The Telephone Assassin’s Formula for Sales Success, Ep #492
Release Date: 02/02/2026
How to Win at Prospecting, Ep #519
Sales Reinvented
Sales prospecting and lead generation are the lifeblood of any thriving sales career—but they’re also some of the most misunderstood and mismanaged aspects of the job. Carole Mahoney, Darryl Praill, and Tim Hughes share insights that challenge traditional mindsets and equip listeners to approach prospecting with precision, empathy, and creativity. We explore the necessity of ongoing learning, time-blocking for prospecting, and seeking support from peers. My experts also discuss the risks of overvaluing a single champion in the sales cycle and the power of humanized content to...
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Building Connections that Convert, Ep #518
Sales Reinvented
We’re digging deep into the essentials of prospecting and lead generation with guests Brynne Tillman, Jeff Bajorek, and Caryn Kopp this week. They share their top actionable do's and don'ts, revealing prospecting strategies that they have found to work. You’ll hear real-world success stories—from making warm connections on LinkedIn to the power of consistent, quality touchpoints and the importance of solving your client’s real challenges, not just following the standard playbook. Outline of This Episode [05:53] Challenges of prospecting and leads [07:09] Taking...
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Unlocking the Science of Prospecting, Ep #517
Sales Reinvented
This episode of Sales Reinvented dives deep into the essential do’s and don’ts of prospecting and lead generation with advice from three industry trailblazers. I host Bill McCormick, Mary Grothe, and Tony Hughes to help you transform cold outreach into meaningful connections and qualified leads. You'll hear their top do's and don'ts for successful lead generation, compelling real-world sales stories, and get their lessons learned from overcoming challenges in the field. Outline of This Episode [01:49] Nurture prospects on LinkedIn by providing value and insight...
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Spinning Sales Gold—Why Stories Sell, Ep #516
Sales Reinvented
Today’s “Best Of” episode brings together top minds in storytelling for sales success. In this episode, you'll hear practical do’s and don’ts from Philip Humm, Doug Keeley, and Patti Pokorchak, who share how to craft stories that engage, connect, and create real value for clients. Whether it’s making your customer the hero, keeping stories concise and relevant, or demonstrating the undeniable power of value-driven storytelling, this episode is packed with actionable insights to elevate your sales conversations and results. Get ready to be inspired by compelling examples and...
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How to Captivate Customers, Ep #515
Sales Reinvented
Storytelling isn’t just a buzzword in the world of sales, it’s a transformative tool that can turn mundane pitches into memorable, persuasive conversations. This week, I bring together industry experts Mark Smyth, Kristie Jones, and Park Howell to share their top storytelling do’s and don’ts for sales professionals. Whether you struggle to keep your stories concise, want to captivate your audience, or wonder how to make your data more compelling, this episode will give you actionable advice and inspiring real-world examples. Outline of This Episode [01:40] Guide the...
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Don’t Just Tell—Engage, Listen, and Share Stories that Stick, Ep #514
Sales Reinvented
Sales isn't just about products, features, or numbers, it's all about forging genuine human connections. The best way to do this is by mastering the craft of storytelling. In this episode, I speak to some phenomenal sales experts, Mike Adams, John Livesay, and Kyle Gray, who share their favorite storytelling do’s and don’ts, and their personal strategies for winning business and building trust. Listen in as they share their wisdom and practical tips to help you refine your own sales storytelling. Outline of This Episode [00:00] Importance of knowing what a story is and isn't...
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Mastering Sales Storytelling, Ep #513
Sales Reinvented
This week, my three expert guests, Mary Jane Copps, Paul Smith, and Roy Furr, cover everything from injecting humor and vulnerability into your stories to crafting narratives that move prospects closer to a sale. They discuss the importance of using stories with purpose: tailoring them to your audience, keeping them concise, and ensuring they support your sales process. They also share their thoughts on the dangers of boastfulness, going off topic, or using stories without a clear connection to your sales goals. Tune in for practical advice, real-world examples, and memorable lessons to help...
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Mastering Referral Selling: Strategies, Stories, and Lessons from the Pros, Ep #512
Sales Reinvented
Referral selling remains a game-changer in modern sales, not just for filling pipelines with high-quality leads, but for building lasting business relationships rooted in trust. My guests, Stacey Brown Randall, Steve Hall, and Dr. Ivan Misner shared their most impactful referral selling strategies, missteps to avoid, and stories that deliver invaluable lessons for any sales professional looking to maximize their impact through referrals. The lessons shared in this episode will help you elevate your referral selling game to new heights. Outline of This Episode [01:04] Identify and revisit...
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How to Build Powerful Referral Networks, Ep #511
Sales Reinvented
Referrals are the lifeblood of high-performing sales organizations, yet many teams overlook their full potential. In this Best Of episode of Sales Reinvented, I bring together three dynamic referral selling experts, Steve Benson, Lori Richardson, and Joanne Black, to share actionable strategies, hard-hitting do’s and don’ts, and memorable stories from their own careers. Outline of This Episode [0:00] When to ask for referrals [00:55] Importance of tracking referrals [02:03] Making the referral process fun and personal [05:48] Creating value leads to natural,...
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Referral Rocket Fuel: Real Stories and Unbeatable Tactics from Top Sales Leaders, Ep #510
Sales Reinvented
In this “best of” episode, I’m sharing some golden nuggets from sales trailblazers, Jamie Crosby, Nick Kane, and Liz Heiman. They share the secrets behind scalable, trust-based referral selling to help you ditch haphazard “who do you know?” asks and start building referral systems that deliver. Today’s show is packed with actionable advice on referral selling—the dos, the don’ts, and lessons learned from real-world sales situations. Outline of This Episode [00:41] Jamie Crosby's top three referral selling do's and don'ts [05:12] Importance of organically building...
info_outlineAnthony Stears, also known as the Telephone Assassin, is a professional speaker, trainer, and consultant who specializes in helping sales teams master the art of real-time conversations, particularly over the phone.
We dig into the relevance of live calls in today’s digital-first world and explore how human-to-human interactions can break through “pipeline constipation” when automated tools and AI fall short. Anthony also shares practical techniques for building confidence in phone outreach, from shifting your mindset to using “permission to speak” as a powerful opener.
Outline of This Episode
- 00:00 Importance of human interaction for sales effectiveness.
- 04:24 Moving from “cold caller” to “proactive expert”.
- 08:08 Building trust and rapport in early conversations.
- 11:17 Human interaction for conversion, especially at pipeline bottlenecks.
- 14:20 Blending phone outreach with digital tools.
- 16:25 Using conversational patience to foster genuine engagement.
Pipeline Blockages, And Why the Human Touch is the Cure
Anthony introduces the concept of “pipeline constipation”, a metaphor for that frustrating moment in the sales process when automation, digital outreach, and AI fail to move prospects forward. This is the precise time to insert a human-to-human conversation.
Automated tools work wonders for prospecting and nurturing, but when a lead stalls, nothing is better than a phone call. It’s not just about solving a technical problem in the pipeline. Real-time conversations build rapport, answer nuanced questions, and clear up final concerns that digital channels miss. By humanizing the process, sellers create momentum where bots and bulk emails fall short.
Permission to Speak and Polite Persistence
One major reason sellers dread the phone is the fear of rejection and coming across as a cold caller. His solution is to shift your mindset from a transactional cold caller to a proactive expert or problem solver.
Anthony’s “Permission to Speak” (PTS) tactic is a game-changer: open the call by acknowledging you may be interrupting, and respectfully ask if it’s a good time or when would be better. This simple gesture disarms prospects and communicates respect for their time. If you’re patient and persistent, follow up as needed and always seek permission, you cultivate trust and increase the odds that prospects will want to engage.
Three Proven Techniques for Building Trust in Early Conversations
Anthony outlines a powerful three-step approach for trust and rapport in initial outreach:
- Permission to Speak: Start every conversation with genuine respect for the other person’s time.
- Establish Credibility: Share a relatable success story, reference a case study, or present client feedback that connects with your prospect’s world. This social proof builds trust far more effectively than mere product pitches or name-dropping.
- Offer a ‘Test Drive’: Create a low-risk, “try before you buy” opportunity, a demo, sample, or insight, so prospects can experience your value firsthand before making a commitment.
Each technique is designed to make the interaction more consultative and less transactional, turning cold calls into conversations the prospect welcomes.
Choosing the Right Channel
Digital touchpoints, emails, social media, CRM-driven messages, are invaluable for efficiency and scale. But their impact is highest at the top of the funnel, for broad outreach and nurturing. When it’s time to convert, when the lead is teetering on the edge but not moving, a phone conversation or live video call is irreplaceable. AI can help identify exactly where in your sales pipeline these bottlenecks occur, allowing you to target real-time outreach for maximum effect.
Golden Rules for Blended Outreach
Anthony warns against several pitfalls:
- Premature Elaboration: Don’t overwhelm contacts by launching into a pitch before you earn permission or build rapport.
- Over-messaging: Don’t bombard prospects with too many digital nudges; instead, spread them out with increasing intervals to avoid irritation.
- Tool Overload: Don’t chase every shiny new AI tool, master your existing tech before adding more.
His golden rules are to keep outreach friendly and respectful; use your CRM and analytics to craft timely interventions; and always blend digital with human touch to cultivate real, lasting relationships.
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