How You Can Build a High-Performance Sales Team Using Sandler with Dan Ford
Release Date: 02/20/2025
Manage the Exceptions: Build the Right Sales Dials w/ Chris Blum
Building Your Sales Engine
How to build validated sales dashboards, manage exceptions, and make better decisions—without flying by gut feel. To find our handout for this episode, click . Static reports are lagging. In this conversation, Mark McGraw and Chris Blum (EH Blum Company) walk through moving from canned outputs to interactive, validated dashboards. Start simple (revenue, mix, low-margin drivers), manage the exceptions, hunt the 1% margin gains, and use leading vs. lagging indicators to forecast. Chris shares a private-pilot “six dials” framework (trust instruments, not feel), how to...
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How to Use Assessments to Hire & Coach Sales Teams w/ Rachel Chang
Building Your Sales Engine
How to hire, place, and coach sellers with assessments—so you avoid hunter/farmer mis-hires and reduce burnout. Assessments aren’t paperwork—they’re how you hire better, place smarter, and coach faster. Mark McGraw and Rachel Chang break down using work style/DISC, personality, sales capacity, and object reasoning assessments to prevent bad hires, align roles with natural strengths, and target training where it moves the needle. Interviews show experience; assessments reveal potential and capacity. 🔗 Download exclusive sales resources at: Guest: Rachel Chang — Project and...
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How to Manage Change with Heather Martin
Building Your Sales Engine
How to lead sales teams through change with KPI discipline, psychological safety, clear cadence, and a risk register so signal beats noise. Change doesn’t break sales—silence and guesswork do. In this episode, Mark McGraw and guest Heather Martin lay out a practical playbook for leading teams through change: build a KPI foundation before you pivot, create psychological safety so truth flows up, communicate like a sales cycle (even when the update is “I don’t know yet”), and use a risk register to prioritize signal over noise. In this episode: • Sales and pipeline are lagging...
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Mastering Long Sales Cycles wth Brian Hayes
Building Your Sales Engine
Long sales cycles aren’t a patience test—they’re a process. In this episode, Mark McGraw and guest Brian Hayes break down how to win 12–24-month capital deals without rushing: speak the buyer’s language, use curiosity to find context, and build momentum through meaningful next steps instead of shortcuts. In this episode: Why speed kills deals (and how context saves them) Capital buying reality: budgets, board approval, and timing Cost of delay as a lever to align urgency The Italy negotiation story: delivery date > everything else Stakeholder mapping: “Who else is...
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Be Elite: From Mindset to Technique w/ Rob Vaka
Building Your Sales Engine
Elite selling isn’t hype — it’s standards. In this episode, Mark McGraw talks with sales leader and master connector Rob Vaka about how to link mindset to technique so you sell with clarity, qualify fast, and build trust that lasts. In this episode: The connector mindset: be more interested than interesting Curiosity that leads to real discovery (not interrogation) Up-Front Contracts (UFC): agenda, time, outcome — clarity that reduces pressure Fit-first qualification: why “we may not be a fit” builds credibility Situational fluency: get in more rooms, play up, learn...
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How to Reframe Stress to Improve Sales Performance With Rebecca Heiss
Building Your Sales Engine
Stress isn’t the enemy — it’s energy. In this episode, Mark McGraw talks with Dr. Rebecca Heiss, stress physiologist, keynote speaker, and author of Springboard, about how a simple mindset shift can transform performance in sales, leadership, and life. Rebecca explains why believing “stress is bad” is linked to worse outcomes, why “calm down” fights your biology, and how to reframe stress into focus, service, and action. You’ll hear practical, science-backed tools you can use before your next presentation or sales call. In this episode: The “stress mindset” and why the...
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Pivot Like a Pro: What to Do When the Sales Call Goes Sideways w/Emily Yepes
Building Your Sales Engine
In this episode of Building Your Sales Engine, Mark McGraw sits down with Emily Yepes to explore the tension between sales theory and real-world execution. They dive into four core concepts—upfront contracts, pricing, demos, and decision-making—and reveal how the best salespeople adapt when things don’t go by the book. Whether you’re navigating internal power dynamics or figuring out how to tailor your message to an analytical buyer, this episode is a masterclass in pivoting with purpose. Topics covered: The difference between breaking the rules and earning the right to break them ...
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How to Build Trust and Sell More with Reflective Listening with Matt Detjen
Building Your Sales Engine
In this episode of Building Your Sales Engine, Mark McGraw welcomes Matt Detjen—North American Training Manager at Michelin and author of 'REFLECT: The Art of Powerful Sales Communication.' Matt shares the mindset shifts and practical frameworks that help sales professionals move beyond surface-level rapport and into deeper, more effective communication with their clients. They explore how to build real rapport, the importance of reflective listening, and how to navigate emotional conversations that lead to trust and results. Matt breaks down how better listening unlocks sales...
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Why Sales Teams Fail at Cross-Selling (And How to Fix It) With Matt Martella
Building Your Sales Engine
Mark McGraw sits down with Matt Martella, a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in tech, media, and digital advertising sales. They dive into the real-world challenges and strategies of cross-selling in B2B environments—from compensation misalignment to fear-based mindsets. This episode is a practical deep dive for sales leaders and sellers alike, packed with insights on how to build trust, align sales behavior with corporate strategy, and increase revenue by unlocking the full potential of your portfolio. To find our handout for this episode, click . Matt outlines how...
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How to Have a Tough Conversation (And Why We Avoid Them)
Building Your Sales Engine
Mark McGraw shares the four steps for having a tough conversation with someone. He explains why most of us avoid conflict, how fear distorts reality, and what happens when we wait too long to speak up. To find our handout for this episode, click . Tune in to hear a powerful mindset shift, a simple 4-step conversation framework, and the surprising formula that will change how you approach confrontation forever. Mark explains how most of us struggle with confrontation. He admits he’s not naturally wired to lean into conflict, which makes it easy to avoid hard conversations. Over...
info_outlineMark McGraw talks with Dan Ford, the director of AV at Basesix, a technology integrator that makes buildings, campuses, and environments safer, smarter, and simple.
Dan shares insights on what makes a great salesperson, how to build a fun company culture, and why walking away from the wrong customers can be a profitable business move.
To find our handout for this episode, click here.
Tune in to learn how to sell ethically, lead effectively, and use Sandler sales training principles to build a thriving sales team!
- Dan starts by explaining why he got into sales—his journey from being an installation technician to a salesperson.
- He explains how understanding technology and being able to simplify complex concepts made him a natural fit for the role.
- Dan reveals the one thing that will determine your success in sales—you’re only as good as your last deal.
- Sales is a high-performance industry, and Dan emphasizes that past success doesn’t guarantee future success. He explains why every deal matters and how staying sharp and consistent is key to long-term growth.
- Sales conversations can be complicated. Dan explains why the ability to break down complex solutions into simple, clear value propositions is essential for closing deals and earning trust.
- Knowing what you're selling is crucial, but too much detail can confuse potential clients. Dan shares ways to strike the right balance—having enough knowledge to answer questions confidently without going too deep.
- How to hire the right salespeople and why testing candidates before hiring is critical.
- Dan explains why it’s important to test candidates during the hiring process, not just for their skills but also to ensure they fit the company’s culture.
- Dan shares the key strategies that led to Basesix’s explosive growth over the past seven years, from hiring the right people to focusing on the right customers and delivering real value.
- Dan’s definition of company culture: Fun. For Dan, creating an environment where people love coming to work leads to better results and happier employees.
- Why walking away from some customers can be a smart business decision.
- Mark and Dan agree that not all customers are worth the headache. Sometimes it’s better to turn down business if the client isn’t the right fit for the company’s values and culture.
- Mark shares why he believes psychographics matter more than demographics in sales.
- Great salespeople don’t just look at who a customer is (industry, size, revenue) but also how they think and operate.
- According to Dan, sales shouldn’t be about tricking customers into buying more than they need. He explains why Basesix focuses on long-term partnerships rather than short-term wins.
- Mark and Dan discuss why a fun culture and miserable customers don’t mix. Working with the wrong customers can drain energy and hurt morale, no matter how much revenue they bring in.
- How Basesix grooms young hires into leadership positions.
- Dan’s advice on how to respond to a triggering message--taking a break before responding to an emotionally charged email can save a client relationship.
- The best opportunities come when you’re just outside your comfort zone. Mark and Dan discuss how slight discomfort pushes people to improve without overwhelming them.
- Learn how to be your team’s favorite boss. For Dan, being a great manager isn’t about being easy on people—it’s about challenging and supporting them.
- Why salespeople need a little pressure and the perfect balance between security and hunger. Mark and Dan agree that if salespeople are too comfortable, they stop pushing themselves.
- Dan shares his thoughts on micromanaging and why great sales leaders avoid micromanaging—trusting your team to do what they do best.
- Mark’s #1 goal for managers—develop self-sufficient employees who can think on their own.
- The best managers don’t create dependent employees—they create problem-solvers.
- Dan’s advice for young sales professionals--follow the right mentors. The right mentorship, continuous learning, and calculated risk-taking can help you rise through the ranks in sales.
Mentioned in This Episode:
BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/follow
BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/sandler
Dan Ford on LinkedIn