#713 - Guest: Erik Therwanger - The Ponder Principle - 8/21/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
Release Date: 08/21/2026
#713 - Guest: Erik Therwanger - The Ponder Principle - 8/21/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
Although studies show that buying is an emotional decision, most salespeople tend to stay in the realm of logic. To move a prospect into emotional territory the seller needs to induce them to “think”, to “ponder”. And getting the prospect to ponder, can revolutionize your selling process. Causing Prospects to Ponder Erik and Bill discussed the importance of causing prospects to "ponder" rather than just hear or listen during sales presentations. Erik explained that when sales professionals make people think deeply about their message, it leads to better decision-making,...
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#712 - The Power of the Plan - 8/14/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
Are you letting sales be done to you or are you planning and accounting for them so there are less surprises? With proper planning you can effectively have each quarter WON by the time it starts instead of waiting to see what happens at the end! Golden Nugget: “By failing to prepare you’re preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin Bill Hellkamp LinkedIn: Bill Hellkamp Website: Bill Hellkamp email: Erik Haugen LinkedIn: Erik Haugen Contact: PROP Coaching and Consulting website:
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#711 - Why Every Great Sales Meeting Starts with an Agenda - 8/7/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
One of the simplest things salespeople can do to improve their meetings is also one of the most overlooked: a well-planned agenda. In less than two minutes, you can establish credibility, show you're prepared, involve the prospect in shaping the conversation, and set expectations for what happens next. The agenda isn't just about organizing a meeting, it's about earning the right to lead it. Golden Nugget: “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” ~ Jim Rohn. In this episode: Brian Maas LinkedIn: Brian Maas Contact: Bill...
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#710 - The Follow-Up is the Sale - 7/31/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
Most salespeople quit after one or two touches. But research says most decisions happen after five to twelve. This episode is about what to say on follow-up #3, #5, and #7. How do you add value instead of “just checking in”. Sales Follow-up Strategies Discussion Stefani discussed the importance of effective follow-up in sales, emphasizing that it's not about being pushy but about serving the client by staying relevant, adding value, and deepening trust. She shared a structured follow-up methodology using her "convert method" where each touchpoint should achieve one of three...
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#709 - Establish a Connection Right Away and the Right Way - 7/24/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
As a salesperson it’s easy to get excited about your product or service. So much so that you can find yourself explaining about the great benefits before you even know much about the prospect. In essence, we want to tell our story before we listen to their story. Instead, resist the urge to tell and allow their stories to guide you to a valuable solution. Active Listening in Sales Techniques Jimmy discussed the importance of active listening in sales, emphasizing the need to listen to understand rather than to respond. He explained how asking clarifying questions and showing genuine...
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#708 - Guest: Steve Keating – Turning a Great Commission into Long Term Wealth - 7/17/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
The sales profession can be a very lucrative career. You can grow a client that buys regularly and provides a hefty commission. Or you might be a hunter who is especially suited to developing new clients which might pay even better. No matter which type of sales professional you are, you likely measure your success by how much you make; but the top sales professionals measure their success by how much of that money they are able to keep. In this episode Bill Hellkamp welcomes sales leadership coach, Steve Keating to discuss sound fiscal principles that salespeople should employ if...
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#707 - Are you making it easy for your customer to buy? - 7/10/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
Are you making it easy for your customer to buy? The job of Sales, in its simplest form, is to ask, say, and do things that make it easy for your prospect to say yes to your product/service/solution TODAY! Yet, it seems that some salespeople blather on about features long before they know which ones really connect with the prospect. In sales cultures that are so focused on selling we are being counterintuitive to why people buy! Telling is selling and people don’t like being sold but they love to buy! SO let’s make it easy… Customer-Centric Sales Strategy Erik discussed the...
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#706 - Your Prospect Isn't the Final Decision Maker...Now What? - 7/3/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
Have you ever finished what you thought was a great sales call only to hear, 'This looks good, but I need to run it by my boss?' Most salespeople breathe a sigh of relief because they think the deal is still alive. Sometimes it is. But what usually happens is you've just been removed from the most important part of the sales conversation." In this episode, Bill is joined by guest host, Brian Maas. They discuss winning strategies and key questions to avoid getting trapped by a prospect who needs to take the proposal to be approved by others. Book Club: Inner Excellence by Jim Murphy...
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#705 - Stop Winging It. Start Winning! - 6/26/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
Most salespeople who struggle with confidence think it's a personality problem. It's not. It's a structure problem. When you don't know what comes next, your brain fills the gap with anxiety, and that anxiety shows up as hesitation, over-explaining, or caving on price. Here’s what I want every listener to hear: confidence is not something you either have or you don’t. It’s not a personality type. It’s not a gift some people are born with. Confidence is manufactured, through preparation, repetition, and having a process you trust. The salespeople who look naturally confident in a...
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#704 - How to Have a Great First Meeting - 6/22/2026
Winning at Selling | Sales Leadership, Training and Development by Bill Hellkamp
The first time we meet with a prospect is exciting and challenging. The whole opportunity waits for us to uncover it. But it is also fraught with dangers. Will we get along? Do we have a solution that meets their needs? Will I be able to understand the core issues the prospect needs to solve? This is such a valuable topic, because we all want to get started on the right foot in our first meeting with a new client. More than just a great first impression, we want to make a real connection. Over my four decades in sales, I have found a strategy that consistently gives me greater connection in...
info_outlineAlthough studies show that buying is an emotional decision, most salespeople tend to stay in the realm of logic. To move a prospect into emotional territory the seller needs to induce them to “think”, to “ponder”. And getting the prospect to ponder, can revolutionize your selling process.
Causing Prospects to Ponder
Erik and Bill discussed the importance of causing prospects to "ponder" rather than just hear or listen during sales presentations. Erik explained that when sales professionals make people think deeply about their message, it leads to better decision-making, contrasting with the common practice of presenting generic information. They noted that buyers have become more sophisticated and perceive 70% of salespeople as sounding the same, creating an opportunity for sales professionals to differentiate themselves through more thoughtful and personalized approaches.
Thought-Provoking Sales Questions Strategy
Erik and Bill discussed the importance of asking thought-provoking questions in sales conversations rather than relying on outdated or intrusive techniques. Erik emphasized the need for sales professionals to prepare creative questions that elicit emotional responses from prospects, suggesting the use of "0 to 10" ranking questions to understand what matters most to clients. Bill agreed on the importance of preparation and developing a guided question set, while Erik highlighted the goal of helping clients make decisions based on emotional impact and value rather than just features and benefits.
Sales Questioning and Conversion Strategies
Erik shared his sales approach of using emotional and logical questions to identify gaps between clients' expectations and current reality, particularly using a 1-10 scale to determine what's most important to prospects. He emphasized the importance of causing clients to ponder through strategic questioning and noted that effective sales professionals should be multidimensional, offering multiple services beyond their primary offering. The discussion highlighted how salespeople can increase conversion rates by understanding client needs better and addressing specific gaps rather than presenting generic solutions.
Golden Nugget: “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Eistein
Resources:
Erik Therwanger LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erik-therwanger-5624b35
Erik Therwanger Contact: erik@thinkgreat90.com
Erik Therwanger Website: www.thinkgreat90.com
Bill Hellkamp LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/billhellkamp
Bill Hellkamp Website: reachdev.com
Bill Hellkamp email: Bill.Hellkamp@reachdev.com