Practical Sales Podcast - By Atlantic Growth Solutions

AGS has created the Sales Organization Health Assessment, a series of questions to benchmark the Health of your Sales Operation against other, similar organizations. On this Podcast, Kyle talks with Chris Cummins, CRO at Appcast, about what the healthiest Sales Organizations are doing. Appcast is the industry leader in Programmatic Job Advertising, and has a diverse team spanning Business Development, Marketing and Account Management Roles. 

Chris and Kyle talk about a huge range of topics:

• Having a Sales Plan - From the CEO, CRO, VP of Sales, all the way to Sales Reps
• Aligning Reps to the Sales Plan - Ensure their goals are communicated CLEARLY and without clutter
• Shared Goals between Sales and Marketing - Could be multiple podcasts worth of content, but they have to be working together
• Performance Management
• Training and Development - Ongoing Skills training, Podcasts, Books, Leadership Led Sessions
• Defined Sales Process - Don't just define, but share and revisit OFTEN
• Hitting Revenue - This is the overall metric, but can't be the single guiding metric. 

Check out the latest episode, and take the Sales Organization Health Assessment HERE

Kevin Duffer, VP of Sales and Business Development for Management Concepts (Professional Training and Certification company largely servicing US Federal Government and Large Businesses) joins Kyle to discuss a wide range of B2B Sales Topics. 

• Know your Solution ... Better than anyone
• Know your Competitors ... Better than anyone
• Know your Prospect ... Better than anyone

These are the Core Philosophies that Kevin uses to guide his Business Development and Sales Strategy. He is always learning. Right up until that RFP is submitted, the deal is won/lost or the PO is received.  Leveraging knowledge he can obtain from any source, he is always improving his expertise in his area of focus.

Kyle and Kevin talk about the upside and downside of Virtual Training and New Employee Onboarding. They also dive into Sales Knowledge Download for new hires, Building relationships with competitors or other businesses already selling into your prospect organization and the need to continuously grow your Professional Network.

Tera Gillen quite literally grew up in the world of Inside Sales. Climbing her way upwards from Business Development to VP of Inside Sales for Small and Medium Enterprises for Skillsoft in North America. 

In this Episode, Tera and Kyle discuss:

• Focusing on the Evolving Profile of an Ideal Customer
• Increased Engagement From Prospects
• Roles and Traits of a Hunter vs. Grower Personality
• Making sure your Team understands the WHY
• AND MORE!

Tera is a True expert when it comes to leading an inside Sales Team. We can't wait to have her back on the PSPod soon!

Sales Organizations are now required to partially or fully reinvent the way they approach B2B sales. 

In April 2020, AGS conducted a Business Leader Sales Survey. This survey was designed to understand the major issues facing Business Leaders caused by the Pandemic.  

The Survey had 4 Major Sections:

1. Areas Sales Managers Need Help
2. Urgent Priorities vs. Top Priorities
3. Main Area of Focus for Business Leaders Moving Forward
4. Areas Business Leaders Recognize they need Help

Mark joins Kyle to discuss the survey results, what mindset Business Leaders and Sales Leaders may find themselves in currently, and their challenges and focus moving forward. 

Full Survey Results can be found HERE on our AGS website.

Doug King : A true expert in Everything Related to Sales Talent

• 30+ Years of Sales Experience
• Built a Team of over 320 Sales Professionals
• Experienced in both sides of the Hiring "Coin"

Doug Shares DOZENS of practical takeaways from both Perspectives: Those who want to get hired, and those who are hiring.

For Sales Professionals Looking for a New Opportunity:

• Take time to collect your thoughts
• Leverage your existing Network
• Identify as "Open to New Opportunities" on LinkedIn
• Prepare, Prepare Prepare for an interview
• Interviews are 50/50 - Ask Questions to Evaluate if the company is a good fit for you
• Follow Up
• Reflect on Past Sales Wins - Use these to refresh and recharge your process and mindset

Sales Organizations Looking to Hire New Talent:

• Leverage Referrals (And Compensate Well For Them)
• Review / Upgrade your Companies Career Page
• Involve Sales Leadership in Candidate Process
• BENCH BUILD - Don't just Hire when you have an empty seat
• Bad Hire can Cost as much as $500,000 to an Organization
• ... And Many, Many More

"Doug's knowledge of the Sales Landscape from the perspective of a Sales Professional and the Sales Organizations is truly worldclass. 

I thoroughly hope you enjoy the interview with Doug as much as I did." - Kyle

Doug King : A true expert in Everything Related to Sales Talent

• 30+ Years of Sales Experience
• Built a Team of over 320 Sales Professionals
• Experienced in both sides of the Hiring "Coin"

Doug Shares DOZENS of practical takeaways from both Perspectives: Those who want to get hired, and those who are hiring.

For Sales Professionals Looking for a New Opportunity:

• Take time to collect your thoughts
• Leverage your existing Network
• Identify as "Open to New Opportunities" on LinkedIn
• Prepare, Prepare Prepare for an interview
• Interviews are 50/50 - Ask Questions to Evaluate if the company is a good fit for you
• Follow Up
• Reflect on Past Sales Wins - Use these to refresh and recharge your process and mindset

Sales Organizations Looking to Hire New Talent:

• Leverage Referrals (And Compensate Well For Them)
• Review / Upgrade your Companies Career Page
• Involve Sales Leadership in Candidate Process
• BENCH BUILD - Don't just Hire when you have an empty seat
• Bad Hire can Cost as much as $500,000 to an Organization
• ... And Many, Many More

"Doug's knowledge of the Sales Landscape from the perspective of a Sales Professional and the Sales Organizations is truly worldclass. 

I thoroughly hope you enjoy the interview with Doug as much as I did." - Kyle

Ensure all of your written and verbal communications follow the “3 R” framework. Be Recognizable, Ensure you are Relevant, and get to the point Right Away.

Ensure all of your written and verbal communications follow the “3 R” framework. Be Recognizable, Ensure you are Relevant, and get to the point Right Away.

Its Summertime.  The Weather has likely been great where you are listening from. Which typically (in the business community) means VACATIONS!

And with Vacations, Comes Out Of Office (OOO) Emails.

As a Sales Professionals, OOO's may seem like a roadblock to your Business Development and Prospecting Efforts. However, They can be a goldmine of CRM worthy data, which could actually HELP in your efforts, rather than hinder. 

Kyle discusses a few key details to look for in OOO's from your prospects, and also flips it around and talks a little about what you should include in your OOO in case a prospect sees it.

Reality - Businesses have less than 5 months left in 2020. Likely, they have to do 10 months worth of business in those months to have any chance of matching 2020's projected revenues.

Special Guest Mark Haines-Lacey, CEO of Atlantic Growth Solutions discusses the lat few months and the mindset business leaders have gone through. He discusses ways businesses can work to gain ground on their 2020 revenue targets after a rough Q1 and Q2 for many businesses.

The Strategic Account Planning Document that Mark Discusses can be found on our Site (AtlanticGrowthSolutions.com) for Download.