How it works
tried, and tested tactics that are working today in sales
Hello again -
(side note - you can’t tell me there’s many Neil Diamond songs better than Hello Again- top 5 for me for sure - is this showing my age? Maybe.)
I digress with my hand raised and the Jazz Singer soundtrack in the background…
One of my favorite parts of compiling this newsletter is the chance I get to exponentially learn from others.
This gives me the ability to take a much broader dataset than just my own experience leading sales, and share these findings with you in hopes it will help you like it has me.
Just in this edition alone - we’re probably talking hundreds of million dollars worth of deals closed, thousands of prospects engaged, and hundreds if not thousands of pertinent case studies from successful sales leaders in SaaS.
So dive in. Learn from those that have been there - done that - and then some.
In this week’s edition of Stretch Weekly -
Free framework and guide on how prospecting is done - from no other than the Prospecting Jedi Master himself - Justin Michael.
Jason Lemkin’s list of 7 Tips for Being a (Much) Better First Time Manager.
And don’t just take my word for it…while you check out this week’s featured content, help yourself to fresh and tasty snippets from leaders today with tried, and tested tactics that are working today in sales.
THANKS for reading!!
-Grant
Oh…and if you find this newsletter valuable- I’d appreciate it if you subscribed. Already subscribed? Share it with someone who might as well 👊.
STRETCH SHARES
The Justin Michael Method (JMM Prospecting Guide)
20 years, 20,000 hours on the phone, millions of emails sent, and thousands of SaaS deals won, lost, and scuttled for over 100 startups.
That’s the blood sweat and tears invested in the Justin Michael Method from the founder and namesake himself.
If you’re looking for a framework and guide on how prospecting is done - no better place to start than the Jedi Master Justin Michael himself.
We continue to follow, train and implement it at where I’m at now, along with hundreds if not thousands of others elsewhere.
If you’re running a sales development org, or have influence in one - get it, share it, implement it. Honestly - it’s awesome. Blends in all the data points you’ve probably read (or not) and succinctly provides the WHAT, WHY, and HOW to get results hunting new customers.
And did I mention it’s free? No paywall. No gate. Just…free.
Thanks Justin!!!
7 Simple Tips to Being a (Much) Better First Time Manager
You know I love me some Lemkin. Lots of his content is focused on founders, but there are almost always some parallels to sales leaders like us - (heck I first learned of what a “stretch vp” was from him).
So when I came across this recent article of his on 7 simple tips for first time managers, I knew I had to feature it here. Give it a read and let me know what stood out.
Jason Lemkin’s list of 7 Tips for Being a (Much) Better First Time Manager:
Make a firm rule: No Excuses.
Get a formal Mentor.
Do Weekly 1-on-1s
Ask for Help.
Understand Your Boss Likely Isn’t Perfect.
Learn to Thrive on Criticism
Understand the Rules of Being Topped.
Bonus two: Transparency is your Top Ally and Don’t be scared to hire people more experienced than you.
Check out the full article HERE
STRETCH SNIPPETS
➕ Andy Whyte and the folks at MEDDIC give us a killer discovery question to ask your champion: “What happened the last time you implemented a solution like this?” Read on for why it works, and how it fits in with MEDDIC to move the deal forward...
🤷♂️ I may have misunderstood this but…Will Allred tells us why using “Unsure” tones in cold emails will help you absolutely crush it. Examples include using words like “usually”, “typically”, “correct me if I’m wrong”, “curious if” and more. Kind of interesting- no? 😉
💪Alfie Marsh gives us his view on the most powerful way to finish a demo by asking this question: “Now that you’ve seen a demo of YOUR COMPANY, how would you describe it to someone who’s never seen it before?”
🎯 What can we learn from how kids negotiate? David Premier tell us that in a negotiation it often pays to forget what you know and aim higher! Start every negotiation with belief in your value and a beginner's mind and you'll come out ahead.
🗣 John Bissett talks about using friction in the sales process - this case an RFI (RFP) to challenge the status quo and eventually win a $7M deal.
🧠 Mindset
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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