Are your prospects responding well to your attempts to engage with them? Is getting to the next step of your sales career proving to be more difficult than expected?
On the INSIDE Inside Sales Podcast, you get to listen in on my conversations with qualified individuals who are experts when it comes to selling. We discuss everything from sales strategy and tactics to do’s and don’ts. Keep reading for a brief recap on the top points from my February 2019 podcast episodes of INSIDE Inside Sales.
Episode 13: Video Killed the Radio Star
During my interview with Dan Wardle, the Director of Business Development at Vidyard, we discussed tips salespeople can apply to their videos to make them better. Tune in to discover:
- The gear you need to get started with video.
- Tricks to look your best (while still showing that you’re a human) on video.
- Tips on the appropriate time and place to share your video.
A standout theme in our conversation revolves around authenticity. A 2017 study from Stackla reported that 86% of consumers point to the importance of authenticity when deciding if they like and support a brand. I know you’ve heard it before, but I’m going to repeat it – consumers crave authenticity.
If you want your audience to see you as genuine and authentic, don’t read a script! As Dan said, you can’t correct a person’s eyes moving across a script, and it feels incredibly impersonal when you’re reading. Look into the camera so that the viewer can feel a connection to you.
Another instance where authenticity comes into question is the editing process. In the podcast, Dan mentions how Vidyard sent out an unscripted video and received high response rates. After sending it over to their video producer and creating a “professional” version, their click-through-rate dropped significantly. Don’t edit out that human touch.
When your customers or prospects are expecting a video from a salesperson, don’t send them one that looks like it’s from marketing. Let your video be authentic and show the real you, not the edited you. Tune into this episode to become a video master!
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Episode 14: Planning Your Career Progression
My conversation with Kevin Mulrane, VP of Global Mid-Market Sales for Global Web Index, about career growth is a reminder to take control of your path to promotion. Listen to episode 14 to hear:
- Advice on intentional growth.
- Tips for driving your success.
- Insights on why you need a plan to convert your career KPIs.
This episode will empower Sales Development Representatives looking to advance to the role of Account Executive (AE), or AEs ready to move into a leadership position. Kevin tells my listeners to “plant a flag” and then figure out what needs to be done to achieve your long-term goal.
Kevin says, “It’s about preparation, planning, and setting yourself up for success to do that day in and day out.” What KPIs or specific metrics must you achieve for your success? Formulate a daily breakdown of what you need to get done and chip away at it to reach your goal.
Without an understanding of the things you need to check off, it will be challenging to move forward. Tune into the interview to hear more valuable insights about climbing the sales career ladder.
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Episode 15: How to Focus Under Pressure
Melissa Krivachek, best-selling author and Executive Producer of The Ultimate Sales Summit, has been selling for over 20 years, and she’s only in her 30s! How is that possible? You’ll have to tune in to find out. On episode 15 you’ll hear:
- Melissa’s advice on how to focus on what matters.
- When to say “no” and how to create balance in your life.
- Tips to help you overcome potential control issues that can impact success.
“What are you doing that you’re only doing because you want to be in a state of control?” That’s the question Melissa suggests asking yourself to identify if your focus is affecting you. In the podcast, she mentions a story about an executive who didn’t want to relinquish control of writing email campaigns. Melissa says his conversion rates didn’t even compare to the conversions they received once he handed over the task to someone else. Is there something that you need to let go?
She also explains why the most significant question you need to ask yourself to maintain your focus is what are you trying to achieve? Tune in to see why Melissa says that although there are apps for saving and money and dieting, creating checklists are the way to go in sales.
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Episode 16: Why Sales Engagement Isn’t Always Engaging
Are prospects ignoring your attempts to get them engaged? On this episode, VanillaSoft CEO David Hood and I discuss why your email recipients aren’t returning the love. Tune in to find out:
- Why David isn’t responding to your outreach attempts.
- How to connect with prospects more successfully, thereby building more pipeline.
- Why personalizing is more than filling in a templatized email.
David and I both receive multiple emails from salespeople daily. If you’re not earning the desired response from us or others in similar positions, ask yourself if you’ve done enough research. David says “personalization isn’t showing me you’ve been to my website, it’s showing me you’ve been to my website, and you’ve identified how you can help me.”
You’ll hear about some of David’s pet peeves on the podcast. One I’ll mention here is asking the email recipient to reply and confirm that they’re not interested after they’ve been silent for your earlier emails. Don’t add in an obligation for them to respond to your unsolicited emails.
I pointed out that sending a calendar link to schedule a meeting creates a sense that the sales rep is in control, and sales is all about negotiation. I’d rather not start a relationship with the other party holding the power. Tune into this episode on your podcast player for more tips to make your sales communications engaging.
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Which episodes are you adding to your playlist now? If you have any future podcast suggestions, let me know them in the comments below or send me a tweet to @ohpinion8ted.
