Episodes

June 30, 2022

#52 - More Things You Shouldn't Do On A Sales Call

We're back again talking about things your shouldn't do on a sales call. This time, it's Bob's list. In this very quick 8 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about a few more things you should make sure you're not doing when y…
June 19, 2022

#51 - SALES TIP: How to identify the decisionmaker.

Who makes the call? Who has the final say in a purchasing decision? It's not always easy to figure that out. But there are things you can do, and questions you can ask. In this 8 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about figur…
June 16, 2022

#50 - SALES TIP: Don't Do These Things!

We often talk about what you should do when you're selling. Not today! This time, we've got a list of simple things you shouldn't do in a sales call. And they're all very actionable and applicable. And we hope you're not doi…
June 11, 2022

#49 - SALES TIP: You’ve screwed up. Now what?

Everyone makes mistakes. (And truthfully, if you're not making mistakes... you're not trying hard enough.) So, what do you do when your mistake affects a customer? You need to act. But a mistake can be an opportunity. In thi…
June 9, 2022

#48 - Timing and the Economy - Get ready!

Things are about to get harder. We're seeing some worrisome signs in the economy...and it's a signal that you can't choose your timing, but you can increase your chances of success. If you're prepared. And being effective at…
June 6, 2022

#47 - Testimonials, references and social proof

One of your best sales tools is the feedback you get from your current customers. But are you actively collecting those testimonials? Brendan wasn't... and he and Bob discuss the resistance behind this. And what changed. And…
June 3, 2022

#46 - Starting a sales call: Making the first 5 minutes count

The best way to have a great sales call is to start by having a great sales call. At the beginning... in the first five minutes. Because first impressions matter. And establishing credibility and rapport and momentum all mat…
May 31, 2022

#45 - The Indy 500 episode: Founders are like race car drivers???

Brendan is just back from the Indy 500...and it was awesome! In this quick ~7 minute chat, Brendan and Bob talk about the parallels between being a race car driver and a startup founder. And there are a few. To learn more ab…
May 26, 2022

#44 - Events and conferences - How to strike up a conversation

Conferences and other in-person events are starting to come back. And with it, the fear of being alone in a crowd or striking up a conversation with a stranger. In this quick ~12 minute chat, Brendan and Bob break down how t…
May 23, 2022

#43 - Why is it so hard to find good salespeople?

It's a fact... Finding a good salesperson is hard. Seemingly impossible sometimes. And it is one of the reasons that founders need to develop some sales horsepower of their own. In this quick <9 minute chat, Brendan and Bob …
May 19, 2022

#42 - Better Sales: In Search of Blunt Feedback.

It's easy to say Yes... but at some point you run the risk of becoming overwhelmed. Do you have people you can turn to and get the blunt, unvarnished but thoughtful feedback you need? And where do you find those people? In t…
May 16, 2022

#41 - Talking About Failure. And a Better Way to Think About It.

Failure can be demoralizing. And discouraging. And cause you to want to go back to your shop and just build new features. But it doesn't have to be that way. And maybe it's all about perspective. In this quick <9 minute chat…
May 12, 2022

#40 - One Solid Way to Find New Sales Opportunities

One very reliable way to find new B2B sales opportunities is to talk to people down in the trenches. It's down in the inner workings of the business where the difficulties lie, where the inefficiencies are rampant, and where…
May 9, 2022

#39 - Understanding Your Weaknesses

We're all quirky. And we all do things differently. The key is to recognize it and then come up with workarounds. This is a super short cha (~ 5 min!) t about how it's not about being perfect... It's about being aware and op…
May 4, 2022

#38 - The Best Sales Question

Sales success is heavily reliant on an effective client discovery process. You need to be able to ask the right questions, listen intently, and get detailed answers in order to qualify the opportunity and the client. So what…
April 28, 2022

#37 - Want Better Sales Calls? Cut to the Chase

Your customer wants to talk, and they want to be heard. So be efficient. Answer questions quickly, succinctly, crisply. Don't waste time. Salespeople want to talk, but so do customers. So... let them. Brendan and Bob cut to …
April 25, 2022

#36 - What's Your Expertise? Outsource The Rest!

This is a quick one... As a founder that sells and wants to grow your business, you need to be efficient and focus your skills on what you're good at. And you're probably not good at everything, right? In this super short ep…
April 21, 2022

#35 - Taking Notes

You can't remember everything, so you need to be able to take notes. But how do you do it without taking your attention away from your customer and the conversation? Brendan and Bob spend a quick 16 minutes discussing simple…
April 18, 2022

#34 - Wrapping Up a Sales Call

A really good sales call should lead to the next step. But to make that happen, it takes planning and preparation. In this quick 10 minute episode, Brendan and Bob talk about how you can make the most of a sales opportunity …
April 12, 2022

#33 - Accelerator Programs and How to Optimize Your Application

Brendan just finished up running the AccelerateBaltimore program for 2022. And a good accelerator can be a great way for an early-stage startup to jump-start their momentum, develop important entrepreneurial skills, and begi…
March 21, 2022

#32 - Chatting About Sales Checklists

Sales has lots of steps, plenty of follow up, and all sorts of details and paperwork. So...How do you keep track and stay efficient? Try a few simple checklists. Atul Gawande's book, The Checklist Manifesto , got us thinking…
March 15, 2022

#31 - Your Sales Proposal Strategy

You need to present a proposal to your customer. Do you have a plan? What do you intend to include? How are you handling pricing and terms? In this concise 14 minute episode, Brendan and Bob talk about the key steps and stra…
March 11, 2022

#30 - Startup Founders and the Trouble with Sales Procrastination

Early in the life of your start up, it is easy to delay talking to customers. There's a natural tendency to focus on designing and building and fundraising...and everything other than sales. But that's a bad strategy. Instea…
March 3, 2022

#29 - Little Things

A lot of sales is a lot of simple stuff. Basic practices. Fundamentals. It doesn't have to be complicated. And those little things are easy to do. And they add up. In this very quick 12 minute episode, Brendan and Bob list a…