Libsyn Directory

From Engineering to Enablement: Building Sales Processes That Work

Release Date: 10/30/2025

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...

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...

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...

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,...

Is 'good enough' good enough?

Sales Today

In this episode of The Sales Today Podcast, Fred Copestake is joined by sales thought leader, author, and one of the kindest people in the profession, David Brock. Together, they explore David’s new book “Is Good Enough, Good Enough?” and why it’s not another “do this, do that” sales methodology book. Instead, it focuses on the mindsets and behaviours that separate high performers from those who are simply checking the boxes. With win rates often accepted at 15–20% in many SaaS environments, David challenges the idea that “making the number” should...

The secret to faster training and coaching result

Sales Today

How to avoid AI killing your communication skills

Sales Today

In this episode of The Sales Today Podcast, Fred Copestake is joined by communications and speech coach Susie Ashfield, author of Just F**king Say It and a third-time guest on the show. This is an “emergency podcast” sparked by a moment on LinkedIn: Susie posted a video where she stumbled and left it in. No polishing. No AI. No pretending. Because as AI-generated content gets smoother, faster, and more convincing, the thing that makes us stand out is increasingly simple:- being human. Together, Fred and Susie explore what we risk losing when we outsource too...

What is Selling? (And Has It Changed?)

Sales Today

In the final episode of the Sales Today mini-series, Fred Copestake and James Michael step back to answer a deceptively simple question: Has selling really changed? The answer is both yes - and no. This closing conversation brings together the themes explored across the series and reframes selling not as persuasion or pressure, but as something far more human, thoughtful, and aligned with how buyers actually make decisions today. In this episode, they explore: What has stayed the same in selling - and what has genuinely evolved Why selling has always been about understanding...

CEMMT vs SaaS and an Ethical Approach

Sales Today

In Episode 4 of the Sales Today mini series, Fred Copestake and James Michael tackle a growing tension in modern selling: the contrast between SaaS-led sales thinking and the realities of selling in CEMMT industries - construction, engineering, manufacturing, mining, and transport. At the heart of the discussion is Fred’s work on Ethical Selling and why ethics isn’t an abstract concept, but a practical, tactical necessity - particularly in complex, long-term, high-consequence sales environments. This episode challenges hype-driven sales narratives and asks a bigger...

Why Great Sales Conversations Are Built on Process, Not Personality

Sales Today

In Episode 3 in this five part mini series of Sales Today Podcast, Fred Copestake and James Michael explore a question that challenges another long-held belief in sales: do great sales conversations succeed because of personality - or because of process? This episode looks at how the most effective salespeople consciously select their mode during conversations, switching between listening, questioning, sharing insight, and guiding the discussion - always with the buyer’s outcome in mind. Rather than restricting creativity, process and structure create the space for better thinking,...

More Episodes

Melissa Madian, the charismatic founder of TMM Enablement and the self-styled Chief Fabulous Officer, brings her vibrant personality to our latest podcast episode, where sales enablement meets storytelling magic.

Discover how Melissa’s unique blend of humour and authenticity can redefine your sales approach and why infusing your true self into your professional persona isn't just acceptable - it's essential.

This episode challenges the traditional notion of professionalism, encouraging salespeople to find their voice and make meaningful connections through genuine, relatable narratives.

Melissa shares her customer-centric sales approach, where providing the right tools and training isn't just beneficial - it's transformative.

Learn how focusing on existing client relationships can be a goldmine for growth, and why solving customer problems rather than just pushing products is the secret to long-lasting success.

From first contact to nurturing long-term loyalty, this conversation highlights creating memorable customer experiences and highlights the overlooked power of exceptional service.

Rounding out our episode, we explore the art of making the customer the hero of their journey, with sales enablement strategies that empower sales teams to do just that.

Melissa shares insights on tackling performance dips, addressing the importance of continuous skill enhancement and professional curiosity.

With a light-hearted close and an invitation to challenge your own sales strategies with our collaborative selling scorecard, this episode is packed with engaging content and actionable insights for anyone looking to elevate their sales game.

Chapters:

00:00 – Getting Salespeople Up to Speed

00:22 – How to Structure a Success Story

07:52 – What Is Sales Enablement? 08:55 – The Full Customer Lifecycle

12:48 – Sales with Service in Mind

16:26 – Context and the Role of Enablement

18:20 – Engineering Principles in Sales

25:15 – Why Stories Matter in Selling

33:09 – Melissa’s Book: Enabler? I Hardly Know Her!

34:00 – Where to Find Melissa

Links and Resources

Connect with Melissa https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissamadian/