Buying and Selling
Putting ourselves in the buyer's shoes and how that impacts our job as sellers
Hey friends -
Christmas music before Thanksgiving?
I’m selling.
Manningcast with Peyton and Eli talking shop during Monday Night Football?
I’m buying.
In today’s world, it seems like we are always either buying or selling.
But as such…both buyers and sellers have evolved. We’ve adapted. And that affects how we treat each other as well as our profession.
In this week’s edition of Stretch Weekly -
Andy Paul and Ross Rich debate the new way of selling in SaaS and using a “Buyer-First” approach to selling.
Devin Reed discusses selling over the holiday season - with pitfalls, tactics, tips, and ways to overcome “dead zones” as a seller the last 6 weeks of the year
And don’t forget more snippets to hone our craft in understanding the buyer’s journey and the new way of selling, as well as other insights for us as leaders.
THANKS for reading!!
-Grant
And lastly - as always, if you find this newsletter valuable- subscribe or share it with someone who might as well 👊.
STRETCH SHARES
Avoid “Selling Dead Zones” This Holiday Season
Another amazing article and timing from, in my opinion, the leader in data-backed sales insights - Devin Reed at Gong.
Devin discusses selling over the holiday season- with pitfalls, tactics, tips, and ways to overcome “dead zones” as a seller the last 6 weeks of the year.
Highlights for me:
27% fewer contracts signed during the week of Thanksgiving. 78% fewer contracts during Christmas week. Best time to sign this year?
Monday before Thanksgiving and Tuesday before Christmas.
Prospects are 2X more likely to no-show the week of a major holiday.
Best time in November to hold meetings? Monday and Tuesday AFTER Thanksgiving.
Best time in December to hold meetings? Friday before Christmas as well as New Years Eve Eve and New Years Eve (30th and 31st!)
Talk Tracks to help land and hold that coveted meeting to get your deals signed.
Buyer-First Sales
While this discussion is not new, Andy Paul and Ross Rich debate the new way of selling in SaaS and using a “Buyer-First” approach to selling.
Putting opinions aside on the future of SaaS sales, these two brought up valid points in this podcast in that sellers need to adapt to the way buyers want to be sold today.
Namely:
Is the SaaS selling model today still pertinent? Should we have "openers" and "closers"
Selling without persuasion is key. Become a trusted advisor to your customers.
Add value. Listen instead of just speaking.
Top 1% of sellers guide buyers through the buying journey. Top reps are proactive in their recommendations (teach, tailor, take control - Challenger)
Become a problem expert and not just a solution expert.
Be a SMALL part of solving the LARGEST problem a company is working on today. (Love this)
STRETCH SNIPPETS
☝️ Kevin Dorsey’s go to question when reps come for help on a deal: "What problem did they agree they have?". Without this info, your follow up will be weak, your sales cycle will be longer, and your odds of closing will be lower.
🪖 “It ain't as bad as you think! It will look better in the morning.” Doug Landis shares his summary of Colin Powell’s 13 Rules of Leadership. Adding this one to my queue…
🎥 As I referenced earlier this year, selling with video continues to grow in popularity and in success. This time, Tyler Lessard with Vidyard offers some advanced tips and tricks to help you stand out from the crowd.
🚪 Casey Graham says as leaders, opening doors for others is naturally motivating. Sharing leads, introducing to mentors are some ideas, but what can we do to open doors for our team?
🛍 Another great podcast from Will Barron as he talks with Christian Kinnear what’s changed in the world of selling and how to take advantage of the NEW buyer’s journey as a seller.
🧠 Mindset
“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” - Jim Rohn
Thanks for reading!
My hope is if you find this valuable, consider sharing it with friends (or signing up if you haven’t already).
— Grant 👋
About stretch vp: confessions, learnings, and insights from sales leaders in SaaS
Compiled and aggregated from a network of sales leaders in SaaS, Stretch VP showcases learnings, insights, and experiences as well as best practices to overcome common hurdles, obstacles, and setbacks in your quest for excellence as a sales leader in SaaS.
Are you a VP, Director, thought leader, or content producer in the SaaS space? We’d love to have you contribute. Just reply to this email and I’ll be in touch.
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