The Audible-Ready Sales Podcast

Going After Incumbent Solutions

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Some of you have some big sales goals as we start out the new year – those big whale accounts you’d like to attack. John Kaplan joins us on this e...

The Franchise Mindset

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As you begin to prepare for 2024, we bring you one of our most popular episodes - The Franchise Mindset. When it comes to sales planning, we encourage...

Looking Back to Move Forward

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The most elite salespeople put in the work to get better. The best way you can ensure you have a great 2024, is to take a close look at 2023. What are...

Our 200th Episode: Five Habits of Elite Sellers

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For our 200th episode, John Kaplan gives a rundown of five habits of elite sellers.Here are some additional resources:Take the Stairs | Ascender Video...

How to Use “Most Likely Alternatives” to Improve Sales Execution

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Your customer’s Most Likely Alternatives (MLAs) are the ever-present alternate options that threaten to swipe deals away. But they can also open opp...

Selling to the CFO

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With increased scrutiny on spending, we are likely more aware of the influence a CFO has on our opportunities, even if we don't have access to finance...

Avoiding Common MEDDICC Traps

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

MEDDICC is a powerful tool—when used correctly. Force Management's Antonella O'Day covers common traps sellers fall victim to when trying to use MED...

Closing the Sales Conversation

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How you end a call is crucial to the progression of your deal. Today, Patrick “Paddy Mac” McLoughlin explains how to smoothly close sales calls an...

Building a Rhythm Around Pipeline Generation

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For today’s episode, Force Management Senior Partner Paul DeMore joins us to share best practices for prospecting and driving pipeline. He discusses...

Navigating Anchors and Trades in Sales Negotiation

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Contrary to their reputation as obstacles to the progress of deals, anchors are a great opportunity to expand value, but you must know how to respond ...

Finding Your Motivation as a Seller

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The never-ending grind and numerous pressures of work life can take their toll, particularly when you’re chasing after a revenue number quarter afte...

How to Resist Customer Pressure for the Demo

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you respond when your customer is eager for a demo? Brian Walsh shares some tips to help you navigate this scenario. He covers:Evaluating the s...

Being an Effective Sales Coach

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For sales leaders, the skills needed to be a successful coach cannot be taken for granted. Today, Brian Walsh describes how sales leaders can help the...

Expanding the Sales Conversation

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The more people in an account you can reach, the better. In today’s episode, Antonella O’Day joins Rachel to cover the various ways that you can e...

Uncovering Business Pain

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Finding the customer’s pain is a crucial aspect to successful selling and is one of our most common requests. Today, Patrick McLoughlin joins us for...

The Small Things that Make a Difference in Sales

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Force Management facilitator Diana Sheley joins Rachel to discuss how salespeople can execute the so-called “soft skills” for greater succe...

Leading With Purpose

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

No matter the size of your team, it is important that you lead in a way that motivates action. Today, Brian Walsh explains how to lead with purpose. H...

The Right Mindset for Sales Negotiations

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Caito joins us again to talk about the mindset required for successful value-based sales negotiation. Tim speaks about:Why the right negotiation m...

Three Common Sales Challenges

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Brian Walsh joins us to address three sales challenges frequently encountered by salespeople and what they can do to solve them. He d...

Shifting the Negotiation Away From Price

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Regardless of the emphasis you place on value, your customer might fixate on price in the late stages of the deal. Tim Caito joins Rachel to discuss s...

Asking for Help

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Even the most elite of reps know they can’t always go it alone. Brian Walsh joins us to discuss the merits of asking for help. He goes over:Bringing...

Gaining Commitments

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Gaining commitments is an important component to moving a deal forward in a timely manner. Antonella O’Day shares best practices to help you obtain ...

Tips for More Valuable Sales Meetings

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this episode we’ve pulled together some of the most helpful insights from our experts at Force Management regarding executing successful sales c...

Negotiating Value: Presenting Multiple Options

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For this episode, Tim Caito joins us to explain how and why you should present your buyer with multiple options during the sales process. He talks abo...

Commonly Asked Questions About Champions

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We receive numerous questions about Champions on our online platform Ascender. Patrick McLoughlin joins us for today’s episode to answer several of ...

Finding Your Next Sales Job

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is for those seeking a new sales role. Antonella O’Day joins us to share considerations for your job search. She discusses:How to know ...

Looking for a New Sales Role? Join us at our Networking Night

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for Networking Night hosted by Ascender by Force Management. The aim for this event is to allow job seekers to network with hiring managers wh...

Aligning With Your Champion

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We frequently discuss identifying, developing and testing Champions. Today, we’re talking about staying aligned with your Champion throughout the sa...

The First Meeting

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The first meeting with a customer is typically hard-won, so you want to get it right. It will lay the foundation of not only your relationship with th...

Using Metrics Effectively in Your Sales Conversations

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many reps struggle with metrics. The challenge usually comes from not knowing the proper way to apply metrics to their sales conversations. In this qu...

Researching Your Competition

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When you’re trying to close your pipeline, you don’t want a competitor to derail your deal. How do you stay on top of your differentiation and wha...

Own the Next Step in Your Sales Meetings

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It is critical for reps to take command of the next step in sales conversations. Today, Brian Walsh walks us through best practices when it comes to t...

When to Talk About Your Solution

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a discovery session, there comes an inevitable point when the customer asks you to talk about yourself or your solution. When this happens, the las...

Selling a Pilot Project

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever had a customer ask you to consider a pilot project? Perhaps they don’t want to sign up for the full investment or they want to prove success be...

Overcoming Discovery Resistance With Stories

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Clients are often reluctant to open up to reps, but our special guest Rob Stenberg explains how you can use storytelling to break through that barrier...

Managing Sales Leader Deficit Disorder

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You want to work for a company that equips its sellers for success. We often speak about Seller Deficit Disorder, with which reps fail to listen to—...

Influencing the Decision Criteria

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Your customer’s decision criteria are great indicators of your chances of success in a deal. Thankfully, you have the power to mold the decision cri...

Identifying the Economic Buyer

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Though you might have incorporated MEDDICC into your sales process, you, like many new adherents of the methodology, may find difficulty figuring out ...

Building a Culture of Productivity and Transparency

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A negative atmosphere can hinder a sales team’s prospects of success. It is incumbent on leaders to create an environment of openness in which every...

Building Alignment in Your Prospect Organization

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You are likely to come across buying organizations with conflicting priorities. It can be a real challenge to get people in different parts of a compa...

Deal Coaching: How to Get Your Reps to Ask for More

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Here’s a great episode for both reps and sales leaders.Salespeople are typically unenthused by the prospect of deal reviews, but they are a great op...

Dealing With Changes in Leadership

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Changes are inevitable, and, in particular, changes in leadership occur quite frequently. John Kaplan explains how to adjust to a new sales leader. He...

How to Engage Other Departments in Your Sales Process

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Salespeople must be multi-threaded with their opportunities. Make an effort to connect to as many relevant stakeholders in the buying company as possi...

Seizing Opportunities in a Slow Sales Environment

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many sellers are feeling strain from the current state of the economy. Many reps are struggling to figure out the proper action steps to take in the m...

How to Deal with Price Objections

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a tight economy, buyers will try all means necessary to minimize superfluous spending. That means you’re going to get the discount question.. For...

Competing Against “Do It Internally”

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

“Do It Internally” might be the most frequent competitor you come across. In this economy, you’re probably competing against it more than you a...

Laid Off, Now What?

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Be sure to check out Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales Podcast, Ascender is perf...

Building a Culture of Sales Performance

07 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s special episode, we feature the work of project44, a company that provides real-time supply chain visibility for its customers. They trac...

How to use stories in your sales process

31 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a seller, storytelling can be a great asset. More than anything, a well-told story is one of the best ways to get your buyer more emotionally attac...

Common Deal Questions w/ Patrick McLoughlin

24 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We produce a lot of content on Ascender, our new subscription platform! Twice a month, we hold live events on Ascender. One of those events is Deal De...

Finding New Problems to Solve with Marty Mercer

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s difficult sales environment, reeps must ensure that they are aligned with what is most important to their buyers. Force Management Facili...

How to Manage Increased Buyer Scrutiny

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We know you’re dealing with increased buyer scrutiny in your deals. With tighter budgets, your buyers don’t want to purchase a mistake. There’s ...

Action Steps When You Inherit Accounts

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

When Competition Comes Knocking

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

The Outcome Conversation

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Key Tips for Your Next Sales Job Interview

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve fielded numerous questions from reps seeking a new sales role. Some are dissatisfied with their current role, and some feel primed for a new c...

Get Your Deal Questions Answered

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Join us for our Ascender LIVE Deal DeskForce Management's Patrick McLoughlin will join us to take on your sales execution questions. Walk us through ...

Avoid Getting Overwhelmed with Technical Discussions

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Taking Ownership of Your Pipeline

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Go High, Go Low – Adjusting Your Sales Conversation

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

How to Prepare for Next Year

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Cold Calling: Moving from Reluctant to Confident w/ Jason Bay

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Broadening Your Sales Conversations

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Making MEDDICC Work for You

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Creating an Outbound Machine - Don't Miss our Webinar This Week!

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Who couldn't use more qualified leads in the pipeline?John Kaplan joins Jason Bay, CEO of Outbound Squad for a discussion on How to turn Account Execu...

Mastering Outbound with Jason Bay

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Breaking Into New Accounts

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Interviewing for Your Next Position

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Enabling the Internal Sell

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No one can be everywhere at once and sometimes you can’t be in the room where decisions are being made. That’s why it’s so important that your b...

Confidence and Conviction

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

The Franchise Mindset

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management has launched our new product: Ascender. It is a platform solely for salespeople who own a quota. If you enjoy the Audible-Ready Sales...

Influencing Your Customers’ Solution Requirements

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Solution requirements are a critical component of every deal you sell. These are things that must be in place in order for a buyer to achieve their de...

Positioning Value in a Tight Economy

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve done a number of episodes about what to do in a tightening economy and how to overcome economic headwinds. In this episode, we focus specifica...

Selling to Hesitant Customers

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With the distractions present in today’s world, making an effort to maintain buyer focus is more important than ever. Keeping your customers engaged...

Putting in the Work: A Special Announcement

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is a motor that all great salespeople possess. It comes down to the tenacity they have to do the job well, a focus on their customer’s success...

Working Through a Slump

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maybe you’ve hit a bit of a slump. Perhaps you’ve been down on your luck lately. You are not alone—as sellers, it’s disheartening when nothing...

Selling When Budgets are Tight

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is always the possibility of a recession or financial downturn. During such times, companies are inclined to tighten their budgets, which may ma...

Technical and Business Pain

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sellers must understand the more detail-oriented technical pains as well as the wider-ranging business pains of a customer’s organization. Elite sal...

Why Are You Losing?

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

All sellers occasionally go through rough periods. Maybe you’ve had some bad breaks or customer shake-ups. John Kaplan explains why you might be los...

Using Customer Testimonials in Your Sales Process

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Both sellers and buyers today recognize the power of testimonials when it comes to influencing customers to purchase a product or service—it’s ing...

Working for a Bad Manager

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all worked for someone who we didn’t think was that great as a manager. How do you, a seller, handle the scenario in which you’re working ...

What the Best Sellers Do

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hear the practices that the most elite salespeople exhibit. John Kaplan joins us to highlight must-execute action steps for sellers including: expandi...

Owning Your Success

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you work for someone else, much of your day to day can be out of your control and power. So, how do you take ownership of that which you can cont...

Navigating Changes in Leadership

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Changes in leadership commonly take place during the sales process. Although disruptive, they are an occurrence for which preparation is key. How do y...

Building Your Referral Network

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everybody knows about the need to build their referral network, but very few people talk specifically about how best to do so. Many sellers are uncomf...

Executing a Single Selling Motion

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a seller, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the numerous methodologies, tactics and processes that you are given to follow. How do you pul...

Active Listening in Sales Conversations

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often focus on asking two-sided, open-ended discovery questions to learn about prospective customers. However, there is little value in asking thes...

Aligning with Corporate Initiatives

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When selling a solution, you want to align with wide-ranging corporate initiatives and not just departmental one-offs. Many reps struggle to not only ...

Competing initiatives: Moving Your Deal Forward

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sellers often hear from prospective customers that they have too much going on and thereby cannot take on a solution. When you’ve got numbers to hit...

Join the Force Team

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Join the Force Management Team! Opportunities at all levels and in various departments. If you're interested email Rachel at: [email protected]...

Leading From the Front W/ Paul "PK" Kleinschnitz, CCO at BlueVoyant

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It takes conviction to lead a sales organization to the next level. What can you focus on to help your sales organization deliver results? Dig deep in...

Going Above Someone's Head

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As you navigate sales conversations with multiple stakeholders in an organization, understanding the internal, political landscape is critical. One mo...

Walking Away

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the quest to hit the number, sellers can find themselves challenged with knowing when to walk away from a deal. Save this episode as a reminder whe...

Differentiation

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s not a salesperson out there who doesn’t want more wins and bigger deals. The most elite salespeople are strategic about how they align the...

Persuasion

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The idea of persuasion can give salespeople a bad rap. Instead, flip the script. The best sellers don’t persuade customers, they let customers persu...

Selling to People with More Experience

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re making a career change or just joining the sales game, save this episode. Good selling is good selling, no matter your experience or ...

Positioning Your Sales Skills

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Much like progressing a deal, as you progress in your sales career, being able to position your sales skills in those interviews can help you differen...

Sneak Preview: Revenue Builders Podcast Ep00

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Force Management is launching a new podcast. Revenue Builders is hosted by John McMahon and John Kaplan. They’ll interview C-suite leaders, PE/VC le...

Manager Tips of the Day

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to be a great manager, it takes a different skillset than what it takes to be a great seller. After all, being a great player of the game ...

Building an Accountable Culture

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Becoming elite as a sales organization demands a culture of accountability. A great sales planning process combined with a voracious qualification pro...