Get More At Bats Podcast
Welcome to ”Get More At Bats,” the podcast for entrepreneurs and business leaders looking to grow their companies and achieve success. Our expert guests will share their insights on everything from marketing and branding to financial planning and team building. Whether you’re a seasoned CEO or just starting out, we’ll provide practical advice and actionable strategies to help you take your business to the next level. Join us as we break down the complexities of the business world and provide the blueprint for success.
Episodes
15 hours ago
15 hours ago
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
Amar Sheth, Co-Founder & COO of Pipeline Signals, specializes in scaling pipelines for revenue teams through Signal Sales Intelligence. His expertise in training and data analytics has significantly improved pipeline and win rates for over 500 global customers, including Microsoft and Intel.
About the Guest:
Connor Dube is an accomplished professional with over a decade of experience in B2B sales and marketing. He started his entrepreneurial journey at a young age, eventually leading and managing a marketing department that experienced significant growth. His expertise bridges the gap between traditional and modern sales and marketing methods, helping businesses adapt to the changing landscape. Dube is known for his podcast, B2B Mentors, and his thought leadership in the industry. Interestingly, he first encountered Jamie's work in college, wrote a research paper on it, invited Jamie to his own podcast, and later built a professional relationship, culminating in their recent Surf Mastermind collaboration.
Summary:
In this engaging podcast episode, Connor Dube discusses the concept of ROI recapture in B2B marketing. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on leads that have already shown interest in a business but might need to catch up. Dube highlights the key areas of copy, calls to action, content, and lead verification as crucial elements to maximize conversions. The conversation delves into practical strategies to capture missed opportunities and improve pipeline coverage for account executives.
Key Takeaways:
ROI recapture involves identifying and converting leads that have engaged with a business but may not have been captured effectively.
Improving copies, calls to action, and content on a website can significantly impact lead generation and conversion rates.
Leveraging social proof and customer testimonials in content marketing can build credibility and trust with potential clients.
Utilizing lead verification tools like ConverterVisit can enhance the quality of leads and streamline the conversion process.
Incremental improvements in key areas of marketing can lead to substantial gains in revenue and business growth.
Connect with Jamie, Amar, and Connor Dube:
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Amar Sheth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarsheth/
Connor Dube: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialsellingexpert/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
EPISODE 50 - From Volume to Value with Ted Heiman on Modern Cybersecurity Sales
Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
About the Guest:
Ted Heiman is the CEO of CISO Guru, a cybersecurity practice specializing in working with Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) to enhance security measures within organizations. With over 25 years of experience in deploying cutting-edge technology for Fortune Enterprises and the Department of Defense, Ted brings a wealth of expertise in the cybersecurity realm, helping CISOs achieve their security objectives effectively.
Summary:
In this episode, Ted Heiman shares valuable insights on selling CISOs in the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity. Highlighting the challenges faced by CISOs inundated with sales pitches, Ted emphasizes the importance of building genuine relationships and providing value rather than bombarding prospects with generic outreach tactics. Through engaging storytelling and practical advice, Ted sheds light on the shift in approach needed to capture the attention of high-level executives in the cybersecurity domain.
Key points discussed include the transformation in sales tactics from volume-based approaches to personalized and value-driven interactions, the significance of understanding a CISO's challenges and industry landscape before reaching out, and the essentiality of credibility-building in initial conversations to establish trust with potential buyers.
Key Takeaways:
Building authentic relationships and demonstrating genuine interest in a CISO's challenges is crucial for successful sales engagements.
Researching and understanding the target audience's needs and goals is vital in creating a valid business reason for seeking their time.
Providing value, support, and insights tailored to the CISO's specific requirements can help establish credibility and foster long-term partnerships.
Approaching sales pitches with a focus on helping rather than selling can significantly increase the chances of engaging with C-suite executives successfully.
Prioritizing quality interactions and personalized engagement over volume-based outreach strategies is key to standing out in the competitive cybersecurity industry.
Connect with Jamie and Ted Heiman:
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Ted Heiman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedheiman/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
EPISODE 49 - Account Planning: Transforming Customer Success Teams
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
Amar Sheth, Co-Founder & COO of Pipeline Signals, specializes in scaling pipelines for revenue teams through Signal Sales Intelligence. His expertise in training and data analytics has significantly improved pipeline and win rates for over 500 global customers, including Microsoft and Intel.
About the Guest(s):
Brad Childress is an experienced sales consultant with a strong background in software sales. As the co-founder of The Complex Sale, a company he started with Rick Page in the 90s, Brad has spent over 16 years honing his expertise in account planning, opportunity planning, and sales coaching. His current work involves helping sales teams develop more effective account and opportunity plans to drive sales success.
Summary:
In this episode, Brad Childress discusses the challenges faced with account planning tools, emphasizing the importance of understanding the strategic aspects of an account. He emphasizes the need to shift salespeople's focus from operational fixes to connecting these solutions with the strategic initiatives of the client's company. Brad emphasizes the significance of strategic literacy and highlights the value of provoking salespeople's thinking to identify growth opportunities within accounts.
Key Takeaways:
Account planning should align with the strategic direction of the client's business.
The focus should be on connecting operational solutions with strategic initiatives to drive growth.
Salespeople need to develop strategic literacy to understand how their offerings impact the client's core business objectives.
The reluctance towards account planning can be overcome by educating salespeople on the purpose and value of strategic thinking.
Effective account planning tools should prompt creativity, channel knowledge, and focus on growth opportunities.
Connect with Jamie, Amar, and Brad Childress
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Amar Sheth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarsheth/
Brad Childress: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradchildress/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
EPISODE 48 - Balancing Net New vs Existing Customers for Sales Success
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
About the Guest(s):
Richard Harris is the founder of the Harris Consulting Group and the author of “The Seller’s Journey”. With a focus on helping founders with their go-to-market strategy and teaching sales reps how to ask the right questions to win, Richard brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the sales industry.
Summary:
In this engaging discussion, Jamie and Richard talk about the importance of balancing efforts between acquiring new customers and focusing on existing ones to drive growth and revenue. They explore the challenges faced by companies in maintaining reoccurring revenue, highlighting the significance of converting existing pipeline opportunities and maximizing customer success teams' potential. The conversation sheds light on the need for realistic goal-setting, investing in employee development, and redefining success metrics to drive sustainable growth in sales.
Key Takeaways:
Realistic goal-setting is crucial to prevent sales teams from chasing unrealistic targets.
Investing in employee training and development is essential for bridging skill gaps and improving conversion rates.
Redefining success metrics from customer success to customer growth can unlock upselling and cross-selling opportunities.
Balancing efforts between acquiring new customers and converting existing pipeline opportunities is key to sustainable revenue growth.
Future sales success lies in empowering customer success teams to leverage their natural sales skills for upselling and cross-selling.
Connect with Jamie and Richard Harris
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Richard Harris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rharris415/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday Jun 26, 2024
EPISODE 47 - Personalized Marketing Build Authentic Connections
Wednesday Jun 26, 2024
Wednesday Jun 26, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
About the Guest(s):
Murray Pearce is the Managing Director of Bright Cyber, a cybersecurity partner based in London, UK. With a background in sales and marketing, Murray brings a wealth of experience navigating the evolving landscape of account-based and account-based sales.
Summary:
In this episode of the Get More At Bat podcast, host Jamie Shanks and guest Murray Pearce delve into the challenges of cutting through the noise in a world saturated with content. They explore the importance of personalization, avoiding industry jargon, and the power of engaging with customers on a human level. The conversation highlights the need for senior leadership to remain customer-facing and actively participate in social selling efforts, ultimately enhancing relationships and driving business growth.
Key Takeaways:
Personalization and simplicity are key to cutting through content overload.
Use plain language and avoid industry jargon to connect with customers effectively.
Senior leadership involvement in content creation can foster better customer relationships.
Social selling provides a valuable opportunity to engage with customers on a personal level.
Consistent and persistent efforts in social selling can yield significant results for businesses.
Connect with Jamie and Murray Pearce
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Murray Pearce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/murraypearce/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
EPISODE 46 - Elevating Sales Strategy: Key to Achieving Consistent Revenue Growth
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
Wednesday Jun 19, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
About the Guest(s):
John Stopper is the founder of Northstar Eight, a company he established 12 years ago to assist businesses with revenue growth and deal strategies. With 40 years of experience in the tech industry and 35 years in sales, John has served in various sales roles, including CRO and CEO of multiple companies. His expertise lies in helping organizations overcome common sales pitfalls and achieve growth.
Summary:
In this episode, John Stopper delves into the importance of sales strategy over mere tactics in achieving revenue growth. Drawing parallels with baseball, he highlights the need for sales professionals to adapt different "pitches" based on specific deal conditions and customer needs. Emphasizing the shift from selling efficiency to effectiveness, John discusses the significance of aligning value propositions with strategic objectives to enhance sales success.
Key Takeaways:
Sales strategy should focus on adapting pitches based on deal conditions and customer needs.
Transitioning from selling efficiency to effectiveness can improve sales outcomes significantly.
Multi-threading and engaging in executive-level conversations are crucial in B2B sales.
Sales teams should prioritize consistency and durability in performance to drive success.
Prioritize training, support, and tools for a select group of top-performing salespeople to boost results.
Connect with Jamie and John Stopper
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
John Stopper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-stopper/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
EPISODE 45 - Adaptive Selling Tailoring Strategies for Better Conversions
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
Wednesday Jun 12, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
About the Guest(s):
Mor Assouline is the founder of Demo to Close, specializing in helping early-stage startups and account executives build a strong top-of-funnel pipeline, master discovery, and excel at demoing. As a former VP of Sales, Mor scaled companies from sub-one million to five billion dollars annually. For the past three years, he has focused on consulting and coaching, using his extensive experience to drive growth and efficiency. Connect with Mor on LinkedIn or visit demo2close.com for more information.
Summary:
In this engaging episode, Mor Assouline, a seasoned sales expert, shares his insights on building a successful sales pipeline. From challenging traditional sales methodologies to emphasizing the importance of value-based messaging, Mor provides valuable advice on how to approach prospects and drive conversions effectively. Listeners will gain valuable tips on improving their sales processes and creating meaningful connections with potential customers.
Key Takeaways:
Mor emphasizes the importance of adapting the sales process based on the prospect's unique needs and pain points.
Unselling, a tactic Mor employs, involves dissuading prospects from qualifying or disqualifying leads effectively.
The value-based messaging approach focuses on providing prospects with knowledge and insights to build trust and foster relationships.
Reverse engineering prospecting based on closed-won deals can help identify the ideal customer profile for higher conversion rates.
Mor highlights the significance of personalized and engaging follow-up strategies to nurture prospects effectively.
Connect with Jamie, and Mor Assouline
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Mor Assouline: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morassouline/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
EPISODE 44 - Building Successful Sales Teams with Warren Zenna.
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
Amar Sheth, Co-Founder & COO of Pipeline Signals, specializes in scaling pipelines for revenue teams through Signal Sales Intelligence. His expertise in training and data analytics has significantly improved pipeline and win rates for over 500 global customers, including Microsoft and Intel.
About the Guest(s):
Warren Zenna is the founder of the CRO Collective, dedicated to ensuring Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) excel in their roles. With extensive experience guiding CROs and founders, Warren offers unique insights into optimizing revenue operations and building effective sales strategies. His expertise lies in transforming sales practices to adapt to the ever-evolving market landscape.
Summary:
In this episode of the Get More At Bats podcast, Jamie Shanks and Amar Sheth are joined by Warren Zenna, founder of the CRO Collective. They delve into the challenges faced by Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) in today's market. Warren critiques the current obsession with outbound sales and the over-reliance on Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and automated tools, arguing that these practices have diluted the effectiveness of sales efforts. He emphasizes the importance of having a clear and compelling value proposition and the necessity of evolving sales strategies to focus on genuine problem-solving rather than mere revenue generation. The discussion highlights the shift from "made for revenue" businesses to "made for solutions" models, underscoring the need for businesses to prioritize long-term customer relationships and value creation. The episode concludes with insights on how companies can adapt to these changes for sustained success.
Key Takeaways:
The outbound marketing landscape is saturated, leading to decreased effectiveness and consumer engagement.
Businesses should prioritize expertise and education over manipulative sales tactics to build long-lasting customer relationships.
The future of sales lies in full-cycle salespersons who manage the sales process from lead to close.
The shift is moving towards solution-oriented businesses that focus on providing genuine value to customers.
Sustainable success in sales requires a shift from revenue-driven strategies to those centered around building trust and delivering meaningful solutions.
Connect with Jamie, Amar, and Warren Zenna
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Amar Sheth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarsheth/
Warren Zenna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warrenz/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday May 29, 2024
EPISODE 43 - Hands-On Leadership: Beyond Sales Dashboards.
Wednesday May 29, 2024
Wednesday May 29, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
Amar Sheth, Co-Founder & COO of Pipeline Signals, specializes in scaling pipelines for revenue teams through Signal Sales Intelligence. His expertise in training and data analytics has significantly improved pipeline and win rates for over 500 global customers, including Microsoft and Intel.
About the Guest(s):
Ari Barmapov is the Managing Partner and Founder of Foundation Sales Consulting, a go-to-market consultancy based in Toronto, Canada. With a rich background in enterprise-level software development, Ari has transitioned from leading sales at Apptera to leveraging his experience in building efficient, outsourced sales networks. His firm excels in helping companies optimize their sales strategies through effective go-to-market tactics.
Summary:
In this episode of "Get More At Bats", Jamie Shanks and Amar Sheth welcome Ari Barmapov, Managing Partner at Foundation Sales Consulting, to discuss the evolving challenges in sales management. Ari highlights a significant issue in sales organizations: managers becoming "dashboard warriors" who focus excessively on metrics and spreadsheets rather than actively supporting their teams. He stresses the importance of sales leaders being more hands-on and leading by example, especially in an environment where the majority of the buyer's journey occurs without direct sales interaction. Ari and Jamie explore how sales leaders can shift from merely overseeing metrics to engaging directly with their teams through coaching, training, and role-playing. This approach not only enhances team performance but also ensures that managers are truly connected to the day-to-day challenges their teams face, ultimately leading to more effective sales strategies and improved team dynamics.
Key Takeaways:
Sales leaders should lead from the front and show their teams that they are willing to do the hard work themselves.
The role of a sales leader is not just about setting targets and expecting the team to achieve them, but also actively participating in tasks such as cold calling, running discovery meetings, and delivering presentations.
In today's market, salespeople need to be more efficient and refine their skills to meet their targets.
Sales leaders should focus on training, coaching, and role-playing to enable their sales teams and improve their conversion rates.
Founder-led sales can be highly effective as founders have a deep understanding of the sales process and can set an example for their teams.
Connect with Jamie, Amar, and Ari Barmapov
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Amar Sheth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarsheth/
Ari Barmapov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aribarmapov/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/
Wednesday May 22, 2024
EPISODE 42 - Overcoming Adversity Building Resilience and Finding Strength in Sales
Wednesday May 22, 2024
Wednesday May 22, 2024
About the Hosts:
Jamie Shanks, Founder & CEO of Pipeline Signals and Get Levrg, specializes in optimizing offshoring for profit growth. With a background in leading “Sales for Life”, he's trained 250,000+ professionals globally for industry giants like Microsoft and Oracle.
About the Guest(s):
Jodie Baulkham is a certified professional life coach and mental health advocate. She has overcome significant adversity in her life, including the murder of her first husband, who was a police officer, and supporting her second husband through his struggle with mental illness. Jodie has used her personal experiences to become an advocate for mental health and resilience, helping others build better relationships and foster resilience in their own lives.
Summary:
In this episode of the Get More At Bats podcast, host Jamie Shanks interviews Jodie Baulkham, a certified professional life coach and mental health advocate. Jodie shares her personal story of overcoming adversity, including the murder of her first husband and supporting her second husband through his struggle with mental illness. Jamie also shares his own story of overcoming a challenging situation in his career. Together, they discuss the importance of vulnerability, self-discovery, and character in overcoming adversity. Jodie introduces the Leader Character Framework, a model developed by researchers at Western University, which focuses on 11 dimensions of character that can impact leadership and personal growth. They explore how these dimensions can be applied to the sales profession, emphasizing the importance of genuine connection, courage, and self-care. Jodie offers practical tips and tools for building resilience and making positive changes in one's life.
Key Takeaways:
Vulnerability and courage are essential in overcoming adversity and taking positive action.
Shifting from asking "Why is this happening to me?" to asking "What can I do now?" can lead to productive steps forward.
The Leader Character Framework, with its 11 dimensions of character, can help individuals improve their judgment and decision-making.
Building genuine connections with clients and customizing pitches based on their needs can lead to greater success in sales.
Taking care of basic needs, such as sleep and nutrition, is crucial for maintaining resilience and performing at one's best.
Connect with Jamie and Jodie Baulkham
Jamie Shanks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/
Jodie Baulkham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-baulkham-47a1801bb/
Build Pipeline Fast with Former Customers & New Decision Makers!
https://pipelinesignals.com/