"Constantly arguing over price and terms is no way to go through life." It seems like we're arguing over everything these days. What happens when this spills over into business? One effect is it makes small companies struggle (even more) with cash flow. A vibrant start up eco-system is vital, not just as job-creators, but as the cradle of innovation. In this episode, we examine why it's time to "shut up" and pay up. You can listen to the episode below. You can also subscribe

"Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge." The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird, or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course,... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn." The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but

The "godfather" of sales methodology (Mike Bosworth of Solution Selling fame) is skeptical on the impact of sales methods, training and coaching. In his introduction to Mike Adams' "Seven Stories" he says that most sellers have actually regressed. Get this and more as the group further discusses the challenges in recruiting, managing, training, retaining and leading a successful sales team in the modern world. Listen to the episode below or right here. This is the second par

We're joined by VP of Sales of Comply 365, Jeremy Sharp and Brett Godwin, Chief Operating Officer of Sterling Seacrest Partners, to discuss the challenges in recruiting, managing, training, retaining and leading a successful sales team in the modern world. You can listen to the episode below. This is the first part of our conversation so make sure to subscribe to the Verto Verdict and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or anywhere else podcasts a

Many businesses believe that it’s easier to cut expenses than win new revenue. That's just wrong. In this episode, we examine why it's time to pay up and start focusing on relationships. You can listen to the episode below. You can also subscribe to the Verto Verdict and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or anywhere else podcasts are found. We hope you enjoy the podcast with the same enthusiasm with which we create it. We invite you to join the

Apparently, everybody's out there "crushing it" these days. Moreover, if you're not, you should be. If we’re to believe what the B2B Sales gurus say (or shout) – that’s what it’s all about. In this episode, we examine how "crush it" culture has influenced b2b sales and marketing. You can listen to the episode below. You can also subscribe to the Verto Verdict and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or anywhere else podcasts are found. We hope you

B2B lead generation and prospecting just keeps getting harder. If we understand “why” maybe, we can change our behaviors and become more effective. Listen in as we bring in Mike Scher, CEO of Frontline Selling, and examine how busier people, marketing technology, declining trust and growing suspicion all play a role in changing the landscape of B2B sales and marketing. You can listen to the episode below. You can also subscribe to the Verto Verdict and leave a review on Spoti

A look at the role of "stories" in B2B sales and marketing. Enjoy this twenty minute discussion on the power of stories, where they came from, why they matter and the darker side of using stories in business. You can listen to the episode below. You can also subscribe to the Verto Verdict and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or anywhere else podcasts are found. We hope you enjoy the content with the same enthusiasm with which we create it. We i

A look at the "own goals", "fumbles" and "three-putts" that happen when you use the wrong stories and analogies in business. Enjoy this twenty minute discussion on how we can be more thoughtful with the stories we use to ensure we're teaching the right lessons in business. You can listen to the episode below. You can also subscribe to the Verto Verdict and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or anywhere else podcasts are found. We hope you enjoy t

Before you blindly agree with all the hype around the apparent desperate state of the Sales and Marketing relationship in BtoB consider that this theory might be wrong! While there may be some challenges, it's not the catastrophic state of affairs that various software companies, consultants, and advisers would all have you believe. Maybe they are all solutions just looking for a problem? Consider what and who you are as a company, and where you want to go, and the role that

Last time we looked at two characteristics starting with "A" when selecting an Outbound Agency. Here in Part Three, we're going to skip the B's (couldn't think of any that were that interesting) and go straight onto the C's. We'll talk about Culture (more Cultural Fit) and Core Competency. Hey, that's three C's!! Culture We've written about culture's importance in many blog posts on this site and LinkedIn. I've asked whether prospects are looking at culture as a differentiato

These days people work hard at being serious. We think that being serious is the only way to be taken seriously. Being serious is a serious business. Other experts suggest some of us are wired that way. You know those sober types with no sense of humor might be victims of heredity. If true, they are either incapable of or at least severely challenged with, humor. Or people might just be miserable finding humor in short supply. According to research, humor and seriousness are

Introduction Last week we introduced some guidelines in selecting an Outbound Agency. Here in Part Deux we’ll look at some of the A’s. First off, lets clarify something; despite this being called Part Deux, it bears no resemblance to Hot Shots – Part Deux. There’s no Charlie Sheen (where has he gotten too lately?), no Hotshots and a significantly lower body count. Now we have that cleared up, let’s move on. There’s a few A’s to pick from in guiding your choice of an outbound

As well as being a line from Culture Club's 1982 hit Time (Clock of the Heart) "In time we could've been so much more" is often the lament of CEO's and owners of small and mid-sized companies the world over. As businesses start to grow, most hit a revenue ceiling they never seem to be able to overcome, and the principles never figure out why. They never recognized (or cared) that they had a bad culture, or couldn't scale the good culture they had. They don't understand that t

The subject of the good old qualification acronym BANT rears its head again in a blog post by Erin Bohlin from Sirius Decisions. I’m reluctant to accuse them of stating the obvious, but they are. The use of BANT depends on the maturity and type of the market you are selling into as well as the stage you are at with the prospect. BANT only provides limited vision with early stage prospects, and is of similar use with New Concept Demand Types. Therefore, think before “BANTing”