In this episode, master coach Shawn Quintero reveals the uncomfortable truth about why your lead generation is stalling: You’re trying too hard to appeal to everyone.

Generic messaging is the enemy of revenue. If your service business wants to scale to a six-figure or even seven-figure level, you must master the art of the “repellent message.”

1. Start with Surgical Clarity (Know Your Whale)

Before you write a single piece of copy, you need radical clarity on your ideal client. Don’t just tick off demographics like age and location. Dive deeper into the psychographics:

• Values & Beliefs: What are their core principles?
• Buying Triggers: What makes them decide to invest in a service like yours?
• Financial Readiness: Are they willing and able to pay premium prices for your solution?

Shawn’s rule: Get so specific that your client avatar feels like a real person. Use surveys and interviews with your best existing clients—not the time-wasters.

2. The Power of Repellent Language

Once you know who you want to serve, you must clearly state who you won’t serve. This is your filter.

Example: A real estate expert might say, “If you’re just touring houses for fun, I’m not your agent. If you’re serious about investing in the next 90 days, let’s talk.”

Why This Works:

1. Saves Time: It weeds out unqualified leads, so your sales team only talks to high-intent buyers.
2. Builds Authority: Setting firm boundaries signals expertise and value.
3. Boosts Trust: Your target audience trusts you more because you are honest about your perfect fit.

The goal isn’t to get likes; it’s to generate genuine leads. Review your last ten social posts. Do they actively repel the wrong audience while drawing in the right one? If not, it’s time to sharpen your message.

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Welcome back to the podcast. Today, we’re dissecting a fundamental error many sales professionals make: blurring the lines between negotiation and influence. As Andres Lares of the Shapiro Negotiation Institute emphasizes, recognizing this distinction early is the first step to closing more valuable deals.

1. Defining the Core Concepts for a Clearer Strategy

A common mistake is treating the two as if they were synonyms. They are not.

• Negotiation (Mutual Exchange): This is a two-sided discussion focused on achieving a win-win outcome. Both parties have something the other desires (value, price, terms) and are mutually exchanging concessions to create the largest possible “pie.”
• Influence (The Guided Action): This is the directional effort one party uses to compel the other toward a specific decision or action. It happens constantly and often between formal talks.

Snippet Answer: Clarifying if you are negotiating (seeking a mutual value exchange) or influencing (guiding a one-sided action) fundamentally changes your tone, strategy, and likelihood of a positive outcome.

2. The Mandate for Early Negotiation Integration

Don’t wait until the final contract review to start negotiating. Lares warns against treating negotiation as a last-second confrontation. The most effective sales professionals integrate it from the first interaction.

• Why Early Negotiation is Non-Negotiable: When you introduce complex contracts, terms, or stakeholders (like Legal or Procurement) only at the end, you create unnecessary friction. Early integration enables continuous Value Assessment by both parties, preventing last-minute surprises.
• Actionable Tip: Share Terms Before You Share Price. Introduce standard contracts or terms at an early stage. This transparency fosters trust and streamlines the process for a faster close. It manages signals like desperation or a willingness to discount, ensuring you protect your pricing position.
• Stakeholder Mapping: Identify and involve all decision-makers, gatekeepers, and technical influencers from the outset. Negotiate with them in staged discussions—addressing terms, then deliverables, pricing—rather than overwhelming them in a single, pressurized final session.

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What if you could build a business where 95% of your work came from referrals? That’s the reality for legendary landscape architect Steve Griggs, and in this week’s episode, he’s sharing his playbook.

Steve breaks down his core philosophy: it’s not about what you do, but how you make people feel. He discusses why he trusts his gut in client relationships, why he’d rather lose a bid than compromise on quality, and why the “old-school” approach of a handshake and a hand sketch can still win over any client. He also emphasizes the power of proactive communication and the importance of educating clients on the value of services, not just their cost. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone in the service industry who wants to build a business that is not only profitable but also deeply fulfilling.

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In this episode, sales expert and author Saad Saad shares key tips on how to negotiate smarter from the very first sales call. Host John Golden talks with Saad about using empathy and assertiveness, building client trust, and preparing to win more deals. You’ll learn why every sales interaction is a negotiation, how to avoid common mistakes like overwhelming the buyer with too many points, and how to tailor your approach to different people and cultures. Whether new to sales or a seasoned pro, this episode gives you the tools to close deals confidently.

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In this podcast episode, John Golden interviews James Muir, founder and CEO of Best Practice International, about his new book “Unstuck: How to Unlock and Activate the Wisdom of Others.” They explore why sales deals often get stuck, emphasizing the importance of targeting the right customers, managing relationships, and handling competition. James highlights the need for disciplined targeting and an understanding of stakeholder dynamics. They also discuss overcoming client indecision by providing certainty and using tools like social proof and guarantees. James shares practical strategies for salespeople to prevent stalled deals and improve their sales processes.

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In this podcast episode, John Golden from Sales POP Online Sales Magazine and Pipeline CRM interviews Blair Siegler, CEO and founder of Quantico. They discuss the role of negotiation intelligence in B2B sales, focusing on how discounts and concessions affect profitability. Blair shares insights from his time at Meta, emphasizing the importance of a value exchange in negotiations. They explore how Quantico helps sales teams understand the impact of their discounting strategies, using data to improve margins by 3-4%. The conversation also covers the disconnect between sales and the rest of the organization and the power of visualizations in making data actionable for sales teams.

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Being a Federal Government contractor is not easy, but it isn’t the most difficult thing in the world either. In this Expert Insight Interview, we welcome Kizzy Marie Parks, President at K. Parks Consulting (KPC).

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Working in a corporate world usually means working for less than what you deserve. Hence, in today’s Expert Insight Interview, we welcome Samuel Knickerbocker to discuss maximizing value exchange.

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