Selling Myths Debunked.
When I reached out to Dan Waldschmidt, I knew this was going to be an interview like no other. You see, Dan has a bit of a rep when it comes to how he sees the world. Tom Searcy (whose interview you can find here) says he “cuts like a battleaxe to the real truth”, so that should tell you a thing or two.
Watch (or listen) to this interview, and see what happens when Dan and I go “debunking myths about selling”:
- Why “calling high up” is almost always a bad idea
- Why you’re not in charge of the sales process (even though your ego might feel otherwise)
- Why (if you want to actually close new business) sales is not a “numbers game”
- Dan’s super-secret “reframing technique” (or what he says when his wife asks “when are you coming home ?”)
- Why Dan does not believe in putting bags on lawnmowers (but is big on the value of hard work and doing things your way)
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Ago,
Great interview. Love the perspective that both you and Dan provide. I have a follow up question;
You mentioned selling in to a CxO’s circle of trust instead of calling very high up immediately. How do you find out who is in the circle of trust and how do you make the initial approach? This is assuming you have never spoken with anyone in the organization before.
Cheers,
Kyle Van Pelt
Hey Kyle,
Thanks for the comment; the question you ask is not uncommon. As it turns out, sales is a lot like detective work; do a little digging and you’ll be surprised what you find. Here are a few ideas:
- Use Linkedin to find out who the CxO’s most closely held connections are
- See if the company has a “high potential” or talent development program (programs like these are hotbeds for up-and-comers who tend to be closely connected with those in the seat of power)
- Ask someone in your network who works at the company
- Ask someone you know who sold into the company (whether they won or lost)
- Ask someone who used to work at the company
- Ask someone who works for a competitor
If all that fails to yield results, call the CxOs PA, and ask her. PAs are highly networked, and they tend to know exactly who the players within a company are. Be honest, and tell her you’re thinking about pitching an idea to her boss, but first you’d like to get some feedback from someone inside the organization “just to make sure it’s the right time”. Which, unless I am mistaken, is exactly what you are trying to do.
As often with sales (or life), honesty and (some) hard work are almost always the best approach.
Dan ? What’s your take ?