Force Management

Responding to RFPs is often inevitable in many selling organizations. How do you respond in a way that gives you an edge? Brian Walsh joins us to share the importance of assessing your position and details how to determine an impactful response. He covers what to ask yourself as you qualify the opportunity, define your competitive position, and strategize around the right next steps. Here are some additional resources:Differentiate How You Sell Getting Comfortable with Uncomfortable Conversations [Podcast] Executing Great Discovery  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Segment's Chief Revenue Officer, Joe Morrissey, joins John Kaplan to discuss how Segment implemented a value-based sales motion to scale their organization’s product-led growth (PLG), increasing Annual Recurring Revenue by 150% over two years. They discuss:Elevating the go-to-market approachKey challenges when scaling product-led growth and how to overcome themThe right time to invest in distribution and customer successCapturing cross-functional alignment behind customer outcomesHere are some additional resourcesSegment Case Study How to Scale Product-led Growth What CROs Prioritize to Drive Critical Company Outcomes Aligning Sales with Product: A Conversation on Alignment Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

The time period after your sales kickoff is a pivotal one. You spend countless hours planning and executing the SKO, but what’s the plan to maintain that momentum that’s created? What can you focus on as it relates to your day-to-day activities? Force Management Facilitator Antonella O’Day joins us to share the actions sales leaders, managers and reps need to commit to immediately following the SKO and how to build a successful long-term execution plan.Here are some additional resources on discovery:How to Set Up an Effective Adoption Plan Around Your Sales Kickoff Insights on Maintaining Virtual SKO Momentum Critical SKO Concepts Sales Leaders Must Communicate How to Equip Managers to Drive Lasting Results from a Sales Initiative Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Defining metrics demands company alignment. Getting buyers to map to and define how they’ll measure success as it relates to your solution isn’t always easy. People may hesitate when it comes to being measured. John Kaplan discusses the role both companies and their salespeople play in ensuring their solutions get the credit they deserve for driving significant customer outcomes.Here are some additional resources:Navigating the Decision Process With Multiple Buyers [Podcast] The Decision Process: Everything You Need to Know to Sell More Why You’re Struggling With Metrics in the Sales Conversation  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

To celebrate our 100th episode, Brian Walsh joined us to interview Force Management Co-Founders John Kaplan and Grant Wilson. They discuss the journey from starting Force Management to celebrating nearly 20 years in business. We are joined by a special guest halfway through the episode - and he shares how John Kaplan almost quit sales for Krispy Kreme. Here are some additional resourcesHow Do You Hire Elite Salespeople? https://bit.ly/3r8nsO7How to Scale Product-led Growth https://bit.ly/3nfZn6KOur Top Podcasts From This Year to Share with Your Salespeople  https://bit.ly/31Ny3p3Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Preparing for your deal is critical. Preparing others for your sales call has equal impacts on your success. If you want someone to join you on a call (product engineer, manager, etc.), you have to be able to provide them with fluency about the deal and clarity on their role in the conversation. John Kaplan covers what information you need to share and how help ensure those joining you are best prepared.Here are some additional resourcesHow to Ask for Help on Your Deals 5 Things to Do Before Your Next Sales Conversation Key Things to Do After Every Sales Call  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

A montage of the funniest sales stories covered during our Lessons Learned in Sales series. Catch up on these highlights that you might have missed and share your funny stories with by leaving us a comment or tagging us on LinkedIn: The Audible-Ready Sales Podcast.Here are the full episodes featuring the stories we shared Patrick McLoughlin Antonella O’Day Tim Caito  Brian Walsh Kamonte McCray Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Any salesperson can tell a good story. Styles may differ, but your message is what matters. A great story helps your buyers understand what’s possible and how they can achieve their desired outcomes. Understand how to improve your storytelling skills and what to focus on to have a bigger impact on your buyer. John Kaplan shares a few storytelling tactics you can use to elevate your approach and move your deals forward, faster.Here are some additional resources:5 Things to do Before Your Next Sales Conversation [Podcast] When To Use Customer Case Studies in the Sales Process Align with the Buying Process: The Power of the Mantra 5 Ways to Gain Trust in the Sales Process Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

In this episode, we cover key steps to make sure you hold to your committed forecast. Force Management Senior Partner Paul DeMore has conversations with sales leaders nearly every week around enabling salespeople to hold to their committed forecasts. He joins us to share what’s top-of-mind right now for sales leaders looking to reduce slipped deals and improve win rates. He also shares actionable tips your managers and reps can use to improve outcomes and speed up their deals.Here are some additional resources on sales planning:A Conversation with John McMahon How to Hold to Your Committed Forecast How to Reignite Stalled Deals Book: The Qualified Sales Leader Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Front-line sales managers this one’s for you! Your job is difficult. Often top sellers, who were promoted to managers, can find it challenging to coach the skills they excelled at. Being a great player of the game doesn’t directly translate into being a great coach of the game. The coaching skill set is completely different. If you find yourself often taking over deals for your reps, or are unsure of how to best support each individual on your team — tune in. John Kaplan shares his advice for front-line sales managers who want to have a bigger impact on their team’s growth and revenue numbers. Here are some additional resources on sales planning:Execute the Skill/Will Coaching Approach Our Top Resources For Giving Effective Feedback Five Ways to Give Better Feedback to Your Sales Teams  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales” continues this week as John Kaplan talks with Force Management’s new Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Kamonte McCray. They discuss: How feeling too comfortable in a big account put his company in a dangerous position, costing him the dealA deal negotiation that involved a language barrier and a lesson he’ll never forgetA tricky negotiation tactic that reiterated the importance of staying calm and reiterating value during pricing conversations Here are some additional resources:Lessons Learned in Sales w/ Kamonte McCray https://bit.ly/3xElCaBKamonte McCray Bio https://bit.ly/3AUeqr3Sales Leadership & Accountability Webinar  https://bit.ly/2Z3Q8gUCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Ever advance a deal too quickly, only to find out you need to back up the sales process? John Kaplan joins us to discuss how to step back and work with your customer to ensure you’ve got all of the information you need to reassess and progress your deal. He walks through examples of how to back up your deals and get your customer to demand your help with solving an urgent business problem.Here are some additional resources on sales planning:Reassess Your Deals Helping Buyers Reach Their Own Conclusions How to Ensure You're Audible-Ready in Your B2B Sales Conversations How to Ask the Right Questions in Your Sales Conversation  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

As the end of the year approaches, how are you going to make your plan next year? What do you want to deliver? If the answer is on-time-earnings and beyond tune in. Maybe you’ve had your best year yet and are wondering how to repeat that success or you’re looking for ways to improve next year. Whatever your goals are, now is the time to put in the work and ask for what you need to make it happen. John Kaplan joins us to share three areas you can focus on.Here are some additional resources on sales planning:The Plan to Make the Plan Set A Results-Driven Sales Planning Mindset How to Ask for Help on Your Deals [Podcast]  Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website. 

High-performing sales organizations don’t just know why deals are won and lost. These teams have a systematic way to leverage those insights to impact and improve future sales opportunities. In this episode, Force Management Facilitator and Senior Partner Tim Caito shares how to pull insight on lost deals into future sales activities to create more wins and less late-stage losses. He covers the common mistakes sales organizations make when compiling and sharing win loss data and a three-step approach you can use to better take advantage of those insights. Key Questions to ask on every deal:What are the business issues driving a compelling event related to this target opportunity?Who do these business issues impact the most?How will the customer make a decision?How does our solution align with the decision criteria?Who are we competing against?What are our strengths? Where are our gaps?What is our strategy moving forward?What are our most critical next steps?Here are some additional resources on win-loss revie

Sales is a game of inches. How you make your approach stand out from the competition (including do-nothing or do-it-internally options) can set you far ahead, or behind. There is as much differentiation in how you sell as there is in what you sell. But how exactly do you differentiate your approach? Tune in to hear five key steps you can take to make yourself stand out from the competition and bring value to your buyers. Here are some additional resourcesThe Seller Deficit Disorder https://bit.ly/2X9PbTrHelping Buyers Reach Their Own Conclusions [Podcast] https://apple.co/2XbWZ7rStacking Customer Requirements in Your Favor [Podcast]  https://apple.co/3nlxnjhCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify , or our website .

You know the deals you need help on, but how do you get the help you need? John Kaplan shares the best practices for getting the help you need on every deal. If you’re in a tight spot or find yourself needing similar support from deal to deal, this is a must-listen episode. Hear the best practices you can use to get the support you need and improve outcomes on future opportunities.Here are some additional resources:MEDDICC Resources https://bit.ly/3tmhnydFinding the Business Pain [Podcast] https://bit.ly/3E5fzyOTraining For Managers: Providing The "How" To Improve Sales Performance  https://bit.ly/2YEcmGhCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify , or our website .

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales” continues this week as John Kaplan talks with Force Management Facilitator Dale Monnin. They discuss: When Dale learned just how critical it is to always be audible-ready.What led him to dramatically pivot the way he sold and the success he drove because of that shifted approach.An incident where fire dancing went awry. Here are some additional resources based on the conversations with Dale:Meet the Facilitator: Dale Monnin https://bit.ly/3E0s8ewGood to Great to Elite [Podcast]  https://bit.ly/3yVuF5SCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website .

Get back to the basic sales fundamentals that help ensure great sales conversations and improved win rates. John Kaplan provides five things to execute after your next prospect call to own and improve your next steps.Here are some additional resources:5 Things to Do Before Your Next Sales Conversation https://apple.co/3ajqZB8Overcoming Sales Challenges: A Buyer Focus on Seller Deficit Disorder https://bit.ly/3n7SjKfAlign with the Buying Process: The Power of the Mantra https://bit.ly/2X1ARvSCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website .

Get back to the basic sales fundamentals that help ensure great sales conversations. John Kaplan provides five things you can practice before you jump into that next prospect call. Here are some additional resources:Purpose Process Payoff [Article]https://bit.ly/3spMjgAImprove Your Active Listening Skills [Podcast] https://apple.co/3md3HUOMaximize the Effectiveness of Proof Points [Podcast] https://apple.co/2XAxEE5Check out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website .

Our podcast series “Lessons Learned in Sales” continues this week as John Kaplan talks with Force Management Senior Director of Facilitation Brian Walsh. They discuss: One experience that showed Brian how to effectively drive urgency in his deals.What the best sales leaders he worked with didHow to recruit A-players and secure them from their existing organizations.The time his client was ready to sign a major deal and the one thing he forgot that almost cost him that deal.Here are some additional resources based on the conversations with Brian:Facilitator Profile, Brian Walsh https://bit.ly/3CQpE12How to Enable Reps to Sell Higher [Podcast] https://bit.ly/3kTQK1jOpportunity Coaching Lessons [Video] https://bit.ly/3zPibNVCheck out this and other episodes of The Audible-Ready Podcast at Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website .