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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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,...
info_outline
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_outline
The Power of Stakeholder Mapping in Key Account Success, Ep #509
Sales Reinvented
Key account management is more than a sales tactic — it is an organization-wide growth strategy that prioritizes deeper, value-driven relationships with your most important customers. On this episode of the podcast, Joel Schaafsma joins me to dig into the nuances that differentiate key accounts from regular accounts, why organizations struggle with defining them, and the organizational investment and ROI linked to strategic account management. Joel is a strategic account management and customer experience expert known for driving organizational growth and building frameworks that...
info_outlineIn this episode, I’m joined by renowned sales expert Simon Hazeldine to explore what truly sets elite sales performers apart from the crowd. With over 35 years of experience and a reputation for blending neuroscience, psychology, and practical sales execution, Simon shares research-backed insights on the core habits and mindsets that drive consistent, high-level sales success.
We break down the key attributes of elite sellers, from the importance of business intelligence (IQ), emotional intelligence (EQ), and what Simon calls execution intelligence (XQ). Simon also shares the pitfalls of premature pitching and why mastering the basics is more powerful than chasing “magic tricks.” Listen in as we discuss the practical steps to build and reinforce top-performing behaviors in teams, and real-world examples of how these principles translate into measurable sales growth.
Outline of This Episode
- 00:00 Brain-friendly selling techniques.
- 03:05 Elite sellers prioritize qualification.
- 06:37 The premature pitching epidemic.
- 10:59 Impact of managerial focus.
- 14:01 Sales management dos and don'ts.
- 16:22 Building effective sales processes.
- 19:17 Planning the battle in sales.
Rethinking What Sets Elite Sellers Apart
There is no special magic trick behind elite performance. Instead, research confirms that top performers are ruthlessly consistent in executing the core success factors that drive sales outcomes. They don’t necessarily do things that are wildly different, but rather, they do the right things, again and again, with relentless discipline.
Simon Hazeldine identifies three core intelligences that underpin elite performance. They’re IQ (Business Intelligence), which is a deep understanding of the customer’s business and needs. EQ (Emotional Intelligence), which is the capacity to flex, adapt, and connect with both their own team and the client. XQ (Execution Intelligence): A term coined by Simon that highlights the importance of following a structured, disciplined sales methodology.
The Crucial Habits of Top Performers
Research backs up that what separates top performers isn’t just what they know, but what they consistently do. Elite sellers get involved early in the customer’s buying journey, often before a need is even formally recognized. This maximizes influence and minimizes the risk of simply being the “rabbit”, the vendor brought in just to benchmark against the true favorite. They also prioritize strategic relationship building and cultivate robust customer relationships in advance of opportunities arising, which helps fill their pipelines and reduces reliance on marketing for leads.
One of the most common pitfalls for aspiring elite sellers is what Simon calls “premature pitching”, jumping into product or service presentations before truly understanding the customer’s needs. This is tantamount to “sales malpractice.” Instead, sellers should focus on diagnosis before prescription. Top performers are also rigorous in terms of opportunity and pipeline management. They maintain cleaner, healthier pipelines by focusing on qualification and managing opportunities tightly, ensuring efforts are spent only on deals likely to close.
The Sales Leader’s Role: Culture, Coaching, and Consistency
Embedding elite behaviors across a sales team doesn’t happen by chance. It requires a deliberate, disciplined approach led by management. Simon points to research showing that up to 90% of employee behavior is influenced by what managers pay attention to, reward, and model. Sales leaders should set clear, high standards. After all, people can’t achieve greatness if they don’t know what “great” looks like.
Managers should reinforce accountability and behavioral change through consistent coaching, regular one-to-ones, and team sessions. They should also focus on leading indicators, while results (lag indicators) matter, progress is determined by activities and behaviors (lead indicators) that drive those results.
Results From the Field
The shift from theory to practice is where the magic happens. Simon shares compelling case studies, from global software firms to UK manufacturers, demonstrating that when sales teams adopt these fundamentals, measurable improvements follow: higher average deal sizes, increased pipeline value, and notably, long-lasting behavioral change. Lasting change happens faster and sticks longer when sales teams themselves help create processes and best practices.
Elite sales performance isn’t about chasing hacks or secrets; it’s about discipline, fundamentals, and relentless execution. When sales leaders model, coach, and reinforce the right behaviors, and sellers focus on early engagement, qualification, and customer-centric discovery, elite results inevitably follow.
Resources & People Mentioned
Connect with Simon Hazeldine
Connect With Paul Watts
Audio Production and Show Notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
https://www.podcastfasttrack.com