176 Leandra Fishman's Road To The C-Suite

Sales Is King

Summary

The conversation between Dan Sixsmith and Leandra Fishman explores the challenges and changes in B2B sales and marketing. They discuss the importance of productivity and efficiency, the role of AI in sales, and the need for thoughtful solutions that provide value and ROI. They also touch on the difficulties of selling and buying in today's market, the importance of building relationships, and the need for personal development and continuous learning in sales. In this conversation, Leandra Fishman and Dan Sixsmith discuss various aspects of sales, including negotiation, effective communication, and personal branding. They emphasize the importance of knowing your own style and strengths in sales, as well as the need for preparation and practice. They also discuss the challenges of selling to different generations and the importance of adapting to different communication styles. Additionally, they touch on the role of coaching in sales and the impact of remote work on sales teams. Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of authenticity, empathy, and building genuine connections with customers.

Takeaways

Productivity and efficiency are top priorities in B2B sales.

AI can enhance productivity but should not replace the human connection in sales.

Building relationships and understanding customer pain points are crucial in sales.

Personal development and continuous learning are essential for success in sales. Know your own style and strengths in sales to refine your approach and increase success.

Preparation and practice are essential for effective sales calls and negotiations.

Adapt to different communication styles when selling to different generations.

Coaching and feedback are crucial for sales professionals to improve their skills.

Authenticity, empathy, and genuine connections with customers are key to successful sales.

Remote work presents challenges for sales teams, including the loss of the collective power of the sales floor.

Personal branding and social selling can be effective tools for building relationships and establishing credibility in sales.

Success in sales is defined by attitude, effort, and intention.

Sound Bites

"Productivity and efficiency is really top of mind."

"We have to be thoughtful about the solutions we're selling."

"Understanding the customer and building relationships is key."

"Really knowing your own style, knowing where your strengths are, looking to see at each aspect of the stage, how can you get ultimately more through in the end will help you really refine your scope."

"You want to bring your best, and you want to make sure that that call is the one call that gets you the next call versus the one call that maybe has that customer not calling back or ghosting you."

"Yeah, 100%. There was a stat a ways back and they haven't refreshed it. It was when I first started tracking all this stuff that it was only 17 % of sellers were getting a second meeting."

Chapters

00:00 The Shift in B2B Sales and Marketing

02:06 The Role of AI in Sales and Marketing

06:34 The Importance of Personal Development in Sales

33:01 Adapting to Different Communication Styles in Sales

35:47 Building Genuine Connections with Customers in Sales

38:06 Personal Branding and Social Selling in Sales