligence dashboards to assess pipeline health, deal momentum, and forecast accuracy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Sales-Forecasting-Is-Broken-560x315.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/) [#### Sales Forecasting Best Practices: Fix Your Broken Pipeline](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-forecasting-is-broken-and-its-not-because-your-reps-cant-predict/ "Sales Forecasting Best Practices: Fix Your Broken Pipeline") Sales forecasting fails not because sales reps are bad at predicting outcomes, but because leaders lack visibility into real sales behavior. Accurate forecasting requires understanding [ ![Revenue Operations framework showing tech stack optimization and process design to eliminate waste](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Revenue-Operations-Guide-560x315.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/) [#### Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/revenue-operations-guide-building-the-right-sales-tech-stack/ "Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth") Revenue Operations: Building a Sales Tech Stack for Growth What You’ll Learn Revenue Operations also known as RevOps is what we are covering in this ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Featured Books ![The Seller's Journey Book](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Sellers-Journey-Book-560x560.png) ##### The Seller’s Journey Check out Richard Harris’ latest book, The Seller’s Journey, your guidebook to closing more deals with N.E.A.T. Selling™. [ CHECK IT OUT ](https://thesellersjourney.co/) ![Owning-Your-Job-Search](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Owning-Your-Job-Search-560x560.webp) ##### Owning Your Job Search This ebook is your complete guide to getting more interviews, multiple offers, and navigating the negotiation process. [ GET IT NOW ](https://www.amazon.com/Owning-Your-Job-Search-application-ebook/dp/B08TQHBVQF) ## Featured In #### How Do You Differentiate Your Approach in a Highly Competitive Market? ![Sales-Consultant](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Sales-Consultant.png)SALESCONSULTANT.IO – From leveraging patented technology to prioritizing superior service, these narratives delve into the art of selling in competitive environments. [ Read Now ](https://salesconsultant.io/qa/how-do-you-differentiate-your-approach-in-a-highly-competitive-market/) #### How Can You Align a SaaS Content Strategy With Sales Goals? ![SaaS-Perspective](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SaaS-Perspective.png)SAAS PERSPECTIVE – From identifying core business problems to aligning search intent with promotions, explore the fourteen strategies that these experts swear by for harmonizing content and sales. [ Read Now ](https://saasperspective.com/qa/how-can-you-align-a-saas-content-strategy-with-sales-goals/) #### The Ultimate 15-Point Road Map to Guide You Into a New Manager Position ![Fast-Company-Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Fast-Company-Logo.png)FAST COMPANY – From seeking support to understanding team challenges, these strategies will equip you to build a thriving team and become a new manager your former peers will respect and admire. [ Read Now ](https://www.fastcompany.com/91139244/the-ultimate-15-point-roadmap-to-guide-you-into-a-new-manager-position) #### N.E.A.T. Selling: Master Sales And Close More Deals With Richard Harris ![the selling well podcast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/the-selling-well-podcast.png)THE SELLING WELL PODCAST – Richard Harris, author of The Seller's Journey, joins the show to debunk sales myths and equip you with practical tools. Discover the N.E.A.T. Selling Compass to identify true customer needs, quantify impact, navigate approvals, and create urgency. [ Read Now ](https://www.inthefunnel.com/thesellingwellpodcasts/neat-selling-master-sales-and-close-more-deals-with-richard-harris) #### Mastering The Art Of Storytelling: How Jobseekers Can Captivate Hiring Teams ![interview-focus-logo-@2x](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/interview-focus-logo-@2x.jpg)INTERVIEW FOCUS – Navigating the job market requires a keen ability to highlight one’s versatile talents. From utilizing the STAR Method to emphasizing similar situations and skills, discover ten strategies that have proven successful for jobseekers in the hiring process. [ Read Now ](https://hbr.org/2017/09/my-competitiveness-was-hurting-my-sales-team-heres-how-i-realized-it) #### My Competitiveness Was Hurting My Sales Team. Here’s How I Realized It ![harvard business review logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/harvard-business-review-e1518639301446.png)HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW – Want to be surrounded by some of the most competitive people on the planet? Work in sales, where paychecks, bonuses, promotions, and stature are usually tied directly to organizational quotas and individual results. Competition can be... [ Read Now ](https://hbr.org/2017/09/my-competitiveness-was-hurting-my-sales-team-heres-how-i-realized-it) #### What Every Sales Kickoff Needs In Order To Start The Fiscal Year Off Right ![forbes logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/forbes-logo.png)FORBES — How are you planning for sales kick off in the new year? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. Answer by Richard Harris, Top... [ Read Now ](https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/11/07/what-every-sales-kickoff-needs-in-order-to-start-the-fiscal-year-off-right/?sh=1f88a6063fe6https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2017/11/07/what-every-sales-kickoff-needs-in-order-to-start-the-fiscal-year-off-right/?sh=1f88a6063fe6) ## Ready for a Successful Sales Kickoff? Let’s talk about your next sales kickoff or upcoming sales event. [ Let's Talk ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [RGPT](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=rgpt) **Published:** June 26, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Content area --- ### [Default - Flexbox](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=default-flexbox) **Published:** June 17, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** --- ### [Sales Kickoff - Old Template](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=sales-kickoff-old-template) **Published:** June 9, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** # Sales Kickoff and Training Options Check out all sales kickoff and sales training options from The Harris Consulting Group and find the perfect fit customized for your team. ![Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-live-training-session in person](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-live-training-session-in-person.png) ![Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-live-training-session](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Richard-Harris-talking-during-a-live-training-session.png) ## One of the most 40 Most Inspring Leaders by SLMA Prepare, motivate, and train your sales team to top potential with a sales kickoff. Our sales training is customized to your business with award winning results! It’s designed to be **“Laptop Closed”** unless there is specific exercises requiring computers. Sales Training is NOT a lecture series and is NOT just a discussion of [sales theories](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-s1e8-a-clear-path-to-winning-with-cory-bray/) and talking points. We will use the words, language, terms, challenges, and solutions that your sales teams use on a daily basis when speaking with your​ ​suspects, prospects, and customers. We will also incorporate Real-Play and Role-Play Scenarios throughout the session. **Sales Training is designed to engage sales representatives based on their unique learning style via auditory, visual, or kinesthetic stimulation.** The Harris Consulting Group helps reps understand and better execute by understanding the psychology of the buyer, earn the right to ask questions, and the execute according to their roles in the sales process. ## Company-Wide Sales Training **Crossing The Line: Setting & Achieving Goals (Offered as 90-minute session)** #### SDR / BDR Prospecting Training - Active Listening - Prospecting, Discovery & Qualification Skills - Targeted Messaging - Mapping Pains to Personas - Psychology of Decision Making - SDR to AE Handoff - Objection Handling - Cold Calling, Live Pick Ups & Voicemail Techniques - Email Best Practices - LinkedIn Sales Skills - Open & Closed-Ended Questions - Labeling & Mirroring - N.E.A.T Selling™ #### Customer Success Sales Training​ - Active Listening - Upselling and Cross-Selling - How Humans Make Decisions - Buyers’ Journey vs Buyers’ Experience - Qualification and Discovery Tactics - Navigating the Upset Client - Gaining Confirmation and Commitment - Fairness Doctrine - Open and Closed-Ended Questions - Question Behind The Question - Accountability - N.E.A.T Selling™ #### AE Sales Training - Active Listening - Prospecting, Discovery & Qualification Skills - Negotiation & Closing Skills - Earning The Right to Ask Questions - Respect Contract - Open and Closed-Ended Questions - Question Behind The Question - Labeling & Mirroring - Accountability - Psychology of Decision Making - Navigating Procurement - The Multi-Threaded Deal - LinkedIn Sales Skills - N.E.A.T Selling™ #### Sales Training for Sales Kickoffs (SKOs) - Building Courage & Confidence - Breaking Through Walls - The Value of Vulnerability in Business - Prospecting Sales Skills - Sales Training - Customer Success Sales Training [ Get started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) [![man-writing-in-a-notepad](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/man-writing-in-a-notepad-1.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/man-writing-in-a-notepad-1.png) [![team-having-a-meeting-at-a-wood-table](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/team-having-a-meeting-at-a-wood-table-1.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/team-having-a-meeting-at-a-wood-table-1.png) [![man-smiling-looking-at-his-laptop](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/man-smiling-looking-at-his-laptop-1.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/man-smiling-looking-at-his-laptop-1.png) [![two-women-working-at-a-laptop](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/two-women-working-at-a-laptop-1.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/two-women-working-at-a-laptop-1.png) ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business ## Some of Our Clients ## Give your sales team the skills to succeed. Let’s strategize and see how we can do the same for your team. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Client Logos](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=client-logos) **Published:** February 14, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** --- ### [Footer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=footer) **Published:** September 5, 2020 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Content area --- ### [5 Week NEAT Form](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=5-week-neat-form) **Published:** August 25, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ### Fill out the form to get started. Or skip the line and book a time with Richard [here](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/ "Contact Us"). First Name\* Last Name\* Email\* Phone Title\* Company\* Comment/Question\* I agree to receive marketing communications from THCG LLC. Don't worry, we don't spam.\* Submit --- ### [Testimonials Slider](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonials-slider) **Published:** February 14, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com I've used Richard's training at multiple companies to help us shape our lead generation efforts with our SDR teams as well as outside sales executives. He helped us examine our process, tune it up, as well as train the team on the NEAT methodology which had an immediate impact on our selling efforts. - - - - - Bryan S. VP Sales Sometimes trainers do not acknowledge that specific industries have specific eccentricities to their sales process so it was nice that he did not assume anything and gave us time to share our input on situations too. I have used a lot of what I learned each day and feel more confident in the sales process. - - - - - Team Member in Computer Software Mid-Market We've seen a big improvement in the depth of the conversations our team is having with customers. Our team now have a much better understanding of the customers' pain and can then best recommend if our platform is a good fit for them or not. - - - - - Donal T. Small Business Owner He easily adjusted to our environment and nuances, and his suggestions have proven to bear fruit with getting prospects on the line. I'd definitely work with Richard again. - - - - - Freddy D. Enterprise Account Executive Richard was adaptable to our needs and our ambitious timeline. He delivered CONCRETE tools that our team was able to apply the DAY AFTER. We credit him with enabling us to create a string of breakthroughs in the days and weeks following our training. - - - - - Natalie P. VP Sales Richard helped provide insights into how to successfully lead a discovery call. His wisdom and expertise will leave you in a better position to sell more. - - - - - Team Member in Information Technology and Services Small Business --- ### [404 Page Template](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=404-page-template) **Published:** October 2, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ![unplugged](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/unplugged.png) ![404](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/404.png) ## Page not found, but you can check out our blog and upcoming events page! [ Visit Blog ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/blog-events/) --- ### [Archive Template](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=archive-template) **Published:** October 2, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** # Template: Archive Template [![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-460x259.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/)Blog ### [ Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The ### [ S7E5 – The Brutal Truth About Layoffs, Severance Negotiation & Why High Performers Still Need Coaching ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching/) Richard Harris and Scott Leese unpack one of the most honest conversations they’ve had on the Surf and Sales Podcast. From sales layoffs and negotiating ### [ S7E4 – The Death of Inbound Leads ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads/) Several important topics discussed including the crazyness of the 2026 sales hiring market. A dive deep into the current state of sales and marketing, exploring [![Harris Consulting Group vs. Richardson vs. Brooks Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Harris-Consulting-Group-vs.-Richardson-vs.-Brooks-Group-1-460x259.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/)B2B Sales ### [ Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026? ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) Introduction to Understanding Best Sales Training Companies People are always looking for the best sales trainer or best sales training companies, and frankly there are --- ### [Inside Sales - $100m-Fortune Brands](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=100m-fortune-brands) **Published:** August 17, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process as much as the internet has changed the buyers’ journey. Your buyer is more informed than ever before and does not want to speak with your sales team until they are ready. ***The good news is you have more information about your buyer as well. So the playing field is even.*** Is your Inside Sales team ready to speak to them? Train your inside sales team to give them the edge they need to win more business. The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas, the buyers’ journey, and how to match their pains with your solutions. ### How We Help - Customized training for your specific sales motion & customers - Reinforcement program after the training - Guaranteed next day improvements - Define and drive to proper Exit Criteria - Teaching the "soft skills" that are easy to comprehend - Build consistency through the team **COMMON PAINS WE SOLVE:** - We have painful and inaccurate forecasting. - We have too many teams doing it “their own way”. - We are thirsty for a consistent discovery process. - We are fumbling the competition conversations. - We are frustrated trying to achieve consistency in our processes. --- ### [Inside Sales - Expansion Stage Start-Up](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=inside-sales-expansion-stage-start-up) **Published:** August 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ### Post-Series A and Up to Series B Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process to generate higher revenue in half the time as traditional sales. The Buyers’ Journey has transitioned to a sales process where they expect instant access to resources before speaking with someone in sales. Have you capitalized on this changing environment? Build your Inside Sales team and give them the edge they need to success. The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas and match their pains with your solution. ### How We Help - Audit & suggest improvements to gaps in the current sales process - Train & coach your SDR and Sales teams to earn the right to ask questions and which questions to ask - Increase close ratios - Improve forecasting accuracy - Train & coach your Customer Success team for upselling & cross-selling **COMMON PAINS WE SOLVE:** - We are not sure what’s next: Sales Training, Hire Management, Hire Sales-Operations? - We know the inside sales team lacks the confidence to ask tough questions. - We know the inside sales team needs to improve their sales skills. - No sales coaching is happening other than a manager being a part of the sales calls. - Should we separate inbound leads from outbound prospecting? - We know we need more outbound prospecting. - 1:1’s are just glorified pipeline meetings. - Our board expects us to have a grip on sales forecasts. - We handle forecasting outside the CRM. --- ### [Inside Sales - Growth Stage Start-Up](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=inside-sales-growth-stage-start-up) **Published:** August 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ### Series C and Beyond Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process as much as the internet has changed the buyers’ journey. Your buyer is more informed than ever before and does not want to speak with your sales team until they are ready. Is your inside sales team ready to speak to them? Train your inside sales team to give them the edge they need to win more business. The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas, the buyers’ journey, and how to match their pains with your solutions. ### How We Help - Audit & suggest improvements to gaps in the current sales process - Train & coach your SDR and Sales teams to earn the right to ask questions & which questions to ask - Increase close ratios - Improve forecasting accuracy - Train & coach your Customer Success team for upselling and cross-selling **COMMON PAINS WE SOLVE:** - We have a sales process in the CRM but nobody follows it. - We have no formal sales methodology. Everyone does it their own way. - We struggle understanding the difference between sales training and sales coaching. - We do not trust the sales pipeline data in our CRM. - We cannot accurately forecast on a consistent basis. - We do not know how to leverage outbound sales prospecting best practices. - Our board demands more accurate forecasting. --- ### [Inside Sales - Early Stage Start-Up](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=inside-sales-early-stage-start-up) **Published:** August 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ### Pre-Series A or less than $5 million in Funding Inside Sales Teams have changed the sales process to generate higher revenue in half the time as traditional sales. The Buyers’ Journey has transitioned to a sales process where they expect instant access to resources before speaking with someone in sales. Have you capitalized on this changing environment? Are you giving your Inside Sales team the edge they need to succeed? The Harris Consulting Group specializes in teaching your sales reps how to understand your buyer personas and match their pains with your solution. ### How We Help - Identify and Audit Sales Process - Focus on sales messaging to drive interest - Train and coach your sales team to prospect and navigate deals into the pipeline **COMMON PAINS THAT WE HEAR:**- We need to better manage inbound leads. - We want to begin formalizing our sales process. - We think we need sales training. - We need to start doing some outbound prospecting. --- ### [Post Filter](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=post-filter) **Published:** August 7, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## Recent Posts [All](javascript:;)[Blog](javascript:;)[Podcast](javascript:;)[Events](javascript:;) [ ![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-560x315.png)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) ## [Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) July 10, 2026 ## [S7E5 – The Brutal Truth About Layoffs, Severance Negotiation & Why High Performers Still Need Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching/) May 18, 2026 ## [S7E4 – The Death of Inbound Leads](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads/) March 30, 2026 [ ![Harris Consulting Group vs. Richardson vs. Brooks Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Harris-Consulting-Group-vs.-Richardson-vs.-Brooks-Group-1-560x315.avif)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) ## [Who Are The Best Sales Training Companies 2026?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) March 17, 2026 ## [S7E3 – Selling Against the Competition and Sales Interviewing Best Practices](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e3-selling-against-the-competition-and-sales-interviewing-best-practices/) March 9, 2026 ## [S7E2 – Sales Strategies, Trends, and Insights: Shifting to RTO](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e2-sales-strategies-trends-and-insights-shifting-to-rto/) February 25, 2026 --- ### [Case Study Template](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=case-study-template) **Published:** January 20, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** # How We Helped ## Other Happy Clients [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/babyli-st/) ![Babylist_logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Babylist_logo.png) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/gainsight/) ![gainsight logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/logo_gainsight.png) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/pandadoc/) ![pandadoc logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/logo_pandadoc.png) [](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/datanyze/) ![datanyze logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/logo_datanyze.png) ## Customized To Fit Your Needs We understand each company has different pains. That’s why we offer customized training to help you with specific needs. [ Get Started ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) --- ### [Testimonial - Yozio](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-yozio) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Yozio Says With the combination of a vivacious personality and innovative sales methodology, Richard completely transformed the cold outreach of our sales team. --- ### [Testimonial - Visistat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-visistat) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Visistat Says Richard's training is interactive and fun. Regardless if you've had any prior sales training, you will definitely learn something new and realize best practices in a different light with Richard. Brian Shank Senior Account Executive Richard provided exceptional insight into the buyer's mind, and how to best communicate on an adult to adult level. I feel like the tools he has provided thus far will help me and my sales process tremendously. Kristina Lambruschini Account Executive --- ### [Testimonial - Udemy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-udemy) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Udemy Says Richard is a pro. He helped us up to our sales game in a big way and provided us with the tools to crush it. I would absolutely recommend Richard to anyone looking to boost sales. Elliot Peterson Head of Content Development Richard’s sales training program delivers essential sales concepts and tactics in a logical, intuitive way. A valuable investment for anyone interested in improving their sales technique. Alfredo Stockder Category Manager Richard is an engaging and knowledgeable teacher (who has a great sense of humor!). His training is practical and applicable, and he tailored the content to make it relevant to our specific roles and our product. I walked away from the training with concrete tools and frameworks that I started using right away. Richard was really amazing at keeping us engaged. The day flew by! --- ### [Testimonial - TopOpps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-topopps) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – TopOpps Says Within hours of Richard’s coaching, we saw immediate results in how sales calls were handled. We had a greater command of the conversation, we're able to better position our value proposition, and increase the quality and quantity of pipelined deals. Mark Small VP Sales --- ### [Testimonial - Zignal Labs](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-zignal-labs) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Zignal Labs Says Sales training without the ego! Richard offered a fun, energetic, and professional approach to coaching. His feedback was pertinent, relevant, and will certainly be implemented as I go forward. Stefan Mayo The Harris Consulting Group focuses on the basic foundation of selling while updating approaches aand talk tracks that mirror today’s environment around social media conversations and selling methods. Stefan Mayo A realistic and conversational approach to sales in today’s market. Stefan Mayo --- ### [Testimonial - SocialChorus](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-socialchorus) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – SocialChorus Says A great perspective refresh on how to engage prospects, I’ve been able to immediately apply some of the learnings to my daily sales rituals. Brad Evans The Respect Contract is critical for every successful sales cycle. Stefan Mayo --- ### [Testimonial - ResearchGate](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-researchgate) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – ResearchGate Says Richard has completely changed the way I work. His energy, presence, and experience have inspired me and given me a confidence I never had before. Lucy Fullard Sales Development Richard’s training was insightful, fun, and engaging. He used real, relevant examples and showed me how to successfully apply them with immediate results. His teachings made sense to me and I now feel excited about my role and confident that I will get great results in half the time. Highly recommended. Sophie Fullard SDR I found a way to make myself stand out in a day full of sales calls and emails. Rachael Williams Sales Development Training sessions with Richard were like “behind the scenes” of the Sales process for me. I learned more in these 8 hours than in the last 6 months on the job. I appreciate the fact that he is dedicated and very committed to these training sessions. Sonia Chachra Account Manager --- ### [Testimonial - Mashery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-mashery) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Mashery Says Richard understands what it takes to be a strong sales leader. He is passionate about his work, colleagues, and always makes decisions based on what he feels is best for the company. I knew early on that Richard would always have my back. He was asked to take on many tasks and managed to balance the work load while maintaining a great attitude about his role. I will stay in touch with Richard throughout my career to continue learning from him. Jim McDonough VP Sales Threat Stack --- ### [Testimonial - LevelEleven](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-leveleleven) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – LevelEleven Says Richard Harris has one of the deepest understandings of the modern sales process of anyone I’ve encountered. His insights have helped me personally and our team as a whole become aware of blind spots in our approach and he’s given us the tools, skills, and ammunition to correct and execute effectively within those stages of our process. To stay ahead of the ever-changing sales landscape, continual training and improvement are essential. The benefit of the “Sales Stack” is that your technology gets you into more conversations, Richard’s training ensures that your reps know what to say! Brad Smagala Account Executive Richard has helped me as an individual and our sales team as a whole become wildly more productive and thoughtful in our sales approach. Since our sessions, I’ve immediately noticed that once I started putting his ideas to use my success in prospecting, email engagement, call control, and closing has increased drastically. --- ### [Testimonial - Findly](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-findly) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Findly Says Richard’s training methodologies set a new bar for sales and marketing training. His direct, yet humble approach poses for a new way modern salespeople should be selling. Sheridan Gaenger Director of Marketing --- ### [Testimonial - Evestment](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-evestment) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Evestment Says With the combination of a vivacious personality and innovative sales methodology, Richard completely transformed the cold outreach of our sales team. His sales techniques and strategies evolve with the times as to prepare his students for the rising tide of sales resistance. I too, am impressed with his ever-evolving knowledge of the sales process and his insightful methods to educate others about the trade. Richard’s sales principles coupled with his training techniques are primarily based on achieving measurable results. Richard, I am an ever-grateful student. To be the best you can be, you have to be trained by the right people. Richard is one of those people. With the combination of a vivacious personality and innovative sales methodology, Richard completely transformed the cold outreach of our sales team. His sales techniques and strategies evolve with the times to prepare his students for the rising tide of sales resistance. I too am impressed with his ever-evolving knowledge of the sales process and his insightful methods to educate others about the trade. Richard’s sales principles coupled with his training techniques are primarily based on achieving measurable results. Richard, I am an ever-grateful student. --- ### [Testimonial - BabyLi.st](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-babyli.st) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – BabyLi.st Says When we explained our sales process, Richard knew exactly what we were missing. He taught us the value of a sales process and each step, explaining the psychology behind every word, and practiced with us until we got it perfect. We’ve doubled our business as a result. Brittany Murlas Director of Marketing and Business Development --- ### [Testimonial - Datanyze](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=testimonial-datanyze) **Published:** February 3, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** ## What Testimonial – Datanyze Says His guidance on understanding the psychology of a buyer and seller at a deeper level was eye-opening! Jason Vargas Managing Director, Sales Development Richard is incredible. I’ve had several sales trainers in the past, but none compare to Richard’s ability to understand the buying cycle. Andrew Munds Account Executive --- ### [Single Post](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=single-post) **Published:** January 20, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** # Single Post # Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders *Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The Seller’s Journey* ## What You Will Learn - Why most sales coaching doesn’t work, and the specific reasons it fails - The real differences between sales coaching and sales management - A strong sales coaching framework any manager can implement - Running effective 1:1s focusing on sales skills, not just reviewing the pipeline - The sales coaching skills that separate great sales managers from the mundane - How to build a sales coaching culture in your sales organization - A sales coaching FAQ you will want to keep ## Sales Coaching Done Right: Most Teams Are Managed, None Are Coached You cannot manage people, you can only lead them and coach them. If they don’t have their own internal drive then you have an accountability issue, not a sales coaching issue. Those things ‘check the box’ that sales leadership wants to see. Unfortunately many executive sales leaders, and founders are misinformed about what’s really important. There are two primary types of front line sales managers and leaders: **1. The Dashboard and Data Sales Manager.** This sales leader is metrics driven, loves sitting behind a dashboard and giving commands like they are the Captain Picard of the Enterprise. They lead with numbers first, not humanity. They call them 1:1s but in reality they are just pipeline reviews. They pay little attention to the actual growth of their sales team members unless it’s about their revenue growth. Their primary focus of sales coaching is about inputs and outputs. Not the skills utilized to actually affect those inputs and outputs. And occasionally they will do some call reviews that are basic feedback on what someone ‘should be doing’ and not engage with the rep to actually help coach up a skill that needs particular focus. Their ego thinks that being the Sales Handywoman or Mr. Fix-It is actually developing skills. In reality it’s developing a co-dependency relationship. They have often not been in the sales trenches recently, and let their ego drive their leadership style. Sales coaching is not a priority because they think sales people should just ‘know how to do the job.’ **2. Lead From the Front Sales Manager.** These are the sales managers and sales leaders that employees remember forever. They are the sales leaders that when they leave, their entire team wants to go with them. This is the sales manager or sales leader who likes getting their hands dirty. They understand that metrics matter in terms of giving some direction and that there is more to the metrics than just the numbers they represent. They make sure they know the different types of 1:1s from sales skills development and coaching to life skills development, and leadership development. They even know a non-business related 1:1 brings value and loyalty. And most importantly, they have regular coaching sessions with their sales teams. Whether it’s call review, role playing, or [sales training for the entire team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/), they understand that improving the input skills has a direct correlation and causation to the outputs achieved. So how do we break this down? It’s not as hard as we think it is, and in many cases people already know this is the best practice; they simply have a hard time getting out of their own way to actually execute. Sales leaders are better off thinking about revenue growth based on the following: - Developing the individual skills of their reps - Making this deliberate and consistent - Documenting where they are, where they need to be, and specifically stating the gap - Creating a list of 3 items they should focus on - Training and coaching only one at a time This is the gap seen consistently across all sales teams. And even on the best teams, these gaps still exist. Nobody is above learning more. The distinction between managing and coaching is not semantic. Sales management is defined by focusing on capacity, the sales process and directing work flows, and tracking outcomes. Sales coaching is about developing capability at the individual and the team level. Both are necessary. And the one that actually moves the needle on long-term performance is sales coaching, and it’s the one that gets deprioritized almost every week, on almost every team, in almost every company. An example of this is forcing managers to manage 10-12 reps not 6-8 because somebody doesn’t want to pay another salary. Another example is executive leadership thinking manual processes like dialing, finding contact information, and updating the CRM system all in the interest of ‘saving money.’ Just remind your sales leaders that leaving money in the bank does not actually help the company grow. This guide is for sales leaders, managers, directors, VPs of Sales, and CROs who are serious about building sales teams that don’t just hit a number this quarter. If that sounds like you, explore our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) to see how we build this capability from the ground up. ## Sales Management vs. Sales Coaching: Why the Difference Matters The confusion between coaching and managing is one of the most expensive errors made by founders, executive leadership, and yes, even sales leadership. When managers conflate the two, they end up doing neither well. And it all rolls downhill to the sales reps. Sales ManagementSales CoachingDirects day-to-day activityDevelops individual skillsTracks KPIs and pipelineIdentifies root causes of performance gapsSets quotas and targetsBuilds rep confidence and capabilityResolves immediate problemsAsks questions instead of giving answersEvaluates current performanceInvests in future performanceRuns forecasting callsCreates safe space for growthAdministers the sales processBuilds the coaching relationship over timeProvides ideation of sales strategiesGreat sales leaders do both because they know the difference. You understand your most valuable commodity is their time, and you protect time for coaching the same way you protect time for forecasting. You are relentless about time management. You control your calendar, you do not let your calendar control you. Without coaching, your forecast is just a guess built on a team that’s as good as it was last quarter and smoking a whole lot of hope-i-um. ## Why Most Sales Coaching Programs Fail Sales Managers Let’s name the problems before we talk about solutions. In my work training sales managers and leaders across hundreds of organizations, I see the same patterns over and over: ### Problem 1: Sales Coaching Is Reactive, Not Proactive Most coaching happens after bad things happen. A deal falls apart, a rep misses their number, a call recording surfaces a problem. And worst of all, no planning for training and skills coaching through the whole year. None of this is coaching, it’s simply reactive corrections. And worst of all it’s driven by ego based on their own panic and self-job preservation. Real coaching happens before the problem, not in response to it. It’s a part of your sales forecast, it’s preventive, it’s developmental, it’s called ‘ever-boarding’, and it’s customized developmental activities at both the sales rep and sales team levels. ### Problem 2: Sales Managers Tell Instead of Ask These leaders ‘should on you.’ Don’t ever let someone ‘should on you.’ When a rep describes a problem and the manager says ‘here’s what you should do,’ that’s controlled manipulation and problem solving, not sales coaching. The rep doesn’t develop their own critical thinking, their capabilities, they just follow instructions. The next time they face a similar problem, they’ll ask the manager again instead of thinking through it themselves. Good coaches ask questions that help reps develop their own insight. ### Problem 3: Sales Coaching Has No Structure ‘It will happen when it needs to happen.’ If this is your mindset as a sales leader you should not be a sales leader at all. Effective coaching is scheduled, consistent, and structured. It has a clear relevancy and a clear purpose. It has a defined format with specific expectations and desired outcomes, and it is documented. Improvised coaching is better than no coaching, but it’s nowhere near as effective as a deliberate, repeatable process. ### Problem 4: Sales Managers Don’t Know What to Coach Most sales managers and sales leaders were promoted because they were great individual contributors, could follow a process, knew their numbers, and maybe they helped with some interviewing and early on-boarding. Nowhere in this list is anything about their ability to manage and navigate the human element with soft skills. In reality, the soft-skills are the hard skills. Without that diagnostic capability, coaching becomes generic, and generic coaching doesn’t move the needle for any specific rep. ### Problem 5: No Follow-Through A sales coaching conversation without documented commitments and follow-through is really just a conversation, not sales coaching. Real behavioral change requires repetition, accountability, and reinforcement. If the only time a rep hears about a skill is in a 30-minute 1:1, they won’t change. You have to close the loop, which means assigning responsibilities in both directions, defining what it means to be accountable, regular check-ins, making adjustments, and celebrating progress. If you do not provide positive feedback on successes, then all your rep will hear is critical parenting. ## A Sales Coaching Framework That Works: PREP-OTC for Sales Managers At The Harris Consulting Group, we teach a simple coaching framework that managers can use consistently: PREP-OTC. It stands for: Prepare, Reality Check, Explore, Plan, Observe, Transfer, Celebrate. ### P, Prepare: Know What You’re Walking In to Coach Prepare with the end in sight. No successful leader ever just wings it. Before any coaching session, review the rep’s recent activity, performance data, and call recordings. Identify one to two specific behaviors or skills you want to develop based on the outcome of this conversation. Then go deeper. If you say ‘discovery’ define what type of discovery. Is it a first call discovery? Is it during a demo? Is it during commercial conversations? Yes, there is an element of discovery during commercial conversations. Don’t go into a coaching conversation with a vague sense that ‘things could be better.’ Be precise. ‘In your last three discovery calls, you moved to the demo 10 minutes in without asking about economic impact.’ That’s coachable. ‘Your discovery needs work’ is not. And when you share economic impact, ask them to workshop the conversation with you. Mini role play and real play conversations are the glue to making the sales coaching stick. ### R, Reality Check: Start With Their Perspective Before your conversation share the specifics of what you would like to cover with them. Highlight the calls and deals you are pulling this from and give them time to review. Get specific on the topics you want to review and that you will be asking for their feedback to start, not just you pontificating. Something like: ‘When we catch up I want to discuss \_\_\_ and here’s what I am noticing. I want to hear how you feel about this topic and see if we can work on it together.’ Your 1:1 and sales coaching sessions should never feel like a ‘gotcha.’ Reps will already be on the defensive so it is incumbent upon you to reduce that anxiety for them and let them know it’s about improving their skills and their paycheck and they are not in any kind of trouble. All of this serves three purposes: it tells you whether they have accurate self-awareness, it ensures the rep is mentally engaged rather than just receiving feedback, and reps who can self-diagnose their own problems are far more likely to fix them. ### E, Explore: Ask Questions, Don’t Give Answers Actually one of the easiest parts of management but it is the least exercised muscle when managing humans. In sales, exploring, also called discovery, is crucial. This is a cross-over skill when managing others. Instead of solving the problem for them, it’s critical you teach them to explore solutions beside them. You ask the exploratory questions to the issue at hand and it teaches them to be better at self-assessment and self-accountability. Resist the urge to say ‘here’s what you should do.’ Instead, ask questions like: - ‘When you’re in that moment in the call, what’s going through your mind?’ - ‘What do you think would happen if you asked that economic impact question earlier?’ - ‘What would you do differently if you ran that call again?’ Questions build awareness. Directives build dependency. ### P, Plan: Commit to Something Specific Every coaching conversation should end with one specific, concrete commitment based on what you defined under the prepare section. This is also the beginning of accountability for both parties. You want your sales rep to define their outcomes. It cannot simply be ‘I’ll work on my discovery in future sales calls,’ that’s meaningless. A better definition would be: ‘In my next three discovery calls, I’m going to ask the cost-of-inaction question before we get to the demo.’ Then you have them write it down. Yes, old school, write it down, not take a note on their device or computer. Humans remember things better after they write something down. Date it. Both of you sign off on it. That’s a coaching commitment. When you commit to them, they will commit to you. > *Want PREP-OTC installed in your managers’ actual 1:1s — not just bookmarked?* > *Schedule a free sales training assessment.* ### O, Observe: See It in Action You can’t coach from behind a monitor. The best sales leaders act and lead with intent on helping their sales team members. This includes listening to recordings, live call coaching with the rep’s permission, and shadowing them in a customer meeting. A great sales leader needs to observe the specific behavior you’re coaching before you can assess whether it’s changing. And when you observe it improving, say so, specifically, immediately. Instant feedback helps assure a sales rep will want to repeat what they’ve done and therefore continue to exercise the new muscles. ### T, Transfer: Create Independence, Not Dependence Ultimately a strong sales leader wants to develop a self-reliant sales person through sales coaching. The goal of sales coaching is for the rep to internalize the skill so they no longer need your direction. Or at least need less direction over time so other skills can be developed. A rep who, six months later, is still coming to you with the same problems means the coaching didn’t transfer. That’s not a rep problem, that’s a coaching method problem. ### C, Celebrate: Assures Reinforcement Celebrating the little wins are as important as celebrating the big ones. Every closed sale is based upon a lot of little things done right. It’s these little things that you have been coaching on. When you hear them make one of the little changes you suggested, or ask that deeper discovery question, call that a win and let them know. No matter what anyone says, every human being wants to be seen, heard, and understood. Celebrating these wins incorporates all three. ## How to Run a Coaching-Focused 1:1 So often the 1:1 is simply thought of as a task that needs to be completed. Something that is merely done to ‘check the box.’ If this is your approach, then you are part of the problem, not a solution. The best sales leaders know the true value of one on ones, which are to: - Improve Relationships - Improve Performance - Support Accountability - Drive Recruitment - Drive Retention - Build TRUST The 1:1 is the most underutilized tool in sales management. In most organizations it becomes a pipeline review, the manager asks ‘what’s going on with this deal,’ the rep summarizes, and they move to the next one. That’s not a 1:1. That’s a status update. In reality there are several types of 1:1s: - Skills Review and Coaching - The Week Ahead - Career Conversations - Life Conversations - Feedback to Manager No, you cannot do all of these in a single session. Recognize some 1:1s are more important than others. Recognize each type of 1:1 needs to happen. Define a schedule of 1:1s so both you and the sales reps come prepared. For example, you could break your quarter down across 13 weeks: 5 Skills Reviews, 2 Weeks Ahead, 2 Career Conversations, 2 Life Conversations, and 2 Feedback to Manager conversations. ### First 5 Minutes: Personal Check-In How is the person doing personally? Not the pipeline, the person. Sales is a mentally demanding job. Starting with the human, not the numbers, builds trust and gives you information about the rep’s mental state that affects everything else in the conversation. ### Next 10 Minutes: Their Topics What does the rep want to discuss? What skills would they like to work on based on where they feel their pipeline is stuck? Why do they think that’s the right skill? What ideas do they have around improving the skill? This signals that the 1:1 is their time, not a reporting mechanism. Reps who feel the 1:1 exists for them will actually prepare for it. ### Next 10 Minutes: Coaching Topic This is the one thing you came in to coach. Based on your preparation, bring one specific observation. Use the PREP-OTC framework here. Ask, explore, plan. ### Last 5 Minutes: Commitments and Appreciation This is where you assign accountability for both of you. Confirm the one commitment each of you are making based on this conversation. Confirm what success will look like. Write it down. Be sure to include something you have seen the rep is doing well. Reps who only hear what they’re doing wrong start to believe that’s all there is. > **Pro Tip:** Keep a coaching log, even a simple doc, for each rep. Document the skill you coached, the commitment they made, and whether they followed through. This turns coaching from a conversation into a development program. Over six months, you’ll be able to show a rep exactly how far they’ve come. ## Coaching Different Rep Profiles No two humans are exactly the same, and no two sales reps are exactly the same. One of the most common mistakes in sales leadership and sales coaching is applying the same approach to every rep. Great sales managers know how to coach the individual based on their unique desires and motivators. ### The New Rep (0-6 Months) Newbies need a bit more structure in the beginning, even reps with lots of sales experience may need some additional help when first getting started. Each needs a different level of structure, clarity, and frequent check-ins. They don’t know what they don’t know. Over-coach the fundamentals: discovery, objection handling, how to describe your product in the customer’s language, qualification based on their unique skill set. Build their confidence with specific, genuine praise when they execute well. ### The Developing Rep (6-18 Months) They now know the basics and are developing judgment and improving upon self-awareness. Your job here is to up-skill them. Expand their mindset. They probably need more sophisticated discovery, deal strategy, multi-threading, negotiation. Push them toward independence. Ask more questions and give fewer answers. Celebrate when they solve their own problems. ### The Veteran Rep (18+ Months) This is where we see sales managers falling into a trap. We believe these veterans no longer need or want coaching. In some cases they will even tell you they don’t need or want more coaching. Most veterans need a new and different type of challenge. They often need help with consistency, applying their skills every single call instead of coasting on past success. And one of the biggest issues is they try to short-cut something in their sales process. Make sure this is not happening. It’s usually the sign of a slump. ### The Struggling Rep Is it skill? Is it will? Is it life? This is where sales coaching gets hardest. Remember, the soft skills are the hard skills. A skill issue means more coaching, more practice, more observation, more feedback. A will issue is a management conversation about expectations, consequences, and support. Mixing up these two responses is how you keep struggling reps too long and lose great managers to burnout. ## How to Build a Sales Coaching Culture Your Team Believes In Having strong individual coaching conversations matter. Having a strong team culture matters just as much. A great sales team coaching culture, where development is expected, mentoring is normal, learning is celebrated, and vulnerability is safe is worth everything. It makes everything easier, from recruiting and retaining, to building trust, to achieving revenue targets. Here’s what I’ve seen in the best sales cultures I’ve worked with: ### The Sales Stack If you do not have the right sales stack for your sales organization it’s time to find a new place and leadership team who gets it. The following are table stakes in 2026: - Accurate Prospecting Data - Call Recording and Reporting - Video Call / Zoom Recording - Auto Populate the CRM - A CRM (yes, still worth saying) - Sequence / Cadence Tools - Asynchronous Communication Platforms - Sales Navigator - AI Tools to Analyze and Make Recommendations ### Leadership Models the Behavior It all rolls downhill. If the VP of Sales isn’t being vulnerable and actively learning and openly talking about sales skills improvements, then why should the sales team? Leaders who talk about their own development, who share their mistakes, who celebrate a manager’s coaching improvement as much as a revenue milestone, those leaders build teams that develop. Nobody wants to hear your war stories of success. They probably will appreciate your stories of failure and what you learned from them. ### Coaching Is Inspected If you aren’t measuring it, you cannot coach it. Build manager 1:1s into your cadence. Review coaching logs quarterly. An executive leader needs to ask sales managers what they coached last week the same way you ask reps what deals they’re working. ### Feedback and Mentoring Is Normalized Feedback is transactional. Mentoring is a lifetime. People want to be mentored more than they want feedback. A great sales coaching culture has mentoring happen not just to people but for each other. Build peer feedback, group call reviews, and shared learning into your team rhythms. When feedback becomes part of the air that includes mentoring rather than a special event, people stop being defensive and start being genuinely curious about how they can get better. ### Failure Is a Learning Event Do not sweep this under the rug. Sales is a place where failure happens on a regular basis. A strong sales coaching culture treats failure as data, not verdict. ‘What’s the one thing you could have done better on that deal?’ is the single best question to ask a rep. They will find many more than one thing, and that’s good. Start with one, and see where it takes you. ## Business Case for Sales Coaching: What It Costs When You Skip It Let’s make the business case, because you’re going to need it when you’re asking your CFO or CEO to invest in a sales training, reinforcement, or sales coaching program. Nobody is simply good at their job because they have a title. That includes any founder, CEO, CFO, CRO, CMO, or anything else. They all had to develop their skills over time. It took time, experience, mistakes, and mentors. The research is consistent: companies with structured coaching programs significantly outperform those without. Recruitment is easier. Ramping new reps is shorter. Attrition is lower. Sales cycles shorten, win rates are higher, deal sizes trend larger because reps who are well-coached do better discovery, which leads to more quantified opportunities that are harder to discount. A single bad hire simply from the cost side costs you 6-12 months in salary, and it compounds by 3x on any expected deals you were hoping they would close. It’s not the lost revenue of the first deal, it’s the renewal and upsell revenue on the future deals. A manager who coaches effectively reduces attrition and improves performance simultaneously. If you’re evaluating what great looks like, our [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) page covers what that investment produces in practice. The question isn’t whether to invest in sales coaching. The question is whether you have a system for doing it consistently, or whether you’re leaving it to chance and hoping your managers figure it out on their own. ## Frequently Asked Questions About Sales Coaching ### How is sales coaching different from sales training? Sales training is an event that introduces skills and frameworks in a concentrated setting. In contrast, sales coaching is a process that reinforces, applies, and develops those skills over time through individual attention, feedback, and practice. Both are necessary because coaching is ultimately what makes training stick. ### How much time should a sales manager spend on coaching? High-performing sales managers typically spend at least 30-40% of their working time on development activities, including 1:1s, call reviews, ride-alongs, and skill practice. You must be ruthless in managing your calendar so your calendar does not manage you. ### What should you coach first? Part of the answer is defined by which type of sales rep you are coaching. Is it a newbie or a veteran? Generally speaking the best practice is to start with the activities that will have the most immediate impact on revenue. This does not mean start a newbie with negotiation and closing training. It means start at the beginning so you can get to that part of the training sooner and reduce early stage mistakes. ### Can you coach remotely? It’s 2026. If your organization does not have the tools needed to coach remotely then it’s time to find a new organization. Call recordings, videos, 1:1s, Slack, Zoom, all of these items are table stakes when it comes to building a coaching culture. ### What if a rep is resistant to coaching? Expect and plan for this. Especially with veteran reps who interpret coaching as criticism or micro-management. The solution is to separate coaching from performance evaluation explicitly. ‘I’m not here to judge how you’re doing. I’m here to help you get better at something specific.’ Keep the conversation focused, non-threatening, and specific. Resistance often dissolves when the rep realizes you’re genuinely invested in their development rather than building a case against them. ### How do you measure whether coaching is working? Track the specific skill you coached over a defined time period, typically no longer than 4 weeks. This timeline will be based upon your sales cycle. If you run a transactional sales team this can be done in hours or days. Larger deal cycles may take longer. Try to define metrics around what you’ve been coaching. Are talk ratios improving on calls? Are there fewer bad deals getting in the pipeline? Of the new deals in the pipeline, how much better qualified are they? ### How do you coach a rep who is consistently hitting quota but has skill gaps? Many think you do nothing. What’s better is to ask them what’s going so well. Remember, quota attainment at 100% can mask problems that aren’t showing up now but could cause a slump in the future. Sometimes the question you ask this rep is to make sure they remember something they haven’t had to address in some time. That’s no fault of their own, it’s simply the way the pipeline is working in their favor right now. ### What is the N.E.A.T. Selling™ connection to sales coaching? N.E.A.T. Selling™ is the methodology that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. When you know your reps should be uncovering Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline on every call, call reviews become easy to structure. You’re not asking ‘was that a good call?’ You’re asking ‘did we get to economic impact?’ That specificity is what makes coaching stick. Learn more about [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) and how it anchors every coaching conversation to a measurable outcome. ### Where can I learn more about sales management training? Our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is built specifically for first and second-level managers, AE Managers, SDR Managers, Sales Ops, and Sales Enablement leaders who want to get better at coaching, not just managing. It’s a half-day session available virtually or onsite. ## The Bottom Line on Sales Coaching Nothing beats sales training or sales coaching. While AI can help, we are all still humans. And humans actually need human to human interaction. Sales coaching is the best activity available to a sales leader. Nothing else you do, not a new CRM, not a better deck, not a new compensation plan, will develop your team’s capability the way consistent, skilled coaching does. The organizations I’ve seen build truly great sales teams are the ones that treat sales coaching as part of the infrastructure. It is not considered a bolt on activity. It is not something you do once a year at a kickoff. It’s scheduled. It’s measured. It’s expected of every manager. It’s modeled by leaders. It’s celebrated when it produces results. If your team isn’t where you want it to be, ask yourself: when did I last sit with a rep and develop a specific skill, not review a pipeline, not discuss a deal, but work on a skill? If the answer is longer than two weeks, you’ve found the problem. Now let’s go fix it. **Schedule your free sales training assessment** **→** and we’ll start with how your team coaches today. ***Work With The Harris Consulting Group:** Sales coaching is at the heart of everything we do at The Harris Consulting Group. We work with sales managers, directors, VPs, and CROs to build the coaching skills, structures, and cultures that drive long-term performance. Our [Sales Management and Leadership Bootcamp](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is designed specifically for frontline leaders who want to become great coaches.* ## Related Resources From The Harris Consulting Group - [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) — Built for AE Managers, SDR Managers, and Sales Enablement leaders ready to coach, not just manage. - [1:1 Coaching Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) — Individual and team coaching for reps, managers, leaders, and founders. - [4-Week NEAT Selling Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) — The complete training program with weekly coaching sessions built in to prevent the Forgetting Curve. - [NEAT Selling Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) — The qualification and discovery framework that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. - [Sales Training Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) — Customized training for SDRs, AEs, Inside Sales, Field Sales, and Customer Success. - [Best Sales Training Companies 2026](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) — An honest comparison of the top sales training companies and how to choose the right one for your team. - [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) — What it means to sell consultatively and how we train teams to diagnose before they prescribe. *Richard Harris is the founder of The Harris Consulting Group and creator of the NEAT Selling™ methodology. He is a bestselling author of The Seller’s Journey, a multiple Salesforce Sales Leader Award winner, and AAiSP Top Sales Leader. Richard has trained thousands of sales professionals across global organizations in manufacturing, software, SaaS, hardware, and financial services.* Search #### Recent Posts [![Sales Coaching-The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Sales-Coaching-The-Complete-Guide-for-Sales-Leaders-460x259.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/)### [ Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) [ Read More » ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-coaching-guide/) ### [ S7E5 – The Brutal Truth About Layoffs, Severance Negotiation & Why High Performers Still Need Coaching ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching/) [ Read More » ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e5-the-brutal-truth-about-layoffs-severance-negotiation-why-high-performers-still-need-coaching/) ### [ S7E4 – The Death of Inbound Leads ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads/) [ Read More » ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/s7e4-the-death-of-inbound-leads/) --- ### [Single Resource Entry](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=single-resource-entry) **Published:** December 2, 2020 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** # Single Resource Entry - [ December 2, 2020 ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/2020/12/02/) Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest # Sales Coaching: The Complete Guide for Sales Leaders *Updated for 2025-2026 | By Richard Harris, Founder of The Harris Consulting Group | Author of The Seller’s Journey* ## What You Will Learn - Why most sales coaching doesn’t work, and the specific reasons it fails - The real differences between sales coaching and sales management - A strong sales coaching framework any manager can implement - Running effective 1:1s focusing on sales skills, not just reviewing the pipeline - The sales coaching skills that separate great sales managers from the mundane - How to build a sales coaching culture in your sales organization - A sales coaching FAQ you will want to keep ## Sales Coaching Done Right: Most Teams Are Managed, None Are Coached You cannot manage people, you can only lead them and coach them. If they don’t have their own internal drive then you have an accountability issue, not a sales coaching issue. Those things ‘check the box’ that sales leadership wants to see. Unfortunately many executive sales leaders, and founders are misinformed about what’s really important. There are two primary types of front line sales managers and leaders: **1. The Dashboard and Data Sales Manager.** This sales leader is metrics driven, loves sitting behind a dashboard and giving commands like they are the Captain Picard of the Enterprise. They lead with numbers first, not humanity. They call them 1:1s but in reality they are just pipeline reviews. They pay little attention to the actual growth of their sales team members unless it’s about their revenue growth. Their primary focus of sales coaching is about inputs and outputs. Not the skills utilized to actually affect those inputs and outputs. And occasionally they will do some call reviews that are basic feedback on what someone ‘should be doing’ and not engage with the rep to actually help coach up a skill that needs particular focus. Their ego thinks that being the Sales Handywoman or Mr. Fix-It is actually developing skills. In reality it’s developing a co-dependency relationship. They have often not been in the sales trenches recently, and let their ego drive their leadership style. Sales coaching is not a priority because they think sales people should just ‘know how to do the job.’ **2. Lead From the Front Sales Manager.** These are the sales managers and sales leaders that employees remember forever. They are the sales leaders that when they leave, their entire team wants to go with them. This is the sales manager or sales leader who likes getting their hands dirty. They understand that metrics matter in terms of giving some direction and that there is more to the metrics than just the numbers they represent. They make sure they know the different types of 1:1s from sales skills development and coaching to life skills development, and leadership development. They even know a non-business related 1:1 brings value and loyalty. And most importantly, they have regular coaching sessions with their sales teams. Whether it’s call review, role playing, or [sales training for the entire team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/), they understand that improving the input skills has a direct correlation and causation to the outputs achieved. So how do we break this down? It’s not as hard as we think it is, and in many cases people already know this is the best practice; they simply have a hard time getting out of their own way to actually execute. Sales leaders are better off thinking about revenue growth based on the following: - Developing the individual skills of their reps - Making this deliberate and consistent - Documenting where they are, where they need to be, and specifically stating the gap - Creating a list of 3 items they should focus on - Training and coaching only one at a time This is the gap seen consistently across all sales teams. And even on the best teams, these gaps still exist. Nobody is above learning more. The distinction between managing and coaching is not semantic. Sales management is defined by focusing on capacity, the sales process and directing work flows, and tracking outcomes. Sales coaching is about developing capability at the individual and the team level. Both are necessary. And the one that actually moves the needle on long-term performance is sales coaching, and it’s the one that gets deprioritized almost every week, on almost every team, in almost every company. An example of this is forcing managers to manage 10-12 reps not 6-8 because somebody doesn’t want to pay another salary. Another example is executive leadership thinking manual processes like dialing, finding contact information, and updating the CRM system all in the interest of ‘saving money.’ Just remind your sales leaders that leaving money in the bank does not actually help the company grow. This guide is for sales leaders, managers, directors, VPs of Sales, and CROs who are serious about building sales teams that don’t just hit a number this quarter. If that sounds like you, explore our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) to see how we build this capability from the ground up. ## Sales Management vs. Sales Coaching: Why the Difference Matters The confusion between coaching and managing is one of the most expensive errors made by founders, executive leadership, and yes, even sales leadership. When managers conflate the two, they end up doing neither well. And it all rolls downhill to the sales reps. Sales ManagementSales CoachingDirects day-to-day activityDevelops individual skillsTracks KPIs and pipelineIdentifies root causes of performance gapsSets quotas and targetsBuilds rep confidence and capabilityResolves immediate problemsAsks questions instead of giving answersEvaluates current performanceInvests in future performanceRuns forecasting callsCreates safe space for growthAdministers the sales processBuilds the coaching relationship over timeProvides ideation of sales strategiesGreat sales leaders do both because they know the difference. You understand your most valuable commodity is their time, and you protect time for coaching the same way you protect time for forecasting. You are relentless about time management. You control your calendar, you do not let your calendar control you. Without coaching, your forecast is just a guess built on a team that’s as good as it was last quarter and smoking a whole lot of hope-i-um. ## Why Most Sales Coaching Programs Fail Sales Managers Let’s name the problems before we talk about solutions. In my work training sales managers and leaders across hundreds of organizations, I see the same patterns over and over: ### Problem 1: Sales Coaching Is Reactive, Not Proactive Most coaching happens after bad things happen. A deal falls apart, a rep misses their number, a call recording surfaces a problem. And worst of all, no planning for training and skills coaching through the whole year. None of this is coaching, it’s simply reactive corrections. And worst of all it’s driven by ego based on their own panic and self-job preservation. Real coaching happens before the problem, not in response to it. It’s a part of your sales forecast, it’s preventive, it’s developmental, it’s called ‘ever-boarding’, and it’s customized developmental activities at both the sales rep and sales team levels. ### Problem 2: Sales Managers Tell Instead of Ask These leaders ‘should on you.’ Don’t ever let someone ‘should on you.’ When a rep describes a problem and the manager says ‘here’s what you should do,’ that’s controlled manipulation and problem solving, not sales coaching. The rep doesn’t develop their own critical thinking, their capabilities, they just follow instructions. The next time they face a similar problem, they’ll ask the manager again instead of thinking through it themselves. Good coaches ask questions that help reps develop their own insight. ### Problem 3: Sales Coaching Has No Structure ‘It will happen when it needs to happen.’ If this is your mindset as a sales leader you should not be a sales leader at all. Effective coaching is scheduled, consistent, and structured. It has a clear relevancy and a clear purpose. It has a defined format with specific expectations and desired outcomes, and it is documented. Improvised coaching is better than no coaching, but it’s nowhere near as effective as a deliberate, repeatable process. ### Problem 4: Sales Managers Don’t Know What to Coach Most sales managers and sales leaders were promoted because they were great individual contributors, could follow a process, knew their numbers, and maybe they helped with some interviewing and early on-boarding. Nowhere in this list is anything about their ability to manage and navigate the human element with soft skills. In reality, the soft-skills are the hard skills. Without that diagnostic capability, coaching becomes generic, and generic coaching doesn’t move the needle for any specific rep. ### Problem 5: No Follow-Through A sales coaching conversation without documented commitments and follow-through is really just a conversation, not sales coaching. Real behavioral change requires repetition, accountability, and reinforcement. If the only time a rep hears about a skill is in a 30-minute 1:1, they won’t change. You have to close the loop, which means assigning responsibilities in both directions, defining what it means to be accountable, regular check-ins, making adjustments, and celebrating progress. If you do not provide positive feedback on successes, then all your rep will hear is critical parenting. ## A Sales Coaching Framework That Works: PREP-OTC for Sales Managers At The Harris Consulting Group, we teach a simple coaching framework that managers can use consistently: PREP-OTC. It stands for: Prepare, Reality Check, Explore, Plan, Observe, Transfer, Celebrate. ### P, Prepare: Know What You’re Walking In to Coach Prepare with the end in sight. No successful leader ever just wings it. Before any coaching session, review the rep’s recent activity, performance data, and call recordings. Identify one to two specific behaviors or skills you want to develop based on the outcome of this conversation. Then go deeper. If you say ‘discovery’ define what type of discovery. Is it a first call discovery? Is it during a demo? Is it during commercial conversations? Yes, there is an element of discovery during commercial conversations. Don’t go into a coaching conversation with a vague sense that ‘things could be better.’ Be precise. ‘In your last three discovery calls, you moved to the demo 10 minutes in without asking about economic impact.’ That’s coachable. ‘Your discovery needs work’ is not. And when you share economic impact, ask them to workshop the conversation with you. Mini role play and real play conversations are the glue to making the sales coaching stick. ### R, Reality Check: Start With Their Perspective Before your conversation share the specifics of what you would like to cover with them. Highlight the calls and deals you are pulling this from and give them time to review. Get specific on the topics you want to review and that you will be asking for their feedback to start, not just you pontificating. Something like: ‘When we catch up I want to discuss \_\_\_ and here’s what I am noticing. I want to hear how you feel about this topic and see if we can work on it together.’ Your 1:1 and sales coaching sessions should never feel like a ‘gotcha.’ Reps will already be on the defensive so it is incumbent upon you to reduce that anxiety for them and let them know it’s about improving their skills and their paycheck and they are not in any kind of trouble. All of this serves three purposes: it tells you whether they have accurate self-awareness, it ensures the rep is mentally engaged rather than just receiving feedback, and reps who can self-diagnose their own problems are far more likely to fix them. ### E, Explore: Ask Questions, Don’t Give Answers Actually one of the easiest parts of management but it is the least exercised muscle when managing humans. In sales, exploring, also called discovery, is crucial. This is a cross-over skill when managing others. Instead of solving the problem for them, it’s critical you teach them to explore solutions beside them. You ask the exploratory questions to the issue at hand and it teaches them to be better at self-assessment and self-accountability. Resist the urge to say ‘here’s what you should do.’ Instead, ask questions like: - ‘When you’re in that moment in the call, what’s going through your mind?’ - ‘What do you think would happen if you asked that economic impact question earlier?’ - ‘What would you do differently if you ran that call again?’ Questions build awareness. Directives build dependency. ### P, Plan: Commit to Something Specific Every coaching conversation should end with one specific, concrete commitment based on what you defined under the prepare section. This is also the beginning of accountability for both parties. You want your sales rep to define their outcomes. It cannot simply be ‘I’ll work on my discovery in future sales calls,’ that’s meaningless. A better definition would be: ‘In my next three discovery calls, I’m going to ask the cost-of-inaction question before we get to the demo.’ Then you have them write it down. Yes, old school, write it down, not take a note on their device or computer. Humans remember things better after they write something down. Date it. Both of you sign off on it. That’s a coaching commitment. When you commit to them, they will commit to you. > *Want PREP-OTC installed in your managers’ actual 1:1s — not just bookmarked?* > *Schedule a free sales training assessment.* ### O, Observe: See It in Action You can’t coach from behind a monitor. The best sales leaders act and lead with intent on helping their sales team members. This includes listening to recordings, live call coaching with the rep’s permission, and shadowing them in a customer meeting. A great sales leader needs to observe the specific behavior you’re coaching before you can assess whether it’s changing. And when you observe it improving, say so, specifically, immediately. Instant feedback helps assure a sales rep will want to repeat what they’ve done and therefore continue to exercise the new muscles. ### T, Transfer: Create Independence, Not Dependence Ultimately a strong sales leader wants to develop a self-reliant sales person through sales coaching. The goal of sales coaching is for the rep to internalize the skill so they no longer need your direction. Or at least need less direction over time so other skills can be developed. A rep who, six months later, is still coming to you with the same problems means the coaching didn’t transfer. That’s not a rep problem, that’s a coaching method problem. ### C, Celebrate: Assures Reinforcement Celebrating the little wins are as important as celebrating the big ones. Every closed sale is based upon a lot of little things done right. It’s these little things that you have been coaching on. When you hear them make one of the little changes you suggested, or ask that deeper discovery question, call that a win and let them know. No matter what anyone says, every human being wants to be seen, heard, and understood. Celebrating these wins incorporates all three. ## How to Run a Coaching-Focused 1:1 So often the 1:1 is simply thought of as a task that needs to be completed. Something that is merely done to ‘check the box.’ If this is your approach, then you are part of the problem, not a solution. The best sales leaders know the true value of one on ones, which are to: - Improve Relationships - Improve Performance - Support Accountability - Drive Recruitment - Drive Retention - Build TRUST The 1:1 is the most underutilized tool in sales management. In most organizations it becomes a pipeline review, the manager asks ‘what’s going on with this deal,’ the rep summarizes, and they move to the next one. That’s not a 1:1. That’s a status update. In reality there are several types of 1:1s: - Skills Review and Coaching - The Week Ahead - Career Conversations - Life Conversations - Feedback to Manager No, you cannot do all of these in a single session. Recognize some 1:1s are more important than others. Recognize each type of 1:1 needs to happen. Define a schedule of 1:1s so both you and the sales reps come prepared. For example, you could break your quarter down across 13 weeks: 5 Skills Reviews, 2 Weeks Ahead, 2 Career Conversations, 2 Life Conversations, and 2 Feedback to Manager conversations. ### First 5 Minutes: Personal Check-In How is the person doing personally? Not the pipeline, the person. Sales is a mentally demanding job. Starting with the human, not the numbers, builds trust and gives you information about the rep’s mental state that affects everything else in the conversation. ### Next 10 Minutes: Their Topics What does the rep want to discuss? What skills would they like to work on based on where they feel their pipeline is stuck? Why do they think that’s the right skill? What ideas do they have around improving the skill? This signals that the 1:1 is their time, not a reporting mechanism. Reps who feel the 1:1 exists for them will actually prepare for it. ### Next 10 Minutes: Coaching Topic This is the one thing you came in to coach. Based on your preparation, bring one specific observation. Use the PREP-OTC framework here. Ask, explore, plan. ### Last 5 Minutes: Commitments and Appreciation This is where you assign accountability for both of you. Confirm the one commitment each of you are making based on this conversation. Confirm what success will look like. Write it down. Be sure to include something you have seen the rep is doing well. Reps who only hear what they’re doing wrong start to believe that’s all there is. > **Pro Tip:** Keep a coaching log, even a simple doc, for each rep. Document the skill you coached, the commitment they made, and whether they followed through. This turns coaching from a conversation into a development program. Over six months, you’ll be able to show a rep exactly how far they’ve come. ## Coaching Different Rep Profiles No two humans are exactly the same, and no two sales reps are exactly the same. One of the most common mistakes in sales leadership and sales coaching is applying the same approach to every rep. Great sales managers know how to coach the individual based on their unique desires and motivators. ### The New Rep (0-6 Months) Newbies need a bit more structure in the beginning, even reps with lots of sales experience may need some additional help when first getting started. Each needs a different level of structure, clarity, and frequent check-ins. They don’t know what they don’t know. Over-coach the fundamentals: discovery, objection handling, how to describe your product in the customer’s language, qualification based on their unique skill set. Build their confidence with specific, genuine praise when they execute well. ### The Developing Rep (6-18 Months) They now know the basics and are developing judgment and improving upon self-awareness. Your job here is to up-skill them. Expand their mindset. They probably need more sophisticated discovery, deal strategy, multi-threading, negotiation. Push them toward independence. Ask more questions and give fewer answers. Celebrate when they solve their own problems. ### The Veteran Rep (18+ Months) This is where we see sales managers falling into a trap. We believe these veterans no longer need or want coaching. In some cases they will even tell you they don’t need or want more coaching. Most veterans need a new and different type of challenge. They often need help with consistency, applying their skills every single call instead of coasting on past success. And one of the biggest issues is they try to short-cut something in their sales process. Make sure this is not happening. It’s usually the sign of a slump. ### The Struggling Rep Is it skill? Is it will? Is it life? This is where sales coaching gets hardest. Remember, the soft skills are the hard skills. A skill issue means more coaching, more practice, more observation, more feedback. A will issue is a management conversation about expectations, consequences, and support. Mixing up these two responses is how you keep struggling reps too long and lose great managers to burnout. ## How to Build a Sales Coaching Culture Your Team Believes In Having strong individual coaching conversations matter. Having a strong team culture matters just as much. A great sales team coaching culture, where development is expected, mentoring is normal, learning is celebrated, and vulnerability is safe is worth everything. It makes everything easier, from recruiting and retaining, to building trust, to achieving revenue targets. Here’s what I’ve seen in the best sales cultures I’ve worked with: ### The Sales Stack If you do not have the right sales stack for your sales organization it’s time to find a new place and leadership team who gets it. The following are table stakes in 2026: - Accurate Prospecting Data - Call Recording and Reporting - Video Call / Zoom Recording - Auto Populate the CRM - A CRM (yes, still worth saying) - Sequence / Cadence Tools - Asynchronous Communication Platforms - Sales Navigator - AI Tools to Analyze and Make Recommendations ### Leadership Models the Behavior It all rolls downhill. If the VP of Sales isn’t being vulnerable and actively learning and openly talking about sales skills improvements, then why should the sales team? Leaders who talk about their own development, who share their mistakes, who celebrate a manager’s coaching improvement as much as a revenue milestone, those leaders build teams that develop. Nobody wants to hear your war stories of success. They probably will appreciate your stories of failure and what you learned from them. ### Coaching Is Inspected If you aren’t measuring it, you cannot coach it. Build manager 1:1s into your cadence. Review coaching logs quarterly. An executive leader needs to ask sales managers what they coached last week the same way you ask reps what deals they’re working. ### Feedback and Mentoring Is Normalized Feedback is transactional. Mentoring is a lifetime. People want to be mentored more than they want feedback. A great sales coaching culture has mentoring happen not just to people but for each other. Build peer feedback, group call reviews, and shared learning into your team rhythms. When feedback becomes part of the air that includes mentoring rather than a special event, people stop being defensive and start being genuinely curious about how they can get better. ### Failure Is a Learning Event Do not sweep this under the rug. Sales is a place where failure happens on a regular basis. A strong sales coaching culture treats failure as data, not verdict. ‘What’s the one thing you could have done better on that deal?’ is the single best question to ask a rep. They will find many more than one thing, and that’s good. Start with one, and see where it takes you. ## Business Case for Sales Coaching: What It Costs When You Skip It Let’s make the business case, because you’re going to need it when you’re asking your CFO or CEO to invest in a sales training, reinforcement, or sales coaching program. Nobody is simply good at their job because they have a title. That includes any founder, CEO, CFO, CRO, CMO, or anything else. They all had to develop their skills over time. It took time, experience, mistakes, and mentors. The research is consistent: companies with structured coaching programs significantly outperform those without. Recruitment is easier. Ramping new reps is shorter. Attrition is lower. Sales cycles shorten, win rates are higher, deal sizes trend larger because reps who are well-coached do better discovery, which leads to more quantified opportunities that are harder to discount. A single bad hire simply from the cost side costs you 6-12 months in salary, and it compounds by 3x on any expected deals you were hoping they would close. It’s not the lost revenue of the first deal, it’s the renewal and upsell revenue on the future deals. A manager who coaches effectively reduces attrition and improves performance simultaneously. If you’re evaluating what great looks like, our [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) page covers what that investment produces in practice. The question isn’t whether to invest in sales coaching. The question is whether you have a system for doing it consistently, or whether you’re leaving it to chance and hoping your managers figure it out on their own. ## Frequently Asked Questions About Sales Coaching ### How is sales coaching different from sales training? Sales training is an event that introduces skills and frameworks in a concentrated setting. In contrast, sales coaching is a process that reinforces, applies, and develops those skills over time through individual attention, feedback, and practice. Both are necessary because coaching is ultimately what makes training stick. ### How much time should a sales manager spend on coaching? High-performing sales managers typically spend at least 30-40% of their working time on development activities, including 1:1s, call reviews, ride-alongs, and skill practice. You must be ruthless in managing your calendar so your calendar does not manage you. ### What should you coach first? Part of the answer is defined by which type of sales rep you are coaching. Is it a newbie or a veteran? Generally speaking the best practice is to start with the activities that will have the most immediate impact on revenue. This does not mean start a newbie with negotiation and closing training. It means start at the beginning so you can get to that part of the training sooner and reduce early stage mistakes. ### Can you coach remotely? It’s 2026. If your organization does not have the tools needed to coach remotely then it’s time to find a new organization. Call recordings, videos, 1:1s, Slack, Zoom, all of these items are table stakes when it comes to building a coaching culture. ### What if a rep is resistant to coaching? Expect and plan for this. Especially with veteran reps who interpret coaching as criticism or micro-management. The solution is to separate coaching from performance evaluation explicitly. ‘I’m not here to judge how you’re doing. I’m here to help you get better at something specific.’ Keep the conversation focused, non-threatening, and specific. Resistance often dissolves when the rep realizes you’re genuinely invested in their development rather than building a case against them. ### How do you measure whether coaching is working? Track the specific skill you coached over a defined time period, typically no longer than 4 weeks. This timeline will be based upon your sales cycle. If you run a transactional sales team this can be done in hours or days. Larger deal cycles may take longer. Try to define metrics around what you’ve been coaching. Are talk ratios improving on calls? Are there fewer bad deals getting in the pipeline? Of the new deals in the pipeline, how much better qualified are they? ### How do you coach a rep who is consistently hitting quota but has skill gaps? Many think you do nothing. What’s better is to ask them what’s going so well. Remember, quota attainment at 100% can mask problems that aren’t showing up now but could cause a slump in the future. Sometimes the question you ask this rep is to make sure they remember something they haven’t had to address in some time. That’s no fault of their own, it’s simply the way the pipeline is working in their favor right now. ### What is the N.E.A.T. Selling™ connection to sales coaching? N.E.A.T. Selling™ is the methodology that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. When you know your reps should be uncovering Need, Economic Impact, Access to Authority, and Timeline on every call, call reviews become easy to structure. You’re not asking ‘was that a good call?’ You’re asking ‘did we get to economic impact?’ That specificity is what makes coaching stick. Learn more about [N.E.A.T. Selling™](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) and how it anchors every coaching conversation to a measurable outcome. ### Where can I learn more about sales management training? Our [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is built specifically for first and second-level managers, AE Managers, SDR Managers, Sales Ops, and Sales Enablement leaders who want to get better at coaching, not just managing. It’s a half-day session available virtually or onsite. ## The Bottom Line on Sales Coaching Nothing beats sales training or sales coaching. While AI can help, we are all still humans. And humans actually need human to human interaction. Sales coaching is the best activity available to a sales leader. Nothing else you do, not a new CRM, not a better deck, not a new compensation plan, will develop your team’s capability the way consistent, skilled coaching does. The organizations I’ve seen build truly great sales teams are the ones that treat sales coaching as part of the infrastructure. It is not considered a bolt on activity. It is not something you do once a year at a kickoff. It’s scheduled. It’s measured. It’s expected of every manager. It’s modeled by leaders. It’s celebrated when it produces results. If your team isn’t where you want it to be, ask yourself: when did I last sit with a rep and develop a specific skill, not review a pipeline, not discuss a deal, but work on a skill? If the answer is longer than two weeks, you’ve found the problem. Now let’s go fix it. **Schedule your free sales training assessment** **→** and we’ll start with how your team coaches today. ***Work With The Harris Consulting Group:** Sales coaching is at the heart of everything we do at The Harris Consulting Group. We work with sales managers, directors, VPs, and CROs to build the coaching skills, structures, and cultures that drive long-term performance. Our [Sales Management and Leadership Bootcamp](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) is designed specifically for frontline leaders who want to become great coaches.* ## Related Resources From The Harris Consulting Group - [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) — Built for AE Managers, SDR Managers, and Sales Enablement leaders ready to coach, not just manage. - [1:1 Coaching Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) — Individual and team coaching for reps, managers, leaders, and founders. - [4-Week NEAT Selling Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks/) — The complete training program with weekly coaching sessions built in to prevent the Forgetting Curve. - [NEAT Selling Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) — The qualification and discovery framework that gives your coaching conversations something specific to coach against. - [Sales Training Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-training/) — Customized training for SDRs, AEs, Inside Sales, Field Sales, and Customer Success. - [Best Sales Training Companies 2026](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/best-sales-training-companies-2026/) — An honest comparison of the top sales training companies and how to choose the right one for your team. - [Consultative Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/consultative-sales-training-for-your-team-harris-consulting/) — What it means to sell consultatively and how we train teams to diagnose before they prescribe. *Richard Harris is the founder of The Harris Consulting Group and creator of the NEAT Selling™ methodology. He is a bestselling author of The Seller’s Journey, a multiple Salesforce Sales Leader Award winner, and AAiSP Top Sales Leader. Richard has trained thousands of sales professionals across global organizations in manufacturing, software, SaaS, hardware, and financial services.* --- ### [Customer Logos](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=customer-logos) **Published:** November 13, 2020 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** ## Some of Our Clients --- ### [New Home](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=new-home) **Published:** July 13, 2020 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) - [Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/services/) - [Sales Training and Reinforcement Program](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/4weeks) - [Sales Management and Leadership Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-management-training-and-coaching/) - [Coaching Services](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services/) - [Founder Led Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coaching-services#founder-led-sales) - [Online Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling-online-sales-training/) - [AI Sales Coaching](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/coachrichardgpt/) - [Hire Richard for Your Event](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-kickoff/) - [Resources](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/) - [The N.E.A.T. 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Selling™ Mindset](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/neat-selling/) - [Webinars, Ebooks & More](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/) - [The Seller’s Journey Book](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/the-sellers-journey/) - [Surf and Sales Podcast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/surf-and-sales-podcast/) - [State of Mental Health in Sales](https://saleshealthalliance.com/2024-state-of-mental-health-in-sales/) - [Sales Leadership Benchmarks](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sales-leadership-survey) - [Partners & Tools](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/partners-tools/) - [Become a Sponsor](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/sponsors/) - [Blog & Events](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/blog-events/) - [About](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) - [About Us](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/about/) - [Awards](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/awards/) - [Clients](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/clients/) - [Frequently Asked Questions](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/frequently-asked-questions/) - [Contact Us](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/) Search ## Level up your team's game. Utilize our trusted **5 Week N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training and Reinforcement Program** or self-placed courses to increase revenue. [ Live Reinforcement Training ](#) [ Self-Paced Training ](#) ### Better Qualification Start getting better qualified deals entering your pipeline from your team and increase sales significantly. ### Better Discovery Our customized sales training teaches your reps how to earn the right to ask questions, which questions to ask, and when to do it so they can drive more revenue. ### Accurate Forecasting Your team will deliver more accurate forecasts and closing ratios through our customized N.E.A.T. Selling™ Training Program. ## Trusted Sales Training That Works Our N.E.A.T. Selling™ Online Sales Training Portal will help any sales leader or sales rep improve their skills via self-paced online sales training. [ Learn More ](#) ## Some of Our Clients ## What Our Clients Say "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com "Your training reminded me that everyone in the organization is selling, not just sales." Ted S. CFO, GainSight.com ## The Surf & Sales Podcast In sales, everyone is looking for help, yet so few are willing to give it unselfishly. Scott and Richard teamed up to bring their best advice from their own life experiences, real-world job experiences, and what they see sales reps and leaders do right, and equally important do wrong so you don’t have to. [ Listen Now ](#) ![SurfandSales Podcast](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/SurfandSales.jpg) ## Let's Strategize Our clients tell us their teams find our training sessions engaging, fun and useful with immediate impact increasing the velocity and volume of the sales funnel. Let’s strategize and see how we can do the same for your team. [ Schedule Now ](#) --- ### [Default Block](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/?elementor_library=default-block) **Published:** July 10, 2020 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** --- ## Resources ### [If You Don’t Invest in Yourself Why Should a Company](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/if-you-dont-invest-in-yourself-why-should-a-company/) **Published:** December 13, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Surf & Sales Bonfire, we discuss the best ways to ensure your employment by investing in yourself first. **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) [ ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/logo_scott-leese-consulting-560x156.png) ](https://scottleeseconsulting.com/) [ ![surf-and-sales-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/surf-and-sales-logo-560x382.png) ](https://www.surfandsales.com/) # If You Don’t Invest in Yourself Why Should a Company You get out of it what you put into it. This concept hasn’t ever changed, and never will. Join us for a live conversation to discuss the best ways to ensure your employment by investing in yourself first. ##### What You Will Learn - 3 Low Cost/ No Cost Strategies - Why self educated get hired first - Breaking the apathy and being stuck ##### Who Should Watch - Sales Reps - Sales Managers - Sales Leaders ![Invest in Yourself](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/featured-img_If-You-Dont-Invest-in-Yourself-Why-Should-a-Company.webp) ## Sponsors ## Presenters ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_richard-harris.png)#### Richard Harris **Co-Founder of The Harris Consulting Group LLC and Co-Founder of Surf & Sales** Richard brings 20+ years of sales and SaaS experience to the table in his work as an advisor and consultant. He's named as the Top 25 Inside Sales Professional by the American Association of Inside Sales for the last 3 years and Top 10 Sales Development Leader as voted by Inside Sales and Sales Hacker. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_scott-leese.png)#### Scott Leese **CEO & Founder of Scott Leese Consulting and Surf & Sales** Scott is a 3x American Association of Inside Sales Professionals Top 25 Award Winner, and one of the top startup sales leaders in the country. As a highly sought-after consultant, advisor, leader, and sales trainer, he has a proven record of success building and scaling businesses from the ground up. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_larry-long-jr.png)#### Larry Long Jr **CEO & Keynote Speaker/Emcee at LLJR Enterprises** Larry founded LLJR Enterprises to help people, teams, and organizations go from good to great. He regularly speaks to organizations of all sizes, and have been coaching sales organizations for 16+ years. If you’re looking for energy, excitement, and a JOLT! to accelerate productivity & sales, look no further. © 2026 [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) | [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Become a 7-Figure AE](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-become-a-7-figure-ae/) **Published:** September 28, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this on-demand Bonfire Session, we discuss how to grow yourself from a six-figure to a seven-figure AE. **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) [ ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/logo_scott-leese-consulting-560x156.png) ](https://scottleeseconsulting.com/) [ ![surf-and-sales-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/surf-and-sales-logo-560x382.png) ](https://www.surfandsales.com/) # How to Become a 7-Figure AE In this on-demand Bonfire Session, we discuss how to grow yourself from a six-figure to a seven-figure AE. ##### Key Takeaways - Where do I start? - How long should it take? - How do I know when I am ready? - What should I know about the stress of selling at this level? ![How to Become a 7-Figure AE](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/How-to-Become-a-7-Figure-AE.jpg) ## Sponsors ## Presenters ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_richard-harris.png)#### Richard Harris **Co-Founder of The Harris Consulting Group LLC and Co-Founder of Surf & Sales** Richard brings 20+ years of sales and SaaS experience to the table in his work as an advisor and consultant. He's named as the Top 25 Inside Sales Professional by the American Association of Inside Sales for the last 3 years and Top 10 Sales Development Leader as voted by Inside Sales and Sales Hacker. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_scott-leese.png)#### Scott Leese **CEO & Founder of Scott Leese Consulting and Surf & Sales** Scott is a 3x American Association of Inside Sales Professionals Top 25 Award Winner, and one of the top startup sales leaders in the country. As a highly sought-after consultant, advisor, leader, and sales trainer, he has a proven record of success building and scaling businesses from the ground up. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/circle-headshot_elyse-archer.png)#### Elyse Archer **Founder & CEO of She Sells** A thought leader whose insights have been featured in major media including Forbes and Inc, Elyse is passionate about empowering women to sell in a way that leverages their natural gifts, and helps them build wealth along the way. She is an international keynote speaker and host of She Sells Radio, where she shares best practices from female entrepreneurs and sales professionals who have accomplished extraordinary goals. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/circle-headshot_ian-koniak.png)#### Ian Koniak **Founder & President of Ian Koniak Sales Coaching Inc.** Ian Koniak helps B2B Account Executives go from good to great by mastering the mindset, habits, and skills needed to perform at the highest level. Ian offers private coaching, group coaching, and sales team coaching and each program is tailored to the specific needs of his clients. © 2026 [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) | [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [No Pressure Closing Training for Your Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/no-pressure-closing-training-for-your-sales-team/) **Published:** October 13, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** We've gathered some of the greatest sales minds in the game to help you up your closing skills. In this session, we discuss the best closing techniques to upscale your sales teams and amplify your revenue. **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) [ ![Salesforce logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Salesforce-logo-560x392.png) ](https://www.highspot.com/) # No Pressure Closing Training for Your Sales Team In this on-demand session, we will discuss the best closing techniques to upscale your sales teams and amplify your revenue. We’ve gathered some of the greatest sales minds in the game to help you up your closing skills. Everything from better discovery, to better negotiation, and, of course, asking for the close. ##### What You Will Learn - Why closing should be the easiest part of the sales cycle - How to accelerate any size deal cycle - How to navigate closing to multiple decision makers - Top closing strategies that aren’t pushy ![No Pressure Closing Training for Your Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Pre-Event-1024x576-No-Pressure-Closing-Training-for-Your-Sales-Team.png) ## Speakers ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/circle-headshot_belal-batrawy.png)#### Belal Batrawy **Head of GTM at GTM Buddy** ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/circle-headshot_chantel-george.png)#### Chantel George **Founder & CEO at Sistas In Sales** ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/circle-headshot_donald-kelly.png)#### Donald C Kelly **Founder and The Chief Sales Evangelist at The Sales Evangelist** ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/circle-headshot_ian-koniak.png)#### Ian Koniak **Founder & President at Ian Koniak Sales Coaching Inc.** © 2026 [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) | [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Scary Good Sales Stories and Skills for Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/scary-good-sales-stories-and-skills-for-your-team/) **Published:** October 18, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this on-demand, Dale Dupree, Kevin Gaither, Scott Leese, and Richard Harris share some of the biggest stories and lessons learned over the years and the sales skills you can improve today. **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) [ ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/logo_scott-leese-consulting-560x156.png) ](https://scottleeseconsulting.com/) [ ![surf-and-sales-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/surf-and-sales-logo-560x382.png) ](https://www.surfandsales.com/) # Scary Good Sales Stories and Skills for Your Team The best sales skills often come from the scariest moments in our conversations. In this on-demand, Dale Dupree, Kevin Gaither, Scott Leese, and Richard Harris share some of the biggest stories and lessons learned over the years. And the sales skills you can improve today. ##### What You Will Learn - Best Cold Calling Skills to Sharpen Your Scalpel - Stronger Negotiation Skills When Up Against Dr. No - Confronting the Zombie who can kill your deals ##### Who Should Attend - CROs - VPs - Individual Contributors ![Bonfire-Session-Scary Good Sales Stories and Skills for Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Bonfire-SessionScary-Good-Sales-Stories-and-Skills-for-Your-Team-1.jpg) ## Sponsors ## Presenters ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_richard-harris.png)#### Richard Harris **Co-Founder of The Harris Consulting Group LLC and Co-Founder of Surf & Sales** Richard brings 20+ years of sales and SaaS experience to the table in his work as an advisor and consultant. He's named as the Top 25 Inside Sales Professional by the American Association of Inside Sales for the last 3 years and Top 10 Sales Development Leader as voted by Inside Sales and Sales Hacker. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_scott-leese.png)#### Scott Leese **CEO & Founder of Scott Leese Consulting and Surf & Sales** Scott is a 3x American Association of Inside Sales Professionals Top 25 Award Winner, and one of the top startup sales leaders in the country. As a highly sought-after consultant, advisor, leader, and sales trainer, he has a proven record of success building and scaling businesses from the ground up. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/circle-headshot_dale-dupree.png)#### Dale Dupree **Founder and CSO at The Sales Rebellion** Dale embodies practicing what you preach and isn’t afraid to own his mistakes. With enough love to pass around, Dale takes having a passion for life serious. He has picked up the torch, left to him by his father, and uses it to light the way for himself as well as others. For him, The Sales Rebellion is the fruition of a decade of waking up every morning determined to know true success. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/circle-headshot_kevin-gaither.png)#### Kevin Gaither **Business Owner at Inside Sales Expert** Kevin is a recognized Inside Sales expert and hands-on technology sales leader with a 25+ year track record of growing early-stage and multi-million dollar businesses and helped grow three businesses into Inc 500/Deloitte Fast 500 companies. He's currently an advisor and consultant to a handful of early stage tech companies and is the Co-Host of SaaSHoles Podcast. © 2026 [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) | [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Win 2023 With Sales Enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-win-2023-with-sales-enablement/) **Published:** January 11, 2023 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this on-demand with The Harris Consulting Group and Highspot, we gathered some of the best in the business to discuss the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly of a sales enablement program. **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) [ ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/logo_highspot.png) ](https://www.highspot.com/) # How to Win 2023 With Sales Enablement Every team has A, B, and C players. The challenge is always making sure you coach them all, regardless of their spot on the leaderboard. Enablement is one of those words sales leaders like to toss around. Unfortunately, not enough understand what it takes to build a great enablement program. We’ve gathered some of the best in the business to discuss the good, the bad, and yes, the ugly of a sales enablement program. ##### Key Takeaways - How do I clone my top performers? - Getting my sales team to use enablement - Using enablement, analytics, and coaching to hit your goals - Securing budget for enablement programs ![How to Win 2023 With Sales Enablement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/How-to-Win-2023-With-Sales-Enablement.webp) ## About The Presenters ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_richard-harris.png)#### Richard Harris **Co-Founder of The Harris Consulting Group LLC and Co-Founder of Surf & Sales** Richard brings 20+ years of sales and SaaS experience to the table in his work as an advisor and consultant. He's named as the Top 25 Inside Sales Professional by the American Association of Inside Sales for the last 3 years and Top 10 Sales Development Leader as voted by Inside Sales and Sales Hacker. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/circle-headshot_kara-mangan.png)#### Kara Mangan **Principal Consultant, Strategic Enablement Services at Highspot** Kara is a Principal Consultant with the Strategic Enablement Services team at Highspot. Prior to joining Highspot, Kara led Sales Enablement and Marketing teams for Fifth Third Processing Solutions, Vantiv and Worldpay / FIS. Kara provides strategic consultation, helping customers elevate performance and achieve their business outcomes through scalable, strategic enablement programs. © 2026 [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) | [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) **Resources Categories:** Assets, Webinars --- ### [Stock Options Straight Talk](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/stock-options-straight-talk/) **Published:** November 8, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Surf & Sales Bonfire, we dive deep into what equity means, why it’s an old antiquated system, and what something new should look like. **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) [ ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/logo_scott-leese-consulting-560x156.png) ](https://scottleeseconsulting.com/) [ ![surf-and-sales-logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/surf-and-sales-logo-560x382.png) ](https://www.surfandsales.com/) # Stock Options Straight Talk Nobody teaches anyone about equity in startups until it’s too late. During this conversation with Collin Cadmus, we dive deep into what equity means, why it’s an old antiquated system, and what something new should look like. ##### What You Will Learn - What it means to exercise your options - How much should I care about equity as an SDR or AE? - RSU's vs. Common vs Preferred Stock - What to ask about equity in an interview ![Stock Options Straight Talk](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Stock-Options-Straight-Talk-jpg.webp) ## Sponsors ## Presenters ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_richard-harris.png)#### Richard Harris **Co-Founder of The Harris Consulting Group LLC and Co-Founder of Surf & Sales** Richard brings 20+ years of sales and SaaS experience to the table in his work as an advisor and consultant. He's named as the Top 25 Inside Sales Professional by the American Association of Inside Sales for the last 3 years and Top 10 Sales Development Leader as voted by Inside Sales and Sales Hacker. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/circle-headshot_scott-leese.png)#### Scott Leese **CEO & Founder of Scott Leese Consulting and Surf & Sales** Scott is a 3x American Association of Inside Sales Professionals Top 25 Award Winner, and one of the top startup sales leaders in the country. As a highly sought-after consultant, advisor, leader, and sales trainer, he has a proven record of success building and scaling businesses from the ground up. ![](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/circle-headshot_collin-cadmus.png)#### Collin Cadmus **Consultant & Advisor at Collin Cadmus, LLC** A lifelong salesperson, 4x Sales & Marketing Leader, 2x VP Sales, and industry thought leader has hired and trained over 300 B2B salespeople, generating over $50M in recurring revenue and over $300M in exits. With over 10 years of experience building and scaling SaaS sales teams, he now serves as a Consultant and Strategic Advisor to high-growth startups across the world. © 2026 [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) | [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [John Barrows is interviewed by Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/john-barrows-is-interviewed-by-richard-harris/) **Published:** January 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris flips the script and interviews John Barrows on this episode of Make It Happen Mondays. **Content:** Richard Harris of the Harris Consulting Group and Sales Hacker flips the script and interviews John Barrows on Make It Happen Mondays. John tackles the following: - What his background is and how he got into sales - An example of sales done right - How he got into training with Basho - What the future of training looks like and the psychology of sales and motivation - How he deals with stress - And learn more about how[ Richard Harris and John Barrows teamed up here.](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/john-barrows-and-harris-consulting-group-team-up/) Listen to more Make It Happen Mondays with John Barrows [here](https://podcast.jbarrows.com/public/60/Make-It-Happen-Mondays---B2B-Sales-Talk-with-John-Barrows-e8d5c0d3/episodes). Find out more about Surf and Sales at www.surfandsales.com **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [How to Increase Sales 5x With a Targeted Outbound Process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-hacker-webinar-how-to-increase-sales-5x-with-a-targeted-outbound-process/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Sales Hacker Webinar – How to Increase Sales 5x With a [Targeted Outbound Sales Process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/why-switching-from-inbound-to-outbound-is-a-bad-idea/) @saleshacker @growlabs **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Pre-Sales Power: Mastering the Art of Asking the Right Questions at the Right Time](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/pre-sales-power-mastering-the-art-of-asking-the-right-questions-at-the-right-time/) **Published:** September 26, 2024 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** Richard Harris joins Trailblazer Talks with [Piyusha Pilania](https://in.linkedin.com/in/piyushapilania) to discuss pre-sales and mastering the art of asking the right questions at the right time. He shares his secrets on: - Building trust and earning the right to ask questions - Crafting the perfect questions to uncover needs and opportunities - Timing your questions for maximum impact - Using Salesforce to personalize and optimize your approach This is a golden opportunity to learn directly from a top sales leader who has consistently driven results. Whether you’re in sales or just want to up your engagement game, this session is for you! Check it out here: [![Video-Mastering the Art of Asking the Right Questions at the Right Time](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Video-Mastering-the-Art-of-Asking-the-Right-Questions-at-the-Right-Time-460x259.jpg)](https://www.linkedin.com/events/7198592887679287297/comments/) [Connect with Richard on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415) or [schedule a time to chat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/contact-us/). **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [Why “Customer Success” Will Earn You More Money With Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-customer-success-will-earn-you-more-money-with-richard-harris/) **Published:** January 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** On this episode of The Salesman Podcast, Richard explains what “customer success” is and how we can leverage it to earn bigger commissions bonuses. **Content:** Richard Harris brings over 20 years of technology and SaaS experience in sales training, operations and sales leadership into his role as a Sales Consultant. He has built, led and consulted with a wide range of organizations including start-ups, mid-size companies, and global organizations. On this episode of The Salesman Podcast Richard explains what “customer success” is and how we can leverage it to earn bigger commissions bonuses. Listen to more of The Salesman Podcast [here](https://www.salesman.org/category/podcast/). **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [How to Be the Type of Revenue Leader Companies Clamor to Hire](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-be-the-type-of-revenue-leader-companies-clamor-to-hire/) **Published:** September 14, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this webinar on-demand, 5 of the best women in sales discuss the top attributes of being an effective sales leader in today's climate. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Prepare Your Sales Team for 2023](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-prepare-your-sales-team-for-2023/) **Published:** September 8, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Watch this on-demand session with The Harris Consulting Group and Highspot as they discuss how to prepare your sales team for 2023. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [2023 Planning Does Not Look Like 2022 Planning. You Ready?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/2023-planning-does-not-look-like-2022-planning-you-ready/) **Published:** August 12, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** 2023 planning looks nothing like 2022 planning. Everything is different, again. We've got some of the brightest minds in sales having a conversation in this on-demand session. **Content:** 2023 planning looks nothing like 2022 planning. Everything is different, again. We’ve got some of the brightest minds in sales having a conversation in this on-demand session. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [ROI Is Dead](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/roi-is-dead/) **Published:** July 20, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** NOTHING is more annoying than when your prospect brings up ROI. Often, the person asking, even the CFO, doesn't even know what it means. Check out this Bonfire Session around ROI with Scott Leese, John Barrows, and Richard Harris. **Content:** NOTHING is more annoying than when your prospect brings up ROI. Often, the person asking, even the CFO, doesn’t even know what it means. Check out this Bonfire Session around ROI with Scott Leese, John Barrows, and Richard Harris. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [What does DEIB Really Mean in 2022?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/what-does-deib-really-mean-in-2022/) **Published:** June 15, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** What does DEIB mean in 2022? Watch this on-demand session where we have a honest conversion about it! **Content:** What does DEIB mean in 2022? Watch this on-demand session where we have a honest conversion about it! **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Why a No Commission Sales Org Is Your Best Option](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-a-no-commission-sales-org-is-your-best-option/) **Published:** June 8, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Would you take a sales role with a much higher base and smaller bonus component? Check out this discussion of new school vs old school with a leader who has implemented the model. **Content:** Would you take a sales role with a much higher base and smaller bonus component? Check out this discussion of new school vs old school with a leader who has implemented the model. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Top Sales Strategies Your Team Should Be Using in 2022](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/top-sales-strategies-your-team-should-be-using-in-2022/) **Published:** July 14, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this session, understand the critical difference between sales strategy, sales process, and sales execution in 2022. **Content:** In this session, understand the critical difference between sales strategy, sales process, and sales execution in 2022. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Why Your AE's MUST Prospect Even with SDR Support](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-your-aes-must-prospect-even-with-sdr-support/) **Published:** April 2, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Bonfire Session discussion with Antony Natoli of Outreach.io, you will hear about the gaps your team is missing in their prospecting efforts. **Content:** In this Bonfire Session discussion with Antony Natoli of Outreach.io, you will hear about the gaps your team is missing in their prospecting efforts. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Support Mental Health With Your Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-support-mental-health-with-your-sales-team/) **Published:** May 25, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this on-demand session, we discuss how sales leaders who understand the value of mental health see a better performance from their teams. **Content:** In this on-demand session, we discuss how sales leaders who understand the value of mental health see a better performance from their teams. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Unique Gifting and Personalization to Inspire Human Connections](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/unique-gifting-and-personalization-to-inspire-human-connections/) **Published:** May 18, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, we talk with Sendoso CEO, Kris Rudeegraap, as he shares new ways to inspire human connections by being one of the best gifters in the industry. **Content:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, we talk with Sendoso CEO, Kris Rudeegraap, as he shares new ways to inspire human connections by being one of the best gifters in the industry. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [What Sales Engagement and Intelligence Means for Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/what-sales-engagement-and-intelligence-means-for-your-team/) **Published:** April 12, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Bonfire Session, you will learn what it means to truly align sales, marketing, and executives with the buyers' experience in mind. **Content:** In this Bonfire Session, you will learn what it means to truly align sales, marketing, and executives with the buyers’ experience in mind. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Sales Team Process, Creation and Auditing Checklist](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-team-process-creation-and-auditing-checklist/) **Published:** May 26, 2022 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** We give this document to all of our clients and now we are making it available to you for FREE. Whether you're just building your team or looking to expand, this points you in all the right directions. **Content:** We give this document to all of our clients and now we are making it available to you for FREE. Whether you’re just building your team or looking to expand, this points you in all the right directions. **Resources Categories:** ebooks --- ### [N.E.A.T. Selling™ with Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/n-e-a-t-selling-with-richard-harris/) **Published:** January 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris of the Harris Consulting group and SalesHacker joins John Barrows to talk about BANT selling and why it needs to be replaced with N.E.A.T. Selling™. **Content:** Richard Harris of the Harris Consulting group and SalesHacker joins John Barrows to talk about BANT selling and why it needs to be replaced with N.E.A.T. Selling™. Listen to more Make It Happen Mondays with John Barrows [here](https://podcast.jbarrows.com/public/60/Make-It-Happen-Mondays---B2B-Sales-Talk-with-John-Barrows-e8d5c0d3/episodes). **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [AA-ISP Training Tuesday 2.12.19 (Kristy Ellington)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/aa-isp-training-tuesday-2-12-19-kristy-ellington/) **Published:** February 12, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** AA-ISP Training from [AA-ISP](https://player.vimeo.com/video/316859862) on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com). **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [AA-ISP Training Tuesday 7.19.19 (Christopher and Tim)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/aa-isp-training-tuesday-7-19-19-christopher-and-tim/) **Published:** July 10, 2019 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** AA-ISP Training from [AA-ISP](https://player.vimeo.com/video/316859862) on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com). **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Why Every Revenue Leader Should Care About Customer Success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-every-revenue-leader-should-care-about-customer-success/) **Published:** October 27, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Increase the retention and growth of your customers by learning from category creator and CEO of Gainsight, Nick Meta, about going above and beyond what you already know about Customer Success. **Content:** Increase the retention and growth of your customers by learning from category creator and CEO of Gainsight, Nick Meta, about going above and beyond what you already know about Customer Success. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How AI Will Change Your Sales Team in 2022](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-ai-will-change-your-sales-team-in-2022/) **Published:** December 16, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Bonfire Session, we share how AI can actually help your sales team be more effective AND efficient at a tactical level in 2022. **Content:** In this Bonfire Session, we share how AI can actually help your sales team be more effective AND efficient at a tactical level in 2022. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Drive Effective Use of Video for Your Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-drive-effective-use-of-video-for-your-sales-team/) **Published:** October 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Vidyard, Richard Harris Consulting, and JB Sales Training have joined forces to teach you how to effectively leverage the power of video in your sales process. **Content:** Vidyard, Richard Harris Consulting, and JB Sales Training have joined forces to teach you how to effectively leverage the power of video in your sales process. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Building a Successful SKO for Your Team in 2022](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/building-a-successful-sko-for-your-team-in-2022/) **Published:** October 7, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this on-demand session, learn how to make your Sales Kickoff (SKO) have a bigger meaning and support your culture, visions, and values too. **Content:** In this on-demand session, learn how to make your Sales Kickoff (SKO) have a bigger meaning and support your culture, visions, and values too. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to De-Risk Your Forecast and What Makes Your Deals Slip](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-de-risk-your-forecast-and-what-makes-your-deals-slip/) **Published:** October 14, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, get 3 reasons why a deal pushes and dies and learn what leaders should manage specifically and what they should coach their teams on better. **Content:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, get 3 reasons why a deal pushes and dies and learn what leaders should manage specifically and what they should coach their teams on better. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Masterclass: Growing Your Sales Team for 2022](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/masterclass-growing-your-sales-team-for-2022/) **Published:** September 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** The first-ever Sales-Cyborg, Justin Michael, joins this Surf and Sales Bonfire to discuss the crossroads of Sales and Technology in this masterclass for growing your sales team in 2022. **Content:** The first-ever Sales-Cyborg, Justin Michael, joins this Surf and Sales Bonfire to discuss the crossroads of Sales and Technology in this masterclass for growing your sales team in 2022. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Your 2022 Sales Management Planning Guide](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/your-2022-sales-management-planning-guide/) **Published:** August 26, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this on-demand webinar, learn all about what to do when it comes to your goal setting, headcount, sales stack, coaching stack, sales training, budget, and navigating the conversation with C-Suite. **Content:** In this on-demand webinar, learn all about what to do when it comes to your goal setting, headcount, sales stack, coaching stack, sales training, budget, and navigating the conversation with C-Suite. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [5 Sales Coaching Tactics Your Team Can Start Using Today](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/5-sales-coaching-tactics-your-team-can-start-using-today/) **Published:** August 23, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this ebook, uncover the mentality and skills it takes to build a healthy culture of enablement and coaching. **Content:** In this ebook, uncover the mentality and skills it takes to build a healthy culture of enablement and coaching. **Resources Categories:** ebooks --- ### [What to Do With the Unproductive Sales Rep](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/what-to-do-with-the-unproductive-sales-rep/) **Published:** August 13, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** A far too common scenario is dealing with an unproductive inside sales or outside sales rep. Download this in-depth guide to learn how to handle them. **Content:** A far too common scenario is dealing with an unproductive inside sales or outside sales rep. Download this in-depth guide to learn how to handle them. **Resources Categories:** ebooks --- ### [4 Lessons I Wish My Sales Manager Had Taught Me](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/4-lessons-i-wish-my-sales-manager-had-taught-me/) **Published:** March 23, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** The Harris Consulting Group and Salesforce bring you this on-demand session will give you insights into 4 areas you wish sales leadership had taught you. **Content:** Sales leadership always has the best of intentions. And sometimes, even those intentions don’t always give you some of the extra knowledge we would like. This on-demand session will give you insights into 4 areas you wish sales leadership had taught you. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Hostage Negotiation Sales Training For Your Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/hostage-negotiation-sales-training-for-your-team/) **Published:** July 28, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Learn how to break the rules, change the game, and avoid common communication problems altogether through physical and psychological insights. **Content:** Learn how to break the rules, change the game, and avoid common communication problems altogether through physical and psychological insights. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [4 Soft Sales Skills Your Team Needs Right Now to Hit Targets ebook](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/4-soft-sales-skills-your-team-needs-right-now-to-hit-targets-ebook/) **Published:** July 27, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this ebook by The Harris Consulting Group and Salesforce, learn what soft sales skills you need today to move deals forward. **Content:** In this ebook by The Harris Consulting Group and Salesforce, learn what soft sales skills you need today to move deals forward. **Resources Categories:** ebooks --- ### [3 Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Sales Coaching Culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/3-mistakes-to-avoid-when-building-a-sales-coaching-culture/) **Published:** July 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, we uncover the mentality and skills it takes to build a healthy culture of enablement and coaching. **Content:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, we uncover the mentality and skills it takes to build a healthy culture of enablement and coaching. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [2021 State of Mental Health in Sales Report](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/2021-state-of-mental-health-in-sales-report/) **Published:** July 6, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In spring 2021, UNCrushed, Sales Health Alliance, and The Harris Consulting Group came together to conduct research around the state of mental health in sales. This report shares these insights based on 770 respondents who took the survey. **Content:** In spring 2021, UNCrushed, Sales Health Alliance, and The Harris Consulting Group came together to conduct research around the state of mental health in sales. This report shares these insights based on 770 respondents who took the survey. **Resources Categories:** ebooks --- ### [My Action Plan Worksheet](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/my-action-plan-worksheet/) **Published:** June 18, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Download the worksheet we use for our events to help you easily organize your learnings. **Content:** Download the worksheet we use for our events to help you easily organize your learnings. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [The Skills Your Team Needs to Negotiate With Procurement And Reduce Discounting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/the-skills-your-team-needs-to-negotiate-with-procurement-and-reduce-discounting/) **Published:** June 16, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, learn how procurement influences the process, what to you do when procurement says no, and how to bake in and negotiate discounts. **Content:** In this Bonfire Session on-demand, learn how procurement influences the process, what to you do when procurement says no, and how to bake in and negotiate discounts. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [4 Soft Sales Skills Your Team Needs Right Now to Hit Targets](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/4-soft-sales-skills-your-team-needs-right-now-to-hit-targets/) **Published:** June 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** This on-demand session presented by The Harris Consulting Group and Salesforce, learn what four soft sales skills you need today to move deals forward. **Content:** This on-demand session presented by The Harris Consulting Group and Salesforce, learn what four soft sales skills you need today to move deals forward. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [4 Lessons I Wish My Sales Manager Had Taught Me ebook](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/4-lessons-i-wish-my-sales-manager-had-taught-me-ebook/) **Published:** June 3, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** The Harris Consulting Group and Salesforce bring you this ebook, which will give you insights into 4 areas you wish sales leadership had taught you. **Content:** Sales leadership always has the best of intentions. And sometimes, even those intentions don’t always give you some of the extra knowledge we would like. This ebook will give you insights into 4 areas you wish sales leadership had taught you. **Resources Categories:** ebooks --- ### [Strategies For Mental Resiliency in Sales in 2021](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/strategies-for-mental-resiliency-in-sales-in-2021/) **Published:** May 20, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** As part of May #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, UNCrushed and Sales Health Alliance joined this Bonfire Session to share lessons learned from their recent sales mental health survey. **Content:** As part of May #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, UNCrushed and Sales Health Alliance joined this Bonfire Session to share lessons learned from their recent sales mental health survey. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Make Sales Easier (By Finding Your Ideal Customers) With Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/make-sales-easier-by-finding-your-ideal-customers-with-richard-harris/) **Published:** January 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** On this episode, Richard Harris shares how we can narrow down who our ideal customer is and why this makes your job of closing them easier. **Content:** Richard Harris is a world leading inside sales expert and public speaker. On today’s episode of The Salesman Podcast Richard is explains the process of uncovering a potential customers “why” and how that makes it far easier to do business with them. **What you will learn in this episode:** In this episode Richard shares – - Why you need to uncover the prospects “why” - How you work out what really matters to the potential customers via a step by step process - The importance of knowing what makes your customers tick on both a personal and professional level Listen to more of The Salesman Podcast [here](https://www.salesman.org/category/podcast/). **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [Why you need a Sales Process and a Sales Methodology w/ Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-you-need-a-sales-process-and-a-sales-methodology-w-richard-harris/) **Published:** January 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this episode, we discuss critical differences between a sales process and a sales methodology, and why companies need both to succeed in sales, plus how to build a playbook around big deals. **Content:** In this episode, Andy Paul and Richard Harris dive deep into many topics, including the critical differences between a sales process and a sales methodology, and why companies need both to succeed in sales. They also cover how to build a playbook around big deals and talk about Richard’s N.E.A.T. Selling™ system for prospect qualification.  Listen to more of Sales Enablement Podcast with Andy Paul [here](https://www.ringdna.com/sales-enablement-podcast-with-andy-paul). **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [Sales Training, with Richard Harris](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-training-with-richard-harris/) **Published:** January 12, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris joins Andy Paul for a conversation about sales training, the area of sales where there is the biggest room for improvement, and what impact current times will have on how we train sellers. **Content:** In this episode, Richard Harris joins Andy Paul for a conversation about sales training, the area of sales where there is the biggest room for improvement. As the world around us has changed, they discuss what impact that will have on how we train sellers. This is important because, for many sellers, what they do on a day-to-day basis has changed in ways that were unexpected. Listen to more of Sales Enablement Podcast with Andy Paul [here](https://www.ringdna.com/sales-enablement-podcast-with-andy-paul). **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [Living WFH Through The Holidays](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/living-wfh-through-the-holidays/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese are joined by Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Predictable Revenue, Aaron Ross, to discuss how we can support our employees and how we can support ourselves and our families during the holidays. **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with Co-CEO and Co-Founder of [Predictable Revenue](https://predictablerevenue.com), Aaron Ross, to discuss how we can support our employees and how we can support ourselves and our families during the holidays. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Turning Side Hustles Into THE Hustle](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/turning-side-hustles-into-the-hustle/) **Published:** April 13, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Surf & Sales Bonfire Session we help individuals and organizations understand their own definition of mentorship and discuss best practices to drive mentoring through an organization. **Content:** On this Surf & Sales Bonfire Session, we walk you through building a side hustle, step-by-step, and give you all the feedback you wanted, but never knew to ask. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [The Future of Sales is Female](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/the-future-of-sales-is-female/) **Published:** April 22, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Surf & Sales Bonfire Session we help individuals and organizations understand their own definition of mentorship and discuss best practices to drive mentoring through an organization. **Content:** On this Bonfire Session, we talk about why sales is an incredible career for women and how to overcome the barriers women face in sales. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Mentorship at Scale](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/mentorship-at-scale/) **Published:** March 16, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this Surf & Sales Bonfire Session we help individuals and organizations understand their own definition of mentorship and discuss best practices to drive mentoring through an organization. **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for this Surf & Sales Bonfire Session to help individuals and organizations understand their own definition of mentorship and discuss best practices to drive mentoring through an organization. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Corporate Bro Takeover](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/corporate-bro-takeover/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** This Surf & Sales Bonfire Session is being taken over by Corporate Bro! Understand S.A.D.N.E.S.S. and learn what it really takes to be a sales slinger. **Content:** This Surf & Sales Bonfire Session is being taken over by Corporate Bro! Understand S.A.D.N.E.S.S. and learn what it really takes to be a sales slinger. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Build Out Your 2021 Revenue Modeling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-build-out-your-2021-revenue-modeling/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with Co-Founder and CEO of BurnRate.io, Robert McLaws, to share ideas and best practices around revenue modeling that can be used even during these unprecedented times. **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with Co-Founder and CEO of [BurnRate.io](https://burnrate.io), Robert McLaws, to share ideas and best practices around revenue modeling that can be used even during these unprecedented times. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Become the Next Unicorn](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-become-the-next-unicorn/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with Founder & CEO of Outreach, Manny Medina, to discuss what it takes to go from Series A to B, B to C, C to D, and beyond. **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with Founder & CEO of [Outreach](https://www.outreach.io), Manny Medina, to discuss what it takes to go from Series A to B, B to C, C to D, and beyond. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Goal Setting with Kevin Dorsey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/goal-setting-with-kevin-dorsey/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with VP of Inside Sales at PatientPop, Kevin Dorsey, to discuss how to balance personal and professional goals, how many goals to have, and how to help kids set goals. **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with VP of Inside Sales at PatientPop, Kevin Dorsey, to discuss how to balance personal and professional goals, how many goals to have, and how to help kids set goals. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Achieving Powerful Discovery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/achieving-powerful-discovery/) **Published:** February 15, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** In this webinar with Nikki Ivey, Sales Development at Emtrain and Co-Founder of SDRDefenders, get actionable steps to ensure you never waste another discovery call again. Gain exercises that will make you go pro before you pick up the phone and understand the psychology behind the questions you should be asking. **Content:** In this webinar with Nikki Ivey, Sales Development at [Emtrain](https://emtrain.com/) and Co-Founder of [SDRDefenders](https://www.sdrdefenders.com/), get actionable steps to ensure you never waste another discovery call again. Gain exercises that will make you go pro *before* you pick up the phone and understand the psychology behind the questions you **should** be asking. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Building a Revenue Operations Rocket Ship](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/building-a-revenue-operations-rocket-ship/) **Published:** February 17, 2021 **Author:** Richard Harris **Excerpt:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with SmartBug Media, Salesforce, and Paycor to talk about building a revenue operations rocket ship. **Content:** Richard Harris and Scott Leese joined forces for a Surf & Sales Bonfire Sessions with SmartBug Media, Salesforce, and Paycor to talk about building a revenue operations rocket ship. **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [AA-ISP Training Tuesday 12.11.18 (Curtis Bendt)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/aa-isp-training-tuesday-12-11-18-curtis-bendt/) **Published:** December 12, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** AA-ISP Training Tuesday 12.11.18 (Curtis Bendt) from [AA-ISP](https://vimeo.com/user83854262) on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com). **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [AA-ISP Training Tuesday 1.8.19 (Ryan Longfield)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/aa-isp-training/) **Published:** January 10, 2019 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** AA-ISP Training from [AA-ISP](https://vimeo.com/user83854262) on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com). **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [The Secret To Making B2B Sales Easy… Know Their “WHY”!](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/the-secret-to-making-b2b-sales-easy-know-their-why/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** The Secret To Making B2B Sales Easy… Know Their “WHY”! @salesmanpodcast **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [The fine art of sporting event ticket sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/the-fine-art-of-sporting-event-ticket-sales/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** The fine art of sporting event ticket sales @SportsTao **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [Make Sales Easier (By Finding Your Ideal Customers)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/make-sales-easier-by-finding-your-ideal-customers/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Make Sales Easier (By Finding Your Ideal Customers) @salesmanpodcast **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ### [How to Create Your Onboarding Playbook](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-create-your-onboarding-playbook/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** How to Create Your Onboarding Playbook with @\_RobbyAllen @rharris415 @Mixmax @saleshacker **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Where is the ROI on Events?](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/where-is-the-roi-on-events/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Where is the ROI on Events? with @GIDSelling @[outreach.io](http://outreach.io) @JoeCapSoftware @[chorus.ai](http://chorus.ai) @saleshacker **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [The Essentials of Leveraging Technology in Your Sales Process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-hacker-sales-machine-17-the-essentials-of-leveraging-technology-in-your-sales-process/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Sales Hacker Sales Machine 17 – The Essentials of Leveraging Technology in Your Sales Process @saleshacker Bradley Martin @Adobe Will Hunt @Apptus **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Sales + Marketing + Customer Success Alignment = Building a Winning Enablement Feedback Loop](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-hacker-revenue-summit-2018-sales-marketing-customer-success-alignment-building-a-winning-enablement-feedback-loop/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Sales Hacker Revenue Summit 2018 – Sales + Marketing + Customer Success Alignment = Building a Winning Enablement Feedback Loop @jenspencer @smartbugmedia @haleykatsman @HighSpot @kkmoraski @KaseyaCorp @saleshacker **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Execute Key Predictions on The Future of Sales Tech](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-hacker-webinar-how-to-execute-key-predictions-on-the-future-of-sales-tech/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Sales Hacker Webinar – How to Execute Key Predictions on The Future of Sales Tech @becker3ww @OctivInc @saleshacker **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Build a Word-Class SDR](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-hacker-webinar-how-to-build-a-word-class-sdr/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Sales Hacker Webinar – How to Build a Word-Class SDR @IsVital @insidesalesteam @TheRossNetwork @[outreach.io](http://outreach.io) @saleshacker **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Create  Predictable, Scalable, Revenue and Triple Your Growth Rate](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/sales-hacker-webinar-how-to-create-predictable-scalable-revenue-and-triple-your-growth-rate/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Sales Hacker Webinar – How to Create Predictable, Scalable, Revenue and Triple Your Growth Rate @motoceo @savo\_group @saleshacker **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [How to Leverage Your Personality As a Competitive Advantage in Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/how-to-leverage-your-personality-as-a-competitive-advantage-in-sales/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** How to Leverage Your Personality As a Competitive Advantage in Sales @AA\_ISP #TrainingTuesday @iSalesGirl @SellingAgency #TrainingTuesday **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Mastering The Break Through Script](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/mastering-the-break-through-script/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Mastering The Break Through Script @Chris8649 @ConnectAndSell @AA\_ISP #TrainingTuesday **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Outbound Sales Focus On The Fundamentals](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/outbound-sales-focus-on-the-fundamentals/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Outbound Sales Focus On The Fundamentals @rreisert @RexTheTrep @AA\_ISP #TrainingTuesday **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [The Art and Science of Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/the-art-and-science-of-sales/) **Published:** May 16, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** The Art and Science of Sales – @walkupkevin @salesloft @AA\_ISP #TrainingTuesday **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [AA-ISP Training Tuesday 7.10.18 with Jason Ferrell](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/aa-isp-training-tuesday-7-10-18-with-jason-ferrell/) **Published:** July 10, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** AA-ISP Training Tuesday 7.10.18 (Jason Ferrell) from [AA-ISP](https://vimeo.com/user83854262) on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com). **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Cold Calling and the Live Pick Up](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/cold-calling-and-the-live-pick-up/) **Published:** August 8, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** Cold Calling and the Live Pick Up **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [AA-ISP Training Tuesday 10.9.18 (Zeenath Kuraisha)](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/aa-isp-training-tuesday-10-9-18-zeenath-kuraisha/) **Published:** October 10, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Content:** AA-ISP Training Tuesday 10.9.18 (Zeenath Kuraisha) from [AA-ISP](https://vimeo.com/user83854262) on [Vimeo](https://vimeo.com). **Resources Categories:** Webinars --- ### [Why "Customer Success" Will Earn You More Money](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/resources/why-customer-success-will-earn-you-more-money/) **Published:** December 6, 2018 **Author:** Whatarmy **Resources Categories:** Podcasts --- ## Case Studies ### [TopOpps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/topopps/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [TopOpps](https://www.xactlycorp.com/company/press-room/xactly-acquires-topopps-revolutionize-revenue-intelligence) needed help getting their sales teams to speak the same language. Like most start-ups, everyone was following their own path and we needed to work on delivering a consistent and cohesive message to their prospects. After spending time and listening to Richard, the entire sales organization from the executive team down to the new sales team onboarding now speaks the same language, executes a familiar pitch, and has a consistent sales process that everyone follows. --- ### [Babyli.st](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/babyli-st/) **Published:** October 4, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Creator, Natalie Gordon, was pregnant with her son and couldn’t find a baby registry that suited her needs. She wanted a place where she could register for frozen meals, pet sitting for her German Shepherd, & an eco-friendly diaper service… along with all other things baby. So, she took things into her own hands and created a better online baby registry. [BabyLi.st](https://www.babylist.com/) enlisted The Harris Consulting Group for sales training and to address the specific need of guidance on their sales process. --- ### [Yozio](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/yozio/) **Published:** January 26, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Yozio’s Mobile Growth Platform is built from the ground up to help track, acquire, activate and engage new users through organic, non-paid channels like email, SMS, web, mobile web, and social media. SDK or no SDK. 95% of all mobile app installs come from organic, non-paid channels. For the best mobile teams, more than half of those organic installs come from email, SMS, mobile web, and social media. Yet, mobile growth teams often lack the commonly available tools used in traditional web marketing to measure, acquire and convert those users. Until now. --- ### [Workspot](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/workspot/) **Published:** January 26, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Workspot](https://www.workspot.com/) has raised over $15 million in funding from investors, including Helion Ventures, Translink Capital, and Qualcomm. Built on a 100% cloud multi-tenant service, Workspot Control provisions desktops and applications sets security policies, manages user-profiles and access, and monitors performance in real-time. As a cloud service, Workspot Control scales instantly, is highly available, and always up to date. --- ### [Udemy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/udemy/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Udemy](https://www.udemy.com/) built something great and wanted to take it to next level and brought in the Harris Consulting Group to improve their inside sales team’s prospecting and communication skills when talking to prospects. They also asked for help on how to train the inside sales team to have a personal and professional business to business conversation. --- ### [Visistat](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/visistat/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Visistat](https://www.visistat.com/) brought in the Harris Consulting Group to improve their sales team’s prospecting and communication skills when talking to a prospects. Through the sales training, Richard spoke with the sales team about earning the right to ask specific questions from customers and how to qualify sales leads before extensive time investments. --- ### [StudyLog](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/studylog/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [StudyLog](https://www.studylog.com/) was referred to The Harris Consulting Group by Apttus to rethink the traditional sales process and cycle. With Richard’s guidance and sales training, the team was able to completely overhaul the sales process from initial onboarding and understanding of the core products to the execution of a sales process. Everyone took part in the Sales Training from the sales reps to the CEO. This Sales Training Audit and rebuild further allowed for StudyLab to learn how to establish sales conversations through traditional contact means, but also how to gain the right to ask questions from in a sales show booth. --- ### [Outbound Engine](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/outbound-engine/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Through the past few years, [Outbound Engine](https://www.outboundengine.com/) has been on the fast track to growth with demand doubling every quarter. However, there was no set Sales Process or procedures, and as such the Sales Team could not keep up with the increased growth. To alleviate this problem, CEO-Branndon Stewart asked the Harris Consulting Group to train and develop a sales protocol. Mr. Stewart says, “The Harris Consulting Group stepped in and helped us quickly build a strong foundation, defined the sales process, and implemented a reporting process. All of which has resulted in a significant increase in deal velocity to close. We also now have a new executive dashboard for visibility into our pipeline. We highly recommend THCG services.” --- ### [Spanning](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/spanning/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Spanning](https://spanning.com/) wanted to focus on increasing the ROI on their outbound sales efforts. They brought The Harris Consulting Group in to train their reps on understanding the buyers’ journey while improving prospecting and negotiating skills. The tactics implemented help raise email response rates, grow the pipeline significantly, and close bigger deals. In fact, Jeff Erramospe, CEO says, “During Richard’s first day of training we secured a CEO meeting that led to our largest 6-figured deal in the history of the company.” --- ### [SocialChorus](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/socialchorus/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Like many start-ups, [SocialChorus](https://socialchorus.com/) had already built a strong inside sales organization and lead generation team but wanted to make sure everyone was following a similar process. The Harris Consulting Group was brought in to help strengthen the skills of the MDRs (Market Development Reps) and the Account Executives. For the MDR team time was spent on learning the buyers’ journey as it relates to the top of the funnel activities like emails, voicemails, and cold calling. Training included both classroom, role-playing, and live contact exercises. Additional training included 1:1s for professional development and specific sales training based on individual performance. For the Sales Team, the Harris Consulting Group spent time teaching understanding the buyers’ journey and the psychology of how people make decisions. This further progressed into training the team to better maintain control of the sales conversations, as well as earning the right to ask questions, and of course, understanding when, where, why, and how to ask those questions. To solidify this training additional time was spent in the classroom, role-playing, and call coaching during real sales calls. --- ### [Revel Systems](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/revel-systems/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Revel Systems](https://revelsystems.com/) sales training kickoff program by the Harris Consulting Group brought in 40 plus inside sales reps and SDRs. Through the program, Revel systems were looking for both strategic and tactical training that the sales reps could use immediately in the sales cycle. Training included learning about the buyers’ journey, how decisions are made by clients, as well as discovery and closing techniques. Richard also focused on respect contracts. Respect contract was based on teaching sales rep how to not only respect prospects, but to also respect themselves so both are on equal value conversation. --- ### [Pushpay](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/pushpay/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Pushpay](https://pushpay.com/) has quickly scaled of their sales development, SDR, team to 40 reps and needed the Sales Hacker and The Harris Consulting Group to provide a comprehensive training specifically designed around inbound and outbound prospecting teams focusing specifically on cold calling and prospecting best practices. Time was divided between a classroom learning environment with real-world discussions about customer pains/challenges and the overall Pushpay solution in their own words. Additional time was given with one to one coaching for SDRs and Sales Managers via AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions. The Harris Consulting Group and Sales Hacker also held a specific training session on getting around and getting through the Gatekeeper. Through the training session, the SDR team was taught skills to get past the secretary or “gatekeeper” in order to speak directly with the person of interest. Within 24 hours of the first day of training, PushPay reported a large increase in productivity and appointments set rates --- ### [Mashery](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/mashery/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Mashery](https://www.mashery.com/) was one of Richard’s last full-time jobs before he established the Harris Consulting Group. During his time with Mashery, Richard worked directly with the SDR team to focus on connecting directly with enterprise and fortune 1000 organizations to establish a revenue stream based on successful API programs. This process formed the foundation of what is now standard practice. --- ### [LevelEleven](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/leveleleven/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [LevelEleven](https://leveleleven.com/) was looking to increase conversions and close ratios. With the help of The Harris Consulting Group, LevelEleven was able to more strongly identify the buyers’ journey, the pains of their buyers based on titles and roles, as well as build a greater rapport with all prospects. By the end of the training, all reps were better at properly articulating the LevelEleven Value Prop based on their prospects’ needs while increasing the velocity through the sales funnel. In fact, Bob Marsh, founder and CEO of LevelEleven says, “With Richard’s help I am confident my sales team has a specific plan to execute on every sales call from the first qualification call to the last closing call.” --- ### [Helm Operations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/helm-operations/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Helm Operations](https://www.helmoperations.com/) sought help from the Harris Consulting Group to contact and sell to an established customer base. The current sales structure was for the SDR team to set appointments, the sales team to close deals, and the customer success team to follow up with a SaaS solution for existing customers. Under the Harris Consulting Group’s guidance, each group was taught best practice and utilized 1:1 training exercise. The SDR team was educated on prospecting best practices and focused specifically on the anatomy of a cold call. The sales training also utilized group sessions and material for how to capture a client’s attention in 25 words or less. No longer saying, “Hi this is \_\_\_\_ from \_\_\_\_\_. This one phrase is so synonymous with a sales pitch that it can ALWAYS cause the prospect to put up an immediate wall of resistance to a sales call. For the account executive team, The Harris Consulting Group discussed the buyer’s journey and how to earn the right to ask questions of a prospect. Sales training techniques were also used to build confidence for when a salesperson must handle the uncomfortable parts of the sales call. For the customer success team, a program was created for building and implementing a kickoff strategy for new customers that would increase adoption of the software and reduce customer churn. The Harris Consulting Group also worked with Helm Operations to train their customer success team on best practices for resolving issues but also being mindful of up-selling and cross-selling other viable software products. --- ### [Evestment](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/evestment/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** This fast-growing financial company called upon the Harris Consulting Group to train their [Evestment](https://www.evestment.com/) sales development team of 13 people on how to identify the [ideal customer profile](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/ideal-customer-profile/) and better prospects via email, phone, and voicemail. Through Richard’s sales training sessions the focus on increasing the positive response rates from outbound prospecting and cold calling. This also included subjects like how to earn someone’s attention in order to increase positive response rates. From the sales training, eVestment reported better-qualified pipelines and reduce sales cycles. --- ### [Dynamic Signal](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/dynamic-signal/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** The Harris Consulting Group thrives on referrals and also on past success. In the case with [Dynamic Signal](https://dynamicsignal.com/), Richard was asked to again implement his proven sales training technique by the VP of Marketing, Communication, and Sales Development – Dave Hawley. Mr. Hawley was previously at another company that Richard had revamped with his inside sales training approach and upon joining Dynamic Signal Mr. Hawley wanted to ensure his team was provided with the strongest foundation of top-of-the-funnel lead generation sales processes and techniques. During the course of the sales training, the emphasis was provided to the sales development team specifically with top of the funnel and sales pipeline growth in mind. Furthermore, Richard conducted one-on-one sales training with each member of the SDR team to provide sales and career guidance and coaching. Since this team was made up primarily of millennials the feedback was greatly appreciated and accepted as coaching is something millennials want far more than their predecessors. With the Harris Consulting Group’s guidance, the theory of N.E.A.T. SellingTM and the Respect ContractTM were also implemented to teach and refine how the Sales Development Team earns the right to ask questions through quickly establishing rapport and mutual respect. --- ### [Datahug](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/datahug/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Datahug](https://www.sap.com/acquired-brands/what-is-datahug.html) was recently acquired by CallidusCloud to be an essential part of the company’s future expansion and service offerings. “There are more than 50 million companies in the world. They all want better sales forecasting. Datahug’s unique, patented technology delivers rich, predictive analysis of sales pipelines in a visually stunning way. Being able to better predict the outcomes of sales cycles and identify the right sales opportunities means big value for our Lead to Money customers,” said Leslie Stretch, president, and CEO, CallidusCloud. The Harris Consulting Group was brought in following the acquisition to level set the sales team and provide ongoing support from CallidusCloud. The training included a sales team of various skill sets and including a co-founder of Datahug. During the sales training, Richard was asked to customize specifically for Datahug’s sales skills and experience. The training incorporated hard and soft sales strategies for pipeline growth, acceleration, and close/win ratios. --- ### [Datanyze](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/datanyze/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Datanyze](https://www.datanyze.com/) is still a young company and has been generating exceptional growth rates, up to 25% in some months. Realizing that it needed a formal training program it hired The Harris Consulting Group to support the sales executives focused on the middle of the funnel. Through the training experience, Datanyze sales executives were walked through a series of techniques specifically tailored to closing strategies following demo engagements. --- ### [PandaDoc](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/pandadoc/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** It was quickly established that there was a specific need to level set the sales group due to the wide range of experience levels. The foundation for the Sales Team had to include understanding the sales process, building sales training protocol to make sure everyone spoke the same language, creating flow pathways, and teaching strategic and tactical execution to enhance pipeline growth and increase close ratios. Establishing this level set however required a collaborative classroom environment that utilized real play and role-play scenarios, along with one-on-one call coaching for the sales reps. With the Harris Consulting Group’s guidance, a custom plan for the [PandaDoc](https://www.pandadoc.com/) sales team was created and based around the theory of N.E.A.T. sellingTM and the Respect ContractTM. These elements allowed the sales team to earn the right to ask questions through quickly establishing rapport and mutual respect. Feedback from the team was immediate and deeply impactful. Many reps have seen their sales conversations, pipeline predictability, and closing skills all improve. --- ### [Gainsight](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/gainsight/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Gainsight](https://www.gainsight.com/) brought in The Harris Consulting Group to help develop and refine their sales process. From there, the entire organization, not just sales, was trained on sales best practices that drive real sales volume. --- ### [Findly](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/findly/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [Findly](http://www.findly.com/) – The Harris Consulting Group was brought in to provide sales training customized around improving the quality of outbound prospecting efforts and filling the top of the funnel with qualified opportunities. --- ### [Litmos](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/litmos/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** Richard Harris was brought in by CallidusCloud to help form a strong sales training program and work with [Litmos](https://www.litmos.com/) and other brands under CallidusCloud. The Harris Consulting Group was hired in 2016 for an ongoing year-long training program that will focus on all aspects of the sales cycle from SDR (Top of Funnel), to AE (Middle Of Funnel), and to Customer Success (Backend of Funnel.) --- ### [dESCO](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/case-study/desco/) **Published:** January 29, 2021 **Author:** Shawna **Content:** [dESCO](http://desco.descoindustries.com/)’s long history of excellence had built something great and wanted to take their sales team to the next level. The Harris Consulting Group was brought in to improve their inside sales team’s communication skills when talking to prospects. They also asked for help on how to train the inside sales team to have a personal and professional business to a business conversation with the theory of N.E.A.T. SellingTM and the Respect ContractTM. These elements allowed the sales team to earn the right to ask questions through quickly establishing rapport and mutual respect. --- ## Campaigns ### [Customized Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/campaign/customized-sales-training/) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Richard Harris **Content:** [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) 30-minute conversation · no pitch · no pressure [ Book a call with Richard ](#book-a-call) [ ![The Harris Consulting Group Logo](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/thcg_logo.png) ](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) No obligation · 30 min Customized sales training for B2B teams ## Your sales team deserves training that actually sticks — not a generic workshop they forget by Friday. Richard Harris works directly with your team to build a sales training program around your buyers, your process, and your people. Day-one applicable. No junior facilitators. No off-the-shelf curriculum. [ Schedule a 30-minute conversation ](#book-a-call) Or call Richard directly: [415.596.9149](tel:+14155969149) - You always work directly with Richard — no junior facilitators - 100% customized to your sales motion and buyers - 4-week training & reinforcement program — sales team and managers included - Custom AI coaching bot included with every program Why teams choose Richard ## Built Different from Day One #### You work with Richard — always No bait-and-switch. No junior facilitators. Richard personally runs every engagement, from discovery through delivery and reinforcement. #### Zero generic curriculum Every program is built around your specific buyers, personas, and selling motion. Your reps apply what they learn the very next day. #### 4-week reinforcement program included Training that sticks requires reinforcement. Every program includes structured follow-up sessions for both your sales team and managers — at no extra cost. What clients say ## Results that Speak for Themselves ★★★★★ “When I talk to other people who compete with Richard for deals, they can’t help themselves — they end up recommending him too. If you want strategies that are practical and diabolically effective for driving more pipeline, Richard is your guy.” JS **Jesse Stein**Founder & CEO, Hermetic A ★★★★★ “Richard’s training went beyond traditional sales techniques, focusing deeply on discovery: uncovering buyer motivations, understanding the economic impact of their pain points, and identifying key decision-makers with precision.” SK **Sophia K.**Enterprise Sales at Everlaw ★★★★★ “We saw immediate and consistent implementation and impact of Richard’s training.” GH **Greg Holmes**Head of Sales at Zoom ★★★★★ “He did a great job of not just teaching but getting the team to apply the things they learned. I also think he did a great job of pushing back on the those won’t work here assumptions” NM **Nick Mehta**Co-Founder/CEO at Gainsight Rather talk now? Call or text Richard: [415.596.9149](tel:+14155969149) — yes, his real cell. ## Let’s Talk About Your Team This is a 30-minute conversation — not a sales pitch. Richard will ask about your team’s current challenges, your selling motion, and where the biggest gaps are. You’ll leave with a clear point of view on what to do next, whether you work with us or not. - Focused on SaaS, B2B tech, and high-growth teams - Also works with non-technical B2B organizations - SDR, AE, and sales management training available - In-person or live virtual delivery © 2026 [The Harris Consulting Group](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com) | [Privacy Policy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/privacy-policy/) --- ## Categories ### [Inside Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/inside-sales/) **Description:** This group of sales professionals whose primary location is stable and out of a single location could be an office setting or a work from home situation. --- ### [Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-training-2/) **Description:** Sales training is the interaction whereby one salesperson improves and increases their sales knowledge, sales skills, to improve sales performance --- ### [SDR Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sdr-training/) **Description:** Also known as BDR or MDR training, this is a very specific form of sales training that focuses on teaching sales reps, often early in their career --- ### [Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales/) **Description:** In Sales we’ll look at the buyers’ journey and sellers journey to form a complete sales process or transaction. --- ### [Sales Trainer](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-trainer/) **Description:** Sales trainers conduct sales training, often in person but this can also be done in a virtual environment or via on online sales training portal or sales training platform --- ### [Online Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/online-sales-training/) **Description:** Online Sales Training focuses on the ability for someone in the sales profession to improve their sales knowledge and sales skills via an educational platform provided online. This is often part of an LMS or considered virtual training. --- ### [Discovery Skills](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/discovery-skills/) **Description:** In all forms of sales, inside and outside sales, the goal is to understand your suspects’, prospects’, and customers’ points of view. --- ### [Sales Kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-kickoff/) **Description:** A sales kickoff is a company-wide gathering often at the beginning of a fiscal year or quarter to bring the sales team and other members. --- ### [Inside Sales Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/inside-sales-training/) **Description:** Similar to sales training in general, but slightly more specific and designed for non-field or outside sales teams, overall sales skills improvements are the desired outcome, but additional focus on the following sales skills may be included: Cold calling, cold emailing, gatekeeper training, and social selling. --- ### [AE Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/ae-training/) **Description:** Also called Account Executive Training, we’ll examine this type of sales training, with its very specific focus on improving the discovery and qualifying skills of sales account executives, specifically how to take control of a conversation from the initial sales meeting all the way through the sales process including negotiation and closing. --- ### [Customer Success Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/customer-success-training/) **Description:** This is training for the individuals who own an account after the sale has been made. They could have titles of Customer Success, Account Manager. --- ### [WFH](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/wfh/) --- ### [Work From Home](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/work-from-home/) --- ### [Field Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/field-sales/) --- ### [Marketing](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/marketing/) --- ### [Events](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/events/) --- ### [Consultative Selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/consultative-selling/) --- ### [Sales Management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-management/) --- ### [Sales Management Training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-management-training/) --- ### [Sales Messaging](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-messaging/) --- ### [Founder Led Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/founder-led-sales/) --- ### [SMB Teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/smb-teams/) --- ### [Enterprise Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/enterprise-sales/) --- ### [Reinforcement](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/reinforcement/) **Description:** Reinforcement --- ### [Objection Handling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/objection-handling/) --- ### [Storytelling Skills](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/storytelling-skills/) --- ### [Compensation Plans](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/compensation-plans/) --- ### [Sales Leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-leadership/) --- ### [sales teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-teams/) --- ### [Sales Forecasting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-forecasting/) --- ### [AI Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/ai-sales/) --- ### [Transactional Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/transactional-sals/) --- ### [Sales Methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-methodology/) --- ### [Sales Technology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-technology/) --- ### [Revenue Growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/revenue-growth/) --- ### [Sales Operations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-operations/) --- ### [B2B Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/b2b-sales/) --- ### [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/sales-training/) --- ### [Customer Success](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/category/customer-success/) --- ## Tags ### [sales reps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-reps/) --- ### [sales training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-training/) --- ### [sales rep](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-rep/) --- ### [SDR](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sdr/) --- ### [Lead Generation Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/lead-generation-team/) --- ### [Field Reps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/field-reps/) --- ### [sales manager](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-manager/) --- ### [spin selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/spin-selling/) --- ### [solution selling](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/solution-selling/) --- ### [sales kickoff](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-kickoff/) --- ### [sko](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sko/) --- ### [Enterprise Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/enterprise-sales-team/) --- ### [Lead Gen Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/lead-gen-team/) --- ### [Sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales/) --- ### [Sales Meeting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-meeting/) --- ### [Buyers Journey](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/buyers-journey/) --- ### [Fields Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/fields-sales-team/) --- ### [Selling Conversations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/selling-conversations/) --- ### [sales kickoff meeting](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-kickoff-meeting/) --- ### [crm](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/crm/) --- ### [inside sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/inside-sales/) --- ### [lead generation](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/lead-generation/) --- ### [voicemail scripts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/voicemail-scripts/) --- ### [Start-Up](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/start-up/) --- ### [sales strategies](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-strategies/) --- ### [training](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/training/) --- ### [women in sales](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/women-in-sales/) --- ### [the xx factor](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/the-xx-factor/) --- ### [field 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[saleshacker](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/saleshacker/) --- ### [strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/strategy/) --- ### [sales development reps](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-development-reps/) --- ### [startups](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/startups/) --- ### [start up strategies](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/start-up-strategies/) --- ### [sales scripts](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-scripts/) --- ### [sales teams](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-teams/) --- ### [sales methodology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-methodology/) --- ### [sales philosophy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-philosophy/) --- ### [Inside Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/inside-sales-team/) --- ### [Sales Team](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-team/) --- ### [Metrics](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/metrics/) --- ### [BDR](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/bdr/) --- ### [sales process](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-process/) --- ### [sales management](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-management/) --- ### [sales leadership](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-leadership/) --- ### [managing millennials](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/managing-millennials/) --- ### [sales strategy](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-strategy/) --- ### [bant](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/bant/) --- ### [anum](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/anum/) --- ### [sales culture](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-culture/) --- ### [leadership roles](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/leadership-roles/) --- ### [AE](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/ae/) --- ### [job interviews](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/job-interviews/) --- ### [interviews](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/interviews/) --- ### [hiring manager](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/hiring-manager/) --- ### [resume](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/resume/) --- ### [update your resume](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/update-your-resume/) --- ### [revenue operations](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/revenue-operations/) --- ### [rev ops](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/rev-ops/) --- ### [sales ops](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-ops/) --- ### [marketing ops](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/marketing-ops/) --- ### [account executives](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/account-executives/) --- ### [sales technology](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sales-technology/) --- ### [Growth](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/growth/) --- ### [sko meetings](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/sko-meetings/) --- ### [efficiency](https://theharrisconsultinggroup.com/tag/efficiency/) --- ### 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