236 (Sell) Asking Buyers Tough Questions to Avoid Deal Killers (Steven Bryerton, ZoomInfo)

ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Instead of focusing on quantifying pain, ask deeper questions about the problem’s origins and previous solutions, this will naturally reveal the impact Find out if the problem is known and cared about across the company or just by one person Ask easy, non-pushy questions like “Why is that a problem?” to get the prospect to share the impact without feeling pressured Position involving decision-makers as beneficial for them, making it easier to get in front of power PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Founder @ DiscoveryCoach.io Sales Enablement Manager @ AlphaSense Lead Revenue Enablement Manager @ CB Insights Senior Sales Training Manager @ CB Insights RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

FOUR ACTIONABLE LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS When you are trying to clone that first rep, make sure that you don’t confuse personality with skill set. Your customers have the answers. Talk to your customers. Do not do the things that you're horrible at. Hire for the things that are not your strengths. Invest your time in enablement. You and your reps should track how you win each deal for ongoing development. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB VP, Sales @ Tenderly Founding Member, First Hires Program @ First Round Capital Director, Enterprise Sales @ Drift VP, Sales @ AltoCloud RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

This is an except from the Topline podcast with Sam, AJ, and Asad Check out their GTM podcast here: https://www.joinpavilion.com/blog/tag/topline-podcast Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Instead of lecturing a rep who hasn't followed expectations, ask what's preventing them from doing the task. This helps identify roadblocks or allows the rep to own up to the issue. When discussing reasons for making a change, focus on three questions: Why do anything? Why with us? Why now? The "why now" should have a specific date tied to an event. Link the urgency of change to concrete events, such as a software switch, new hire, market trends, or growth initiatives like entering a new market. Ask your reps key questions like when the economic buyer last bought something similar and who typically pays for software in their industry to ensure they understand the buyer’s decision-making process. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Head of Sales, Retail @ Ascend Strategic Account Manager @ Ascend Strategic Accounts @ Sourcegraph Head of Enterprise Sales @ Segment Enterprise Sales Executive @ Braintree (a PayPal company) RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

FOUR ACTIONABLE LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS In rip-and-replace deals, start by asking why the existing solution was chosen to understand the problems and motivations behind it. Late in the deal, confirm with your champion if you’re their top choice. Use their guidance to strengthen your position against competitors. When prospects compare you to competitors, suggest specific aspects to evaluate that highlight your strengths and expose competitors' weaknesses. In rip-and-replace deals, emphasize key product gaps that significantly impact the business, and ensure decision-makers are committed to addressing them. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Founder & CEO @ Outbound Squad Owner @ Jason Bay Consulting Director of Marketing @ Chamber DS, Inc. Marketing Director & Corporate Sales Trainer @ National Services Group, Inc. RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Do not neglect internal research when you're preparing for a sales call. Find out if your company has spoken to them before and dig internally. Prep for your sales calls by understanding lookalike conversations your team has had in the past. Use the lighthouse email to engage someone at the top, mid-deal cycle. Don’t just pull them into the boat. Let them know that the boat is there and you have an awesome champion so they can affirm you’re in the right place. Don’t say “AI” in your sales call. Instead, focus on the problem they want to solve and what they want to do. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Co-Founder @ Handoffs Director, Sales @ Sendoso Manager, MM & ENT Sales @ Sendoso Founding Account Executive @ Sendoso RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

FOUR ACTIONABLE LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS Clearly communicate metrics, quotas, and potential performance improvement plans (PIP) during onboarding Design compensation plans that allow top performers to earn substantial rewards. To gain approval from finance, include decelerators where reps who don't reach 70% of quota earn no commission. When turning around an SDR team,iIntroduce new talent by hiring fresh SDRs and replacing underperformers to inject new energy into the team. Use a pod system (e.g., 4 AEs to 2 SDRs). This allows AEs to focus on key accounts while SDRs work on B and C tier accounts, generating additional meetings. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Consultant @ Agoge Prospecting School Director of Sales Development @ Vercel Senior Manager of Sales Development @ Outreach SDR Team Lead @ Outreach RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal Agoge Sequence

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS If you make a mistake while recording a prospecting video, don't discard it. Send it anyway, as it can add authenticity and still lead to positive outcomes. When you feel the conversation winding down, go straight to asking for the meeting to increase your chances of booking it. After sending a LinkedIn video, start by asking, "What did you think of the video?" followed by "What didn't you like about the video?" to engage prospects. Leverage your last interaction—whether it's a video, voicemail, or previous call—as the reason for your next outreach to create continuity and context. PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Sales Director @ Pareto Senior Business Development Manager @ Pareto Senior Account Executive @ Pareto Account Executive @ Pareto Business Development Representative @ Pareto RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS If you say yes to doing something for a prospect and then realize you shouldn’t have offered that, call them to apologize. If you are giving reasons to a prospect for why something they asked for is not the best idea, make those reasons about them and in their best interest. Don't chase tennis balls. Create equal footing by getting something before we just jump to giving. Be a guide, not a servant. Buyers are not looking for us to say yes to everything. Evaluate every ask through “is this actually the best way for the buyer to get what they're looking for?” PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Founder @ DiscoveryCoach.io Sales Enablement Manager @ AlphaSense Lead Revenue Enablement Manager @ CB Insights Senior Sales Training Manager @ CB Insights RESOURCES DISCUSSED Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal

FOUR ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAYS Delegate regular tasks, such as skill-building sessions in team meetings, to your reps to encourage leadership development and lighten your workload. When introducing new narratives or initiatives, provide a clear example of what good execution looks like, so your team knows what to aim for. Be transparent with your team about the reasons behind significant changes, such as quota increases or territory shifts, to help them understand and accept the decisions. Create a safe environment for reps by making it acceptable to forecast low numbers if that’s the reality, with categories for worst-case, most likely, and best-case scenarios. DAVID'S PATH TO PRESIDENT’S CLUB Founder @ Cerebral Selling Vice President of Sales @ Influitive Vice President Commercial Sales @ Salesforce RESOURCES DISCUSSED David's Book: The Sales Leader They Need Join our weekly newsletter Things you can steal