Everything is sales (Kaspr)

This epsiode, we look at what sales teams can do to make themselves recession-proof. Topics discussed are from a sales leader's and rep's perspective. They include how to deliver change management, difficult messages internally, and prospecting in a difficult environment. 

With: 

• Shabri Lakhani, Subject Matter Expert at Kaspr. 
• Matthew Blanchard, GM EMEA at Varicent.

“If you sell to everyone, you sell to no one.” 

This week Shabri goes through what she thinks it actually means to be value-led, and how you can action this.

In the pod, Shabri and Elaine break down how to build out a successful SDR team in 2024 SDR role. Key areas include: hiring strategies, the importance of adaptability and potential in candidates, offering insights into future trends and effective team building.

The SDR teams that are winning in this market are using the phone. As outreach activity increases, we need to break through the noise and the phone is key to that. So why aren't more reps using the phone?

In this epsiode, Shabri and Nia break down Nia's experience as an SDR manager, the importance of coaching and what she's doing as a result of the most recent SDR survey MySalesCoach have published.

Show notes:

• Nia's career journey to SDR manager: [00:00:00 - 00:03:00]
• The transition from SDR to team lead, discussing the importance of having done the SDR role before leading a team, and the qualities necessary for a good leader: [00:03:00 - 00:06:20]
• The critical role of coaching in sales development, addressing the challenge of finding time for coaching and the impact of coaching on SDRs' success and fulfillment: [00:09:00 - 00:11:20]
• Creative outreach strategies, including how Nia uses TikTok for lead generation: [00:29:20 - 00:31:20]

It's no secret that buying behavior has changed. With this in mind, prospectors need to find new ways to make their outreach more personalized. Our next podcast episode looks at how to make your prospecting more 'you', why you need to use multi-touch, and how to try new things.

With: 

• Shabri Lakhani, Subject Matter Expert at Kaspr. 
• Rachel Goldstone, SDR Manager at Cognism.

Recently Shabri Lakhani has been a juudge for the Wiser awards for top performing reps. In this weeks Friday Sales memo we break down what is standing out most.

In this webinar, Shabri gave 10 ways SDRs can book more meetings this year. Going into mindset changes, along with more tactical ideas to book more meetings.

This week, Chris Ritson explains the best outbound he's received, and how reps can use this approach.

Friday sales memo is a weekly newsletter, where Shabri Lakhani and guests share their thoughts on trending sales topics in a bitesize format.

The SDR role is hard. I’ve said it so many times. It’s a role that constantly has to adapt to the changing environment. 

That being said, some key issues need to be addressed. Owen Richards, Founder and CEO of Air Marketing, highlighted these in more detail in our recent podcast (link once live). 

Here are three of the key issues

We asked Shabri what her approach would be if she was an SDR today. Focus on quality, have fun with the role, A/B test and pick up the phone!

Every podcast, I ask a guest what is the best piece of outreach they have received recently. It has to be something that has stood out and actually led to a result. 

Let’s break down what stands out for Richard Smith, Author of ‘Problem Prospecting!?’ and VP of Sales EMEA @ Allego.

This week Shabri talks about how BANT isn't suitable for the top of the funnel and suggests a new approach.

Friday sales memo is a weekly newsletter, where Shabri Lakhani and guests share their thoughts on trending sales topics in a bitesize format.

A topic that seems to pop up every year. Is this the end of the SDR function? 

Companies are doing more with less, and for some that means restructuring and switching to more full cycle AEs.

How often have you been told you need to build a personal brand?

That’s because it works, and it’s only getting more important.But the hardest part is getting started:

• What do you even talk about
• It feels really cringey
• I don’t have the time

Everyone you see posting now has experienced these before.So how can you overcome this?In this episode, Shabri and Tom deep-dived into the how and why sellers need to start building their online presence. Not one to miss.

In the recent podcast, I asked Lewis Gadsdon, Founder at SDRs of London what email outreach he actually replies to. He gets tons of emails and DMs per day, so felt like a great person to ask. Pens and notepads at the ready

Taken from the recent episode with Lewis Gadsdon. We talk about what the SDRs of London community are seeing success with in the current market.

In this episode of Everything is Sales, we’re joined by Neil Bhuiyan, Founder & Managing Director of Happyselling.io, to explore the transformative power of coaching in the world of sales. Neil shares his journey into coaching, his experience working with MySalesCoach, and how he built Happyselling.io to empower SDRs (Sales Development Representatives) to succeed.

We dive deep into Neil's coaching philosophy, uncovering the frameworks he uses, the core skills he emphasizes, and how he fosters creativity and intrinsic growth in his clients. Neil offers practical insights into the repeatable conditions for SDR success, drawing from his work with top-performing teams and individuals.

In this episode, Shabri and Ellie take a look at what the current job market is like in sales, giving advice for both candidates and hiring managers.

Ellie also shares her top advice on personal branding from the work she is doing advising sales teams.

01:00 - Ellie T intro

2:00 - How Ellie got into the consulting piece 

3:00 - what she focuses on with the personal branding play + focus on being human

5:00 - Getting past the humble brag on LinkedIn

 8:00 - Exec posting and how they can be more vulnerable 

12:00 - Ellie’s view on the job market currently

15:00 - the changing nature of sales and how that’s impacting teams and hiring (shrinking SDR teams, experienced hire only, automation etc.)

20:00 - Shabri’s commentary on the state of the market

22:00 - issues with interview process

29:00 - advice for people in a similar position, red flags to look out for 

33:00 - conclusions and final suggestions

This week Shabri explains the importance of incentivizing SDRs further down the funnel.

Taken from the full episode with Mark Ackers, this breaks down why cold calling anxiety occurs and how you can address it through training and coaching.

We need to change the way we think about metrics.

The majority of reps aren’t hitting targets. Why? Companies are still using the same playbook from 15 years ago.

I covered this in a lot more detail with Richard Smith in the recent podcast episode.

In this episode, Shabri is joined by Richard Smith, VP Sales EMEA @ Allego and Co-author of Problem Prospecting.

The episode breaks down some key learnings from the book and what both leaders and individuals should be focusing on when it comes to outbound.

We’re over halfway through the year. In this episode, we look at what’s working in outbound and why SDRs struggle with outdated models and processes. Chris Ritson, Co-founder and CEO at Flexprts talks about how you can set reps up for success.

With:

• Shabri Lakhani, Subject Matter Expert at Kaspr. 
• Chris Ritson, Co-founder and CEO at Flexprts.

Almost half of the SDRs surveyed didn’t think they would be with their current employer in 12 months’ time.

What's causing this and how can orgs fix this? Taken from the full podcast with Mark, listen to Shabri and Mark breakdown this finding.

From Shabri's recent conversation with Lewis Gadsdon and the trends he is seeing at SDRs of London.

A lot of companies are now only hiring experienced SDRs. What's caused this change and what are the results?

The SDR role is in a tricky spot right now. 

Most reps are not hitting targets.

In a recent podcast, we covered the reasons for this in more detail with Owen Richards, but as an SDR manager, what can you do?

In this episode, Emma and Shabri break down their approach to leading an SDR team, Emma's recent making moves award, and how to drive change in sales

In this episode, Mark and Shabri breakdown the impact new technologies are having on the SDR org, they discuss:

• The role of content in sales and why Mark created RevvedUp
• The issues with personalisation at scale
• The growing complexity of tech stacks
• How AI will impact different SDRs depending on deal size

In this episode, Shabri Lakhani and Owen Richards (Founder & CEO of Air Marketing) discuss the main areas that need to be addressed within SDR orgs today. This episode touches on the fear of cold calling, effective enablement and top tips you can start using right away.

This is taken from my recent conversation with Tom Boston,Brand Awareness Manager @ Salesloft and Top Social Selling Voice on LinkedIn.We went into detail on how he built his personal brand and what sellers can do to build theirs.

From how to prevent burnout to managing the highs and lows in sales, learn about how you can build the right mindset. We look at topics like a surfer's mentality and why it should be used to help deal with highs and lows.

So we already know that value-based selling needs to be the norm now. And one of the ways reps can do this is to become subject matter experts. This episode looks at which key skills are winning deals this year, how this is changing what a top performer looks like, and also basic mistakes to avoid.

With:

• Shabri Lakhani, Subject Matter Expert at Kaspr. 
• Matt Milligan, Co-founder of Uhubs.

In the recent pod with Owen Richards, we discussed the key issues with the current SDR org. Here's some tips to new SDRs addressing some of these issues.

One of the biggest issues facing sales teams right now is progression through the funnel.

So how do we stop deals getting stuck? It all starts with the quality SDRs are putting in.

28% of reps never get coached. 

That's just one of the shocking results that came out of the MySalesCoach SDR survey.

In this epsiode, Mark and Shabri break down the results and make recommendations to managers on SDRs on next steps.

Timestamps:

Introduction and Background of Mark Ackers: [00:00:00 - 00:03:00]

• Initial greetings and introduction of Mark Ackers, including his background and role at My Sales Coach.

Discussion on 'Problem Prospecting' and the Impact of AI: [00:03:00 - 00:05:00]

• Insights on the success of the book 'Problem Prospecting' and the shift in sales techniques due to AI advancements.

Origins and Mission of My Sales Coach: [00:05:00 - 00:09:00]

• The motivation behind starting My Sales Coach and its role in sales coaching and development.

Challenges Faced by Sales Managers in Coaching: [00:09:00 - 00:14:00]

• Exploring why sales managers struggle with coaching, focusing on time constraints, skill gaps, and will.

Improving Sales Coaching Skills: [00:14:00 - 00:17:00]

• Strategies for sales managers to enhance their coaching skills and the importance of receiving coaching themselves.

SDR Survey Insights and Impact on Sales Professionals: [00:17:00 - 00:21:00]

• Discussing key findings from the SDR survey conducted by My Sales Coach, particularly focusing on SDRs' future aspirations and coaching needs.

Factors Contributing to SDRs' Fulfillment and Career Aspirations: [00:21:00 - 00:28:00]

• Analyzing what makes SDRs feel fulfilled in their roles and how coaching and career development play a critical role.

Cold Calling Anxiety and Overcoming Fears: [00:28:00 - 00:38:00]

• Addressing the prevalence of cold calling anxiety among SDRs and offering advice on overcoming these fears through training and mindset shifts.

Effective Prospecting Examples and Personal Stories: [00:38:00 - 00:50:00]

• Sharing examples of effective prospecting and personal anecdotes of successful sales outreach.

“Not the right time”.

It’s probably the most common objection in this market. 

Teams don’t have big pots of unallocated budget to spend on every tool that gets sent their way.

Combine this with the fact that when you’re doing outbound, they probably haven’t heard of your product; it’s clear why this is a common objection. 

It's all about the buyer now. Gone are the days in outbound where the "pray and spray" approach works. Salespeople need to provide more value than any other channel. In this episode, we look at subjects like providing ongoing value in the sales process, breaking through the noise, and tackling buyer indecision.

With:

• Shabri Lakhani, Subject Matter Expert at Kaspr. 
• Rory Sadler, Co-founder and CEO at trumpet.

We look at how prospecting has changed since 2017. Video prospecting, paired with email, used to be the winning formula. But now companies like Salesloft are seeing more success on the phone. Here’s why multi-touch and not giving up on your sales cadence too early is the real winner.

With:

• Shabri Lakhani, Subject Matter Expert at Kaspr. 
• Jack Neicho, Senior Account Executive at Salesloft.

This week , Jack Neicho (senior account executive @ Salesloft) and Shabri Lakhani explore how a lot of reps are not completing enough actions against each prospect, missing out on potential opportunities.

Friday sales memo is a weekly newsletter, where Shabri Lakhani and guests share their thoughts on trending sales topics in a bitesize format.

We sat down with the Founder at SDRs of London to ask why he first created the group. In this episode, we touch on what the key themes are in the SDR community right now.

Not the right time.

It’s a common objection right now due to the external market. Companies are not sitting on large budgets ready to spend. This means that the approach SDRs take needs to reflect this.

In this episode, Shabri speaks to Ben Smith, Director of Global Business Development @ Reachdesk, to see how his team is changing it’s approach.

Topics discussed include: How Ben became an SDR, what’s changed in that time, Reachdesk's emphasis on pipe quality, the incentives Reachdesk offer SDRs to help this and how the SDR role has to become more long-term focused.

With:

• Shabri Lakhani, Subject Matter Expert at Kaspr. 
• Ben Smith, Director of Global Business Development @ Reachdesk

In this episode, Sean and Shabri break down how much outbound has actually changed in recent years. Sean runs through his career up to date and how Aircall have scaled their SDR org to suit the needs of buyers today.

00:00:00] Introduction and Sean’s Background

• Shabri welcomes Sean and introduces the topic. Sean shares his background, his role as VP of Global Business Development at Aircall, and how he started posting on LinkedIn.

[00:02:18] Transition to Global Role and Managing Teams

• Discussion on Sean’s transition from managing the Europe team to a global role. Insights into the differences and challenges in managing teams across various regions, and the importance of understanding market specificities.

[00:05:49] Sales Strategy and the Importance of Data

• The role of data in sales strategy, including understanding conversion rates, analyzing market trends, and the importance of being empowered by data without being led solely by it.

[00:08:00] Current Success Strategies and Market Dynamics

• Aircall’s focus on Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and intent data to drive conversions. Discussion on how market dynamics have shifted from a high demand to a more selective market, and how Aircall has adapted its strategies accordingly.

[00:11:50] Engaging Prospects and Effective Follow-Up Strategies

• Techniques for engaging prospects outside of intent data, the importance of timing, and the concept of revisit dates to nurture potential leads until they are ready to buy.

[00:14:42] Customer Feedback and Market Trends

• Insights from customers and prospects about their needs and challenges. The shift in focus from quantity to quality in sales, and the impact of economic changes on sales strategies.

[00:17:20] Art, Science, and Math in Sales

• Sean’s philosophy on balancing the art, science, and math of sales. The importance of personalizing outreach, continuous improvement, and relying on data to underpin strategies.

[00:20:50] Hiring and Team Building

• The evolution of hiring practices at Aircall. The importance of hiring curious, accountable, and motivated individuals. Discussion on how the market has influenced hiring strategies and the competencies sought in candidates.

[00:29:30] Personal Anecdote and Mindset in Sales

• Sean shares a personal story from his time as a personal trainer, emphasizing the importance of a proactive mindset and avoiding negativity. How this mindset translates to success in sales.

[00:31:00] Team Collaboration and Avoiding Siloed Approaches

• The necessity of collaboration across marketing, partnerships, and sales teams to achieve common goals. Moving away from a siloed approach to a more integrated, “all bound” strategy.

[00:34:15] Building Personal and Company Brand

• The significance of building a personal brand alongside the company brand in sales. A case study of effective outreach and brand building by an SDR.

[00:38:00] Closing Remarks and Contact Information

• Shabri and Sean wrap up the conversation. Sean shares how listeners can reach out to him and follow his updates on LinkedIn.