WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.280 --> 00:00:04.360 You have got to show up the first time with 2 00:00:04.480 --> 00:00:07.280 a process and a mindset and a way of doing things. 3 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:11.480 The signals that you are all about the moment that 4 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:14.160 you're in. You're not about getting some outcome like getting 5 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:14.519 a deal. 6 00:00:18.679 --> 00:00:21.519 You're listening to the audible Ready podcast. The show that 7 00:00:21.559 --> 00:00:25.359 helps you and your teams sell more Faster. Will feature 8 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:27.879 sales leaders sharing their best insights on how to create 9 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:31.039 a sales engine that helps you fuel repeatable revenue growth. 10 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:34.119 Presented by the team at Force Management, a leader in 11 00:00:34.200 --> 00:00:36.759 B to B sales effectiveness. Let's get started. 12 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:41.679 Hello and welcome to the Audible Ready Sales Podcast. I'm 13 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:45.560 Rachel Klett Miller. Joining me today is our own Brian Walsh. 14 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:47.399 Hi Brian, how are you well? 15 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:50.840 Rachel? I've been great. I've been up for eight and 16 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:53.880 a half hours today because one of my dogs got skunked. 17 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:57.039 At three point thirty in the morning, a beautiful fall 18 00:00:57.159 --> 00:01:00.200 night in Cleveland. One of the dogs had to go out, 19 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:02.799 so they both went and one of them got skunked. 20 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:07.680 So I'm dealing with skunk smell on me in my house, 21 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.760 on my dog. It's been a fabulous eight hour shart 22 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:12.439 to my week. 23 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:17.719 Let's go oh, oh my gosh, well that is a 24 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:19.079 start to your week, Brian. 25 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:22.480 Right through it, it was like walking through a haze 26 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:24.599 of a horror movie. I smelled it and I went 27 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:27.280 to grab the dog and literally I felt it coming 28 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:27.840 over me. 29 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:28.359 It was. 30 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:30.200 It was terrific. 31 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:34.959 Laugh right, and you don't well, I will see you 32 00:01:35.000 --> 00:01:39.079 don't sound like or look like you smell like skunk. 33 00:01:39.239 --> 00:01:44.159 So there's that. We don't do these podcasts in smell 34 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:46.000 a vision, right exactly. 35 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:54.079 So as we shift to sales topics today, Brian, we're 36 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:58.280 going to talk through some best practices for staying tethered 37 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:05.040 to accounts no matter what you smell like. Right, We 38 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:07.959 know we need to do it, but how do we 39 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:09.960 do it? How do we make it part of our 40 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:13.439 selling discipline, our habits? So this is what we're going 41 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:16.759 to talk about today. And Brian, I know that you've sold, 42 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:20.319 you've managed, you've coached, you've helped entire organizations get better 43 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:23.319 at this. I want to start with just hearing from 44 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:27.199 you about the mindset that we all need to have 45 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:28.560 in order to do this. 46 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:33.000 Well. Yeah, so I think the mindset has got to 47 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:37.800 be about lifetime value. Now, look, I know some organizations 48 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:41.360 aren't built around the concept of extracting lifetime value and 49 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:43.960 having long term relationships. And if you're not, you should 50 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:46.439 probably just hang up from this podcast. But if you are, 51 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:52.000 if you're interested in long term relationships right and more 52 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:56.520 wallet share, that's the reason this conversation matters because in 53 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:59.479 my mind, it's actually the only way to get there 54 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:02.120 is to have this mindset that says we're going to 55 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:04.319 do all the right things from the moment we enter. 56 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:05.560 And I know you're going to ask me some of 57 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:08.080 the questions, so I'll just stop right there. But I 58 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:11.120 just think the mindset has got to be about long 59 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:14.120 term growths, not just retention. 60 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:20.080 That makes sense, yes, long term growth, and it's really 61 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:24.360 more than just checking in on the accounts. I have 62 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:26.879 some vendors that we've worked with that I can feel 63 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.039 that they're just checking in, like some task popped up 64 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:32.319 in Salesforce and they need to just send me an email. 65 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:36.680 So how do you prevent the appearance of just checking 66 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.240 the box when you're checking in with your contact? 67 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:41.800 That's a great question. It goes back to what I said, 68 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:44.479 It starts the moment you enter, right, So I think 69 00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:49.000 that's the first thing. The moment you enter a customer organization, 70 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:52.960 the way you enter that initial conversation and how you 71 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.319 set that up, and how you set up how you 72 00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:58.400 think about the relationship that you're going to have, and 73 00:03:58.439 --> 00:04:00.639 how you speak to that in terms of value act. 74 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:03.919 That's the goalpost that you're kind of creating or setting up. 75 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:10.199 So it starts with that both internal and external communication, right, 76 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:13.599 so as other people come in and out from both 77 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:17.560 our organization or the customers organizations, there's this ability to 78 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:21.439 constantly have a why that matters more than anything else. 79 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:23.680 Why are we here, What are we trying to solve? 80 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:26.720 What does great look like? Then you can get into 81 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:28.519 the what what do you do to get there? And 82 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:33.240 all of that. But it also I think includes the 83 00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:37.079 understanding that there are results measures that everybody cares about, 84 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:40.959 right getting a deal, getting to an ROI for a customer, etc. 85 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:44.879 Those are results measures. I want to focus on what 86 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:47.600 I call the process measures from the moment I enter, 87 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:51.319 meaning what are the things that we're doing that give 88 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:55.000 us the best chance to qualify this opportunity for both 89 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:57.879 sides and be honest with each other about what this 90 00:04:57.959 --> 00:05:00.439 opportunity is or is it, and where this opportunity is 91 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:03.079 or isn't where it's going or where it's not, so 92 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:05.920 that every step of the way, we're doing the right 93 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:08.160 things in the right way at the right time before 94 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:10.120 the sale and after the sale, which give us the 95 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:13.160 best chance of getting to those outcomes. And it's also 96 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:14.839 the kinds of things that we can use You've heard 97 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:18.560 me talk about this before to measure where we are 98 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:20.920 and getst getting there so we can course correct or 99 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:24.279 adjust along the way. And I think less but not 100 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:27.560 least if you agree with that kind of take on 101 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:31.120 the world, it also means that And I'm right now 102 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:34.920 kind of thinking about the frontline individual contributor who's leading 103 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:38.079 a customer relationship with other people that's around them. But 104 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:44.279 someone's got to take accountability to those behaviors or short 105 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:49.120 term process metrics or it's already lost, right, And any 106 00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:53.560 outcomes that you get are just kind of luck and happenstance. 107 00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:56.079 So I think that's the first thing. You have got 108 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.439 to show up the first time with a process and 109 00:05:59.480 --> 00:06:02.360 a mindset and a way of doing things that signals 110 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:06.120 that you are all about the moment that you're in. 111 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:08.720 You're not about getting some outcome like getting a deal. 112 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.319 Yeah, it's about managing the now so you can better 113 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:13.319 manage the future. 114 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:18.000 Right, Yeah, you set up what the future is all about. Yeah, 115 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.800 this conversation and where we're trying to go. Yeah, and there's. 116 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:23.720 Two parts of this which you've kind of mentioned, Like 117 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:25.800 one is staying titled when you're trying to sell that 118 00:06:25.879 --> 00:06:29.040 initial deal and then then post sales. So I want 119 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:32.040 to talk about the two of those. I know that 120 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:35.040 even some of our customers right now are kind of shifting, 121 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:39.160 like the consumption a consumption model, So what you were 122 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:44.199 responsible with in the relationship before might be different now 123 00:06:44.279 --> 00:06:48.000 and your role may be adjusting. But anyway, so let's 124 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:51.360 just talk about staying tethered when you're first selling, when 125 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:58.120 you're first building that customer relationship. We talk about validating 126 00:06:58.279 --> 00:07:01.480 and qualifying the deal, which require byers you stay tethered. Right, 127 00:07:01.480 --> 00:07:03.160 But what does that mean to you when I say that? 128 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:05.319 And how do I make sure I have discipline around 129 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:06.040 that as a rep? 130 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:09.560 Yeah? Great question, And I think you're right, there's the 131 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:11.800 before and the after. The two are connected. But on 132 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:14.920 the before side of this, I think it's the thing 133 00:07:14.959 --> 00:07:19.720 that the best sellers always do. They ensure that every 134 00:07:19.759 --> 00:07:26.199 conversation starts and finishes with what we've heard, but before 135 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:30.240 that even happens. The best people understand that every interaction 136 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:34.240 with a customer, and again i'm talking the before here, 137 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:37.480 before we even get the first deal and every deal 138 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:40.639 subsequently that we work on, but every interaction has a 139 00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:45.959 defined objective for that moment, and I define that step 140 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:50.439 so that before I that interaction even takes place, I 141 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:52.639 am ready along with the rest of my team at 142 00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:55.639 a minimum, and hopefully the customer is even ready because 143 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:58.120 I've gotten some people on the customer side prepared for 144 00:07:58.199 --> 00:08:01.439 this interaction before it takes place. But at a minimum, 145 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:05.920 I am showing up knowing, here's my objective for this moment, 146 00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:10.639 and here's what the appropriate next step is, assuming we 147 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:13.040 achieve that objective in the time that we have today, 148 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:16.800 so that I'm never trying to have to think in 149 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:18.680 the moment about, well, what's the right next thing to do, 150 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.439 or I'm not surprising people with some inappropriate next step 151 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:24.720 because it's all I can think of. So there's that 152 00:08:25.079 --> 00:08:28.040 there's this idea that I show up with, as I mentioned, 153 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:32.279 an ability to quickly draft people in who haven't been 154 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.320 there from my team or the customer's team with the Hey, 155 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:37.919 here's where we already are, Here's what we already know, 156 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:40.519 Here's what we're trying to solve for, here's what great 157 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:44.320 looks like. This playback of everything that we already know. 158 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:47.559 That I actually use at the beginning of a conversation 159 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:51.399 every conversation to draft other people in as I mentioned, 160 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:55.519 but to kick off more and deeper discovery, right, so 161 00:08:55.559 --> 00:08:58.240 I can in that moment always make sure that discoveries 162 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:01.440 are part of every conversation. I'm expanding and deepening the conversation. 163 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:05.159 And then lastly, I'm using that moment to always qualify 164 00:09:05.240 --> 00:09:07.240 who's in the room. I had. This happened just the 165 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:09.559 other day. I was in a conversation with one of 166 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:13.200 the sales team members on our team and five or 167 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:16.000 six people from a current client, and we're talking about 168 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:19.480 another thing, another issue that they're having, and it was 169 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:23.879 really interesting as we were doing deeper discovery with them 170 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:26.720 to start to figure out and I already know who 171 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:28.720 these people are. I've worked with them now for a while, 172 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:31.039 but it was interesting in that moment to realize, Oh, 173 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:35.480 in this case, this person has a lot more say 174 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:38.960 in the conversation that we're having than they had a 175 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:40.799 year and a half ago in a different conversation. They 176 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.000 were in the room for that conversation, but they didn't 177 00:09:43.080 --> 00:09:46.360 have the kind of say or sway this conversation. So 178 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:50.679 I'm constantly using this point of view to do all 179 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:53.480 of that qualification of who's who, what's what, all of that. 180 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:57.480 And I think the last thing Rachel is this also 181 00:09:57.519 --> 00:09:59.879 puts me in a position at the end of it 182 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:02.799 conversation or in the follow up in it like an 183 00:10:02.840 --> 00:10:06.679 email kind of thing, to not only recap and help 184 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.879 people realize that we've just expanded the conversation or gone deeper, 185 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:13.000 but even drop in new points of view. Hey, I've 186 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:15.440 been thinking about you can do this at the beginning too, Right, 187 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:18.000 here's what I've heard the last conversation. Here's a playback 188 00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:20.440 on what I've heard. But you know, there's something I 189 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:23.200 typically hear from other clients that I don't think we've 190 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:26.879 talked about yet. So it's really in my mind on 191 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:30.799 the pursuit side, all about showing up every step of 192 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:35.120 the way with a really solid understanding of you know 193 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.799 what I'm about to say. The challenges are trying to 194 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:41.600 truly help you think through and the outcomes attached to 195 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:43.840 solving true those and I think you're going to go 196 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:45.320 somewhere deeper solving it there. 197 00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:49.200 Yeah, and you mentioned a couple of ways that you 198 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:52.759 use that information as part of a follow up. I 199 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:56.679 think it's always helpful on these podcast when our experts 200 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:01.000 share some of their favorite questions that they use in 201 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:04.639 the conversation to validate some of the components or maybe 202 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:09.720 just kind of your tried and true ways to ensure 203 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:12.240 you're getting the information on the table that you need 204 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:15.320 to because we all know there's all this stuff going 205 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:18.000 on without you, right, so you make sure that you're 206 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:22.000 bringing this stuff up that you can validate some of 207 00:11:22.039 --> 00:11:23.000 the things that you need to. 208 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.679 Yeah. I think that's a great question. So first of all, 209 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.679 I would say it is very powerful if you have 210 00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:34.960 a point of view in terms of who matters and 211 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:37.960 why they matter. Because you've heard me say this before. 212 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:40.159 A lot of us were talked to ask the question, 213 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:42.120 who else is going to be involved in this decision? 214 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:45.000 And you know, I've come to believe that ninety percent 215 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:46.600 of the people we talk to you don't know. And 216 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:48.799 it's not that they don't care, it's just they don't 217 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:51.039 Whatever I do for a living. They're not involved in 218 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:53.120 that every single day. They're certainly not buying for it 219 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:55.919 every single day. So you probably have a much better 220 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:57.559 point of view anyhow as to who's going to be 221 00:11:57.559 --> 00:12:01.159 involved and why they matter for different reasons, right, I 222 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.159 care about the purchasing and the spend. I care about 223 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:05.960 the who we're going to buy from, or I care 224 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:09.519 about the how do we implement something successfully? So those 225 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:12.440 are typically going to be different people. So having a 226 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:14.799 point of view like that in my hip pocket makes 227 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:16.399 it a lot easier for me to put that on 228 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:19.720 the table and not have to ask, but to say, hey, 229 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:22.559 we have expertise, we know who the people in your 230 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:25.039 organization are going to be that are typically involved in 231 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:27.559 something like this, because now it puts you in a 232 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:32.480 position to ask for access for the right reasons. And 233 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:35.039 this is something that I think is really important, the 234 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:38.399 ability to ask for access in a way that most 235 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:41.000 people don't. Most people ask for access by saying, hey, 236 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.559 who else is going to be involved in this and 237 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:45.000 can I meet them? Now? That's one end of the 238 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:46.320 spectrum beca you know what I mean, a lot of 239 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:48.120 done that. I've done it, you know I did it. 240 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:50.200 But on the other end of that spectrum. It's a 241 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.200 person who can say, look, these are the people that 242 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:53.879 we know are going to be a part of this 243 00:12:53.919 --> 00:12:57.879 conversation for one of the following big reasons, and here's 244 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:02.840 why those people should see us. Like I purposefully say us, 245 00:13:02.879 --> 00:13:05.080 I'm talking to you, and I know that I also 246 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:08.120 need to get access to your CEO, your chief operating officer, 247 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:12.080 whatever I'll say, Rachel, here's why your chief operating officer 248 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:14.360 is going to care about this. From our experience, this 249 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:18.240 COO typically thinks about the following three or four things 250 00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:21.759 when it comes to this conversation. Here's why they're going 251 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:25.200 to care, and here's why you should take me there. 252 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:29.879 So now I've asked you in a valuable way for 253 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:32.399 both you and the other person I want access to. 254 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:35.159 And the why is not about me. Why is that 255 00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:37.399 I need to see them so I can check a 256 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:41.039 box and salesforce that I met the COO. I know, 257 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:44.039 here's why they care, Here's why you should take me. 258 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:47.320 And then I think, no matter who you're in front of, 259 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:50.399 one of the things you got to get comfortable with 260 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:53.080 and it just comes from doing it and learning that 261 00:13:53.159 --> 00:13:55.799 it's not all that scary a thing. To do. And 262 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:58.039 everyone who's listening to this who does this will agree 263 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:00.960 with me. You've got to get comfortable whatever you hear 264 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:04.919 and asking two or three more questions whatever they say, 265 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.320 you got to get comfortable. Well, so what I met 266 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:10.279 a guy in a client last earlier this year. I 267 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:12.440 just loved it. He's been very successful and he's very 268 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:15.120 honest about it. He said, I just keep asking the same question. 269 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:19.200 Well then what's just like, oh, and it works for 270 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:21.679 this guy, it's great, right, But you know it's like, 271 00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:24.840 well then what or so what or why does that matter? 272 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:27.639 Who else is impacted by this? Because here's what we 273 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:31.080 typically see or what will happen if you don't solve 274 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:36.080 for this. So your willingness to grab whatever you hear 275 00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:39.879 and pull on that thread two, three, four different ways, 276 00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:43.000 you know, even thinking about when you're talking about a 277 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:46.960 current situation or an outcome and the impacts, whether they're 278 00:14:47.000 --> 00:14:51.360 negative consequences or positive business outcomes. Typically there's four or 279 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:55.519 five constituencies that you can pull on the company, the team, 280 00:14:56.039 --> 00:15:01.559 the department, the customer. You am I willing to go 281 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:04.080 to that level of depth. That's I think how you 282 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:06.000 do this. You've got to be willing to go there. 283 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:10.840 Yeah, the depth is where you can really provide the value. 284 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.399 And I know I set this conversation up to talk 285 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:16.600 like the initial sale and then the post sale, and 286 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:20.480 the really truth is, Brian, everything you've said is a 287 00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:23.320 little bant after the sale, right, we still have requirements 288 00:15:23.320 --> 00:15:25.600 for success, we still have outcomes, we're still trying to 289 00:15:25.639 --> 00:15:28.840 drive all of that. But maybe just some pointed things 290 00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:33.279 we can talk about once you've established a relationship. What 291 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:36.320 are some common mistakes that you see reps make when 292 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:39.759 it comes to staying tethered to the account for the 293 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:43.799 long term, right after the initial whatever it is deal 294 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:44.559 is done. 295 00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:47.159 Well, the first mistake they make is they don't do 296 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:49.639 a great job on the front end of documenting and 297 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:52.919 getting customer agreement on what are the challenges we're trying 298 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:54.559 to help you solve and one of the outcomes that 299 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:56.799 we're trying to help you drive to. If you don't 300 00:15:56.840 --> 00:15:58.639 do that on the front end, this is going to 301 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:01.480 get really tough because now you're just going to be 302 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:04.279 viewed to someone that they're buying from. Right. So that's 303 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:06.840 the first thing. But the second mistake they make, when 304 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:09.440 they do make a mistake is even if they do 305 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:13.679 that well in the front end, they don't create short 306 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:18.360 term process measures that give the rest of the team 307 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:20.519 the ability to look for the things to tell them 308 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:22.960 they're heading in the right direction. All they get is, Hey, 309 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:28.039 the customer's got a goal of going live by September 310 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:31.279 first of twenty twenty five. Okay, well, what are the 311 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:33.879 other things we've agreed upon to put in place between 312 00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:35.840 now and then to make sure we're on the right track, 313 00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:38.440 and that two months in, if we're off track, we 314 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.679 have more than enough time to adjust. So there's that. 315 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:43.080 And then the other big mistake they make when they 316 00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:46.240 make them is they don't communicate those things effectively to 317 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.960 the people who are coming in after the fact. I 318 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:51.200 win the deal, I throw the deal over the fence 319 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.799 to somebody else. I'm like, good luck, let me know 320 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:56.799 if you need anything right versus Hey, here's exactly why 321 00:16:56.840 --> 00:17:00.360 this customer wont This is what's being put in place. 322 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:03.360 These are both the short term metrics so that we 323 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:06.359 can adjust as appropriate that give us the best chance 324 00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:09.160 they get to September one of next year, and or 325 00:17:09.640 --> 00:17:12.200 these are the outcomes we're trying to truly drive by then. 326 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:14.240 And then the other big mistake they make is they 327 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:16.880 expect other people to just go do it. Now. I 328 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:20.119 know the conversation models and the type of I'm in 329 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:23.960 will have an impact on this, but most companies do 330 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:27.319 have people who care about the successful outcome. So maybe 331 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:29.400 it's not the new business rep. Maybe their job is 332 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:31.759 to move on and go through something else. That's fine, 333 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.119 but there's somebody whose job it is to make this 334 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:36.759 thing happen, and whoever sold it has the responsibility to 335 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:39.079 communicate it so that this person can then take that 336 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:42.640 ball and run with it and lead. And then I 337 00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:45.559 think the last big mistake they make is they don't 338 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:49.160 stay engaged. They wait. I mean, they're happy to re 339 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:50.720 engage when they get a phone call that says, hey, 340 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:53.720 there's a new opportunity here, but they don't stay engaged. 341 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:55.799 So now they're kind of parachuting in and out of 342 00:17:55.799 --> 00:18:00.519 the account. And if you're in a role where you get, hey, 343 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.519 pass the first deal, I just think you have a 344 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:07.359 responsibility and customers react so much better to that level 345 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:10.440 of consistency that you didn't just handle the ball off 346 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:12.400 to somebody else and like, call me if you need me. 347 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:15.480 So those are my big three or four thoughts on that. 348 00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:20.079 Yeah, some great points there, Brian. And also this idea too. 349 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:23.400 I'm like, even if you're not compensated on what happens 350 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:27.400 after the initial sale, right, staying engaged can still drive value. 351 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:29.720 Like let's not forget referrals that people can throw you 352 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:31.079 when they're happy with the business. 353 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:31.359 Right. 354 00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:34.200 So I'd love to hear from you how you like 355 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.839 to stay in touch with people? Is it finding reasons 356 00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:39.920 to reach out? Like how do you do that? How 357 00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:43.559 do you make sure that you're continually being a resource, 358 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:46.400 whether or not you're compensated for it or not? Right? 359 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:52.279 I read? Okay, Yeah, that's somewhat for mudginally because I 360 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:55.000 think reading is becoming a lost art. And I have 361 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:57.079 to force myself too, because I get it. I mean, 362 00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:00.000 we get hit with so many different venues of communication 363 00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:03.240 these days, but I try to read the other thing 364 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:05.759 I try to do. And it's a little different for 365 00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:08.359 me because I'm now not an individual seller anymore. But 366 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:11.680 as a seller, I would find ways to do networking. 367 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:16.119 I'd do like CIO type dinners or lunches where I'd 368 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:19.240 get two CIOs I'm doing business with and two CIOs 369 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:22.519 and I'm trying to get more time with etc. And 370 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:25.079 I get them together, and you know those kinds of things. 371 00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:28.240 I'm constantly looking for something that I can send you 372 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:31.799 a note on that we are either relevant to or 373 00:19:31.880 --> 00:19:35.680 we've seen other people deal with, so I can maybe 374 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:37.680 give you a point of view or send you in 375 00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:40.000 a direction to say, hey, I saw that your company's 376 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:42.279 thinking about this. I don't know if you know, but 377 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:46.559 that happened here. Here's I remember them doing X. Does 378 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:48.680 not have anything to do with me, but certainly made 379 00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:50.359 me think of you. And I'd be happy to introduce 380 00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:52.880 you to that person if I can so as anything 381 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:56.720 like that. But I also think when it comes to 382 00:19:57.400 --> 00:20:01.240 you and who you are to the customer, you have 383 00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:06.519 a responsibility to make sure that if they're sitting in 384 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:10.640 a certain seat by mid low right, you're thinking about 385 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:12.519 what does that person care about on a day to 386 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:15.240 day basis, and if I'm going to communicate to them 387 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:18.559 about us specifically in this project that we're doing or 388 00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:21.319 we just sold them or whatever, I have to remind 389 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:25.039 myself that deck communication has got to meet them where 390 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:28.400 they live like. It's the classic examples to why economic 391 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:31.440 buyers have a tency to not come to quarterly business reviews. 392 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:35.839 It's because the quarterly business review is typically a replay of, Hey, 393 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:39.359 here's how many people are using our software or our product, 394 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:42.240 and here's what your building looks like, and here's what 395 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:45.839 your consumption is like. They don't care about that. They 396 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:49.079 care about what's the business problem you're helping me solve. 397 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:52.000 How are you doing in helping me solve that? What 398 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:55.839 results are we getting as a result of that? Right? 399 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:59.200 Because I also think back to the point that you 400 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:02.880 made about reference ability and next deals, et cetera. How 401 00:21:02.920 --> 00:21:06.079