Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 3 minutes. The first hire in any function is always the hardest you'll make for that function. That holds doubly true for sales, as the job is inherently not within the seller's control (buyers decide when and from whom they buy). So far this year, I have hired eight sellers to join founder-led sales org. And I have seen consistent near-errors to avoid when hiring your first seller: Wrong Experience Being a successful...
1 day ago • 3 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 1 minute. I’m still recovering from my wedding, so this week is a round-up of some previous editions focusing on alternative lead-generation strategies: Any outreach must target a pain your buyer recognises and is motivated to solve. Make sure it passes the Sunday Night Test. Next, ensure that your lead generation is sustainable. Try the side door approach of starting a podcast. Partnerships take time, but they always...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 1 minutes. Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today's edition can be read in 1 minute. I got married on Saturday. To celebrate, I have a gift for you: A free ROASTING of your latest sales call Reply to this email "Roast me", and we'll arrange for you to send me one of your sales call recordings (ideally a discovery call), and I'll give you feedback. Warning: Previous roast-ees have told me I am blunt to a fault....
15 days ago • 1 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 3 minutes. Podcasts are misunderstood. They're an invaluable way to connect with people who are otherwise unattainable and see how the conversation progresses. Today, we'll cover: StoryTime Sales is Not Marketing Start a Podcast The Podcast Playbook Story Time A client recently told me how badly they'd messed up a pitch. Then, 48 hours later, the prospect agreed to buy. My client generated over $10,000 in revenue today,...
29 days ago • 3 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 3 minutes. Life has seasons in the macro (your 20s are different from your 40s) and the micro (summer is different from winter). Elite sellers use these seasons to pull deals forward and close them faster. Today, we'll cover: Storytime Deadlines Seasonality Using Seasonality Story Time A client has consistently hit their monthly targets for the last 4 months (the reporting was spotty before I joined), but last week, it...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 1 minutes. This year (all 4 and a bit months of it), I have hired or contributed to hiring six people: Two outbound appointment setters Two closers One assistant and One leader. In every case, I have done a more intense and effective reference check than anyone expected. Reference checks aren't about confirming if the candidate worked at the company for the time they claimed. Reference checks validate the strengths,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 3 minutes. No Decision will ALWAYS be your number one competitor because, in any buying journey, 40-60% of deals end in "No Decision." This week we'll cover: Momentum is Everything Passive Active Bring it together Momentum is Everything I'm working with a company that serves over 10,000 small businesses with a grudge purchase. A grudge purchase is something your customers HAVE to buy, but no one really WANTS to buy. For...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 2 minutes. "You don't need a mutual action plan, except for the deals you want to win." - Ricky Pearl, Leader of Tech Sales ANZ community (ask me for an invite if you're in tech sales in ANZ) This week we'll cover: Clarity MAPs Examples Create you own Clarity When everyone on the buyer's side agrees, the paperwork starts. And depending on the complexity of your sale, you may be in for 1-3 months of procurement, legal, and...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 2 minutes. Happy extra-long weekend for those who celebrate Easter. And happy three public holidays in seven days for my ANZ readers. Storytime: The owner of the 50th-best-rated restaurant in the world wanted to move up the list. So he took his main staff to New York to visit the number-one restaurant in the world. During the visit, most of his team pointed out all the elements the best restaurant was doing better than...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hey, 👋 Scott from The Sales Mastermind here. Today’s edition only takes 2 minutes. In every seller's career, they've run a meeting where they know something is wrong. The pitch may feel off, the problem statement may be misdirected, or the business case may appear weak. Whatever it is, many sellers ignore their gut feeling with disastrous consequences. Instead try a Reset. Today, we'll cover: Story Time What is a Reset How to Reset Story Time: “There is one I absolutely butchered,” said a...
3 months ago • 2 min read