Episode 17:
Enterprise selling is like running a marathon, and Jonathan Levitt describes why "choosing to do hard things" allows us to be successful in both!About this episode
Special guest Jonathan Levitt answers the question “why do we choose to do hard things?”, like running an ultramarathon or selling corporate wellness services (blood analytics) to government agencies.
As the top sales person at InsideTracker, a blood analytics company, Jonathan moved from ambassador program management, influencer development and direct-to-consumer sales to a focus on enterprise and public sector. Along the way he’s worked with leading professional and elite athletes, and more recently larger public service agencies and some of the largest consumer brands.
He’s sold many million of dollars in blood analytics and has built his own podcast, For the Long Run, into a pretty good sized operation in its own right.
He’s been to the Olympics, run the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim to Rim and recently placed in the top ten in a high altitude ultra!
Jonathan suggests that curiosity, relationship and rapport building are some of his key tools for success. He also comments that enthusiasm and patience come into play, particularly when a public sector agency has its own immutable timeline. He also comments that retrospection - thinking back about what happened and why - has led to some significant breakthroughs in awareness and strategy.
He advises that success in sales, like running an ultra, requires many small steps along the way. You can’t just be successful in the fourth quarter…you have to plant the seeds and do the work in the first and subsequent quarters, when the finish line is a long way off.
Key takeaways of our conversation:
- Reverse calendaring is an effective approach to help prospects commit to specific activities and timelines
- Identifying decision makers takes curiosity and the willingness to ask direct questions
- Taking on hard things teaches us the limits (or lack thereof) of our capabilities, and translates across personal and professional boundaries