The Sales Evangelist: Sales Training|Speaking|Business Marketing|Donald Kelly

The most powerful online tool for sales professionals is LinkedIn. You know the platform is a goldmine for finding prospects and connecting with others in the industry. Currently, you have 400 connections on LinkedIn. But, have you even said anything to them besides Happy Birthday? Most people don’t know how to use LinkedIn properly. You may not even know how to start a conversation to make someone say more than “thank you.” In this week’s episode of the Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly shares his hidden strategy for starting conversations on LinkedIn. Listen to Donald’s advice to make prospective buyers reply to your messages. Don’t Engage in LinkedIn Phishing Do you send hundreds of automated emails hoping someone will bite? You do know this is basically email spam on LinkedIn, right? Instead, pretend it’s the 1950s and start conversations like people used to do. Silver Bullet: LinkedIn shares other celebrations with you besides birthdays. Donald tells you why it’s vital to pay attention to t

Another economic crisis is happening, so what does this mean for the sales industry? In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with Jeffrey Hayzlett about what to do during these challenging times. Discover how to increase your sales when the economy faces a crisis in this episode. Jefferey Hayzlett Background Jefferey has years of experience working as a primetime TV and radio host. He is now the owner and chairman of the C-suite network. The network includes radio stations, television shows, and podcast shows. He shares his knowledge of success to help others achieve their success in life. After experiencing several financial crises, he learned to turn the negatives into positives during tough times. Within this episode, he will share this knowledge to help you conquer challenging situations as a sales representative. Past Downturns Jefferey explains past financial crises, returning to the economic crisis of 1907. However, despite these challenging times, they still

What can you expect regarding AI technology and the sales industry? Is it going to replace sales representatives? How can you coach your sales reps with the use of AI? In this episode of The Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly speaks with John Barrow on the future of AI and the sales industry. Discover how leaders can leverage AI tools within the sales profession. John Barrows Background John Barrow owns the JB sales company, offering sales training to tech companies. He started his career when the internet was still in its fancy and saw the changes it made within the sales industry during this time. Now, he is seeing the industry change once again due to the development of artificial intelligence tools, such as Chat GPT. John knows with the changes made by AI technology, the sales industry will have to evolve with the tools to be successful. Teaching People to Be Robots Learning the sales process is becoming more difficult because leaders teach representatives how to use AI tools rat

Are you scared to make that cold call? Your heart is pounding fast, and your hands shake as you pick up the phone to call a random stranger. Are they going to take the time to listen to you? Will you be able to make a sale? Or are they going to say something rude and hang up the phone? If you’re nervous about making the phone call, you must listen to this week’s episode of the Sales Evangelist Podcast. Host Donald Kelly speaks with Larry Long Jr. on how sales representatives can overcome their fears of making the call. Listen for insightful tips on overcoming your fears of cold calling. Who Is Larry Long Jr.? ●     Larry Long Jr. is a keynote speaker and MC coach with years of experience in the sales profession. ●     He helps other sales representatives with performance coaching, sales, entrepreneurship, business, and training. ●     He now hosts The Cold Calling Podcast, where he coaches sales representatives in making cold calls. How Do You Overcome the Fear of Failure? ●     Larry shares a story of hi

Why having a sales trainer is a good idea? In this episode of the Sales Evangelist podcast, host Donald Kelly will provide four benefits to having one. If you’re ready to save time and elevate your game, listen to why you need a sales trainer to help you achieve greatness! Why Listen to Donald on Sales Training? He has years of experience as a sales representative, sales leader, and individual contributor. Based on his three levels of experience within the sales industry, he will share the difference between those who do and don’t receive sales training.  Donald shares his experience working with two companies that didn’t provide sales training. He had to figure out how to make sales independently and often struggled to close deals. When he started working with a company that provided sales training, he received a $30,000 deal within his first three months of working with them. Thanks to the third company investing in a sales training program, they were able to help their representatives improve the

For the last few years, you have relied heavily on SEO strategies to attract customers to your business. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this. But as your business grows, you may want to hire a seller to attract more leads and improve sales. But how do you know you have found the right person to improve your sales strategies? In this unique episode of the Sales Evangelist Podcast, host Donald Kelly does a live coaching session with Cat Hutchings to help her find the perfect seller for her new business. Whether you're a business owner, sales professional, or simply interested in improving your sales approach, this episode offers actionable tips and advice. Cat Hutchings Background Cat Hutchings is a successful entrepreneur and Etsy owner of Spotlight Jewelry. She also coaches other Etsy owners to become successful on the e-commerce website. Cat is in the works of launching another business, so she came to Donald asking questions on how to find the ideal salesperson to join her team.  Live Co

What makes some individuals outshine others in the sales profession? In this episode, our host, Donald Kelly, shares valuable insights on how sales professionals can thrive by mastering communication skills and taking imperfect action. As a seasoned sales expert, Kelly has built a successful empire, starting from a $39 microphone, and now running the Sales Evangelist and TSE Studios.  Join us as we delve into the key skills to help you succeed in the competitive sales world!  The Journey of Donald Kelly Kelly shares his journey in building the Sales Evangelist podcasting empire.  The skills and experience he gained as a sales professional contributed to his success. Currently, at Podcast Movement, Kelly teaches podcasters how to sell their podcasts effectively and imparts valuable sales principles.  The Key Skills for Effective Sales Communication Within the ten years of Kelly building his podcast empire and being a sales professional, he learned five effective skills that helped him succeed.

Everyone fears AI tools will steal jobs, especially in sales. However, this is far from the truth! These advanced chatbots are here to make our work easier and get things done more efficiently. You just have to learn to use the AI tools and ChatGPT to your advantage.  The host, Donald Kelly, and special guest, David Kreiger, founder of SalesRoads, explain how in this episode. They emphasize the importance of using AI to enhance the understanding of customers and prospects rather than merely automating processes. So, let's dive in and discover the power of composed audio and AI in sales. Utilizing Chat GPT for Role Playing and Coaching ●       Most people find it challenging to use Chat GPT and feel the tool doesn't create exactly what they want. ●       Kriger shares why you should give Chat GPT a persona when interacting with the tool and creating content. ●       He also provides an example of how sales representatives can role-play with the tool to create buyer personas. ●       You shouldn't rely sole

In today’s episode, our host, Donald Kelly, speaks with guest Tim Rohrer. Rohrer has years of experience in radio advertisement and is the author of “Sales Lessons From the World’s Greatest Mentor.” Discover how he learned the hard way that time kills sales. Time can kill sales: How is this possible? Tim shares his first loss while working as a radio advertisement before the days of social media. During that time, it was essential for a salesperson to have personal conversations with prospective clients. Tim found the perfect client and connected with him. He returned to his office to create a proposal and place it in a file until the meeting day. However, Tim saw him two days later, and the client asked him a question in an odd way. Tim didn’t think much about it, but his gut told him he should. When the meeting day came, he soon discovered why closing a deal is crucial when you have prospective customers where you want them. Always close a deal quickly and use tools to help you do so. F

You find the perfect client and start proposing a deal with them. When you are about to close the sale, the potential client says, “I have to think about it.” What are you going to do now?  In this episode, host Donald Kelly talks with Marcus Chan, the founder of Henley Consulting Group. Chan shares the Heart Framework to help sales reps overcome objections. HEART Framework H - Heard. Use this framework for any objection thrown your way. For example, if the objection is, let me think about it, start with the letter H for heard. You show them a little empathy and make them feel heard. E - Elaborate. Next, have them discuss what is on their mind with the letter E and elaborate on the objection. Ask, "Can you tell me more about that?" Marcus provides an excellent example of how digging deeper can help sales reps find the root objection. A - Aside from that objection. After you have them elaborate more, move on to A, aside from that objection. Do they have any other questions or comments that may make them

Quality beats quantity when it comes to lead generation, prospecting, and moving customers through your sales funnel. Knowing who to talk to and how to reach them can save you from getting caught up in drawn-out back and forths with the wrong people. In today’s episode, our host Donald Kelly meets with Dave Fink, the CEO and Co-founder of Postie. They talk about boosting efficiency and effectiveness in the sales process through focusing on ideal buyers. A Clear ICP Leads to Efficiency Casting a wide net and gathering as many leads as possible may sound like a great sales strategy, but it isn’t the most efficient. Developing specific Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) can help sellers identify customers that are a perfect fit. Weeding out clients won’t be a perfect fit may seem time-consuming, but in the long run, you avoid wasting time with prospects who can’t, or won’t, become customers. Engage the Right People Not everyone in the company is a decision-maker or influencer. The people who stand to benef

It’s challenging to be in sales right now, and keeping up isn’t enough – it’s time to get ahead of the curve. Bringing AEs and BDRs together to learn from each other will make your organization stronger and more cohesive. In today’s episode, our host Donald Kelly meets with Katie Swick, the Global Sales Enablement Lead at Stripe, to hear how her team’s collaborative approach to learning has revolutionized the way they sell.    A Symbiotic Relationship When AEs help educate BDRs, the BDRs in turn become better at finding quality leads. This makes the AE’s job easier in the long run. BDRs learn better prospecting skills AND what makes a good AE through the program. This makes them more effective in their current positions but also prepares them to be great AEs in the future. AEs also report learning a lot from the process and see the value in training BDRs – they volunteer to help out!  Getting Ahead of the Curve BDRs need to understand how to “lose fast” rather than hang on to prospects that aren

Midway through the sales process, you might find your deals stagnating because you’re just not talking to the right people. In today’s episode, our host Donald Kelly talks with Jakub Hon about connecting with the stakeholder who can make that final call. We’re sure you’re going to get a lot out of this interview. For more from Jakub, check out his webinar on August 2nd at 8 AM Eastern!  Recognize the Buyer The buyer is someone who can say yes, even when the team says no, or vice versa. They have the final say on where the budget is going to be allocated. If your “champion” at the organization is on board, your next task is to probe them for more information that will lead you to the economic buyer. Ask questions about the organization’s approval process so you can start mapping it out. Ask “numbers” questions about budget, revenue, etc. to find out whether your champion knows the answers or knows someone who does. Stay aligned with your champion all the way through the process – you still want them

It’s time to level up and set yourself apart in an executive’s inbox, but you know it’ll never happen as long as you keep parroting the same lines your prospect gets from every other seller. In today’s episode, our host Donald Kelly gets into why we should NEVER use the phrase “just bumping this up” in a follow-up e-mail. Listen in to hear the things you should say instead!  The Problem With Saying “Just Bumping This Up” When you say, “Just bumping this up,” you’re prioritizing yourself in their inbox and insinuating that they aren’t organizing their e-mails. This annoys prospects and turns them off. Your prospects are busy people with a lot on their plate. “Just bumping this up,” is a filler phrase that doesn’t add any value and shows a lack of effort on the seller’s part.  How SHOULD You Follow Up? Focus on the same pain point that you highlighted in the first e-mail. Then show the prospect your solution by making a quick video describing or demoing it. Think from your prospect’s perspective. They’r

One size does NOT fit all! Having the power to customize a product or service to fit our needs makes us feel confident in how we’re spending our money. The same is true for our prospects. In today’s episode, our host Donald Kelly meets with Joe Ardeeser, the Founder/CEO of Smart Pricing Table, to talk about using optionality to build trust and give agency to customers. Ways to Offer Optionality Provide different service lines. If you have a customer who uses one of your services, tell them what else your company can do for them. Customize individual services. Talk to your customers about ways they can configure your service to work better for them. Offer options for different budgets. If you can’t downsize your offer, you might lose big deals. Build Trust With Prospects Offering a “good”, “better”, and “best” option can help customers feel comfortable because they can see that you’re not just trying to get the most money possible out of them. Buyers need to feel like they have agency and contr

Prepare yourself: next time you pick up the phone for a discovery call, you’ll know exactly how to engage your prospect and let THEM convert themselves. In this episode, our host Donald Kelly has a great conversation with David Newman, author of the business bestseller “Do It! Marketing”. They go deep on what makes a successful discovery call, and here’s a hint: it’s not a bunch of small talk.  Go Deep Fast Don’t spend your discovery call having surface-level conversations. Most sellers don’t go deep enough because they want to be liked and sound smart. Many sellers don’t ask questions to expand upon what prospects tell them. Instead, as David says, take off your ‘sales hat’ and put on your ‘investigative journalist’ hat. Most sales professionals think being likable is the same as being talkative. This is boring to clients – get them talking early and often! Become a Consultant David’s first question on a discovery call is: how have you arrived at where you are today? Another question David as

If you’re not using LinkedIn to build up the front of your sales pipeline, let this be your sign to take the leap. In this episode, our host Donald Kelly has an info-packed conversation with Megan Killion, the powerhouse behind MKC Agency. You probably already know content creation isn’t just about sharing articles and posting pics. Listen in to hear proven strategies for connecting with the right audience and starting quality conversations. Content Strategy You can’t just “post and ghost”! Your engagement is necessary. Megan cautions against the use of LinkedIn pods that automate engagement using bots. Going this route won’t help you gain traction with the people you want to reach. Her number one tip for aspiring creators on LinkedIn is to use polls. LinkedIn’s algorithm results in more engagement with polls than other kinds of posts, but you have to be strategic about them.  Identify Ideal Customers When you market to everyone, you market to no one.  Use your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) to

Don’t be intimidated by the business acumen that gets used every day in C-suite meetings! If you want to hold your own in these conversations and earn a seat at the table time and time again, you’ll need to get educated. We’ve got you. In today’s episode, our host Donald Kelly talks with David Graswick, VP of Sales for Databook. Listen in to learn the metrics you need to understand before meeting with management. The Language of the C-suite Execs are interested in the big picture. Sellers are not often taught how to have these types of business conversations – mastering this can set you apart. Anyone can say words like “revenue growth” or “back office efficiency,” but if you can become fluent in these topics and personalize discussions to your specific prospects, you’ll be invited into higher-level meetings more often. Sales leaders and sellers need to be educated before they can start having more informed, impactful conversations with buyers. 7 Financial Metrics for Sellers Revenue Growth. Executiv

The differences between you and elite sales earners are probably more subtle and nuanced than you think. In this episode, our host Donald Kelly sits down with sales revenue and profit growth expert Doug C. Brown to talk about the traits of “elite producers.” Listen in to discover the mental patterns that might be holding you back. What is an Elite Producer? They are both “top producers” (producing articles of value at the top of their industry) and “overachievers” (consistently exceeding expectations). They spend time improving their brain power, seeking out challenges, and bettering themselves. They use leverage to create better results. From each article of value they create (like a sale) they create byproducts (like referrals and networking opportunities). Adopt the Habits of Top Earners Take the time to learn what holds you back. Work on those “weaknesses” and turn them into strengths. Derive your confidence from that. Figure out your points of leverage and double or triple your efforts in tho