The Sales Management. Simplified. Podcast with Mike Weinberg

Mike went right from leading a virtual sales management workshop into recording this episode while he was still fired up from tackling two critical, yet often overlooked, sales management functions…. 1.  Accountability for results, pipeline health, and activity (when necessary) 2.  Strategic targeting of accounts   Listen in as Mike shares exactly what he reviewed with this favorite client’s sales leaders.   LAST CALL for the LAST Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event of 2025! There are five spots remaining for the final sales management fundamentals full-day intensive at the Porsche Experience Center next to Atlanta’s airport on September 4th. If you’d like to get recharged while ramping-up your sales leadership effectiveness, join Mike for a powerful day with a packed agenda at a premium venue. More info and register at mikeweinberg.com/events    RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: September 4th Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event The Five Foundational Keys to Winning More New Sales Episode/Webinar   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg        

Feedback from Jeff Hancher's story in Episode 94 of how a sales manager powerfully impacted his life compelled Mike to focus again on...The Life-Changing Impact of an Intentional Leader. After receiving so many stories from listeners about leaders who changed the trajectory of their lives, Mike shares a few of his own — highlighting the intentional investment others made in him that left a lasting impact — along with a reminder from Chapter 9 in his latest book: Managers (particularly sales managers) take up way more emotional and mental bandwidth in their people’s hearts and minds than they typically realize or appreciate.    Mike concludes the episode with a few takeaways from recent conversations with senior sales leaders in tech and SaaS companies — most notably that the days of “Fantasy Land” sales management are over, and that both managers and sales reps need to stop looking longingly back to 2021 and 2022 wishing things were easier. Those days are over (and have been for a while), and it is past due time to replace fantasizing with a focus on the fundamentals.     RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:   Episode 95 with Jeff Hancher    Firm Feedback in a Fragile World  (now a National Bestseller!)

Episode 94 is a special one for several reasons, not the least of which is that it’s the first show where the guest made Mike cry! You will be challenged listening to this interview with Mike’s friend, sales executive extraordinaire and leadership guru Jeff Hancher, who shares his personal journey from pain and poverty to powerful purpose.  Jeff’s story of resilience and how sales changed the trajectory of his life will remind many listeners of why we got into the sales profession in the first place. And every sales leader will benefit hearing about Jeff’s rise through the ranks and the transformational leadership lessons learned along the way – particularly the critically important ability for leaders to give Firm Feedback in a Fragile World (which also happens to be the title of Jeff’s amazing new book). Be sure to take particular note of the segment (starting at the 17:30 mark) that Mike refers to as the greatest five-minute leadership sermon he’s ever heard as Jeff expands on the book’s promise: “how to build a winning culture with critical conversations.”  Lean in as Jeff exhorts listeners on the resulting benefits when leaders properly balance making deep deposits that earn the right to make big withdrawals.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Firm Feedback in a Fragile World: How to Build a Winning Culture with Critical Conversations Jeff Hancher    This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Today’s special guest, Ahson Wardak, made such an impression at a recent Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event that Mike had to have him on the show! Ahson was recently promoted to regional vice president after an incredible run as a top-performing individual contributor.  Listen in to hear what a true large account, large deal sales rockstar sounds like. Enjoy Ahson’s contrarian take on the widely accepted sales adage that "people buy from people they like” and pay particular attention how he balances two critical, yet contradictory, success factors for enterprise selling: being patient AND proactive. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: How “Hannah the Hunter” Achieved a Blowout Year and Breakthrough Sales Success episode Mike’s 12-year bestseller, New Sales. Simplified. The September 4-5 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event    This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

In Episode 92 Mike doesn’t hold back sharing two takeaways from a recent multi-day speaking and sales training engagement in Las Vegas and then he absolutely unloads on the recent changes at Southwest Airlines. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine Freedom Story featuring Mike The Upcoming September 2025 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event New Sales. Simplified. Chapter 14 - Planning & Executing the New Business Development Sales Attack   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

In Episode 91 Mike unpacks two recent personal experiences and one seller/buyer “conflict” to demonstrate that PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Micah Project Honduras The June 3 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event ______________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

The response to “Hannah the Hunter” sharing the simple tweaks she made to transform her results in the previous episode was so overwhelming (30% more listens/downloads in the first week after release than any other episode), Mike was compelled to dedicate Episode 90 to further unpacking the sales gems Hannah so beautifully articulated.  Listen in as Mike shares his take (and takeaways) on these three critical areas where Hannah’s slight adjustments produced outsized results: Better Mindset (and motivation) Better Ownership of Sales Process (particularly during sales calls, demos, and presentations) Better Control of the Calendar In addition, Mike challenges sales leaders with the examples Hannah shared about how her managers pushed her, challenged her, calmed her, encouraged her, prepared her, and practiced with her — all of which contributed to her breakthrough success. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The free guide with the fastest way to increase accountability, reduce complacency, and build a high-performance sales culture  New Sales. Simplified. - Mike’s 12-year bestseller __________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

2024 was record sales year for Hannah Romell… And this an episode like no other! “Hannah the Hunter” (as she refers to herself) is the first person Mike has hosted not having spoken to the guest before the show. She got his attention with a LinkedIn post sharing her gratitude and excitement about her breakout year. Tune in to hear firsthand how Hannah adopted a handful of simple, yet transformational, changes following a New Sales. Simplified. workshop that made a world of difference: How Hannah’s view of herself as a sales professional and the realization that sales is a noble profession motivated her to be more assertive How more effectively structuring sales calls and presentations and how saying and showing less, simplified things for prospects and increased her effectiveness and win-rates How her managers not only encouraged her, but also raised her game with challenging role-play practice sessions How she took back control of her calendar and became radically focused on the only three sales verbs that matter – Create, Advance, and Close! This may be Mike’s favorite conversation yet with a salesperson and an episode you’ll want to share with your sales team. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: June 3, 2025 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership full-day intensive New Sales. Simplified. – Mike’s 12-year bestseller ______________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

By popular demand, Greg Stanley returns for Episode 88. Greg was recently featured in Episode 85 where he and Mike covered a variety of topics but barely scratched the surface on compensation plans. The feedback was so positive from that conversation with many listeners specifically requesting a full episode dedicated solely to sales comp, Mike got him back on the show as quickly as possible. While Mike has been quite outspoken (in Chapter 10 in Sales Management. Simplified. and Episode 54) about his three big pet peeves regarding sales compensation (1. Plans that are too flat.  2. “Commission Annuities.” 3. Not rewarding New Sales), Greg Stanley is a true sales compensation wizard! Take a listen as Greg shares his approach and several practical, powerful tips to get your compensation plan driving the desired sales behaviors and results.ok at a salesperson’s  “revenue contribution” rather than simply looking at “revenue attribution.”  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Accelerant Consultants Greg on LinkedIn __________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

In this first episode of 2025, Mike is simple and straight forward tackling one of the biggest obstacles to sales success that he is currently seeing — sales managers, salespeople, and entire sales teams who have lost sight of their primary job and lost focus on WINNING NEW SALES! Too many sellers and leaders are engaging in tension-relieving activities instead of goal-achieving activities. They’re busy but not productive. They’re distracted by lower-payoff tasks and not prioritizing the only three sales verbs that matter — Create. Advance. Close. Listen in for a refresher on the power of time-blocking high-payoff activities and the importance of identifying and eliminating “Time Draculas” — those non-revenue generating, lower-value activities that suck an exorbitant amount of sellers’ time and energy and keep them from building pipeline and closing deals. Mike concludes the episode with a helpful, practical example of a salesperson who experienced a major breakthrough simply by identifying and addressing one massive Time Dracula that was stealing his selling time. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Episode 57: The #1 Reason Your Sales Team Is Not Bringing In More New Business The New Sales. Simplified. Video Coaching Series Chapter 14 in New Sales. Simplified. Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event _____________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Episode 86 is packed with several of Mike’s biggest takeaways from his work in 2024.  Buckle up as he unleashes blunt observations touching on various topics including… C-Suite and corporate executives who’ve completely lost sight of the sales manager’s primary job How the “slowdown” and having to sell into economic headwinds has exposed a significant number of salespeople (who thrived “fulfilling demand” when business was dropped in their laps) lack the propensity and ability to “create demand” and new opportunities in the pipeline  The unpopular reality that the past five years of working virtually has taken its toll on the career development of sellers – particularly new salespeople whose careers started during Covid and who’ve never benefitted from working alongside more experienced sales professionals Mike then offers an exhortation for sales leaders to radically focus in three simple, specific areas to drive more NEW SALES in the year ahead. Finally, Mike wraps up inviting listeners who are interested to stay for “the episode after the episode” where he shares his gratefulness and personal reflections on a record year. ____________________________________ RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The First-Time Manager: Sales February 19th Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Full-Day Intensive  This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg  

Episode 85 features a unique conversation between Mike and his friend, Greg Stanley, who specializes in helping small and medium-sized companies unlock growth potential by optimizing their revenue function and increasing valuation. Greg founded Accelerant Consultants after a long, successful stint at one of the Big 4 firms.  This dialogue touches on foundational sales management topics including getting the right people in the right jobs, ensuring that the sales deployment model aligns with the corporate strategy, and that the compensation plan supports (instead of hinders) the c-suite’s strategic objectives.  Greg also shares how private equity firms are moving downstream and adding much smaller businesses to their portfolios is changing the competitive landscape and forcing small company leaders to become more sophisticated sales managers. And finally, he makes the strong pitch that management should be taking a hard look at a salesperson’s  “revenue contribution” rather than simply looking at “revenue attribution.” RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Accelerant Consultants Greg on LinkedIn _________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Episode 84 was inspired by a recent discovery meeting between Mike and a smaller company looking for his help to take their new business development game to a new level. During the conversation, Mike shared his simple “Buckets of Blame” framework to help these executives get a big picture 30,000-foot view of five potential obstacles that may be preventing their sales team from bringing in new business at the desired rate – and to estimate the percentage of “blame” to attribute to each of the five buckets. Take a listen to see which of these buckets might be preventing you (or your team) from winning MORE NEW SALES. Mike wraps up the episode with a reminder to sales leaders about the power and value from having salespeople draft individual business plans for the coming year and points you to several valuable resources to help with that initiative. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Sales Management. Simplified. Video Coaching Series Special Offer and Course Contents   February 19, 2025 Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event   Matt Ferguson 86% Statistic in Episode 83   The First-Time Manager: Sales (Launch Episode)   9 Powerful Reasons and a Template to Help Your Salespeople Write Individual Business Plans (Episode)    Why Salespeople Should Write and Present Individual Business Plans (Article)   New Sales. Simplified. (book)   Sales Management. Simplified. (book) ___________________________________   This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Mike is joined by sales management expert and coach (former golf pro and top-ranked salesperson), Matt Ferguson for a wide-ranging conversation covering…. The fact that almost every sales manager they know feels overwhelmed, overworked, under-appreciated and under-supported Almost 90% of sales leaders say they received ZERO training for their current role Why the transition from top-producing individual contributor into sales manager is so difficult How the phrase “you are who you hang out with” is not just wise advice for picking your friends, but also applies to salespeople targeting the right accounts to pursue for new business The importance of smart talent management and danger of managers constantly living in what Matt refers to as “The Mess”  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The current PROMOTION on the Sales Management. Simplified. Video Coaching Series Connect with Matt Ferguson - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdfcoaching/ __________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

This episode was inspired by a session Mike facilitated last week at a client’s award trip gathering where he challenged these “Pacesetters” by sharing… 5 Powerful Ways The Best Get Better.  Mike recorded this episode believing it would not only benefit sales leaders but their teams as well, particularly those sellers looking to take their game to the next level and become perennial top producers. As you listen, be encouraged that there is no secret sauce or shortcut to staying on top or breaking through to even higher levels of performance. As Mike so powerfully points out, those who continue to improve and remain at the very top of the sales ranking don’t do that with tricks or hacks. They continue to dominate because they double down on the proven foundational fundamentals that always lead to success.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Who Is On Your Team Podcast Episode New Sales. Simplified.: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting & New Business Development Be on the lookout for our The Sales Management. Simplified. Video Coaching Series annual special. If you’re looking to provide access for multiple managers, contact us for special pricing and packages. Email us at contact@mikeweinberg.com _______________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

This episode was inspired by recent conversations between Mike and sales leaders at three different clients  — all in very different industries, and all currently selling into some significant headwinds. Building off this powerful mantra that his dad often preached:  "In good times we need to get our fair share of the business, but when things are tough we need to get an unfair share…" ...Mike unpacks the old school concept of creating a focused, intense, orchestrated sales blitz (or campaign) and his theory that these types of short-duration campaigns are often so successful because they incorporate all three elements of his NEW SALES DRIVER framework from New Sales. Simplified. Select Targets Create & Deploy Weapons Plan & Execute the Attack If you or your team would benefit from creating additional intensity, focus, and accountability, while at the same time sharpening both your strategic target list and your sales weapons, then this episode is for you. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: New Sales. Simplified.: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting & New Business Development 2024’s Final Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event:  https://mikeweinberg.com/atlanta2024/ _______________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

In this episode Mike hosts his long-time friend, Larry Levine (who he often refers to as the most authentic and generous person in the sales improvement industry), for a very different conversation about the current “State of Sales” and how we can respond to it. Their discussion revolves around how salespeople (and leaders) must adapt to thrive while Selling in a Post-Trust World. And as Mike declares in the foreword to Larry’s new book (with that title), it is very rare when a literary work is so perfectly timed to address a situation that is both urgent and critically important.  We are indeed living (and attempting to sell) in a post-trust world. Everywhere you turn there is deep skepticism – and unfortunately, it’s deserved. Truly, this is the issue of the day. Artificial intelligence. Deep fakes. Spam. Bots. Add to that the horrendous, annoying, trust-busting approaches causing sellers to come across as the self-absorbed, transactional, uncaring and unprofessional salespeople Larry unapologetically labels as Empty Suits. Listen in as Larry and Mike address topics you haven’t heard tackled on this show before. This is one of those episodes you’ll likely want to pass along to your sales team! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: https://sellinginaposttrustworld.com/ Text the word Trust to 21000 ____________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Episode 79 was unplanned but Mike felt compelled to describe his recent encounter with a bold, hungry 19-year-old.  Stuart was so impressive that Mike took a few minutes to record his impromptu reaction and also deliver a rant to salespeople who still (falsely) believe/proclaim that the telephone isn’t an effective way to secure a conversation with strategic target prospects. Not only will you be blown away by what this young man Stuart accomplished with a few dials of the phone and high EQ, you’ll likely want to share this story with members of your sales team – particularly the ones sitting around waiting for leads or who continue their futile and pathetic efforts “bumping” their lame, spammy emails to the top of prospects’ inboxes – hoping beyond hope that someone will respond! RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Episode 26:  Why the Phone Is Sexier than Ever and Puts a Person Behind the Prospecting The Next Supercharge Your Sales Leadership Event (with available seats) New Sales. Simplified. (the book) _____________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

Episode 78 features Kristie Jones, author the fabulous new book, Selling Your Way In, which Mike describes in the foreword as one of the most unique and powerful resources he has consumed in his 34-year career. Mike met Kristie years ago at a client they were both helping, and he’s had the privilege of watching Kristie’s business and influence in the sales community rapidly expand over the past decade. When asked why Kristie has been so successful Mike's answer is simple and direct: She is a master at making others successful!  And that was her motivation for writing Selling Your Way In – the desire to provide readers/listeners with a behind-the-scenes peek at the makeup, mindset, disciplines, approaches, and actions of the top-ten percent of sales pros, the real sales rockstars who absolutely crush it, year after year – so they can become sales rockstars too!    ________________________________ JUST ANNOUNCED: The October Supercharge Your Sales Leadership event at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta filled so quickly that Mike and team just added a new date in November. If you’d benefit from a full-day intensive with 50 sales leaders and Mike focused on radically ramping-up sales management effectiveness, check out the packed agenda, premium venue and powerful outcomes you can expect from attending: mikeweinberg.com/atlanta2024 ________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg

In Episode 77 Mike can barely contain his excitement as he announces a new addition to the team!   Dennis Sorenson, often described as the most driven and most strategic sales leader with whom Mike has worked, has not only joined our team but he joins us for this value-packed episode.  Listen in as Mike has Dennis unpack three of the powerful approaches (philosophies) that have made him such a successful sales executive… The concept of AMBITION The compelling reasons these first three P’s (Plan, Prepare, and Practice) come before the fourth (Play) The prioritization of EXECUTION ___________________________________ This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you are looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike’s friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg