The Audible-Ready Sales Podcast

Breaking Down the Corporate Deck

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being able to execute memorable and impactful presentations is an often-overlooked sales skill. John Kaplan shares the key steps you can take to prepa...

Valuable Customer Meetings

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The last two years have exposed some flaws in salespeople’s approach to customer meetings. If you want to be successful, you can’t go back to the ...

Responding to a RFP

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Responding to RFPs is often inevitable in many selling organizations. How do you respond in a way that gives you an edge? Brian Walsh joins us to shar...

A Conversation with Segment CRO Joe Morrissey

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Segment's Chief Revenue Officer, Joe Morrissey, joins John Kaplan to discuss how Segment implemented a value-based sales motion to scale their organiz...

After the SKO

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The time period after your sales kickoff is a pivotal one. You spend countless hours planning and executing the SKO, but what’s the plan to maintain...

Pairing Value and Metrics

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Defining metrics demands company alignment. Getting buyers to map to and define how they’ll measure success as it relates to your solution isn’t a...

100th Episode

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

To celebrate our 100th episode, Brian Walsh joined us to interview Force Management Co-Founders John Kaplan and Grant Wilson. They discuss the journey...

Prepping Others for Your Sales Calls

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Preparing for your deal is critical. Preparing others for your sales call has equal impacts on your success. If you want someone to join you on a call...

Funniest Sales Stories

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A montage of the funniest sales stories covered during our Lessons Learned in Sales series. Catch up on these highlights that you might have missed an...

How to Tell Impactful Stories

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Any salesperson can tell a good story. Styles may differ, but your message is what matters. A great story helps your buyers understand what’s possi...

How to Hold to a Committed Forecast w/ Paul DeMore

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we cover key steps to make sure you hold to your committed forecast. Force Management Senior Partner Paul DeMore has conversations w...

Coaching Your Teams

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Front-line sales managers this one’s for you! Your job is difficult. Often top sellers, who were promoted to managers, can find it challenging to c...

Lessons Learned in Sales W/ Kamonte McCray

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales” continues this week as John Kaplan talks with Force Management’s new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO...

Backing Up Your Deals

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ever advance a deal too quickly, only to find out you need to back up the sales process? John Kaplan joins us to discuss how to step back and work wit...

Three Steps for Your Sales Plan

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As the end of the year approaches, how are you going to make your plan next year? What do you want to deliver? If the answer is on-time-earnings and b...

Win Loss Reviews

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

High-performing sales organizations don’t just know why deals are won and lost. These teams have a systematic way to leverage those insights to impa...

Differentiate How You Sell

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sales is a game of inches. How you make your approach stand out from the competition (including do-nothing or do-it-internally options) can set you fa...

How to Ask for Help on Your Deals

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You know the deals you need help on, but how do you get the help you need? John Kaplan shares the best practices for getting the help you need on ever...

Lessons Learned in Sales W/ Dale Monnin

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales” continues this week as John Kaplan talks with Force Management Facilitator Dale Monnin. They discuss...

Key Things to Do After Every Sales Call

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Get back to the basic sales fundamentals that help ensure great sales conversations and improved win rates. John Kaplan provides five things to execut...

5 Things to Do Before Your Next Sales Conversation

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Get back to the basic sales fundamentals that help ensure great sales conversations. John Kaplan provides five things you can practice before you jum...

Lessons Learned in Sales W/ Brian Walsh

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales” continues this week as John Kaplan talks with Force Management Senior Director of Facilitation Brian...

Selling to More Experienced Professionals

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re finding yourself new to a selling role and trying to sell to more experienced executives and professionals - this is a podcast for you. If...

Moving Up and Down in Organizations

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Discover the mantra you can use to successfully navigate opportunities that require you to move up and down in organizations. Hear John Kaplan’s tip...

Sales Kickoffs: A Discussion

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sales kickoffs can take many different forms -- the good, the bad, and the game changers. The Force Management team has helped countless sales leaders...

Sales Kickoff Insights

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For those of you planning your next Sales Kickoff, use our resources, everything you need all in one place:Sales Kickoff Resource Guidehttps://www.for...

The Brandon Burlsworth Story

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to be "the top 2%", become an elite seller in your organization, and propel your career to the next level — take spirit from Brandon Bur...

Good to Great to Elite w/ Dale Monnin

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re looking for quick tips to improve your ability to execute the fundamentals of elite selling — this is the episode for you.Force Manageme...

Lessons Learned in Sales W/ Tim Caito

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales”, continues as John Kaplan talks with Force Management Senior Partner Tim Caito. As always, Tim share...

How to Get Your Customer to Open Up Virtually w/ John Kaplan

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In-person customer conversations have dwindled over the past year. While we are getting back to face-to-face meetings, many sales conversations are ha...

Making QBRs Valuable w/ Tim Caito

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Your buyers have likely experienced a lot of bad QBRs — so differentiate your company by making them truly valuable for you and your buyer. Tim Cait...

An Interview with John McMahon Part 2

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Part 2 of our conversation with Author and Sales Leader Veteran John McMahon. He joins John Kaplan to discuss themes in McMahon's new book, “The Qua...

An Interview with John McMahon Part 1

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Author and Sales Leader Veteran John McMahon joins John Kaplan to discuss themes in his new book, “The Qualified Sales Leader”. McMahon has been t...

Lessons Learned in Sales W/ Marty Mercer

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales” continues this week as John Kaplan talks with Force Management Facilitator Marty Mercer. Marty share...

Skill and Will: Your 1s and 2s

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our final episode in our “Skill/Will” series (link to the diagram below), takes a deep dive on your people with low will, level 1s and 2s. Low-wil...

Skill and Will: Your 3s and 4s

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing our series on the “Skill/Will” Model (link to the diagram below), this episode covers people with high will, level 3s and 4s. High-will...

Skill and Will: Own Your Coaching Process

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sales leaders can achieve great success when they take ownership of their talent and coaching process. Maximize your talent efforts and coach your peo...

Aligning Sales with Customer Success W/ Kathleen Schindler

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Unlock the full potential of your Customer Success teams by building alignment with your sales teams and your buyers. Kathleen Schindler, Force Manage...

Lessons Learned in Sales W/ Antonella O'Day

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Our second episode of our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales”, John Kaplan talks with Force Management Facilitator Antonella O’Day about h...

Finding the Business Pain w/ John Kaplan

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Attaching to a big business problem gets you access, funding and urgency. How do you find the pain and then how do you attach your solution to it?John...

Netflix’s Last Chance U Part 3: Lessons Learned for Sales Leaders

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we wrap up our conversation with Coach John Mosley Jr, from East Los Angeles College and featured on Netflix’s Last Chance U: Baske...

Netflix’s Last Chance U: A Conversation with Coach John Mosley Jr Part 2

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Don’t miss — part 2 of our conversation with Coach John Mosley Jr, from East Los Angeles College and featured on Netflix’s Last Chance U: Basket...

Netflix’s Last Chance U: A Conversation with Coach John Mosley Jr Part 1

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From the Last Chance U: Basketball series, and East Los Angeles College, Coach John Mosley Jr joins John Kaplan for a conversation on—you guessed it...

Why Are You Talking? w/ John Kaplan

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever caught yourself babbling in a sales conversation? John Kaplan has, and he shares some spirit around asking yourself the question - “W...

How to Make Sure You're Working for Great Companies w/ John Kaplan

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do you ensure you’re selling for a great company or moving to a great company?Part of believing that what you do matters, means loving what you ...

Getting Comfortable with Uncomfortable Conversations w/ Antonella O'Day

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Great conversations only happen when salespeople aren’t afraid to be uncomfortable.Being elite often comes down to being the person who can ask grea...

Lessons Learned in Sales W/ Patrick McLoughlin

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is the first in our new podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales”, John Kaplan talks with Senior Director of Consulting and Facilitat...

Stacking Customer Requirements in Your Favor w/ Marty Mercer

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Competitors catch up to your solutions. When they do, your “unique” differentiators won’t hold up. Marty Mercer stops by the podcast to provide ...

How to Build Alignment on Buyer Value w/ John Kaplan

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most basic things you can do as a sales organization is ensure that your executive team and entire company is aligned on the key value and ...

How to Enable Reps to Sell Higher w/ Brian Walsh

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Selling too low in an organization is a common challenge for many salespeople. Brian Walsh shares best practices from salespeople and company leaders ...

Navigating the Decision Process With Multiple Buyers w/ John Kaplan

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Improve your ability to navigate your buyer's decision process and win deals that involve multiple decision makers.John Kaplan walks through key tips ...

Three Questions You Need to Answer For Your Economic Buyer w/ John Kaplan

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Selling to an economic buyer is always challenging and often different from one deal to the next. Improve your ability to make economic buyers and dec...

Reinforcing a Sales Initiative w/ Kathleen Schindler

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gearing up to launch a strategic initiative or are you in the middle of creating an adoption plan? Kathleen Schindler, Force Management Managing Direc...

Helping Buyers Reach Their Own Conclusions w/ John Kaplan

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we’re sharing key insights on getting your buyer to come to their own conclusions. Remember, people rarely argue with their own con...

Prepare and Practice to Confidently Execute Sales Calls w/ John Kaplan

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After elite athletes win champions and gold medals they don’t stop practicing. They continue the work that’s necessary to repeat success and beat ...

The Mindset You Need to Hit Your Number w/ John Kaplan

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re coming off the high of making a great number last year or last quarter, you may be struggling with how to repeat your success. If you’re...

Shifting to Bigger Sales & More Decision Makers w/ John Kaplan

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Making the shift from selling smaller deals to enterprise solutions that require multiple decision-makers is a common career progression path. This ch...

A Look Back at our Most Valuable Episodes

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are marking our 50th episode! We rebranded the Force Management podcast last March and launched right before the Pandemic hit. To celebrate a...

Create Value for Your Sales Teams This Year w/ Brian Walsh

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are you doing to ensure you’re creating value for your sales team? It’s hard to be steady as a sales leader or front-line manager when you’...

How To Negotiate Early w/ Tim Caito

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

While you’re working your current deals, there are key steps you should take to start the negotiation process early and drive better outcomes for yo...

Reassess Your Deal w/ John Kaplan

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve all worked with prospects who drag their feet on making a final decision. You may even have some of these deals in your pipeline right now. If...

The Handoff: SDR to AE w/ Patrick McLoughlin

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Turning over a potential deal from an SDR/BDR to an AE is a critical step in the sales process. We often say there’s as much differentiation in what...

The Pandemic: The Great Teacher w/ John Kaplan

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Plan for a successful year and understand why some companies were able to turn the corner faster than others during the pandemic.One thing we often em...

Virtual Selling Tips & Tricks w/ Marty Mercer

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You may have had to sell virtually before the pandemic, but now it’s perhaps the only way you can connect with a prospect. Now more than ever, you w...

The Art of the Demo w/ John Kaplan

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As part 2 to last week’s episode “Leveraging the technical mind”... we’re covering how to conduct demos in a way that is value-based and impro...

Leveraging the Technical Mind w/ John Kaplan

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Being able to align the technical capabilities of a solution with the business outcomes that solution can provide is a key attribute of elite sellers....

Lessons From a Sales Veteran w/ Frank Azzolino

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Frank Azzolino, Force Management Senior Partner, has sold for years. He’s been there - done that. He also is a great teacher.   He makes his first ...

Is Your Company Set Up For Growth? w/ John Kaplan

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you considering a new opportunity? Do you feel good about the company you’re working for? Are you working for a company that’s set up for grow...

Improve Your Active Listening Skills w/ Patrick McLoughlin

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How well do you prepare to listen?   We know how important asking great questions is to uncovering business pain. However, having great questions wil...

Where Sales Messaging & Qualification Intersect w/ Brian Walsh

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We often find ourselves explaining how our sales messaging initiatives intersect with our sales qualification initiatives. When wondering what should ...

Remember These Phrases. Sell More Deals. w/ John Kaplan

03 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We say these phrases so often, we decided to make a whole podcast about them. Today, we explore what they really mean and why we encourage every sales...

Why the Best Sales Leaders Go Beyond Compliance w/ Brian Walsh

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to launching strategic change initiatives, big or small, how can you ensure that they not only stick but don't become yet another compli...

35. Competing Against Do Nothing w/ John Kaplan

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If your pipeline deals are at risk because your buyers choose to “do nothing” rather than move forward, this is the podcast episode for you.    ...

34. Finding Success with Procurement w/ Tim Caito

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you work with procurement to ensure you close a great deal? How can you make that conversation easier on yourself and the professional buyers y...

33. Executing Great Discovery w/ Brian Walsh

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Deals are won or lost in discovery.   The more your sales teams can carry out discovery in a way that builds prospect interest and opens doors to hig...

32. How Your Internal Process is Crippling Your Sales Negotiations w/ Tim Caito

29 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We’re diving into the one area of negotiation that many companies fail to pay attention to — the internal process behind every sales negotiation. ...

31. How to Move Yourself Beyond Mediocrity w/ Patrick McLoughlin

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes inspiration can hit you at the most unexpected times. For Senior Director of Consulting and Facilitation Patrick McLoughlin, it was during a...

30. Staying Motivated in Today’s Environment w/ John Kaplan

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you struggling with motivation?   Especially in our current environment, finding motivation in a foggy sales environment can be a constant battle...

29. Getting Your SDR Process Right w/ Patrick McLoughlin

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We’re taking a deep dive into the critical roles SDRs play and the value they can bring to your company.   Special guest, Patrick McLoughlin, Senio...

28. The Sales Kickoff: What other sales leaders are doing w/ John Kaplan

01 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There’s no doubt that next year’s SKO will be different from years past. In this episode, we sat down to discuss how some of the sales leaders we ...

27. Our Most FAQs from Salespeople w/ John Kaplan

25 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we’re taking a step back to cover the most frequently asked questions we get from our customers, the sellers we train, and our list...

26. Maximize the Effectiveness of Proof Points w/ John Kaplan

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Proof points should tell a story of how your solutions effectively solved your customer’s problems and achieved measurable results.   Elite sellers...

25. How Successful Companies Implement MEDDICC w/ Brian Walsh

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many sales leaders want to add MEDDICC into their sales organizations to improve sales qualification, mitigating losses and the number of deals in the...

24. Coaches vs. Champions w/ John Kaplan

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You know that champions can be a critical component of moving your deals forward.   However, identifying them isn’t always easy.   Do you really h...

23. Virtual Sales Initiatives: How to Get Results w/ Dave Davies & Brian Walsh

28 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Many sales leaders are moving forward with their sales transformation initiatives, virtually. They’ve come to an understanding that they don’t hav...

22. 3 Things You Need In Every Deal w/ John Kaplan

21 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Moving opportunities forward and maintaining a healthy pipeline in this environment — are two critical areas sales organizations are struggling with...

21. Creating an Audible-Ready Sales Organization w/ John Kaplan

14 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This topic is so important we named our podcast after it.    In this episode, John Kaplan explains what it means to have an ‘audible-ready’ sale...

20. Negotiation FAQs & Best Practices w/ Tim Caito

07 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We’re using this episode to run through the most frequently asked questions we hear about sales negotiation.  Listen as Tim Caito discusses best pr...

19. Getting into a New Opportunity w/ John Kaplan

30 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Salespeople, even veteran sellers, can struggle with warming up cold sales conversations and turning LinkedIn connections into active opportunities. ...

18. Critical Concepts Sales Leaders Must Communicate w/ John Kaplan

23 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Communication is a critical component to ensuring your teams stay focused.    For sales leaders, it can be the one thing that separates the best fro...

17. How to Best Enable Your Front-Line Managers w/ John Kaplan

16 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Please note this episode was recorded prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic.   Front-line sales managers typically have one of the toughest jobs in the enti...

16. New Sales Leader Job? Here’s Your Roadmap for Success w/ John Kaplan

09 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is just for people who are new to a head of sales role or for those people who are looking to jump ship.    John Kaplan outlines the ke...

15. How to Prepare for Buyer Negotiation Tactics w/ Tim Caito

02 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why do buyers use tricky tactics in negotiations?    Because they work!    In this podcast, Tim Caito shares how to best prepare yourself (and you...

14. The Role Leaders Play in Keeping Sales Reps Focused w/ John Kaplan

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Keeping sales teams focused is an area many sales leaders are trying to excel in right now.   In this episode, John Kaplan walks through simple thin...

13. Approaching Your Sales Conversations with Empathy w/ John Kaplan

19 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode covers how to approach sales conversations right now to mitigate stalled deals and communicate with purpose and empathy.  Many sales pro...

12. Get the Resources You Need to Get the Deal Done w/ John Kaplan

12 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Please note this episode was recorded prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic. It takes a lot of “hands on deck” when trying to close a large opportunity. ...

11. Scaling Sales: How to Sell As Well as your Founder w/ John Kaplan

05 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Growing companies are often challenged with translating the founder’s vision and story into sales conversations that highlight the value and differe...

10. How to Test Your Champion w/ John Kaplan

28 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You know how important Champions can be to your sales process. But, how do you test them?  How do you ensure that your Champions are really able to a...

09. How to Make Sure Your Bad Quarter Doesn’t Repeat Itself w/ John Kaplan

21 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

NOTE: This episode was recorded prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic. John’s advice is still applicable, but please understand we didn’t have the curren...

08. Being Elite: 3 Lessons Learned as a Revenue Leader w/ John Kaplan

14 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Elite leaders make the choice to work at their craft.  In this episode, John Kaplan shares a few lessons he’s learned as a sales leader, the mantra...