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How To Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile To Get Found (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Donna Serdula discusses how to optimize your LinkedIn profile to get found. Donna Serdula is a LinkedIn profile writer and optimization expert.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • The current situation with LinkedIn as a platform
  • Why a LinkedIn profile is so much more than an online resume
  • How to stay on top of your profile and optimize it for the best results

LinkedIn as a Tool

LinkedIn was huge before the pandemic, and it’s now become even bigger. However, it has also become quite noisy, turning into a bit of a spamming platform. So, the question is, how does one stand out on a platform that is so noisy right now?

Despite its apparent noisiness, LinkedIn is a helpful tool and a place where people go to learn about who they would be meeting with. Many people think of LinkedIn profiles as online resumes, but there’s so much more to LinkedIn than that.

More than an Online Resume

Salespeople, in particular, should not aspire for their LinkedIn profiles to look like resumes because that approach could potentially turn both prospects and employers away. As a salesperson, you need to understand that people are looking for services or products such as yours and need your help.

Most of these people do not know who you are, and you want them to know you. So, you need to think about the keywords that these people would be entering into the LinkedIn search bar. On the flip side, someone might be looking for you specifically because you popped out on their radar for one reason or another.

Optimizing your Profile

People often set up their LinkedIn profiles while looking for employment and completely forget about it once they get hired. This means that their profile will often show them as someone who is looking for a job, even though they’ve had one for a long time, and they’re happy with their current situation.

Aside from staying on top of your profile and making sure it is not presenting information that is no longer relevant or true, Donna Serdula emphasizes the importance of your LinkedIn headline. Your name, picture, and headline follow you around the platform and are attached to every action you perform on the website, so your headline needs to draw people in.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

The Problem of Sales Call Reluctance (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Connie Kadansky discusses sales call reluctance. Connie Kadansky is a noted authority on call reluctance and sales productivity.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • The persistent problem of call reluctance and how to put a stop to it
  • Why do sales professionals need to stop focusing on themselves
  • How focusing on creating value can help you achieve more in every aspect of your life

Call Reluctance

Call reluctance seems to be an evergreen problem — an issue that never goes away. Chances are, at least some members of your sales team is reluctant to make sales calls. So, why does it happen?

Sales call reluctance is an emotional hesitation to prospect and promote proactively, and people who experience call reluctance are often self-centric in their mindset. They are focused on what the prospect would think about them and what would happen if they had a negative experience with the potential customer.

It Is Not About You

Instead of focusing on themselves, sales professionals should focus on the value they could create for the prospect. Unfortunately, however, we live in a more self-obsessed world than ever before. Please do not assume that this increased self-absorption is our fault. It is primarily the result of the social media culture we live in.

This is a significant problem because it hampers our ability to connect with other people, prospects and customers included. So, if there’s one thing for you to take away from this interview, it is that any sales call you make is not about you; it is about the value that you can create for the prospect.

Creating Value

The “this is not about me” approach works not only in sales but in almost all other aspects of your life. When you engage in something, instead of looking at what you can get out of it and how you feel about it, try to consider the value you can bring to someone else.

If you can do this, you’ll be much more excited to take on any project. As humans, we are hard-wired to cooperate, and we all have a deep-seated desire to help other people. So, if you can tap into that desire, you’ll likely be much more motivated to do anything you need to do.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

Taking Advantage of Non-Sales Moments to Drive Growth (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Ben Worthen discusses taking advantage of non-sales moments to drive growth. Ben Worthen is the CEO of Message Lab, which combines journalism, data, and design to help organizations create content that resonates with real people.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • How to start thinking about your customers and prospects as people
  • How to engage with your audience when they’re not looking to buy from you
  • Why it is essential to nurture your relationship with your prospects

Your Customers Are Just People

In pretty much any company, everything is oriented towards sales. This is normal, as it is what keeps companies in business. The problem with this approach is that it forces us to think of people as customers or prospects when in reality, a person is only a customer or a prospect for a small amount of time.

Most of the time, our customers and prospects are just people, and people have needs that don’t necessarily align with your product. This means they will spend a lot of their day thinking about things that do not necessarily relate to the product you’re selling but probably fit into the broader picture of your company.

Engaging With Your Audience

Think about how you relate to your audience and engage with them when they’re not looking to buy your product. To add value, you need to create something that resonates with your audience, which requires more creativity than traditional marketing.

The best approach, in most cases, is to make things that are meant to engage people around ideas that they care about — content that informs them, entertains them, or provides any other form of value to them when they are not in “customer mode.”

Nurturing the Relationship

It all begins with getting outside of your head, and outside of the walls of your company, and thinking about the things that your audience members care about in all the “other” moments of their life.

Good salespeople can do this innately, but sometimes even they tend to stick to the sales path and believe that unless they’re moving towards a sale, they are not providing anything of value for the customer or the company. The fact is that your prospects will not be ready to buy most of the time, so you should be thinking about what you can do to nurture that relationship.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

Leadership Development & Communication (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Barbara Teicher discusses leadership development and communication. Barbara Teicher brings 25+ years of experience developing leaders in Fortune 500 companies, specializing in strategic leadership and effective business communication. She has also appeared on many leading television networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • Communication as a crucial component of leadership
  • Why do people crave authenticity and compassion in leadership
  • The importance of being strong, rather than looking tough

Communication in Leadership

There are a lot of different components to leadership development. While communication is obviously a strategic part of it, other things go into leadership development. Barbara Teicher treats communication separately because she believes it is a priority, even though it is not the only thing that matters.

Communication and human connection are more important now than it has been for a very long time, especially in a sales environment, where people are largely doing things differently than they used to.

Authenticity and Compassion

Even pre-pandemic people were looking for something a little bit different, and the pandemic has accentuated that. As the pandemic came and we struggled to find what this “new normal” was, the thing we craved most was for other people to be authentic.

The simple fact that a person is not at their desk 24/7 doesn’t mean they’re not dedicated and don’t want to move up the ladder. It is now more critical than ever for good leaders to show compassion, and rather than spending their time trying to convince you of how good they are, focus on convincing you how good you are.

Strength vs. Toughness

People want open, transparent, authentic communication. That doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time — good leadership is still about delivering tough messages, demanding results, etc. However, when setting expectations, it is crucial to remember the human element in the equation.

It is not about being tough; it is about being strong enough to be your authentic self, regardless of the title of the person in the room with you.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

21 Lessons Learned in Leadership (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Ted Kulawiak discusses his book 21 Lessons Learned in Leadership. Ted Kulawiak is the President of Ted Kaye Sales Management Training and a much-sought-after sales management and leadership coach, business consultant.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • Why leading by example is critical for people in leadership positions
  • The importance of trust in leadership
  • Why leaders need to strive to be better human beings

Leadership in Action

In leadership positions, you can pontificate all day and “talk the talk,” but leading by example is the only way to truly inspire people. At the end of the day, nothing you can say to somebody will ever be more powerful than the conclusions they come to themselves.

If the people who look up to you see you presenting a worthwhile behavior model, they are much more likely to take after that model. We see the same thing in all professions and walks of life, including but not limited to sales.

Trust

Trust is a significant factor in sales. The actions that the salesperson delivers or shows the potential customer drive the sale’s intent. If the salesperson is working in the customer’s best interest while protecting the company at the same time, it is easy to see that.

When it comes to defining trust in leadership, we can say that it is all about seeing the leader’s actions and how they support both their coworkers and their customers. This is what builds trust.

Being a Great Human Being

We can all strive to be better human beings, but it is particularly important in the leadership context. With the pressure to deliver results, we tend to lose sight of the importance of being a decent human being, and unfortunately, sometimes this is particularly noticeable in sales. Sales teams are the part of the organization with the “number on their back,” so their value is most often measured based on delivering those numbers.

It is easy for a sales manager or sales leader to get into the perspective of playing the numbers game and only looking at employees through that lens. People in these positions often think that the key to success is “cracking the whip” and becoming tougher on their team members. In actuality, more often than not, this results in anti-motivation.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

How to Scale in Less Time with Fewer Clients (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Shayla Boyd-Gill discusses how to scale in less time with fewer clients. Shayla Boyd-Gill is a proven business coach and sales strategist who teaches people how to become multiple six-figure earners.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • How to achieve your scaling goals through high-ticket offers
  • Why it is crucial to offer a fantastic experience to your existing clients
  • How to have upselling conversations

High-Ticket Offers

We’re always chasing more and more, and we think that adding more clients will scale our business faster. Everyone believes that the more they do, the more they’ll get paid, and their lives will be easier.

The truth is, in fact, the exact opposite. If we continue to have more and more clients, that will bring us more work, which means more of our time will be occupied. Shayla Boyd-Gill believes that you can have the same scaling and money goals but achieve them through high-ticket programs, being able to use high-ticket offers, and boldly request what you want.

Being Amazing to Your Clients

The mantra is always “new business,” “new clients,” “new logos,” etc. We get very fixated on these things, even though everybody knows that it is harder and more expensive to win new clients than nurture, grow, and upsell your existing ones. We seem to have an innate bias for new business.

If you can offer a fantastic experience to your existing clients, you will retain them. Not only that, but they will likely appreciate you more and be more inclined to listen to your offers than new prospects who don’t know who you are.

Upselling

Sometimes when companies land a client, they become nervous about moving the relationship to the next step. If a client seems content and doesn’t express any unhappiness, we tend to leave them be and just wait for the renewal or the re-sale.

However, it will be easy to have an upselling conversation if you get to know your client and nurture them the right way. Think of it as inviting your client to an even more amazing experience rather than trying to sell them another service or product. If you do your job of serving them correctly, your clients may even bring these conversations up themselves.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

How Women Entrepreneurs Can Create Financial Wealth and Freedom (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Leslie Kuster discusses how women entrepreneurs can create financial wealth and a life of freedom that serves them. Leslie Kuster shows people how she started a seven-figure online business and how it’s never too late to change your life, whether you’re a man or woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • How it is the fear of success that often holds us back
  • How to be authentic and honest about what you want in your life
  • Why it is crucial to stop and take the time to think about what you want

Fear of Success

People always think that the fear of failure is holding them back, but it is often a fear of success. This is because, for many of us, success means having to work harder and having less personal freedom.

Both women and men are great at projecting our thoughts about the future onto reasons not to do something because it would impact our lives. This leaves us misaligned because we fundamentally want success, but we’re not prepared to make the changes required to achieve it.

Wanting Success

The first step is admitting to yourself what it is you want. You have to be authentic and honest in what you actually want. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to go for it, and embrace it without apologizing.

According to Leslie Kuster, the first key to success is that you have to want it. Although this may sound too easy or too simple, it is deceptively powerful. So many people starting a business, or even thinking about starting a company, do not want it enough. It all boils down to what you want and being honest with yourself.

Authentic Freedom

Authentic success and authentic freedom are all about your definitions of these things. Making sure you’re following your authentic path to success is crucial. Interestingly, the way to find that out is by making sure you have the time to stop and check-in with the emptiness inside of yourself.

We live in a crazy world of information coming at us from all angles, and we’re addicted to our devices. It is almost counter-culture today to take that time out, be with yourself, be silent, block out all the extraneous things, and focus on being with yourself and understanding what you want.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

How to Keep Clients Coming Back for More (video)

In this Expert Insight Interview, Dina and Don Ortiz discuss keeping clients coming back for more. Dina and Don Ortiz are speakers, authors, workshop moderators, and global award-winning entrepreneurial leadership experts. They deliver a message of a how-to guide and lead success in dynamic environments.

This Expert Insight Interview discusses:

  • Why keeping your existing customers should be the priority
  • How to re-invent yourself and keep up with a dynamic environment
  • The fact that providing an excellent product or service is crucial

Keeping Your Customers

Most people in sales know that it generally costs less to sell to an existing customer than to acquire a new one. However, companies tend to focus on the new business and celebrate that more than keeping existing customers coming back. While it is by no means a mistake to pursue new business, foundational customers are the root of success.

Every company seems to be paying lip service to make customers happy, and many even have the phrase “customer-centric” proudly displayed on their website. Still, the experience with them tends to be very different.

Re-Inventing Yourself

Especially during the pandemic, many companies were forced to pivot and turn their businesses and figure out how to re-funnel their product lines or business connections. So how do you re-invent yourself and keep your product value in this dynamic environment?

One of the ways to do this, in today’s environment, in particular, is to be authentic. You have to have a relationship with your customers in which you help them meet their needs before, during, and after the sale.

Offering an Excellent Product

One thing to remember is that providing an excellent product or service is the first step. If you can’t do that, all the marketing and communication in the world will not get you anywhere. This is particularly true in the B2B space, as you and your sales team need to represent your brand, and therefore remain excellent at all times.

There are too many options for clients to choose from nowadays, so even a single mistake could mean that you don’t get another chance with a prospect.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

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