Sales [UN]Training

Kelly celebrates two years of transforming how professionals think about sales — and tackles one of the biggest questions in the business world: why is selling so hard? Drawing from decades of experience, Kelly unpacks the long list of skills every salesperson must master — from systems and product knowledge to industry fluency, customer psychology, and competitive strategy. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining But it doesn't stop there. Kelly explains how companies unintentionally make the job harder through poor onboarding, unrealistic expectations, and one-off "event" training that quickly fades away. He highlights how many organizations still perpetuate outdated sales stereotypes — focusing on product pitches instead of developing professionals who listen, adapt, and solve problems. Sales is not a fallback career — it's one of the most complex, performance-driven roles in business. And while great salespeople thrive on challenge, true success depends on leaders who prepare and support them the right way. If you lead a sales team or want to understand what separates elite performers from the rest, this episode is a must-listen. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson 

Stop pitching at the first buying signal and learn the real secret to effective selling: listening. Discover the critical questions you're not asking—like "how do you feel?"—that unlock the motivations, emotions, and information needed to build trust and win the deal.  Salespeople are trained to talk, not to listen. We load them with product knowledge and then wonder why they commit the ultimate amateur mistake: pouncing on the first potential buying signal with a full-blown product pitch. This approach doesn't build trust; it breaks it. In this finale of a three-part series on listening, Kelly Riggs exposes the real secret to becoming a great listener. It's not just about asking good questions; it's about having the emotional intelligence to explore the details behind the first answer. You will learn that the ability to be a truly effective listener is predicated on one overlooked skill: preparation. When you are prepared, you can get out of your own head and stop thinking about what to say next, allowing you to genuinely tune in. This episode provides concrete examples of the powerful questions most salespeople are afraid to ask—including the simple shift from "what do you think?" to "how do you feel?"—to uncover a prospect's true motivations. Finally, learn why making assumptions is so dangerous and why clarification is the critical final key to understanding what your prospect really means. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

Most salespeople think they're great listeners—but Kelly Riggs says they're wrong. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly explores the critical difference between "hearing" and "listening to learn." Using lessons from psychology and real-world sales experience, he reveals why too many reps focus so hard on pitching that they miss what's actually being said. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly draws from "The Invisible Gorilla" experiment to illustrate how attention blindness ruins sales calls, then shares the concept of "staying in the moment"—a key sales competency proven to predict success. You'll learn why amateur salespeople ask fact-based questions, how pros create dialogue instead of interrogation, and why curiosity and empathy are the true foundations of effective selling. From sidewalk coaching to trade show mistakes, Kelly breaks down the traps every salesperson falls into—and exactly how to avoid them. If you've ever wondered why your prospects go silent or why your "great product pitch" fell flat, this episode is a masterclass in what to actually listen for. Tune in, take notes, and start rewiring your sales brain today. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most overlooked skills in sales—listening. Most sales calls are dominated by the salesperson's voice, leaving little room to learn what really matters to the buyer. Kelly explains why that's a critical mistake and how asking the right questions is the foundation of every successful sales conversation. Through relatable stories and sharp analogies, including one comparing listening to a car's transmission, Kelly illustrates how true sales effectiveness comes from curiosity, not chatter. He exposes why traditional training fails—focusing too much on talking about the product instead of discovering what the customer actually values. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Listeners will learn how to shift from "listening to reply" to "listening to understand," how curiosity drives connection, and why rapport doesn't come from swapping stories but from making people feel genuinely heard. Kelly also shares practical advice on retraining sales teams to lead with thoughtful questions and resist the urge to sell on the first call. If you're ready to rewire your sales brain and close more deals through better conversations, this episode will show you exactly where to start. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most critical challenges sales leaders face—hiring the right kind of salesperson. While many resumes look impressive on paper, the truth is that three out of four salespeople are failing to meet revenue goals, and one of the biggest reasons is misaligned roles. Kelly breaks down the essential distinction between "hunters" and "farmers," explaining why a top performer in one role may fail miserably in another. Drawing on personal experience as a sales leader and even a surprising ride-along with law enforcement, Kelly reveals how hunting is as much a mindset as it is a skill set. He shares how to probe during interviews to uncover whether a candidate has truly created opportunities from scratch—or simply thrived on inbound leads. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Learn why vague expectations set salespeople up for failure and how crystal-clear role requirements can dramatically reduce costly hiring mistakes. From the importance of identifying hunters early, to the tactics you can use to confirm whether a candidate has both the drive and skills for growth, this episode is packed with insights for sales leaders who want to stop wasting money on the wrong hires. Whether you're building a team from the ground up or looking to strengthen your existing sales force, this episode will equip you with practical strategies to identify, attract, and retain the kind of sales talent that drives real growth. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

Kelly and Lee Salz break down why most salespeople fail at the very first meeting — and what to do instead. They uncover how playbooks, meaningful value, and emotional engagement can change the sales game. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs sits down with best-selling author Lee Salz to tackle one of the most overlooked — and costly — challenges in sales: the first meeting. Lee, author of The First Meeting Differentiator, explains why so many salespeople lose before they've even had a chance to win. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Together, Kelly and Lee explore why traditional training fails, why most sales meetings are forgotten within days, and how sales leaders can create reinforcement strategies that actually stick. They dig into the power of a documented sales playbook, the importance of shifting from a "discovery" mindset to a consultation mindset, and why providing meaningful value in every interaction is the key to earning a second meeting. Lee also reveals why emotional connection — not logic alone — drives buying decisions, and how salespeople can avoid the trap of product pitching. From understanding the forgetting curve, to developing target client profiles, to creating a true "deal foundation" in the very first meeting, this episode is packed with insights that every sales VP and frontline rep needs to hear. If you've ever wondered why hard-won opportunities stall, or why first meetings rarely turn into long-term relationships, this conversation offers a practical framework you can put to use immediately. Don't miss this timely and practical guide to transforming your first meetings into real business wins. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

Kelly breaks down why selling is truly a competition and why there's no reward for second place. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, he shares four ways sales teams "play the game" and how mindset separates the elite from the average. Selling isn't just a job—it's a competition, and Kelly wants to make sure you're playing to win. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly challenges the conventional view of sales training and asks a critical question: are you preparing your team to truly compete, or just to participate? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly unpacks the unique reality of selling—there are no prizes for second place. Through powerful analogies and hard-hitting examples, he outlines the four ways salespeople play the game: showing up to play, playing to win, playing to win at all costs, and playing not to lose. Each mindset carries consequences, and only one creates consistent winners. Beyond strategy, Kelly explores the crucial role of mindset in sales success. Drawing parallels from elite athletes, he shows how mental conditioning, resilience, and the ability to learn from every win and loss are what propel salespeople into the top 5% of performers. Leaders, he argues, must go beyond assigning tasks—they must coach, train, and cultivate a culture of excellence rooted in competition and growth. If you're a sales leader looking to transform your team, or a salesperson ready to shift from "showing up" to competing at the highest level, this episode delivers the insight and challenge you need. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

How long does it really take for a new salesperson to become competent? Kelly Riggs challenges the myths, shares data on failure rates, and lays out a framework that sales leaders can actually use. How long should it take for a brand-new salesperson to reach competency? If you ask ten sales leaders, you'll get ten different answers—ranging anywhere from weeks to years. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs pulls apart the debate and examines the critical milestones that determine whether a new hire becomes productive or becomes part of the 75% who never make it. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly exposes the overconfidence many managers place in "experienced hires" and highlights why resumes, industry connections, and product familiarity often fail to translate into actual selling ability. He shares eye-opening stats: only 1 in 20 salespeople are truly elite, while the vast majority struggle. From there, he introduces the "Four Buckets" every salesperson must master—systems and processes, product knowledge, industry context, and the actual skills of selling. But here's the twist: training that overloads product details without real-world context slows development dramatically. Kelly provides a pro tip that accelerates onboarding—immersing new hires with satisfied customers so they can connect product knowledge with real experiences and stories. This method not only builds competence faster but also arms salespeople with authentic credibility when meeting prospects. If you're a VP of Sales or sales leader frustrated by long ramp times and inconsistent performance, this episode is packed with blunt truths and practical strategies you won't want to miss. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Stop trying to incrementally improve a broken system. Discover why radical, Deion Sanders-style transformation is the only way to fix the systemic issues holding your sales team back from explosive growth. We're on a short summer break. New episodes will return in September. In the meantime enjoy this episode in honor of College and NFL football returning. This episode originally aired on October 2nd, 2023. Most sales leaders believe they can transform their team's results, but the data shows three out of four teams fail to consistently grow year-over-year. The truth is, you can't transform your sales team—at least not in the way you've been trying. Incremental changes and minor tweaks won't fix the deep, systemic issues that lead to mediocrity and high turnover. Lasting change requires a radical overhaul, and most leaders simply don't have the stomach for it. This episode explores what it truly takes to engineer a massive turnaround. Drawing a powerful parallel to Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders' controversial but effective reconstruction of the Colorado Buffaloes football program, Kelly Riggs explains why you might need to change everything—your people, your culture, and your expectations. You'll examine the three core pillars of a successful sales organization: acquiring unique talent, developing radically focused leadership, and implementing bulletproof processes. Forget putting a band-aid on a major health problem. This is your guide to diagnosing the underlying causes of poor performance and executing a strategy that creates disproportionate, sustainable results. Are you ready to do the hard work required to win? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Could your team's sales training routines be considered a "dumpster fire"? Kelly Riggs explains why salespeople won't participate in training and reveals the systemic problems, and surprising solutions, to the sales training problem. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs addresses the frustrating reality for many sales leaders: their teams' lack of engagement in training. Kelly identifies three common complaints—salespeople who don't attend, schedule over training, or simply don't engage—and offers a blunt but necessary truth: "You're the problem". The problem isn't the salespeople's lack of motivation; it's a systemic issue that starts with who sales leaders hire and how they lead. This episode originally aired on June 2nd, 2025 The episode explores the non-existent barriers to entry in the sales profession, which often results in hiring individuals who are not self-motivated or dedicated to continuous learning. Kelly emphasizes that great leaders must hire people who are committed to self-improvement and set clear, non-negotiable expectations from the outset. He also discusses the critical distinction between training and learning, explaining that training is merely "exposure" to new ideas, while true learning and habit change only occur through coaching, practice, and a consistent feedback loop. Sales leaders must stop looking at symptoms and instead address the root causes of their team's underperformance. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

Stop overwhelming prospects with information; it isn't persuasive and it's killing your deals. Discover the seven critical psychological steps you must guide a buyer through to build trust, prove value, and create urgency. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most common and costly mistakes in sales: believing that giving prospects more product information will win the deal. Drawing from decades of observing sales calls, Kelly dismantles the "show up and throw up" approach and replaces it with a proven, customer-focused framework. Listeners will learn the Seven Critical Steps to a Sale, a process that goes beyond features and functions to address the real decision-making drivers in a prospect's mind. Kelly walks through each step in detail: identifying or creating a perceived need, helping the buyer see the loss of inaction or the gain from change, building trust in your solution, making change feel manageable, minimizing risk, ensuring value exceeds price, and creating genuine urgency. With practical insights, real-world examples, and the reminder that "information isn't persuasion," Kelly shows how the best salespeople connect emotionally, align with personal agendas, and move deals forward without stalling. Whether you lead a sales team or close deals yourself, this episode will help you replace product dumping with a strategic, emotionally intelligent sales approach that wins more business—faster. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson  

Everyone throws around "value," but most salespeople can't actually communicate it. Kelly explains why credibility comes first—and how selling ROI without trust is just noise. "Value" might be the most overused and misunderstood word in sales. Sales leaders preach value propositions, ROI claims, and solution-based selling—but when your reps hit the field, are they actually communicating value or just tossing around buzzwords? In this episode, Kelly breaks down what value really is: something perceived, not proclaimed. He shares stories of companies with solid ROI pitches that failed to connect, and exposes the disconnect between what sales teams promote and what customers care about. You'll hear why "the first sale is your credibility," how trust is the gateway to value, and why selling features instead of outcomes leads to missed targets. Kelly also walks through the phases of a true value conversation—from establishing credibility, to diagnosing pain, to aligning your offering with exactly what the buyer needs. He even explains how to address the real objection behind "your price is too high": fear of change. If you're tired of sales training that leads to reps talking past their prospects, you need this episode. It's time to rewire your sales brain. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Salespeople are taught to sell product features, yet prospects almost never buy them. This episode breaks down why this common sales tactic fails and reveals how to connect with what customers actually want. Still leading sales calls with product features? Kelly says that's not just outdated—it's losing you deals. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, we tackle Sales Dumpster Fire #6: the mistake of selling what prospects don't care about. Kelly walks through the truth most salespeople avoid: buyers aren't sold on specs, they're sold on results. Time saved. Headaches avoided. Personal wins that make them look good at work. This episode breaks down why features are just noise unless you clearly tie them to meaningful outcomes. You'll learn: Why buyers tune out product specs (even the flashy ones) What you should be leading with on a sales call How emotion—not logic—actually drives purchasing decisions The 3 things you should always be selling: results, value, and risk reduction Kelly also shares a killer question that opens the door to your buyer's personal motivation—and why that matters more than any one feature. Plus, hear what science says about how people decide and how to use that to your advantage. If your team is getting ghosted or struggling to close, this is required listening. Quit pitching. Start connecting. And watch your sales performance shift. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Why do salespeople struggle with accountability? Kelly shows how the real problem often starts at the top—and what you can do to change it. If your reps aren't owning their results, you might be looking in the wrong direction. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly pulls no punches: "It's not them—it's you." From vague expectations to weak training and poor hiring choices, he breaks down the four most common ways leaders accidentally create a culture of excuse-making. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining This is not about coddling your reps. It's about facing the reality that accountability doesn't magically appear—it's built, modeled, and reinforced from the top down. Kelly walks through the damaging effects of unclear communication, underdeveloped skills, low motivation, and hiring without grit—and then shows how to fix each one. He also shares what not to do if you want accountability to take root: blame your people. If you make excuses as a leader, your team will too. But if you're serious about performance, it starts with extreme ownership. ✅ 4 leadership mistakes that kill accountability ✅ Why salespeople "not getting it" is often your fault ✅ The #1 behavior that shuts down coaching before it starts Whether you're managing a team or preparing to build one, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you lead, train, and build trust. Let's rewire your sales leadership brain—one hard truth at a time.   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

If you sound like a salesperson, you're toast. Kelly walks through six dead-giveaway phrases that kill your credibility before you ever get a shot at the deal. This week, Kelly calls out one of the most common—and costly—mistakes salespeople make: sounding exactly like every other salesperson your prospect's ever met. If your opener screams "commission breath," the shades come down, the windows close, and your prospect is already looking for the eject button. Kelly breaks down five behaviors that scream "salesperson" and follow them with six phrases that almost guarantee resistance, ghosting, or a polite brush-off. From asking a prospect to "tell me about your business" (without doing your homework) to the classic "I'm just calling to follow up," this episode is a must-listen if you're tired of stalled deals and prospects going cold. Instead of resorting to generic claims and weak openers, Kelly offers hard-earned insights on how to build credibility, earn attention, and extend the conversation. The real first sale? Your trustworthiness. If you don't land that, the product pitch doesn't stand a chance. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Sales reps don't get enough reps—and it's killing performance. Kelly and guest Jeff Bajorek show how ChatGPT can simulate high-stakes cold calls and discovery sessions so your team doesn't practice on prospects. Three out of four salespeople are failing. Why? Because most sales training stops short of actual practice. In this episode, Kelly is joined again by Jeff Bajorek to demonstrate a live, unscripted roleplay using ChatGPT. No scripts, no retakes—just real-time practice that mirrors the real world. They start with a cold call simulation and then shift into a face-to-face discovery meeting, each designed to uncover and overcome the two big obstacles every sales team faces: lack of pipeline and stalled deals. You'll hear exactly how ChatGPT can be used to rehearse permission-based openers, work through objections, and tailor questions based on buyer psychology. You'll also hear how to level up AI roleplay sessions with contextual prompts from real earnings calls or buyer research, and why this approach beats traditional practice methods—hands down. This isn't theory. It's tactical, repeatable, and ready to use. If you're managing a sales team or trying to sharpen your own skills, this is the episode you didn't know you needed. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Most salespeople say they want to improve, but never actually change—and sales leaders let them off the hook. Kelly explains how mindset, repetition, and the absence of deadlines are sabotaging your team's potential. You hear it all the time: "I want to get better at sales." But the truth? Most salespeople won't change—and most sales leaders don't know how to make them. In this episode, Kelly breaks down the harsh reality of why sales training fails: because it relies too heavily on exposure and doesn't build in accountability, coaching, or clear expectations. He outlines the three root causes behind the failure to change—momentum, mindset, and lack of confidence—and why vague coaching like "get serious" or "make more calls" won't move the needle. You'll hear the role of repetition, specific practice, and why deadlines matter just as much as the skill itself. Sales managers, if you're frustrated by your team's lack of follow-through, this one's for you. Kelly pulls no punches as he lays out how to actually build a sales team that improves week over week—not just one that listens to another training video. Plus, he opens up limited slots to book 30-minute calls for anyone facing a specific sales challenge. It's real talk for real change—and your wake-up call to rewire your sales brain. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Three out of four salespeople are falling short, despite having mountains of available training content at their fingertips. In this episode, Kelly is joined again by Jeff Bajorek to tackle the real issue: why sales organizations fail to execute—even when they know what to do. ChatGPT joins the show (yes, literally) to offer insight into how AI can help close the "knowing-doing" gap. Jeff discusses how he uses ChatGPT to uncover blind spots, rehearse tricky calls, and pressure test sales strategies before taking them to market. Kelly and Jeff go beyond the hype to show how AI isn't just another tool—it can become a true thinking partner. You'll hear exactly how to set up ChatGPT for cold call roleplay, overcome price objections, and get reps consistent, meaningful practice in the final 15 minutes of every workday. Plus, Kelly lays out what separates strong sales leaders from the rest—and how they can use AI to build a culture of continuous improvement. This episode is packed with tactical advice and mind-bending ideas. Whether you're a VP of Sales or a frontline manager, this one's worth a listen. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Sales training fails when it becomes a box to check instead of a culture to create. Kelly explains how sales leaders set the tone, and why your team's lack of engagement might just be your fault. Three out of four salespeople are missing quota. But it's not always because they're lazy, unmotivated, or disinterested—often, it's because sales leadership is dropping the ball. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly pulls no punches. He lays out why traditional sales training often turns into a total dumpster fire, how sales leaders are enabling it, and what it actually takes to build a high-performance sales culture. From setting clear expectations during hiring, to eliminating excuses for skipping training, to understanding the difference between exposure and behavior change—Kelly breaks down why engagement starts at the top. You'll hear exactly what role coaching plays, why notebooks should be mandatory, and how to create real accountability around learning. He even offers a pro tip for using books to level up your team (without boring them to death). If you've ever said "we tried training, but it didn't work," this episode is a wake-up call. Leadership isn't about control—it's about clarity, standards, and consistency. And it starts with you. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

You won the deal. Now what? Kelly explains why execution—not the close—is what separates pros from amateurs, and how being present after the sale sets you up for the next one. You did the hard work. You prospected, qualified, presented, and closed. But if you think the job's done, think again. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly sounds the alarm on one of the biggest threats to future business: poor execution after the deal is done. Winning the sale means nothing if your delivery and implementation process falls apart. Kelly walks through the critical steps every salesperson must take after the contract is signed—from maintaining contact during execution, to handling hiccups without throwing teammates under the bus, to building a branded delivery process that competitors won't touch. You'll also hear why your customer's experience matters more than the quality of your solution, and how salespeople can turn great execution into repeat business and internal referrals. If you're checking out after the signature, you're lighting your next deal on fire. 🔑 In this episode: Why being "present" during delivery drives loyalty How to brand and sell your execution process What most reps get dead wrong about post-sale ownership The magic of proactive communication and follow-up Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining   Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.  Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.  Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019.  Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson