Why Sales Feels Harder Than It Should (Especially in Engineering Businesses)
Sales Today
In this first short episode of the Sales Today Mini Series, Fred Copestake explores a challenge many sales teams are currently facing: Why does it feel like sales teams are doing everything “right” - yet deals still move slowly, margins tighten, and opportunities stall? Fred explains why the issue often is not capability, effort, or product quality. Instead, the real friction comes from a growing gap between how organisations sell and how customers actually buy. In this episode: Why traditional sales processes no longer align with modern buying...
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Trade Show Follow-Up - The 3 Biggest Mistakes That Cost You Sales
Sales Today
You’ve just come back from a trade show. You’re exhausted, your feet hurt, but you’ve got a list of leads. It feels like progress. But here’s the uncomfortable truth most of those people are not going to buy. Not because they’re bad leads. But because that’s not why most people attend trade shows. They’re there to explore, learn, compare, and figure things out. And that single shift in perspective changes everything about how you should follow up. The real problem with trade show follow-up Most follow-up doesn’t fail because of lack of effort. It fails...
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7 Ways to Close More Sales… Ethically
Sales Today
This episode of The Sales Today Podcast is a little different - a live webinar recording where Fred Copestake breaks down a practical approach to closing more sales without compromising how you do business. At the heart of it is a simple idea: ethical selling isn’t about being “nice” or “soft”… and it’s definitely not about making things complicated. It’s about finding the balance - what Fred calls the Goldilocks dilemma. Too hard? People assume ethical selling is expensive, slow, and requires a complete overhaul of processes and training. Too soft? Others worry it means...
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How to Stand Out When Every Seller Sounds the Same
Sales Today
In this episode, Fred is joined by Gearoid Cox, founder of Sales Pipeline, to explore why selling feels harder in a world full of noise, new vendors, and empty promises. From early-stage founders doing all the selling… to the challenge of building trust when buyers are more cautious than ever, this conversation digs into what actually helps sales teams stand out today. The big theme running through the episode is simple: Trust matters more than ever. And screaming value is not the same as creating it. Key Takeaways Buyers are more educated, more...
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Stepping up to Sales Leadership
Sales Today
What really happens when a top salesperson gets promoted into leadership? In this episode, Fred is joined by Amanda Downs, Director of Commercial at The Uspire Partnership and author of Step Up to Sales Leader, to explore the challenges of moving from individual contributor to sales leader. From letting go of old habits… to leading former peers… to creating the right structure for growth, this episode is packed with practical insight for anyone stepping into sales leadership or supporting others to do it. Key Takeaways Great salespeople do not...
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Why Slowing Down Is the Fastest Way to Win Sales
Sales Today
What if selling wasn’t about speed… but about timing? In this episode, Fred is joined by Mark Kempf, author of Unfurl Your Sales, to explore a different approach to selling -one that is gradual, progressive, and deeply personalised. From slowing down to speed up… to building relationships that last decades, this conversation challenges the pressure to rush and reframes what effective selling really looks like. Key Takeaways Slow down to speed up in sales Focus on quality over quantity Personalisation is about the conversation - not just research ...
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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)
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
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
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...
info_outlineIn 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 much of our thinking, speaking, and creativity and how sales and communication can stay authentic in a world racing towards perfection.
In this episode, they explore:
- Why Susie kept the mistake in her LinkedIn video and why it mattered
- The “volcano project” problem: what happens when the parent (or AI) does the work
- Where AI is genuinely useful (time-saving, editing, polishing) vs where it flattens originality
- Why “give me 10 creative ideas” isn’t actually creative
- The difference between amplifying your thinking and outsourcing your thinking
- Why micro-mistakes, humour, and real reactions build trust and relatability
- The Pratfall Effect and why small imperfections can increase likability
- Why AI scripts often sound “political” - and why humans respond more to “comedian energy”
- How to make better videos without becoming artificial
- Why quality beats quantity in sales outreach - and why AI-driven scale can backfire
- A powerful story about effort, authenticity, and why “rubbish” sometimes wins
Key insights
AI can make your content look perfect.
But perfection isn’t what creates connection.
The future belongs to people who can think, speak, and show up with enough courage to be real - including the pauses, the stumbles, the humour, and the moments that don’t land perfectly.
Because that’s where trust lives.
Practical takeaways for salespeople and creators
- Use AI for the practical work (drafting, editing, formatting, speeding up execution)
- Keep the creative work human (insight, point of view, story, judgement, humour)
- Don’t fear mistakes - small imperfections can increase engagement and relatability
- Ditch the “social script” of long intros and credibility lists: lead with the audience’s problem
- Prioritise quality connections over mass automated outreach
About Susie Ashfield
Susie Ashfield is a communications and speech coach and the author of Just F**king Say It.
She helps people speak with confidence and impact without sounding scripted, robotic, or artificial.
The book is also available as an audiobook, read by Susie herself (of course).
Get in touch with Susie
· Search Susie Ashfield online to find her work and the book: https://amzn.eu/d/aIZJK6N
· LinkedIn: message Susie Ashfield directly - she replies - https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannahashfield/
Connect with Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake
Free resources
Collaborative Selling Scorecard
Check how your sales approach fits today’s environment
https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Watch Fred’s FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers
Watch this episode on YouTube