Best Christopher McKenna Podcasts (2024)

1
Show Me You Know Me: Mastering Personalization in Sales Outreach -- with Sam McKenna 15:00

11h ago15:00

15:00

Still sending the same boring emails? You may get lucky here and there, but your open and response rates are likely abysmal. Sam McKenna, CEO of #samsales consulting, says that personalization in sales outreach is the key, but you need to take it even further. Genuine, research-based engagement will always win over generic, high-volume tactics. In …

1
Driving Success with a Scalable CRM: How American Truck Training Scaled to Millions with Insightly | Customer Spotlight 13:45

17m ago13:45

13:45

Ready to take your business to new heights? One of the biggest roadblocks to growth can be outdated tools that can't keep up with your ambition. This is especially true for mission-critical systems like your CRM. You need a solution that scales alongside you, not hold you back. In this episode of Closing Time, Jerome Redmond, CEO of American Truck …

1
Self-Sourcing Pipeline: How to Empower & Enable AEs to do More Outbound -- with Jason Bay 16:40

4d ago16:40

16:40

Sure, getting leads from marketing is great. Leads served up from your SDR team? We love it! But real revenue growth happens when AEs are also self-sourcing pipeline. Sales leaders, if you want your AEs to get excited about outbound, it's up to you to explain the "why" and enable them with fresh tactics for success. In this episode of Closing Time,…

1
A/B Testing & Optimization Tips to Increase Web Conversion Rates -- with Spiralyze's Sahil Patel 16:40

10d ago16:40

16:40

Small changes...BIG results. If you want to grow your business, spending money on getting more web traffic may seem like the right move. However, Sahil Patel and his team at Spiralyze take a different approach. Why not increase conversions from the traffic you already have? In this episode of Closing Time, Sahil shares specific tactics to increase …

1
5 Discovery Questions to Double Deal Size & Shorten Sales Cycle -- with Krysten Conner 16:34

25d ago16:34

16:34

Quality discovery questions separate good sales reps from great ones. In this episode of Closing Time, Chip House welcomes Krysten Conner, a sales coach whose résumé includes experience at Outreach.io, Salesforce, and Tableau. Krysten shares five of her nine ‘deal doubling’ discovery questions, making you come across as informed yet curious and pos…

1
From Spreadsheets to Success: Why Insightly is the Best CRM for Nonprofit Business UK Screen Alliance | Customer Spotlight 10:32

1M ago10:32

10:32

If you're not directly serving clients or customers, then what's the point of having a CRM? Nonprofit companies, especially in dynamic industries like film and television, face unique challenges—they must navigate industry shifts, uphold value for their members or communities, and ensure smooth operations without increasing costs. And having a powe…

1
Is the Party Over for SaaS? How SaaS Buying is Changing and Why Platforms are Winning -- with Eric Christopher 17:18

1M ago17:18

17:18

It doesn’t seem that long ago when SaaS purchases were easy to make based on the needs of one team or individual. Those days may be gone forever. Whether real or perceived, SaaS bloat emerged at a time when cost-cutting became the top priority, and it’s up in the air as to whether the industry will ever recover. In this episode of Closing Time, Eri…

1
Kirk Freudenburg: The Cinematic Art of Virgil's World 40:22

1M ago40:22

40:22

Yale classicist Kirk Freudenburg discusses the epic poems of the ancient world. From the Iliad to the Aeneid.By Sebastian Wetherbee

1
🎉 100th Episode: The End of the Line for Cold Calling (& What's Replacing it) -- with Sam McKenna 21:47

2M ago21:47

21:47

Since the advent of the telephone, cold calling has been a staple in the world of B2B sales. For decades, call volume has served as a primary measure of a salesperson's success. But hold the phone—times (specifically, the buyer's journey) are changing! In the modern selling landscape, the old-school cold call is starting to feel a bit frosty. To cu…

1
Community is the New Marketing: Using Internal and External Communities in B2B to Support Sales Growth -- with Simon Severino 15:33

2M ago15:33

15:33

How does fostering internal and external communities in B2B help drive sales? Organizations that build an internal community around sellers to boost engagement and morale have more success. Similarly, organizations that build an external community of engaged users via forums and social media help convince sellers to trust them. Join author Simon Se…

1
Why Insightly is the Best CRM for Manufacturing Business Moduflex | Customer Spotlight 13:28

2M ago13:28

13:28

Is your manufacturing business bogged down by manual data entry and slow processes? You're not alone—many manufacturers still use spreadsheets or legacy systems to run their operations. Until a few months ago, Moduflex, a UK-based manufacturer, was among them. In this episode of Closing Time, discover why Insightly is considered the best CRM for ma…

1
Dreamers, Doers, and Drivers (Types of Leaders) – What They Are and Why You Need All Three in SaaS -- with Sangram Vajre 17:17

2M ago17:17

17:17

If you’re familiar with the 5 love languages, you know they are about how you love and want to be loved. Well, the dreamer-doer-driver model takes that concept to the office by clearly defining three types of leaders. It’s about how you lead and how people on your team need to be led. On this episode of Closing Time, join Sangram Vajre from GTM Par…

1
How to write sales email cadences that get opened (and replied to!) -- with #samsales' Kimberly Collins 17:47

2M ago17:47

17:47

If you’re still ‘feature dumping,’ we need to talk. It’s time to start writing sales email cadences that make an impact and generate a response. In this episode of Closing Time, we hear from Kimberly Collins, VP of Strategy at #samsales Consulting. The team at #samsales has unveiled a new playbook for email writing, and Kimberly is here to share so…

1
Branding Your Way into B2B Buyer's Initial Consideration Set -- with Jess Cook 16:35

3M ago16:35

16:35

If your company is not in a B2B buyer's initial consideration set for a purchase, the odds of winning the deal plummet. In fact, research shows that you have a less than 5% chance of closing the deal. How can marketers create awareness ahead of the buying process? You guessed it, with branding. In this episode of Closing Time, Jess Cook from Island…

1
How Healthcare Business, NeuLine Health, Uses Insightly's HIPAA-Compliant CRM -- Customer Spotlight Edition 16:15

3M ago16:15

16:15

Running a successful healthcare business requires top-notch service and unwavering security. In this customer spotlight edition of Closing Time, Neuline Health CEO Frank Gray III shares how Insightly CRM's automation and customization capabilities empower his team to deliver best-in-class neurodiagnostic testing to healthcare providers and patients…

1
To Win vs. The Status Quo – Your Talk Track for Selling to Buying Committees -- with Doug Landis 18:27

3M ago18:27

18:27

In today’s SaaS purchasing climate, you are more likely than ever to be dealing with a buying committee. And those committees are getting larger. What does that mean to a seller? And how does the size of the buying committee make selling against the status quo even more difficult? In this episode of Closing Time, Doug Landis of Emergence Capital ch…

1
Beyond the SKO: Future-Proofing Your Sales Approach -- with Challenger's Geoff Hendricks 15:47

3M ago15:47

15:47

Sales kick-off season is upon us. Whether yours is virtual or live and in-person, get ready to be inspired. Geoff Hendricks of Challenger joins Closing Time this week to share what he is hearing in the industry as the major SKO themes for 2024 – and the 2023 hangovers we’re still dealing with. You'll learn how to future-proof your sales approach be…

1
Gino Caspari: Exploration on the Eurasian Steppe and Beyond 38:05

3M ago38:05

38:05

In this episode, I speak with Dr. Gino Caspari, an Explorers Club fellow and expert in the archaeology of the ancient Eurasian Steppe. Gino uses satellite imagery, LiDAR, and other forms of remote sensing paired with ambitious field surveys to discover new ancient sites. Check him out on Instagram @ginocaspari…

1
How to Personalize at Scale: Writing for the Masses vs. Writing to Doris -- with Ann Handley 18:03

4M ago18:03

18:03

Imagine a world where you craft each piece of content, every email, and all sales pitches with one specific individual in mind. Sounds time-consuming and unreasonable, right? But it's actually the approach used by businessman Warren Buffet as he writes his annual letter to shareholders. The letter is read by thousands, but written with one person i…

1
How to Optimize the B2B Buyer Experience and Improve Wins Rates in 2024 -- with SalesReach.io's Josh Fedie 20:36

4M ago20:36

20:36

B2B buyers now spend 80% or more of their journey alone before engaging with a salesperson. So, when they do finally engage with sales, they expect minimal friction, a great experience, and easy access to information to help them make a decision. This is why Josh Fedie founded Salesrach.io - to organize the sales process in a way that makes sense t…

1
How to Incorporate AI into Your Sales Process (& Avoid its Dark Side) -- with Ross Simmonds 17:47

4M ago17:47

17:47

The future of B2B sales is here, and it's powered by AI. As a salesperson, what features and functions of day-to-day AI do you need to be aware of? In this episode of Closing Time, Ross Simmonds of Foundation Marketing talks about the AI-powered features that salespeople can use today. Learn how to incorporate AI into your sales process, avoid the …

1
How to De-risk the Purchase Process for Your Buyers and Avoid FOFU (Fear Of F***ing Up) -- with Dale Harrison 16:42

5M ago16:42

16:42

You've heard the saying, “No one ever got fired for buying IBM,” but do you know the psychology behind it? B2B sales reps often focus on how their solution is different, better, and has the latest features and functions. Buyers, meanwhile, are often fundamentally averse to anything revolutionary or innovative. Their professional reputation is on th…

1
AI-Driven Authenticity: How Sellers & Marketers Can Use AI to Foster Genuine Connections -- with Ann Handley 20:38

5M ago20:38

20:38

What if AI has really just given us the ability to create mediocrity at scale? That doesn't actually help sellers or marketers write impactful emails that elicit a response, nor does it help foster brand authenticity. What does work is a three-step guide from Ann Handley, digital marketer, author, and content guru. Ann joins Insightly CMO Chip Hous…

1
Efficient Growth: Using Marketing Sprints to Grow Faster while Spending Less -- with Brendan Hufford 20:30

5M ago20:30

20:30

Is your team trapped in the inefficient cycle of 'checkbox marketing?' Quarterly webinar—check. Monthly newsletter—check. Weekly blog post—check. They're working at 110% capacity but only hit 50% of goals. In an era when marketers have higher expectations and tighter budgets, efficient growth in B2B is critical. Brendan Hufford founded Growth Sprin…

1
Content Marketing in 2024: Putting the "Marketing" Back in Content Marketing -- with Ross Simmonds 17:05

5M ago17:05

17:05

Content marketing in 2024 looks different than it did in recent years. Why? Because the value of content marketing in B2B has been proven, so it’s no longer a question of whether your content budget is funded but how much you will spend and how you'll optimize it. In this episode of Closing Time, B2B Marketing agency owner Ross Simmonds talks about…

1
Flipping the Script: How to Get Started with Cold Calling & Enjoy it! -- with Daisy Chung 12:31

6M ago12:31

12:31

How can you be creative, have fun, and let your personality shine in sales? Would you believe it’s by cold calling more? In this episode of Closing Time, we welcome Daisy Chung from Orum, who is on a quest to make outbound sellers love cold calling. Daisy shares her own experience in learning how to cold call effectively and provides insight into h…

1
Influence vs. Influencer Marketing: How to Harness Real Influence That Drives Meaningful Impact -- with Matt Brown 15:55

6M ago15:55

15:55

When you hear the word 'influence,' who do you think of? The person on LinkedIn with 100k followers? The SaaS company that hires a thought leader to advocate for their product? People can be 'influencers' without necessarily having real 'influence.' In the context of B2B, brands (and their leaders) who have influence focus on elevating others, rath…

1
How to teach CSM and Sales Reps to ask disruptive questions and just $TFU -- with Bob London 16:42

6M ago16:42

16:42

Talking less and listening more—a proven method to increase win rates among B2B sellers, and a mantra all GTM leaders want their sales and customer success reps to practice. When you arm your reps with powerful questions, it helps them engage and better understand their buyers, ultimately, leading to more opportunities to acquire, keep and grow rev…

1
Does Brand Awareness Work in B2B? Here's How to Prove it Does to Your CFO -- with Dale Harrison 21:06

7M ago21:06

21:06

The data doesn't lie: If you are not in the consideration set for a buyer before they begin their buying journey, you have less than a 5% chance of closing that deal. It pays to be top of mind, and B2B marketers do that with brand awareness. In this episode of Closing Time, Insightly CMO Chip House speaks with Dale Harrison, a B2B marketing strateg…

1
How to Choose (and Pivot Away From) Go-to-Market Motions -- with MRP's Chris Rack 21:09

7M ago21:09

21:09

When is the right time to review your go-to-market motions for effectiveness? When is a change of motions in order? Many go-to-market leaders get this wrong by waiting until a crisis or downturn and pivoting in a panic. In this episode of Closing Time, Chris Rack, a sales leader and CEO of the demand gen firm MPR, shares his insights from decades o…

1
4 Tips to Help B2B Sellers Increase ACV (Average Contract Value) -- with Hannah Ajikawo 18:43

7M ago18:43

18:43

Increasing Average Contract Value (ACV) can help your business grow faster while staying efficient. Think of it this way: all deals take time, but a $10K deal doesn’t take ten times more work than a $1K deal. By increasing your ACV, you can grow your revenue without adding more people or technology. As such, ACV is a key metric in the health of a b…

1
Random Acts of Marketing: Move Past it to Make Your B2B Marketing Strategy Work FOR You -- with Jennifer Zick 21:38

7M ago21:38

21:38

Your company is on a roll; you’re selling your product and beginning to expand, but you’re struggling to align on what to do next. How do you decide on messaging? In what order should you execute your marketing plan? What is your unique value proposition, and how can you add marketing as a strategic partner to your go-to-market plans? Jennifer Zick…

1
Marketing on a Budget: 3 Cost-Effective Ways to Conduct Audience Research -- with Rand Fishkin 21:34

7M ago21:34

21:34

Can you afford to do audience research? The better question may be, can you afford NOT to? Most marketers are doing typical market research right, but when it comes to audience research, they're missing the mark. Audience research is exactly what it sounds like: Discovering who your audience is, what they pay attention to, and what sources influenc…

1
Unveiling the Shadows of B2B Marketing: 6 Metrics for Tracking Dark Funnel Activities 25:34

8M ago25:34

25:34

B2B buyers are making one thing clear: They want to research on their own before engaging with a salesperson. What’s shocking is how far into the funnel they get alone, as much as 83% of the way. We call this the ‘dark funnel’ (also referred to as dark social), and on this Halloween episode of Closing Time, we’re going to break down how marketers c…

1
How to Orchestrate a Successful Product Launch -- with Ignition's Karthik Suresh 13:07

8M ago13:07

13:07

When done well, a product launch can propel your business forward, engage your prospects, and drive adption. In fact, 79.5% of companies reported launches had a significant impact on revenue. The challenge? Orchestrating a successful product launch can be a painful process for product marketers – they require robust research, careful collaboration,…

1
Wei-Cheng Lin: Stories of a Sacred Mountain in Medieval China 44:20

8M ago44:20

44:20

Art historian Dr. Wei-Cheng Lin and I discuss the arrival of Buddhism in ancient and early medieval China. We track the emergence of a major sacred site called Mount Wutai, discuss the symbolism of the mountains in Chinese history, and much more.By Sebastian Wetherbee

1
How to Make Your Next Sales Call Better: Data-Backed Call Openers, Pricing Phrases, & More -- with Gong's Udi 17:36

8M ago17:36

17:36

The perfect sales call…does it really exist? The team at Gong Labs might be able to answer. They have analyzed one billion sales calls to help sellers like you build trust, keep buyers engaged, and, ultimately, close more deals. On this episode of Closing Time, we welcome Udi Ledergor of Gong, who will provide actionable tips that you can start usi…

1
Morag Kersel: Looters, Tourists, and Archaeologists in the Holy Land 41:21

8M ago41:21

41:21

Dr. Morag Kersel and I discuss the ethics of archaeology, including the challenges posed by looting, the illegal antiquities trade, and the curation crisis. We focus on these issues in Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, through the lens of Dr. Kersel's archaeological and ethnographic research.By Sebastian Wetherbee

1
Sales Prospect Research: Are You Doing Enough? -- with Justin Fite 18:41

8M ago18:41

18:41

In the age where personalization and understanding sales prospects shows a big improvement in close rates and deal sizes, why is it that most reps still don’t do enough research? In this episode of Closing Time, Chip talks with Justin Fite of J3 Consulting about a new way to conduct sales prospects research, how sales and marketing can align on ide…

1
Must-Know LinkedIn Sales Navigator Tips and New Features to Optimize Your Prospecting -- with Mandy McEwen 19:43

9M ago19:43

19:43

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a powerful tool for salespeople, but like any app, you’ve got to stay up to date. Recently released features have resulted in some changes that can help sellers streamline the process of finding new leads and making more connections. In this episode of Closing Time, we welcome Mandy McEwen, founder of Mod Girl Marketing,…

1
A B2B Seller's Path to Becoming a Trusted Advisor (and Having Your Buyers Sell for You) -- with Hannah Ajikawo 13:07

9M ago13:07

13:07

When your solution makes it on the agenda of your prospect’s weekly meeting, you’ve got a good chance of closing that deal. But how can you get your solution or service considered at that level? In this episode of Closing Time, Hannah Ajikawo, CEO of Revenue Funnel, talks through the pre-work you’ll need to do with your prospect and the questions t…

1
The New Sales Funnel Optimized for Revenue, Not MQLs or SQLs -- with Chris Walker 17:10

9M ago17:10

17:10

If you're currently using a one-size-fits-all sales funnel (that ignores buyer intent or pipeline source) and is focused on top-of-funnel metrics like MQLs... it's time to rethink your strategy. The 'old' sales funnel, originally coined as the Demand Waterfall by SiriusDecisions in the early 2000s and then later revamped in 2012, fails to acknowled…

1
Brian Bauer: At the Edge of the Wari Empire 40:29

9M ago40:29

40:29

In this episode, Dr. Bauer tells me about his work studying a remote outpost of the Wari Empire, an enigmatic civilization that preceded the Inca in Andean prehistory. We discuss imperial expansion, social hierarchy, burials, and more.By Sebastian Wetherbee

1
Modernizing Your GTM Strategy: Demand Creation vs. Demand Capture -- with Chris Walker 17:02

9M ago17:02

17:02

Demand capture vs. Demand creation – two of the most important areas of focus for today's marketers. Demand creation (aka demand generation) is about driving awareness and interest in a product or service, while demand capture focuses on attracting and converting the roughly 5% of your target market actively looking for a solution. Familiar marketi…

1
Bouncing Back After the Death of Marketing Attribution -- with SparkToro's Rand Fishkin 17:45

10M ago17:45

17:45

“What are we getting for our ad spend?” This question is getting even more difficult to answer since the death of marketing attribution as we know it is looming. GDPR and CPAA have killed third-party cookies, and almost all privacy laws are getting even more strict. Will it be a return to the metrics of impressions, views, and engagement? In this e…

1
David Paradis: War and Honor in Medieval England 1:10:12

10M ago1:10:12

1:10:12

In this episode, David Paradis joins me to discuss the legacies of early medieval feuding and honor cultures. We examine how those forces shaped England, and Europe more broadly, across the middle ages.By Sebastian Wetherbee

1
Overcoming Dysfunction in a Consensus-driven Buying Environment -- with Lavendar's Jen Allen 15:26

10M ago15:26

15:26

Sales professionals – are you struggling to build consensus? Today’s B2B sales cycles are complex and include more decision-makers than ever before. According to recent data, 11.2 stakeholders take part in every deal. Unless you can convince the entire group of stakeholders to buy from you, there's no way the deal will close. But how can you receiv…

1
Standing out in Sales: How to Start Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn -- with Clari's Kyle Coleman 16:58

10M ago16:58

16:58

“You’ve got to be posting on LinkedIn.” Depending on your target audience, this may or may not be true. In this episode of Closing Time, Insightly CMO Chip House meets with Kyle Coleman, SVP of Marketing at Clari, about how salespeople can start to build your personal brand on LinkedIn. They explore ways to determine content (based on your experien…

1
How to Get Your Sales Team to Adopt Video Selling -- with Vidyard's Tyler Lessard 14:49

10M ago14:49

14:49

Video selling is on a steep growth curve, so why isn’t everyone on board? You can equip your salespeople with the hardware and software required and train them, but they still may not be comfortable with the process. In this episode of Closing Time, we welcome Tyler Lessard, VP of Marketing at Vidyard, author of the book The Visual Sale, and host o…

1
Turning Strangers into Prospects: LinkedIn Social Selling in 4 Steps -- with Mandy McEwen 14:39

10M ago14:39

14:39

You’ve worked on your personal branding on LinkedIn, and now you’re looking for tangible results. How do you go from reaching out to someone in your ICP to counting them as a customer? In this episode of Closing Time, we welcome Mandy McEwen, founder of Mod Girl Marketing, to talk you through her 4-step engage - connect - post - repeat process for …

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Christopher McKenna Podcasts

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