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Traction is No Substitute for Revenue - Catalyst Sale Podcast Are you generating revenue or traction? Traction may be a great first step when you are working your way out of rut, or a roadside ditch. When it comes to your job as a Sales Professional, traction is no substitute for revenue. It is critical that we are constantly evaluating our success against real metrics, and traction is not one of them. What are you moving forward? What's actionable? Are your activity based metrics reinforcing the wrong behavior? Mike & Mike discuss key ideas and concepts around identifying the right metrics to measure success, and determining that you & your sales team are on the right path. Catalyst Sale Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

Catalyst Sale Podcast - Finding Your Next Sales Job How does your sales process and approach apply to looking for your next career opportunity? Is sales the right place for you? Is an account executive or an account manager role a better fit, what about indirect sales? How do you determine fit? Mike & Mike talk about identifying your next career move, and how to prepare to take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself. We talk about assessing gaps, clarifying goals, and designing a plan for success. We also talk about looking internally for new opportunities. Why a startup may be a good fit for you, and why to avoid that environment. Catalyst Sale Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

Catalyst Sale Podcast - How to Get Over a Bad Year Sometimes, many times in higher risk sales, the year does not end as your originally envisioned. High risk from a sales perspective, can mean emerging technologies, early adopter targets, or simply breaking ground in a new territory. A bad year can be the result of poor planning, poor execution, or simply having the time run out on you. When you have a bad year it is important to compartmentalize and move on. Evaluate what you learned, apply the lessons, get back to the foundational skills and process that have led to past success. Mike & Mike discuss key ideas and concepts around moving forward after a bad year, and not letting a bad year beat you twice. Catalyst Sale Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

Catalyst Sale Podcast - Compensation Plans for Sales Professionals Compensation plans are something we all have experience with as sales professionals. Whether it is designing a plan to reinforce desired behaviors, from a sales leadership perspective. Or, modifying our behaviors to optimize a plan designed for us, from an individual contributor perspective. Compensation plans require thought and modeling. Mike & Mike discuss their experience designing comp plans, risks in changing a plan mid-year, and their general thoughts on the considerations you should make from both the sales leadership & individual contributor perspective.

Negotiation Many books have been written about the topic of negotiation. In this week's episode of the Catalyst Sale podcast, Mike & Mike tackle a listener question. They share their perspective on trades, common negotiation errors, the importance of assessing value, and slowing down the process. Catalyst Sale Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

Are trade shows are part of your business plan? If you are going to spend time and money on a trade show, you want to make sure you are getting the most from your investment. In this episode of the Catalyst Sale podcast, Mike Conner and Mike Simmons offer insight and discussion about how to approach trade shows. Whether you attend a trade show as an attendee or have a team operating a booth, you want to be deliberate about how you use your time. Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

If sales is a thinking process, where does artificial intelligence fit in the sale process? Artificial intelligence can be used as a replacement for thinking. Or, artificial intelligence can be a tool to help a thinking sales professional enhance the sales process. Mike & Mike discuss how they have seen artificial intelligence impact sales, in ways that take away from the sales process and ways it enhances how a sales professional works with a customer. Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

Understanding the why will get you to the what. The questions you ask shape the success or failure of the opportunities you are pursuing. It is easy to present the information we know about the product or service you are selling. When you do this you fall into the feature functionality trap. Mike & Mike get into their approach to asking questions, the intention behind those questions and how this approach can help you learn more about your customer, and deliver more value. The trust you build with your customers accelerates when you start with them, and focus on learning about their business vs pitching yours. Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

Whether in baseball, football, life, or sales, slumps happen. Mike & Mike discuss slumps, how we get into them, and how to get out of them. We all go through cycles, don't let yourself get too high, or too low. Many times it is a mental game, you have to trust your process, and regain focus. Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website

Mike Conner is back this week. Mike & Mike discuss proposals, common errors, and how to prepare your proposals for success. At Catalyst Sale, when we get to the proposal stage of our sales process, we forecast at 90%. We discuss why, and share our experience. Sales is a Thinking Process. Catalyst Sale is a learning organization first and foremost. That's why we care about a thinking process that enables results versus a process that tells people what to do. We aim to add value whenever we can, and our true success is measured by the sustainability of our work long after we complete a project. We surround ourselves with good company and never stop learning. We are Catalysts. We Connect people we know and people we meet to help create opportunity for others. We Challenge ourselves, our clients and our team, to discover what is possible. We Learn from others, others learn from us and that never stops. We Contribute our expertise to deliver results with meaningful projects that are aligned with our values. We care about the people we work with every day and get great satisfaction from seeing them thrive. You can find us via LinkedIn, Twitter, & The Catalyst Sale Website on the links below; Mike Conner on Twitter Mike Simmons on Twitter Mike Conner on LinkedIn Mike Simmons on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Twitter Catalyst Sale on LinkedIn Catalyst Sale Website