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Why weird works in sales

Sales Today

Release Date: 10/02/2025

Are You Prepared for The Buyer Revolution? show art Are You Prepared for The Buyer Revolution?

Sales Today

The way buyers buy has changed - but most sellers haven’t. In this episode, Fred is joined by Steve Knapp (co-founder of PLAN.GROW.DO) to explore what the Buyer Revolution really means for modern sales. From buyers being 83% through their journey before speaking to you… to why most sellers are preparing for the wrong conversation - this episode challenges traditional thinking and offers a more practical, buyer-led approach.   Key Takeaways Buyers are further ahead than you think Your first job is to validate, not qualify Preparation must match the buyer’s reality ...

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3 Steps to Combat Struggles in Sales (and Life) show art 3 Steps to Combat Struggles in Sales (and Life)

Sales Today

In this episode of the Sales Today Podcast, Fred Copestake is joined by Marc Baladi, sales and senior leadership coach, and co-host of the podcast Beyond Enough.   Together, they explore a challenge many people in sales quietly face: feeling overwhelmed, behind, or not good enough - even when they’re capable and putting in the effort.   Marc’s argument is simple but powerful:   You are probably not struggling with capability or effort.   You are struggling with cognitive load - and not knowing what “good enough” looks like.   In this episode Why...

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The Overlooked Sales Tactic That Builds Trust Fast show art The Overlooked Sales Tactic That Builds Trust Fast

Sales Today

In this episode, Fred Copestake is joined by Ollie Whitfield of Slingshot Content to explore a sales tactic that surprisingly few salespeople use: running webinars themselves.   While marketing teams often lead webinars, salespeople can use them as a powerful way to stand out, demonstrate expertise, and create valuable conversations with prospects.   The key is doing them well.   Not product demos. Not long introductions. And definitely not disguised sales pitches.   Instead, the best webinars focus on insight, useful ideas, and real problems your...

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The Overlooked Sales Tactic That Builds Trust Fast show art The Overlooked Sales Tactic That Builds Trust Fast

Sales Today

In this episode, Fred Copestake is joined by Ollie Whitfield of Slingshot Content to explore a sales tactic that surprisingly few salespeople use: running webinars themselves.   While marketing teams often lead webinars, salespeople can use them as a powerful way to stand out, demonstrate expertise, and create valuable conversations with prospects.   The key is doing them well.   Not product demos. Not long introductions. And definitely not disguised sales pitches.   Instead, the best webinars focus on insight, useful ideas, and real problems your...

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3 Ways to Improve Your Sales Prospecting Overnight show art 3 Ways to Improve Your Sales Prospecting Overnight

Sales Today

In this episode of the Sales Today Podcast, Fred Copestake speaks with Alex Nicholls-Gray, founder of The Prospect Experience Company, about why the prospect experience has never been worse and what salespeople can do to fix it.   With automation tools and AI making it easier than ever to send thousands of messages, buyers are overwhelmed with generic outreach across email and LinkedIn. The result? Lower response rates, more spam complaints, and prospects who ignore most messages.   Alex argues that the solution isn’t sending more outreach it’s improving the experience of...

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LinkedIn Is Not a Template Factory (Here’s What Actually Works) show art LinkedIn Is Not a Template Factory (Here’s What Actually Works)

Sales Today

Fred is joined by Mark Young, whose LinkedIn headline says it all: “A cat person helping technical AI founders earn trust before the first call.”   This episode is a lively (and refreshingly sceptical) conversation about why so much LinkedIn advice is formulaic, outdated, or simply irrelevant - especially for technical founders and specialists who need trust, not vanity metrics.   What you’ll learn Why a lot of LinkedIn “best practice” is recycled templates and pseudoscience The danger of chasing quick wins like “20,000 followers in 90 days” claims (and...

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Do Salespeople Need FBI Hostage Negotiation Skills? show art Do Salespeople Need FBI Hostage Negotiation Skills?

Sales Today

In this episode of The Sales Today Podcast, Fred Copestake is joined by Sebastian Hidalgo, co-founder of DURINDAL and creator of the SWAT method - a sales framework influenced by hostage negotiation principles.   Fred admits he’s often sceptical when crisis negotiation gets blended with commercial sales, so this becomes a lively, grounded conversation: what genuinely transfers, what doesn’t, and how to use “hostage” techniques ethically to improve trust, discovery, and positioning.   What you’ll hear in this episode Sebastian’s unusual origin story: becoming...

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Surprisingly simple ways to use AI in sales show art Surprisingly simple ways to use AI in sales

Sales Today

In this episode, Fred is joined by Tom Ridley, an AI sales coach, for a refreshingly grounded conversation about AI in sales.   Instead of racing through a list of tools, Tom makes a different point: AI isn’t the story - being human is. The real value of generative AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) is that it removes the admin-heavy work salespeople hate and frees them up to do what matters most: have better conversations, build stronger relationships, and help customers make sense of complex decisions.   They explore how to use AI to research accounts, focus on the right...

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Ethical marketing meets ethical selling  show art Ethical marketing meets ethical selling

Sales Today

In this episode, Fred is joined by Chelsea Burns - marketing psychologist, brand ethicist, and non-manipulative marketer to explore where ethical marketing and ethical selling overlap… and where they can go wrong.   Chelsea introduces a practical way to draw the line between persuasion and manipulation: Agency - a person’s genuine ability to choose. From there, the conversation goes deep into real-world examples of questionable tactics, why “FOMO” can backfire, and how the brain evaluates purchases immediately after the transaction.   Chelsea also shares her four...

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The secret to faster training and coaching result show art The secret to faster training and coaching result

Sales Today

In this episode, Fred is joined by John Richardson, Co-Founder and Director of Coaching at My Sales Coach, to explore a key question: how do you get faster, more meaningful results from training and coaching?   Their answer is simple but powerful: start with the right assessment.   They unpack why great coaches are always assessing (without judging), how the right diagnostics can shorten the path to meaningful improvement, and why revenue alone isn’t a useful starting point for development. John explains how My Sales Coach uses assessments to build coaching plans with focus,...

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More Episodes

Ever wondered how to transform mundane cold emails into memorable interactions?

 

Discover how Marc McDougall, a savvy freelance web designer, has cracked the code with his unconventional video email outreach methods.

 

By personalising each message with a touch of creativity, including a whiteboard with the recipient’s name, Marc shifts the focus from quantity to quality, turning generic emails into genuine conversations that stand out in a crowded inbox.

 

Curious about the quirks that can capture attention in sales emails?

 

Get ready for some laughs as we explore how offbeat subject lines like "I'm trapped with a squirrel" can bypass the usual business jargon and resonate on a human level.

 

In a world where professionalism often equates to formality, Marc shares his insights on why embracing humour and authenticity can lead to more engaging and successful interactions.

 

Plus, we discuss a daring, albeit risky, tactic of misspelling names to pique curiosity, showing that even the boldest moves require careful consideration.

 

Want to leverage YouTube for business growth? Learn from Marc's innovative ideas on using the platform as a dynamic lead-generation tool.

 

His proposed "Drunk Design" series exemplifies how educational content can entertain while building brand influence.

 

The episode closes with Marc’s approachable charm, offering listeners avenues to connect with him and access more of his valuable insights on his website.

 

Whether you’re in sales or just looking to spice up your communication, this episode promises a refreshing take on standing out and making meaningful connections.

 

Chapters:

00:00 - Unconventional Video Email Outreach Strategies

08:34 - Unconventional Sales Email Strategies

20:33 - Engaging Sales Outreach Strategies

 

Links and Resources

Connect with Marc:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-mcdougall/

Website: https://marcmcdougall.com/

 

Follow me: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake

 

Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NuusuRdk180