Episode Library

This episode is based on Lee’s presentation at the Pavilion Palooza in June 2024, offering insights into navigating the complexities of modern sales environments.

Key Discussion Points:
Challenges in Contemporary Selling:Lee discusses the increasingly difficult landscape of sales, characterized by informed customers who often choose to stick with the status quo due to the perceived risks of change. He highlights how today’s buyers are overwhelmed with information, leading to decision paralysis....

Reena Ambai and our host, Lee Levitt, discuss the ability of sales enablement to improve sales rep productivity and effectiveness through a focus on behavior change.

Curiosity, empathy, and listening are the three key traits of successful salespeople.

According to Reena, great sales enablement follows a five-step process:

Gather key data points

Prioritize focus

Design program

Deliver and analyze

Reinforce

Key takeaways:
While data is important for decision-making, perfect data is not nec...

Leah Borges brings sales experience in hospitality, high-risk industry consulting, and most recently tech sales. discusses her journey and her mission through her consulting company, Sales Done Right, advocating for ethical sales practices.

Discussion Overview:Leah starts by sharing her diverse background in sales, emphasizing how her start in the hospitality business laid the foundation for her customer-centric approach. She delves into her experiences in consulting sales within high-risk indu...

Rob Durant, a social enablement expert and I explore the concept of social enablement, sharing insights on how sales teams can leverage social media to improve their long term sales performance. We share personal anecdotes, practical advice, and strategies to elevate your sales approach.

Key takeaways
Be Approachable: Establish a social presence that reflects your true self, making it easy for others to connect with you on a personal level. This is the foundation for building meaningful relatio...

Matt Stinson, a sales coach and former VP of Sales and podcast host (and fellow sales coach) Lee Levitt delve into the intricacies of sales leadership, coaching, and how to improve enterprise sales productivity.

Our conversation covers personal experiences, practical advice, and strategies to elevate your sales team’s performance.

Key takeaways:
Effective Coaching: Great coaching is about asking the right questions and facilitating self-discovery, rather than simply providing answers. It's ess...

Emre Vatansever shares his unexpected journey into the world of sales. Together we discuss the importance of curiosity, learning from customers, and the significance of coaching in achieving sales success.

Emre's insights are backed by his extensive background in international relations, international business, and his current role in improving commercial performance for technology-oriented, midsize family-owned businesses.

Through stories and examples, Emre shares how his perspective on sales...

Mike Conrad and I dive into the nuanced world of inside sales. Mike, a seasoned sales professional with extensive experience in inside sales management, shares his lessons learned.

We explore the evolving landscape of inside sales and the importance of strategic leadership and development within inside sales teams. We discuss the transformative impact of thoughtful sales approaches, mentorship, challenges of adapting to modern sales tools, and advice on career pathing.

Mike and I share our exp...

Jim Schaffer and Lee discuss the role of mindfulness and awareness in sales. We explore the relevance of being present, the power of emotional intelligence (EQ) in sales interactions and the importance of understanding the context of who you're selling to.

Jim shares his personal journey of discovering mindfulness and how it transformed his approach to sales. We discuss the benefits of being present and reframing perspectives to find joy in any situation.

We also highlight the role of managers...

In this episode of the Thoughts on Selling podcast, we sit down with Deb Berman, an experienced sales consultant specializing in assisting early-stage tech startups, and a fellow Colgate alum! Join us as she shares her insights on building successful sales organizations, navigating the transition from startup employee to consultant, and the key elements for effective B2B sales.

Discussion Highlights:
Transitioning from founder-led sales to fielding a successful sales organization: Deb sheds lig...