Mind Over Matter
Cerebral-focused selling tips and tactics that will put the science back into selling for more success.
Is sales an Art or a Science? I’m asked that often.
My answer? Both.
If you rely too much on “gut feel” or the “art” of selling, you will surely miss opportunities to grow, close, and improve.
And try replicating that “artistic seller” you have on your team. No chance.
If you focus too much on the science of closing deals, you most likely will leave money on the table as buyers prefer to buy from people, not robots. And I love me some bots (Holla LivePerson)
This is a conversation that won’t end anytime soon, but is a fun one to geek out a bit as we talk about the science behind selling.
In this week’s edition of Stretch Weekly -
Daniel Pink, talks with Devin Reed about the mindset, and science behind selling for maximum success.
21 mind-blowing sales stats (and accompanying takeaways) that may have you re-thinking your team’s approach.
Plus cerebral-focused selling tips and tactics that will put the science back into selling so you can have more success.
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
How Revenue Leaders Maximize Impact with Daniel Pink
This was one of the more recent podcasts I listened to that really resonated with me. Having read To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink, I was excited to hear his interview with Devin Reed and now, just excited to share here - especially as we talk about the mindset, and science behind selling for maximum success.
I’m in constant pursuit of productivity and this one had some of those “a-ha” moments for me. See if you find those as well…
Highlights:
Maximizing your day based on timing. (Leaders allow people to do the right work at the right time)
Type, Task, Time. (Batch the type of tasks at the right time of the day for you: Peak, Trough, Recovery)
The most successful people take breaks. Even a 15 min walk outside has huge impacts on productivity.
Creating urgency in sales: Test and iterate based on what works
Find problems instead of pitching solutions. (5 Why’s Technique - mentioned this last week)
The most effective sellers are ambiverts. Where are you on the spectrum of Extrovert - Introvert?
Make it easy to act. (make it easy to buy!)
21 Mind-Blowing Sales Stats
As we talk about the science of selling and how the mind works, I remembered this piece from Brian Williams (Brevet Group) I featured as a snippet over two years ago.
Check out these 21 mind-blowing sales stats (and accompanying takeaways) that may have you re-thinking your team’s approach.
Some of my favorites:
80% of #sales require 5 follow-up calls after the meeting. 44% of reps give up after 1 call
After a presentation, 63% of attendees remember stories. Only 5% remember statistics
30-50% of sales go to the vendor that responds first
In a typical firm with 100-500 employees, an average of 7 people are involved in most buying decisions
Check out the full list (and takeaways) HERE
STRETCH SNIPPETS
📅 Will Allred reminds us we’re about to see a lot of OOO messages in response to our emails and gives us 6 tips to help your team navigate.
🧠 MRI studies reveal that getting rejected triggers the same neurological pathways in your brain that light up when you experience physical pain. Steli Efti talks about what we as sellers, what can learn from dealing with, and overcoming rejection. “They don't work against it—they work with it to grow and measure their progress”.
❌ Belal Batrawy says when selling, remember: Loss Aversion > Potential Gain. “Our brains are hardwired to avoid loss. That's why loss aversion is 2X more powerful than the pleasure of gain”.
🛍 David Priemer, (Author of an amazing book - Sell the Way You Buy) shares critical lessons for injecting scientifically proven messaging, discovery, and objection-handling tactics into your sales motion in this SalesHacker Webinar.
😰 Matthew Pollard (Introvert’s Edge) says you shouldn’t go into a sale thinking, “They probably won’t buy,” or any other self-defeating negativity. He recommends creating a script and a process that works for your unique business and watch your confidence - and your sales skyrocket.
🧠 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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