The First Meeting Differentiator

In this episode, Mike ties together observations from his past month's work with sales leaders and sales teams in a variety of industries — all of whom seem to be struggling with the same challenges.  Reviewing these "common reasons" salespeople are not winning new business at the desired rate prompted Mike to get in the way-back machine and pull out the tried-and-true list from Chapter 2 in his first book, New Sales. Simplified.  If your salespeople are not creating, advancing, and closing as much new business as you'd like, share this episode and the free PDF of Chapter 2 with them! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Free PDF of Chapter 2: The "Not-So-Sweet 16" Reasons Salespeople Fail at New Business Development New Sales. Simplified. book    5 "Buckets of Blame" Podcast Episode The Fastest Way to Increase Sales Podcast Episode YOUR SALES STORY with AI Assist

In Episode 98, Mike excitedly reveals something he's been teasing for several months. Listen in as he hosts his former client, dear friend from Ireland, and now partner, Fergal O'Carroll. After 35 successful years in sales and sales leadership, Fergal launched Supercharge Your Sales Velocity in 2024 with the mission of empowering sales teams to drive MORE OPPORTUNITIES, BIGGER DEALS, & FASTER WINS. Among his many passions, Fergal was an early adopter of generative AI, and he is the catalyst behind the launch of the massively upgraded offering they are announcing today, YOUR SALES STORY with an AI Assist. You may never hear Mike as passionate about a topic as he is in this episode, reminding sales leaders that their messaging, their sales story, is the team's most critical sales weapon. When your team's sales story is great, EVERYTHING is easier, you secure more meetings, face less resistance, decommoditize the conversation, justify premium pricing, and increase margins and win rates! NOTHING increases a sales team's confidence or effectiveness more (or faster) than empowering them with compelling, customer issue and customer outcome-focused, differentiated sales messaging. Enjoy Fergal and Mike's conversation, and here's to sharper messaging and MORE NEW SALES!   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: YOUR SALES STORY with AI Assist February 2026 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Episode 97 addresses one of Mike's hot-button topics:  structuring and conducting effective early-stage sales calls. As he often bemoans when leading workshops, salespeople have to work so stinking hard today to secure an initial meeting with a target prospect, and then they show up and miss the mark by conducting completely ineffective meetings. If your (or your team's) sales calls could use a boost, dive into this compelling interview with sales differentiation expert, Lee Salz, who crafted a fantastic resource titled "The First Meeting Differentiator."  Lee doesn't hold back, declaring that traditional discovery meetings must die because buyers no longer tolerate one-sided sales interrogations that serve the seller and provide no value to them!  After listening you'll understand why Mike boldly declared in his front cover endorsement, "I cannot think of a salesperson, regardless of tenure or industry, who wouldn't experience a transformative breakthrough from implementing the powerful approach outlined in The First Meeting Differentiator!"  Here's to more effective first meetings and to MORE NEW SALES!   RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The First Meeting Differentiator ___________________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Mike went right from leading a virtual sales management workshop into recording this episode while he was still fired up from tackling two critical, yet often overlooked, sales management functions…. 1.  Accountability for results, pipeline health, and activity (when necessary) 2.  Strategic targeting of accounts   Listen in as Mike shares exactly what he reviewed with this favorite client's sales leaders.   LAST CALL for the LAST Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event of 2025! There are five spots remaining for the final sales management fundamentals full-day intensive at the Porsche Experience Center next to Atlanta's airport on September 4th. If you'd like to get recharged while ramping-up your sales leadership effectiveness, join Mike for a powerful day with a packed agenda at a premium venue. More info and register at mikeweinberg.com/events    RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: September 4th Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event The Five Foundational Keys to Winning More New Sales Episode/Webinar   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg        

Feedback from Jeff Hancher's story in Episode 94 of how a sales manager powerfully impacted his life compelled Mike to focus again on...The Life-Changing Impact of an Intentional Leader. After receiving so many stories from listeners about leaders who changed the trajectory of their lives, Mike shares a few of his own — highlighting the intentional investment others made in him that left a lasting impact — along with a reminder from Chapter 9 in his latest book: Managers (particularly sales managers) take up way more emotional and mental bandwidth in their people's hearts and minds than they typically realize or appreciate.    Mike concludes the episode with a few takeaways from recent conversations with senior sales leaders in tech and SaaS companies — most notably that the days of "Fantasy Land" sales management are over, and that both managers and sales reps need to stop looking longingly back to 2021 and 2022 wishing things were easier. Those days are over (and have been for a while), and it is past due time to replace fantasizing with a focus on the fundamentals.     RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   Episode 95 with Jeff Hancher    Firm Feedback in a Fragile World  (now a National Bestseller!)

Episode 94 is a special one for several reasons, not the least of which is that it's the first show where the guest made Mike cry! You will be challenged listening to this interview with Mike's friend, sales executive extraordinaire and leadership guru Jeff Hancher, who shares his personal journey from pain and poverty to powerful purpose.  Jeff's story of resilience and how sales changed the trajectory of his life will remind many listeners of why we got into the sales profession in the first place. And every sales leader will benefit hearing about Jeff's rise through the ranks and the transformational leadership lessons learned along the way – particularly the critically important ability for leaders to give Firm Feedback in a Fragile World (which also happens to be the title of Jeff's amazing new book). Be sure to take particular note of the segment (starting at the 17:30 mark) that Mike refers to as the greatest five-minute leadership sermon he's ever heard as Jeff expands on the book's promise: "how to build a winning culture with critical conversations."  Lean in as Jeff exhorts listeners on the resulting benefits when leaders properly balance making deep deposits that earn the right to make big withdrawals.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Firm Feedback in a Fragile World: How to Build a Winning Culture with Critical Conversations Jeff Hancher    This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Episode 94 is a special one for several reasons, not the least of which is that it's the first show where the guest made Mike cry! You will be challenged listening to this interview with Mike's friend, sales executive extraordinaire and leadership guru Jeff Hancher, who shares his personal journey from pain and poverty to powerful purpose.  Jeff's story of resilience and how sales changed the trajectory of his life will remind many listeners of why we got into the sales profession in the first place. And every sales leader will benefit hearing about Jeff's rise through the ranks and the transformational leadership lessons learned along the way – particularly the critically important ability for leaders to give Firm Feedback in a Fragile World (which also happens to be the title of Jeff's amazing new book). Be sure to take particular note of the segment (starting at the 17:30 mark) that Mike refers to as the greatest five-minute leadership sermon he's ever heard as Jeff expands on the book's promise: "how to build a winning culture with critical conversations."  Lean in as Jeff exhorts listeners on the resulting benefits when leaders properly balance making deep deposits that earn the right to make big withdrawals.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Firm Feedback in a Fragile World: How to Build a Winning Culture with Critical Conversations Jeff Hancher    This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Today's special guest, Ahson Wardak, made such an impression at a recent Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event that Mike had to have him on the show! Ahson was recently promoted to regional vice president after an incredible run as a top-performing individual contributor.  Listen in to hear what a true large account, large deal sales rockstar sounds like. Enjoy Ahson's contrarian take on the widely accepted sales adage that "people buy from people they like" and pay particular attention how he balances two critical, yet contradictory, success factors for enterprise selling: being patient AND proactive. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: How "Hannah the Hunter" Achieved a Blowout Year and Breakthrough Sales Success episode Mike's 12-year bestseller, New Sales. Simplified. The September 4-5 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event    This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

In Episode 92 Mike doesn't hold back sharing two takeaways from a recent multi-day speaking and sales training engagement in Las Vegas and then he absolutely unloads on the recent changes at Southwest Airlines. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine Freedom Story featuring Mike The Upcoming September 2025 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event New Sales. Simplified. Chapter 14 - Planning & Executing the New Business Development Sales Attack   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

In Episode 91 Mike unpacks two recent personal experiences and one seller/buyer "conflict" to demonstrate that PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Micah Project Honduras The June 3 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event ______________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg