Sales Assembly

An out-of-the-blue text from Senator Helen Baptist yesterday, with this random photo, reminded me of how much we have to be thankful for at Sales Assembly. For context, this is a photo of one of our earliest gatherings. Helen, as CCO of ItemMaster at the time, allowed us the use of their office for a bunch of our events throughout the year. Pausing for a moment...a couple of things I love about this old school photo: - It was such a small group of revenue leaders at the beginning. - Seeing as how we took whatever space we could get, I dig the dual-purpose use of chairs as tables for people's bagel sandwiches. - Matt Sullivan's hair, while shorter than it is today, was still glorious. - I was obviously paying close attention and doing a great job of moderating the discussion. ?? Ok, back to giving thanks... When Sales Assembly wasn't much more than an idea on the back of a napkin, leaders like Helen and Matt formed the foundation that Jeff and I were able to build on. They welcomed us into their office spaces. Gathered other leaders in the Chicago tech ecosystem that they knew would find value in being a part of what we were developing. They even connected us to the VCs and PE firms that back their orgs so that we could introduce Sales Assembly to their portfolio companies. It's easy for any company to say that they wouldn't be where they are today without their earliest clients. And for good reason. That said, there is a laundry list of early Sales Assembly supporters and truly went above and beyond, and were instrumental in what we've been able to grow into over the past 7.5 years. Actually, "were" isn't the irregular verb that is most appropriate. "Are" makes more sense, seeing as how they are still instrumental today. Too many of them to tag here, but I'm sure many of them know who they are. Mainly because I like to think I tell them often enough. Regardless, here's yet another reminder: Sales Assembly is so thankful for you and all that you've done for us. ??

Multithreading the right stakeholders early in the process sets the stage for smoother decision-making later on. And the only thing you need is an extra 10 minutes a week. Half-woman, half-amazing Lisa Honaker shares how: ? ?Use the stakeholder map template to manage deal reviews and pipeline meetings effectively. ? ?Identify the top 3-5 stakeholders who are important to the deal’s success within each account. ? ?Rather than sending generic invites, craft updates that add real value without asking for anything in return. ? ?Stakeholders might not respond to updates, but regular communication often pays off when decision-makers eventually engage. This ongoing, proactive communication builds relationships and increases the chances of success in complex, high-stakes deals. Don’t miss out on this Risk Mitigation certification session Lisa ran for Sales Assembly. There’s so much to take away from it. Thank you, Lisa!? ??

?? What’s the #1 Skill Most Sales Teams Overlook? In the latest episode of The Gap, we talk to Matt Green, CRO of Sales Assembly, to unpack the hidden challenges that keep sales teams from crushing their goals. ?? Spoiler Alert: It’s not about the methodology you choose. SPICED? MEDDIC? Doesn’t matter. What does? Consistency and foundational skills like discovery and multi-threading. Matt shares: ?? Why discovery remains a major gap for most teams ?? How to make training stick (hint: it’s not a one-and-done thing!) ?? The surprising ways AI is making sales reps more efficient Here’s our favorite takeaway: “AI isn’t about replacing reps—it’s about making them more efficient and effective, helping them perform like a team twice their size.” ?? Ready to learn how to close the gap between strategy and execution? Listen now and level up your sales game. Link to the podcast in the comments below. #SalesLeadership #SalesEnablement #B2BSales #AIinSales #SalesTraining #TheGapPodcast #GTMbuddy

Excited to finally share my interview on THE GAP with Matt Green CRO of Sales Assembly about the execution gap in sales. Here's what stuck with me: "Discovery is the universal challenge. Even in 2024, reps still struggle with it - regardless of company size or industry." Matt shared a fascinating perspective: The best sales methodologies don't matter if your team can't execute the fundamentals. It's like having the best playbook but skipping practice. Three key areas Sales Assembly sees teams consistently struggle with: ? Discovery (the eternal challenge) ? True qualification (beyond basic BANT) ? Value articulation that differentiates without disparaging But here's the insight that hit home: Value isn't just about explaining your worth. Every interaction needs to deliver something meaningful. Example: Instead of "checking in" emails, share relevant insights your prospect can use TODAY - whether they buy or not. After working with thousands of reps across hundreds of B2B companies, Matt's take is clear: The gap isn't in knowing what to do. It's in the doing. Check out the episode in the comments. What do you think? What's your team's biggest execution challenge?

You’re kicking off a sales presentation, introducing your product, and sharing company highlights. You haven’t even shared your screen yet when someone raises their hand. “We’ve tried something like this before, and it was a complete botch.” ??♂? Don’t fall for it. A red herring objection like this throws many AEs off their game by derailing the agenda. More importantly, it kinda shakes up the ol' nerves and demoralizes us a bit. Some reps take the bait. By that, I mean that they'll defend their product, ask questions about the client’s objection. Even worse, they'll start badmouthing their competitors. Don’t play that game. Get the conversation back on track….politely. “I understand. There are some other folks on the market that might look a bit like us. I'm excited to tell you how we're different. Not better, not worse...just different. Let's dive in now. I think you’ll be surprised.”

What's one subject that always brings out strong opinions from a group? ? Pizza. ? Not politics like you might have guessed. ? Well, pizza might be even more controversial. ?? ? Which is why one of my favorite exercises to simulate group conflict is to play the Pizza Game. ? We divide people up into groups of 4-6 and ask them to agree upon one pizza that everyone can and wants to eat. ? No halfsies. ? No picking ingredients off. ? And yes we have to respect each other's dietary restrictions. ? What's funny, is you always get a couple groups who will come up with this elaborate pizza (that usually sounds pretty good to be honest) and think they've won the game. ? But picking your group's pizza is only the first part - because it represents your part of the buying committee. ? For example: ? Sales comes up with a Spicy BBQ Thai Chicken. ? Marketing wants Greek-inspired cauliflower crust. ? HR goes with a classic salami, mushroom & olives. ? And Finance / Procurement wants cheese (of course). ? Now the fun begins, the group has to come to an agreement. ? Annnnnd now we know why buying committees often stick with what they've got (status quo, 40%-60% of the time). ? Or go with the cheapest options (aka cheese). ? Can't wait for tomorrow's Sales Assembly session on Creating Consensus in the Buying Committee. Matt Green's crew always brings the energy, even if we might make them a little hungry along the way...

?? ?? Leveling Up My Cold Calling Game: The Sales Assembly Advantage We all know the feeling—that slight hesitation before dialing a cold lead, the internal debate about the best approach. ?? Cold calling is challenging, but it’s also one of the most rewarding skills when you adopt a mindset for mastery. ?? That’s why I’m here to share with you that I recently earned my Cold Call Communications Certification from Sales Assembly. ?? This wasn’t just about checking a box; it was about investing in myself and my ability to connect with potential customers in meaningful ways. Here’s what I learned: 1?? ?It’s About Building Relationships, Not Just Pitching Sales Assembly emphasizes understanding your prospect’s needs, creating value from the very first interaction. 2?? ?Objections Are Opportunities Rather than fearing objections, I’ve learned to reframe them as opportunities to address concerns and deepen the conversation. 3?? ?Communication Is More Than Words From tone of voice to strategic questioning, I gained invaluable insights into crafting compelling and effective communication. ?? A big shoutout to the amazing team at Sales Assembly and the fantastic facilitators who made this experience impactful. Special thanks to Lissie Levin as well as Brad Rosen, Jeff Rosset, and Matt Green, for their support and guidance. ?? Bringing the heat of knowledge for this course with invaluable insights: ?? Will GPT, Will Aitken, Kimberly Pencille Collins, and Jake Bernstein ?? And of course, a huge thank you to Bullhorn Kaylie Cook for the opportunity to pursue this certification and for fostering a culture of continuous learning. Grateful to be part of a team that invests in our development and empowers us to reach our full potential. ?? - Carolina Garcia #SalesAssembly #Bullhorn #ProfessionalDevelopment #ColdCalling #InvestInYourself #LifeAtBullhorn

“We think you’re ready.” Those were the words that came out of my CEOs mouth when I learned that I was being promoted from running field operations to running an entire sales organization. - Did I have any experience running a sales team? Nope. - Did I have any training in sales leadership or management? A little. (I had taken a generic AMA “being a manager” class on my own.) Running a sales organization was my goal - so this was my goal achieved…well, until I realized I truly had no idea what I was doing. I wasn't ready. Two days in, I was already feeling like a dog chasing a car down the street, never knowing what direction it was headed. I naturally fell back on my default training…being a salesperson. That’s what I knew. My leadership approach? A random combobulation of the things that stuck with me from leaders I had worked for in the past. Sound familiar? As a salesperson, I had a structure…a framework. As a revenue leader, my calendar and to-do list was my framework.?And, given that I didn’t really know how to do anything on said list/calendar, Advil became my mid-afternoon snack. So, being the nerd that I am, I created a structure…a framework for revenue leadership. It became the foundation for my planning, strategizing, seeing the holes before they formed, communication…and when the heat went up in the kitchen, I had it to fall back on: my new default. I used it for the next 10+ years, optimized it, researched/sciencized it, and laid it on a bed of transparency. I’ve been teaching it (a lot) to revenue leadership organizations, wrote a book about it, and now, starting in February, in conjunction with Sales Assembly, we’re bringing it to first-line revenue leaders. I'm totally biased, but for a virtual program series, I've made it as entertaining, head-slapping, and immediately actionable as possible. Optimized for how we learn and retain (which also means there's an attendee max), it's not “theory”…just stuff you can use to maximize your impact and the performance of your teams, sleep better, sound smarter, build lasting culture, and hopefully take with you for the rest of your careers… I'll let Jeff Rosset, Matt Green, or Brad Rosen weigh in here on the details and the process to sign up. Let's get nerdy...

This is bananas to me. This is why it’s so important to do your research on sales companies you plan on joining. Let’s say you got a job offer for an enterprise role and you’re mulling on joining either Company A and Company B. You end up choosing Company B because the OTE is higher. Smart choice right? Not quite, especially when given some context that the sales team at Company B’s quota attainment is 61%(!!!) lower. And their culture is worse. Oh, and their product-market fit is awful. Compare companies: https://lnkd.in/g3mJdhkg See up-to-date info on over 11,000+ sales teams: https://lnkd.in/gQMRCFN6

Thank you Sales Assembly for a great course in Cold Communication. It was fun and educational to spend time with some sales legends - ?? Will GPT Will Aitken, Jake Bernstein, Kimberly Pencille Collins. Can't wait for the next course!