Contests and incentives are great ways to encourage salespeople to up their game and hit monthly or quarterly goals. After all, who doesn’t want to be rewarded for crushing their quotas? But these short-term incentives don’t actually make a lasting impact on a person’s ability to sell. What does leave a mark are the trainings and workshops that help salespeople develop new skills that they can leverage throughout their careers.
We caught up with the hungry sales teams at five Colorado tech companies to understand what they do to hit new heights in their roles.
Checkr’s background check technology uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to streamline the hiring process and make it more inclusive. The company’s customers include Uber, Grubhub and Hot Topic. Mid-Market Account Executive Elizabeth Campos said that since joining Checkr, she’s picked up two tactics that have shaped how she both assesses and closes deals.
What sales tactic have you learned since joining your team that has had a major impact on your performance?
MEDDIC — which stands for metrics, economic buyer, decision criteria, decision process, identify pain, champion — and command of the message, or COM, have helped shape my sales techniques at Checkr. MEDDIC helps assess the health of my deals and uncover areas of risk. The command of the message framework has helped me provide more value to prospects during conversations. COM has helped me dig deeper and find real business pains, which accelerates my deals.
The command of the message framework has helped me provide more value to prospects during conversations.”
What’s another successful tactic that you've used throughout your career that some may find surprising?
The sales tactic I’ve used throughout my career, which some may find surprising, is to act as a consultant rather than a salesperson. It is important to earn your customer’s trust and demonstrate how you can solve their problems. I have learned to be audible-ready in order to turn compelling events into deals — as well as to have the confidence to walk away from a deal, when appropriate.
Technology has simplified the world of personal finance and wealth management, but that doesn’t mean people have stopped turning to experts like Joe Lomeo for advice. Lomeo is Vice President of Personal Capital, a digital wealth management company based in Denver. Although Lomeo came into his role with years of experience, his sales philosophy actually changed after he joined the company.
What sales tactic have you learned since joining your team that has had a major impact on your performance?
My personal performance improved when I shifted my philosophy from feature-based selling to solution-based selling. Working for a solution-based company like Personal Capital makes that easy. When you talk to someone, it’s important to focus on working together to achieve their goals, rather than making a sale. Helping people stay focused on their priorities — like saving for retirement or a college fund — is an important part of how I help individuals achieve their goals. Making their success a priority helps them understand that when working with us, we will put their best interests first.
My personal performance improved when I shifted my philosophy from feature-based selling to solution-based selling.”
What’s a successful sales tactic that you’ve used throughout your career that some may find surprising?
I am honest with my clients. Instead of taking advantage of the lack of knowledge that can exist when it comes to complex financial planning, part of my job is to help someone understand their current financial picture, in addition to the services we provide at Personal Capital. It can be challenging to tell someone something they may not want to hear, but it’s done with their best interest at heart. I find that respectful transparency is a great first step to building a productive and meaningful long-term relationship.
Adam Mirkin admits that when he first started in sales, his approach was less consultative and more focused on convincing customers to buy. However, Mirkin said that changed after he joined Trustpilot and learned about SPIN selling. According to the team lead, taking a more consultative approach, combined with his down-to-earth conversation style, has paid dividends.
What sales tactic have you learned since joining your team that has had a major impact on your performance?
By far the most impactful skill I have learned is the SPIN methodology. When I first started in sales, I would get on a call and talk at a prospect and just try to convince them to buy. Now, I have a completely different and much more consultative approach. I say very little on calls. I listen and ask a ton of questions. I treat every prospect as an individual, take time to learn about their business, have them identify the gaps in their online performance and then tailor a solution that Trustpilot offers to their business needs. Selling has become solution providing.
By far the most impactful skill I have learned is the SPIN methodology.”
What’s another successful tactic that you've used throughout your career that some may find surprising?
I’m a human and I don’t take myself too seriously on calls. By being myself, customers know they’re speaking with a regular guy and they let their guard down. We have a down-to-earth conversation about their business and how we can help them. I break down what could be a technologically complex conversation using accessible, everyday terms and analogies. I keep it simple and build a relationship that’s unique to me.
Majors Account Executive Tony Fabiani joined RingCentral in 2012, which means he’s had plenty of time to learn and incorporate new sales tactics into his repertoire. According to Fabiani, his career growth (he’s been promoted three times) isn’t because of a specific strategy or technique. Instead, he said learning to listen and ask questions is what’s made the biggest impact.
What sales tactic have you learned since joining your team that has had a major impact on your performance?
I’ve learned to be genuinely curious, which has made me a better professional consultant. It’s made me a better husband and father as well. As men, we’re often “fixers,” but by learning to be curious, it’s taught me to listen and ask the right questions in order to turn a “sales cycle” into a true “evaluation cycle.”
I’ve learned to be genuinely curious, which has made me a better professional consultant.”
What’s a successful sales tactic that you've used throughout your career that some may find surprising?
Be a closer! Don’t be afraid to confidently ask for the business. When you know that you’ve investigated and uncovered all the benefits and advantages for your client, be strong, confident and ask for the business.
Sometimes when it comes to sales, it’s best to keep things simple. That’s the approach Logan Ridenour takes at Pax8. According to the Cloud Solutions Advisor II and Regional Team Lead, the most valuable tactic he’s learned since joining Pax8 is the value of forming relationships and being real with customers.
What sales tactic have you learned since joining your team that has had a major impact on your performance?
The importance of relationships. Call just to say “hi” and not only when you have a new product to sell. People buy from those they like, and if you can be the first salesperson they think of, your job is going to be easy.
As a salesperson, any and all information is relevant because it allows real relationships to flourish.”
What’s another successful tactic that you’ve used throughout your career that some may find surprising?
Too often I see salespeople trying to sell on product and price, rather than selling on value or being a real, vulnerable human being. Just ask questions! Ask why, and ask for clarity. As a salesperson, any and all information is relevant because it allows real relationships to flourish. At the end of the day, the difference in results from product A to product B is nominal. The real successes lie in the relationships made.
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