Making ‘cold calls.’ Everyone talks about it. Everyone has tips and tricks. And lots of people promise results. But does cold calling work? And should you be doing it? In this quick episode, Brendan and Bob dig into the pros and cons of picking up the phone and calling people that you don’t know. You may not like what you hear (or maybe you will), …

Be prepared. So… what does that mean? When it comes to those pesky customer meetings, you should have a check list of the critical tools and resources that can ensure an efficient, professional and successful meeting or presentation. In this quick chat, Brendan and Bob talk about the things you bring with you on your next sales call.To learn more a…

One of the fundamental elements of good sales execution is to develop a good understanding and rapport with your customer. And to do that, you need to have conversations that are engaging and focused on the things that are important to your client. And NOT talk about things that aren’t important to your client. In this quick episode, Brendan and Bo…

We’ve all had it happen. Your prospect or customer goes ‘radio silent.’ They ghost you. No matter what you do, there’s no response. Now what? In this quick episode, Brendan and Bob talk about what you might do to reinvigorate the conversation. But more importantly, they talk about why it happened in the first place AND what you can do to reduce the…

Email is great. Running ads is comfortable. Writing copy feels like work. But if you want to consistently make progress with your business, understand your customer, and drive revenue and growth, there’s ONE THING that is more important than anything else… especially when you’re in eary-stage startup mode. And that’s the topic that we dive into tod…

Okay… Sales isn’t easy. And sometimes, it can be pure toil and misery. But if you want to grow your business, make customers successful, and achieve success, you can’t ignore sales. And you shouldn’t put it off. (And if you don’t want those things, why are you in business??) In this quick 4-minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about why you should lea…

Everyone has a personal brand. Simply put, it’s how others think about and describe you. And there are both overt and subtle ways that you can improve (or undermine) that brand. In this quick 10-minute episode, Brendan and Bob talk about how to manage and enhance your personal brand with less effort and more intention. And… Brendan just launched a …

There is a lot of discussion, and even obsession, around establishing your brand. And while it makes sense to pay attention to how your customers view and talk about your business, it can become a time sink. In this quick chat, Brendan and Bob talk about managing your effort and a few tips to help you be efficient with your ‘brand management’ effor…

There is a big difference between an inbound customer, and an outbound cold call. In this quick episode, Brendan and Bob talk about how to think about these two different interactions.

As a sales professional, you’re helping your customer. You’re a trusted advisor, a consultant, and helping them make decisions. But you’re also introducing change. And that can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. In this short episode, Brendan and Bob talk about how to think about the process and ways to reduce that discomfort.…

If you’re a founder or creator, chances are you start out doing something on the side. But as things start to scale, you will need to give serious thought to going all in. In this quick episode, Brendan and Bob talk about how to make that transition. Because you don’t want to burn any bridges, you do want good references, and you might even be able…

If you’re like many founders or creators, you’re wearing multiple hats or have more than one project going. Plus, you (should). have a personal life. And there are times when you’ll run into a challenge or life event that requires your full attention. In this quick episode, Brendan and Bob talk about prioritizing, managing and giving yourself permi…

In order for B2B customers to buy, they need to know what it’s worth. What will the investment get them? Does it reduce expense? (How much exactly?) Does it earn them new clients, or generate more revenue? (Again, how much exactly?) That is the Return On Investment. And you need to have a solid idea what that will be. In this quick episode, Brendan…

The show is ‘Let’s Chat Sales’ for a reason… we’re urging sales professionals to have real conversations with their customers. And who needs slides to have a conversation? Slides get in the way (most of the time.) They slow down the pace, reduce the topic to what is on the screen, and limit your ability to adjust to new information. In this quick 1…

Before you can solve your customer’s problem, you need to first understand it… and them. What are their priorities? What is in the way of success? How much pain are they dealing with? In this lively 10 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about the importance of good customer conversations and how to make your sales calls and discovery process more ef…

Stop trying to sell via email and text. It’s suboptimal. You’re missing out on the details, the specifics, the clues that you need to be effective. Instead… use the secret feature on your mobile that you’re not using enough - voice calling. In this quick episode, Brendan and Bob share specific tips for how to use your phone effectively as a sales t…

Most people get it backwards. They start by pitching, by explaining how their product works and all the special features that are built into it. But customers don't care and they won't listen if you haven't first establish trust and understanding. In this 14 min chat, Brendan and Bob talk about the importance of establishing meaningful connection w…

To be effective at sales, you need to know who you are. What are your skills? Your strengths? What do you stand for? In this episode, Brendan and Bob talk about one of the fundamental aspects of sales - Mindset. And a core component of your sales mindset is knowing who you are.

Nobody does it alone. If you're having any success in your sales efforts, it's in some measure due to the help and encouragement of others. So thank them. Getting effective and efficient with saying 'Thank you' can supercharge your sales success.... and in this quick 8-ish minute chat we share a few key practices to make saying 'Thank You' more aut…

In this episode, it's a 15 minute chat with Ryan Law about the relationship between sales and marketing. Ryan is the VP of Content at Animalz.co, an agency that provides high-end content marketing solutions to SaaS and tech companies. Follow him on Twitter at @thinking_slow

Nobody's perfect. We all have our little idiosyncracies and odd character traits... and they can get in the way of your sales effectiveness. So what to do? Embrace them, and get the customer on your side. In this quick 8 minute chat, Brendan and Bob chat about how you can build trust with your customer by being authentically you. It's the start to …

You've done your discovery. You've established trust. You've gotten alignment. Now what? It's time for 'the ask.' What is the decision your customer needs to make? What is it that they need to do next? In this rambling, occasionally amusing ~9 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about the ingredients of an effective ask To learn more about B2B sales …

Everyone need to be able to deliver a quick and compelling pitch. Whether you're talking to investors or customers, at a cocktail party or your kid's soccer game, you will inevitably find yourself needing to explain what it is you do and why it matters effectively and crisply. In this 11 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about some of the nuances a…

We're back again talking about things your shouldn't do on a sales call. This time, it's Bob's list. In this very quick 8 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about a few more things you should make sure you're not doing when you're selling... To learn more about B2B sales and get regular updates, sales tips, templates and other resources, sign up for…

Who makes the call? Who has the final say in a purchasing decision? It's not always easy to figure that out. But there are things you can do, and questions you can ask. In this 8 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about figuring out how to get to the right people. And what to look out for. To learn more about B2B sales and get regular updates, sales…

We often talk about what you should do when you're selling. Not today! This time, we've got a list of simple things you shouldn't do in a sales call. And they're all very actionable and applicable. And we hope you're not doing any of them. In this quick 10 minute chat, Brendan and Bob run through nine things to stay away from when you're in a sales…

Everyone makes mistakes. (And truthfully, if you're not making mistakes... you're not trying hard enough.) So, what do you do when your mistake affects a customer? You need to act. But a mistake can be an opportunity. In this 13 minute chat, Brendan and Bob discuss how you should think mistakes and how to respond when they happen. If you do it righ…

Things are about to get harder. We're seeing some worrisome signs in the economy...and it's a signal that you can't choose your timing, but you can increase your chances of success. If you're prepared. And being effective at sales is one of the best investments you can make. In this quick <8 minute chat, Brendan and Bob discuss how you should think…

One of your best sales tools is the feedback you get from your current customers. But are you actively collecting those testimonials? Brendan wasn't... and he and Bob discuss the resistance behind this. And what changed. And why you should make this part of your standard sales process. It's a quick 13 minutes with some good suggestions and a couple…

The best way to have a great sales call is to start by having a great sales call. At the beginning... in the first five minutes. Because first impressions matter. And establishing credibility and rapport and momentum all matter. In this long-ish (12 whole minutes!) episode, Brendan and Bob talk about how to get your sales call started. With actiona…

Brendan is just back from the Indy 500...and it was awesome! In this quick ~7 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about the parallels between being a race car driver and a startup founder. And there are a few. To learn more about B2B sales and get regular updates, sales tips, templates and other resources, sign up for Brendan's newsletter here. And t…

Conferences and other in-person events are starting to come back. And with it, the fear of being alone in a crowd or striking up a conversation with a stranger. In this quick ~12 minute chat, Brendan and Bob break down how they overcome these jitters and make these intimidating networking events less intimidating. It's simple, actionable advice. To…

It's a fact... Finding a good salesperson is hard. Seemingly impossible sometimes. And it is one of the reasons that founders need to develop some sales horsepower of their own. In this quick <9 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about why it's hard to find good sales talent, and what you can do about it. And then we just generally ramble on about a…

It's easy to say Yes... but at some point you run the risk of becoming overwhelmed. Do you have people you can turn to and get the blunt, unvarnished but thoughtful feedback you need? And where do you find those people? In this quick 10 minute episode, we talk about why you need another perspective or two, and where to find them. To learn more abou…

Failure can be demoralizing. And discouraging. And cause you to want to go back to your shop and just build new features. But it doesn't have to be that way. And maybe it's all about perspective. In this quick <9 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about why you need to make MORE mistakes and hear MORE critique and be on the lookout for rejections. A…

One very reliable way to find new B2B sales opportunities is to talk to people down in the trenches. It's down in the inner workings of the business where the difficulties lie, where the inefficiencies are rampant, and where things are held together by baling wire and chewing gum. In this quick <9 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about why people …

We're all quirky. And we all do things differently. The key is to recognize it and then come up with workarounds. This is a super short cha (~ 5 min!) t about how it's not about being perfect... It's about being aware and opportunistic. To learn more about B2B sales and get regular updates, sales tips, templates and other resources, sign up for Bre…

Sales success is heavily reliant on an effective client discovery process. You need to be able to ask the right questions, listen intently, and get detailed answers in order to qualify the opportunity and the client. So what’s the best discovery question? What’s the thing you need to know next? Bob and Brendan take a quick 9 minutes to break this d…

Your customer wants to talk, and they want to be heard. So be efficient. Answer questions quickly, succinctly, crisply. Don't waste time. Salespeople want to talk, but so do customers. So... let them. Brendan and Bob cut to the chase and spend <10 minutes talking about why you should talk less. And to download the Discovery Worksheets that Bob ment…

This is a quick one... As a founder that sells and wants to grow your business, you need to be efficient and focus your skills on what you're good at. And you're probably not good at everything, right? In this super short episode, Brendan and Bob discuss how you should think about your time and why you should delegate to others. To learn more about…

You can't remember everything, so you need to be able to take notes. But how do you do it without taking your attention away from your customer and the conversation? Brendan and Bob spend a quick 16 minutes discussing simple little tips to focus on the right stuff and reduce your note-taking burden. To learn more about B2B sales and get regular upd…

A really good sales call should lead to the next step. But to make that happen, it takes planning and preparation. In this quick 10 minute episode, Brendan and Bob talk about how you can make the most of a sales opportunity by thinking about how to end the conversation... and getting everyone ready from what happens next. To learn more about B2B sa…

Brendan just finished up running the AccelerateBaltimore program for 2022. And a good accelerator can be a great way for an early-stage startup to jump-start their momentum, develop important entrepreneurial skills, and begin to grow their network. But what should you think about when you are getting ready apply. How do you optimize your chances of…

Sales has lots of steps, plenty of follow up, and all sorts of details and paperwork. So...How do you keep track and stay efficient? Try a few simple checklists. Atul Gawande's book, The Checklist Manifesto, got us thinking about how to apply them effectively in the sales process. And in another very tight (~12 minute) episode, Brendan and Bob list…

You need to present a proposal to your customer. Do you have a plan? What do you intend to include? How are you handling pricing and terms? In this concise 14 minute episode, Brendan and Bob talk about the key steps and strategies you need to have as you get ready to present an effective, compelling proposal. To learn more about B2B sales and get r…

Early in the life of your start up, it is easy to delay talking to customers. There's a natural tendency to focus on designing and building and fundraising...and everything other than sales. But that's a bad strategy. Instead, you should be talking to prospective customers early and often. And looking for feedback and criticism, and even rejection.…

A lot of sales is a lot of simple stuff. Basic practices. Fundamentals. It doesn't have to be complicated. And those little things are easy to do. And they add up. In this very quick 12 minute episode, Brendan and Bob list a bunch simple little tips and tactics that you can use to build into your sales process. To learn more about B2B sales and get…

You know this, of course... Stories sell. They resonate, they connect, and they make things special. Even something as generic as firewood. In this lively ~16 minute episode, Brendan and Bob dig into why stories work and how to think about them. To learn more about B2B sales and get regular updates, sales tips, templates and other resources, sign u…

When you think about competition, make sure you're focused on the right competition. Because mostly it's not coming from where you think it is. It's like your classic horror movie... the competition is coming from inside the house!! In this quick episode, Brendan and Bob talk about where your competitive threat really comes from and how you need to…

It's never too soon to be thinking about (and discussing) customer success. But how you go about it matters. It's not a simple promise, but rather is an agreement with your customer. In this episode, Brendan talks with Bob Graham about how to think about the sale/post-sale journey as a story, and the role the customer plays in guaranteeing their ow…