Tech in Sales: Creating the right solutions
Sales Today
In this fourth episode of the Sales Today podcast miniseries, sales tech expert Hanneke Vogels joins Fred Copestake to explore the future of proposals, presentations, and how we bring solutions to life for buyers. Hanneke kicks things off with a strong rallying cry - âDeath to the PDF!â - challenging the outdated way many salespeople still share proposals. She explains how todayâs proposal tools and digital sales rooms allow sellers to create interactive, trackable micro-sites that not only look better but also provide rich data on buyer engagement. From...
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Tech in Sales: Having the right conversations
Sales Today
In this third episode of the Sales Today podcast miniseries, sales tech expert Hanneke Vogels shifts the focus to how technology can elevate the right conversations with prospects and customers. From virtual calls to face-to-face meetings, the discussion centres on using tech to prepare more intentionally, uncover fresh angles, and deliver conversations that help buyers think in new ways. Hanneke highlights the often-overlooked art of meeting preparation - knowing your objective, anticipating the customerâs goals, and having well-crafted questions ready. She...
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Tech in Sales: Doing the right research
Sales Today
In this second episode of the Sales Today podcast miniseries, Fred Copestake continues his conversation with sales tech expert Hanneke Vogels - this time addressing how modern technology can transform your research process before engaging with prospects. The focus is on understanding who youâre talking to, what they care about, and how to personalise outreach in meaningful ways using tools already at your fingertips. From mapping complex Decision Making Units (DMUs) to exploring individual communication styles with DISC-based AI profiling, this episode highlights how tech...
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Tech in Sales: Finding the right opportunities
Sales Today
Modern technology is reshaping how sales teams identify and qualify opportunities. In this conversation, Fred Copestake speaks with sales tech expert Hanneke Vogels to explore how tools like HubSpotâs Breeze and other sales intelligence platforms can help define and refine your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). They examine how existing customer data can reveal key patterns and shared traits, enabling teams to pinpoint lookalike companies and prioritise outreach more effectively. There's also a focus on how AI can support deeper customer understanding, allowing...
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Developing and using Partnering Skills - Procurement Special
Sales Today
This episode is a live recording of Fred Copestakeâs show for the Alchemie Network, where he dives deeper into what makes true collaboration between sales and procurement work. Picking up from the last session on the evolution of sales, Fred explores selling through partnering skills â a practical approach to creating better, more productive relationships. With his usual energy, hard-won experience, and a few lighthearted moments, Fred unpacks six key elements of PQ (Partnering Intelligence) â the lesser-known but equally vital cousin of IQ and EQ. In this episode, youâll...
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Sales Today Rewind â 15 Essentials For Your Sales Process
Sales Today
Too many sellers treat sales like a checklist. Itâs not. Sales is a system - and when every part is strong, the whole thing works better. In this special recap episode, we take a step back to zoom out and review the 15 core skills, tools, and mindsets covered so far on Sales Today. Whether you're new to the series or have been with us since episode one, this is your chance to assess, reflect, and reset your approach to modern ethical selling. Whatâs Covered: ⢠The 15 essential skills for modern B2B selling ⢠Why sales isnât just a series...
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Becoming world-class at Relationship Building
Sales Today
Too many sellers think being friendly is enough. It isnât. If the customer only hears from you when itâs renewal time or when thereâs something new to flog, youâre not a partner - youâre a vendor. And vendors are easy to replace. In this episode, the focus is on what it really takes to build genuine, lasting relationships in complex B2B sales. Relationships that win repeat business, reduce price pressure, and create referral engines that power long-term success. Whatâs Covered ¡ Why most...
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Running better Reviews - Think value, not vanity metrics
Sales Today
QBRs are broken- hereâs how to fix them. In this episode, we challenge the traditional Quarterly Business Review and introduce a smarter alternative: the Quarterly Value Review. If your customer reviews are little more than status updates and activity reports, youâre missing a huge opportunity to demonstrate value and grow the relationship. Youâll learn: ⢠Why QBRs often fail to deliver strategic value - and how to fix that ⢠The 5-part framework for running high-impact QVRs that drive renewals and upsells ⢠How to shift the focus from tasks...
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Focusing on Outcomes, not just offerings
Sales Today
Customers donât care about what your product is - they care about what it does. In this episode, we explore a fundamental shift in sales thinking: moving from product-based conversations to outcome-focused dialogue. When you stop pitching features and start communicating results, you change how customers see your value. Youâll learn: Why outcome-based selling leads to faster, more confident buying decisions The three core types of outcomes that matter to buyers: financial, operational, and strategic How to align your entire sales process...
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Mastering Storytelling (and making your customer the hero)
Sales Today
Sales success doesnât come from bombarding prospects with features, facts, or figures. What truly sticks are stories - stories that show a better future and invite your customer to see themselves in it. This episode explores how to use storytelling as a powerful sales tool by borrowing from one of the oldest and most effective narrative structures: the Heroâs Journey. Discover how to turn dry case studies into compelling customer-first stories that feel real and memorable. Learn the four-part structure that positions your buyer as the hero and you as...
info_outlineNo change, no sale.
In this episode of Sales Today, discover why change is the true driver behind every deal - and how the best salespeople use it to create urgency, relevance, and trust.
Explore the RESPECT Framework, a practical tool that breaks down the 7 major external forces influencing customer behaviour:
- Regulation
- Economic
- Social
- Political
- Environmental
- Competition
- Technology
Learn how to recognise and respond to these change drivers to lead with insight, ask better questions, and guide customers through uncertainty - ethically and effectively.
Key Topics Covered:
- Why change is the foundation of sales momentum
- How to apply the RESPECT framework in discovery conversations
- Real-world examples of change drivers in action
- Strategies for shifting from product-pitching to clarity-selling
- How to position yourself as a trusted advisor, not a vendor
Action Step:
Review an active deal or account. Use the RESPECT framework to identify change drivers. Turn insights into tailored discovery questions - and shift the conversation toward strategic value.
Connect with Fred:
đ Author of Selling Through Partnering Skills, Hybrid Selling, and Ethical Selling
đ https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake
Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard
https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Watch this episode on YouTube