The Sales Playbook Podcast

Episode 63 How To Continually Improve When You're Crazy Busy November 4 2012

How To Continually Improve When You’re Crazy Busy

There truly aren’t enough hours in the day for us to kick butt, take names or if you’re struggling . . . enough hours to keep your head above water.

Things are moving at a crazy pace and yet . . .

We absolutely MUST get smarter at what we’re doing.

We all buy in to the concept of continually learning but . . .

How can we do that and still keep focused on our responsibilities?

Today . . . we’re gonna go there!

Here’s what you’ll learn during today’s podcast . . .

A really sad statistic that suggests that all of us are RUSTING!

7 ways you can continually improve without spending mucho time or any money.

One easy to use technique that will have you realizing lessons that you were dismissing.

How to set up a short term and long term “LCS” (and no, I won’t tell you what that is in the notes.)

3 free apps for your smart phone that will help you capture lessons and awesome ideas.

How you can become aware of words and the packaging of words that can help you grow.

An interesting study from the University of Southern California with regard to listening to instructional materiel while you drive.

Some questions you need to ask after your appointments to help you own lessons you might have missed.

Where you can free up additional time so you can read, listen to cds, podcasts etc

Additional Resources To Support Today’s Podcast . . .

1) Here’s a link to the free Evernote app.

2) Here’s a link to the free Dragon Dictation app.

3) Here’s a really cool pad and pen that fits right in your wallet or purse. Makes it easy to capture ideas and lessons!

4) Learning new words is easy because there’s an app for that.

5) Audible.com has books in audio format. Click here for details.

6) Convert instructional Youtube videos to MP3 (so you can listen to them in your car) by clicking here.

Finally, if you’ve been loving, what you’ve been hearing on The Sales Playbook podcast, please stop by iTunes, leave us a 5 star rating and a review . . . You’d make this aspiring sales rock star’s day! Instructions on how to write a review on iTunes:

Step 1  Click on this link

Step 2 Look to the left and there’s a button that says “view in iTunes” click it.

Step 3 Scroll down to where it says “customer reviews” Directly under that it says      “write a review”

Step 4 Write an awesome review for your Uncle Paul

Episode 62 How To Differentiate Your Company October 21 2012

Today’s buyers have more choices than ever before and that makes it way too easy for you to blend or worse yet . . . Find yourself in a situation where the buyer has defaulted to price as the key component in their selection process We all drop the “v” word but . . . Many struggle with how to truly present the value we bring to the party. Today . . . we’re gonna go there!

Here’s what you’ll learn during today’s podcast . . .

5 ways you can set your company apart A forgotten selling point and the one thing that drives it home A critical component that makes you more believable An awesome way to bring important parts of your offer to life How you can use analogies to help your prospects understand and appreciate your value A call to action to break the rules of your industry and “show up” differently

Additional Resources To Support Today’s Podcast . . .

1)   Before you can ever begin to differentiate . . . you need to understand your audience better than anyone else. Click here to get inside your prospect’s head! 2)   3 ways for you to be more compelling. 3)   Want to become more believable? Click here. 4)   Here’s a real thorough write up I did on using evidence to add credibility to your words. 5)   Click here if you’d like to get better at presenting your company and your awesome solutions with IMPACT! Finally, if you’ve been loving, what you’ve been hearing on The Sales Playbook podcast, please stop by iTunes, leave us a 5 star rating and a review . . . You’d make this aspiring sales rock star’s day! Instructions on how to write a review on iTunes: Step 1  Click on this link Step 2 Look to the left and there’s a button that says “view in iTunes” click it. Step 3 Scroll down to where it says “customer reviews” Directly under that it says     “write a review” Step 4 Write an awesome review for your Uncle Paul

Episode 61 The Sales Manager Sales Rep Relationship September 30 2012

I get emails all the time from Sales Managers looking for ideas on how they can improve their relationship with their reps and guess what? I get plenty of emails from sales reps looking for help in that department too! I thought it might be a good idea to do a little group therapy this week and talk about how we can improve this vital working relationship. To that end, I have several things that I’m going to share with you: 1)   2 questions sales managers MUST ask their sales reps if they want  a better relationship. 2)   1 question sales reps need to ask their manager. 3)   An awesome sales management “mindset” that one of my clients shared with me. 4)   What micromanagement really means in a relationship. 5)   A communication agreement that managers and reps need to embrace. 6)   An invitation to stop judging and start helping. 7)   How to have a better joint sales call. 8)   3 important reasons why joint sales calls need to be happening on your team! 9)   The problem with egos. Resources mentioned and that support things discussed during the podcast: 1)   How To Master A Joint Sales Call 2)   Here’s an excellent guest post written by Bill Cook with The Top 10 Priorities For Sales Managers 3)   5 Must Have Human Relations Skills 4)   At the end of the podcast I take a minute to mention some cool updates in our Rock Star University division. Click here to see for yourself. Note: You will want to stop by here regularly as we are now updating the content several times a week. 5)   Our next Castain’s Sales School begins October 23^rd . . . right on your computer screen. Click here for the early registration discount. Finally, if you’ve been loving, what you’ve been hearing on The Sales Playbook podcast, please stop by iTunes, leave us a 5 star rating and a review . . . You’d make this aspiring sales rock star’s day! Cling here to hook a brother up!

3 Minute Tip Stop Beating Yourself Up September 24 2012

We can be rather hard on ourselves in sales! Some of you might find yourself knee deep in beating yourself up right now, as we approach month end! I have a quick 3 minute audio tip for you with 3 very cool things you can do . . . right now, to turn things around! Please stop what you're doing and take the 3 minutes to invest in yourself. Tell your boss you have to go to the bathroom or something and crank this on speaker. Why? Because it will give all those bastards who like to talk on their cell phones in the bathroom a little competition. I triple dog dare ya!

Episode 60 Staying In Touch Without Calling To Check In September 23 2012

We all should know by now that there is zero value in calling someone to “check in” and yet many still do it. They don’t do it to be rebellious or because they have a note on their calendar to “Sound lame today” . . . They do it because they just don’t know what to say or do . . . Furthermore (I feel like I’m making a speech) they get caught up in a bit of a “stimulus/response” thing because the little alert in their CRM goes off telling them to call the ABC Company and guess what they do? They make an instantaneous decision, lacking any degree of thought or care and then . . . Default to “I’m calling to check in” It’s my mission to help you change that!

Here’s what you’ll learn during today’s podcast . . .

How to listen for certain things that make for an awesome conversation How ideas can help you get you recognized in a sea of messages How you can use “Random Acts Of Coolness” to stay on your client’s radar screen. A “Resourceful” way you can keep your client’s attention Why you absolutely MUST connect with your clients on social networks How you can leverage a concept I teach called “Social Clues” to stay in touch with your clients. A lesson from a printer and how they stay in touch (weekly) and stand out in the process! And finally, how you can map your communication to help you avoid that “Checking in” thing.

Resources Mentioned In Today’s Podcast . . .

1)   “The Sales Listening Station” Complete, step by step instructions can be found by clicking here. 2)   Want to learn about “Random Acts Of Coolness”? Click here. 3)   I talk about “Social Clues” and how to expand your network in this 90 page social networking e-Book I authored. 4)   Dave Spaulding is a distributor for SendOutCards. Here’s some additional information as well as his email address. 5)   Lisa Bickford from Highlight Printing sends out a really cool resource to her network each week called “The Weekender”. Click here to see a sample and to join Lisa’s mailing list! 6)   At the end of the podcast, I mention our upcoming time management course. Click here for all the details. If you've enjoyed this episode of The Sales Playbook Podcast, please take a trip over to iTunes, leave us a 5 star star rating, write a review and by all means . . . subscribe. Click here to be magically whisked away to the land of  iTunes.

Episode 59 Is Twitter A Waste Of Time For Sales People? September 9 2012

Its that magical time of the week again folks when we get to hang out via The Sales Playbook Podcast and today we’re tackling a tough topic.

Is Twitter A Waste Of Time For Sales People?

I’ll go ahead and spill the beans and tell you that I’m weighing in on this one with both a Yes and all caps NO and if I might upgrade that . . .

A Ridiculously large all Caps NO!

I'll provide you with several, real world examples of how sales people are kicking ass and taking names in the b2b space oh and I'm not talking about what "social media experts" are doing . . . I'm talking about sales reps in industries like printing, software sales, merchant services, consulting, accounting to name just a few.

Resources mentioned during this podcast . . .

How you can capitalize on people complaining on Twitter click here

Twitter For The Aspiring Rock Star (this was a webinar that I did a few months back. I have it recorded on our Rock Star University page)

50 Totally Random Social Networking Tips This is a free e-Book You’re welcome!

To subscribe to The Sales Playbook Podcast on iTunes please click here and if you found value in this podcast would you please give us a 5 star rating and leave a comment.

Speaking of comment, thank you to Stephen Lahey who left this comment on iTunes . . .

The Sales Playbook Podcast is a winner

by stephenlahey

I've been selling for decades, and I don't waste my time with anything that isn't fresh and practical. I've never met Paul Castain, but his Sales Playbook Podcast is a winner. Maybe it's time for me to give him a call.

Monday is the last day you can enroll in Castain’s Sales School. Please click here for all the details!

Episode 58 What To Do When Your Call Isn't Returned September 2 2012

In this week's podcast we tackle something that quite frankly, bothers the heck out of lots of sales people. I'm talking about . . . The Call That Isn't Returned and I'm also talking about its plural form . . . The Calls That Aren't Returned but . . . It's important that we all approach this from the same perspective so please allow me to provide a context for this. I'm not talking about the call(s) that aren't returned after you've met with someone . . . I'm talking about the calls that aren't returned from that person you are trying to get a damn appointment with.

Items Mentioned In This Podcast Include

1)  Linkedin discussion (on this very topic) in my Sales Playbook group. Here's a link to that discussion. 2) I refer to something that I call "Call Back Entitlement Syndrome". Here's the post I mentioned 3) "Meticulous Pre Call Planning" and "Communication Mapping" are just 2 of the more than 100+ tips and strategies I teach in my Sales Camp Program. For details click here. 4) Link to "Sales Mix" Podcast can be found by clicking here. FYI I sound like I'm on helium in this episode and I have no logical explanation to offer. :) 5) Link to "Your Cold Call Is Lonely" post is right here my link clicking brother from another mother! 6) I mention a way cool e-Book on creative ways you can prospect. Click here to snatch  your free copy! Who loves you guys more than me? 7) Sign up for our podcast on iTunes by clicking here.

I could use a really huge favor . . .

If you find value in my podcast, would you please go to iTunes and give it a great rating and leave a comment in the Customer Review section as well? It would sure help us bring things to the next level. Click here if you want to hook a brother up! Once you click on the link, select the option to view in iTunes so you can rate the podcast . . . Thanks in Advance.

Episode 57 Moonlighting For Future Success August 26 2012

Whether you know that you will be making a job change or starting your own business or you think you’re in a “Till death do us part” relationship, you need to listen to today’s podcast because . . .

We’re going to talk about . . .

How, When and Why you need to do this.

I see so many people who wait until its like the 11^th hour to build their online presence and quite frankly, it comes across really bad as if

“I’ll show up now that I need something from everyone”

Not bueno and not good for your overall brand!

Here’s what we’ll cover . . .

Why you absolutely MUST do this

Some specific things that you can do, right now, that will enable you to stand out

How you can use technology to buy you some time

How you can create a status update that will demonstrate your expertise

And most of all . . .

How you can raise your army long before you go into battle.

Oh, and as many of you know, I don’t do a second take, that’s why you hear me say “Sunday, August 25^th” when we both know it’s the 26^th. I do stuff like this from time to time to remind you that I’m human and willing to come at cha without a bunch of production and polish.

Episode 56 How To Keep Your Prospects From Going Silent

We’ve all been there . . .

A good prospect meeting with gusts of great and then . . . A whole lot of nothing! No response to calls, emails and you’re in limbo! What’s an aspiring sales rock star to do? How about changing up some things on the front end to lower the probability of the silent prospect? Today, I have 5 things you can immediately apply to your next meeting to help keep the momentum going! Things like a very specific question you need to ask as you set your appointment with the prospect A question you need to ask and then work backwards A very specific thing I want you to say to keep them from disappearing A very specific thing I want you to do to gain commitment without any of that 1970's Monkey Style Kung Fu closing crap. Sound like a reasonable plan for our time together this week. Hope so because I'm sure as heck not going to rerecord this  :)

Episode 55 How I Came Back From Failure August 5 2012

I though it was time for me to tell my story (complete with specifics) of how I made my come back after suffering a horrific failure.