Strategies for Selling in a Competitive Market

Cold Calling Is Dying. Here’s What’s Replacing It. The numbers don’t lie: • Cold call success rates have dropped to 2.3% in 2025, down from 4.8% last year (Cognism). • 72% of sales calls never reach a person, and it takes 8+ dials to connect with just one prospect. • Only 28% of reps still view cold calling as effective. Meanwhile, high-performing teams are doing something different. Research-Driven, Insight-Led Outreach Wins: • Reps who thoroughly research their prospects are 3x more likely to succeed (Clevenio). • Prospect-specific research can lift conversions by ~30%. • Insight-led outreach builds trust before a call is ever placed. Email and Social Are Outpacing Phone-First Approaches: • Personalized cold emails outperform generic ones by 32%; average reply rates are 8–9%. • 78% of social sellers outsell peers, and social-enabled teams hit quota 66% more often. Takeaway: 1. The call is no longer the first touchpoint. It’s the third or maybe the fourth; it’s only viable once you have demonstrable engagement via other channels. 2. Buyers start with research—so should you. Start with research. Deliver value. Leverage email and social. Then—and only then—call with context. You’re no longer the teacher like when you were knocking on doors. 3. This is how modern sales works. And this is how trust is built at scale. Welcome to the future, my friends. 🙌🏾 #NervousSystemsStrategist #SalesLeadership #ModernSelling #ColdCalling #SalesDevelopment #InsightSelling #SalesStrategy #SalesEnablement

Handle objections like a six-figure salesperson It’s not about talent—it’s about preparation. Here’s how to tackle objections effectively: → Anticipate common objections, plan your responses. → Reframe objections into opportunities to add value. → Practice these strategies until they become second nature. 👉 Get more cheat sheets like this: sign up for SalesDaily Premium: salesdaily.co/upgrade Here are 12 common sales objections and how to respond to them: 1.) We’re already working with another vendor. ⇢ Acknowledge their loyalty and ask what they value most. ⇢ Differentiate by emphasizing areas where you outperform competitors. ⇢ Ask: “What’s one thing you wish they did better?” 2.) This isn’t a priority. ⇢ Show understanding and suggest exploring how you can prevent a specific problem later. ⇢ Ask: “Would a quick chat now help for when it does become a priority?” 3.) We don’t have the budget. ⇢ Use humor or empathy to acknowledge their constraints. ⇢ Offer a preview so they can assess if it should be on their radar for next year. ⇢ Ask: “Would that work for you?” 4.) I need to think about it. ⇢ Respect their hesitation and offer to schedule a follow-up. ⇢ Ask: “What specific questions are still on your mind?” 5.) Send me an email. ⇢ Agree but provide context to ensure relevance. ⇢ Ask: “Would these outcomes align with what you’re focused on now?” 6.) I’m not interested. ⇢ Subtly acknowledge their position while offering value. ⇢ Ask: “Would exploring this together make sense before deciding further?” 7.) Where did you have my number from? ⇢ Clarify politely and explain where you found their contact information. ⇢ Reassure them by tying your outreach to their goals. 8.) Your price is too high. ⇢ Acknowledge their concern and reframe the conversation to focus on value. ⇢ Ask: “Do you feel confident our solution would help you achieve your goals?” 9.) We’re happy with what we have. ⇢ Validate their satisfaction but share examples of clients who improved despite being content initially. ⇢ Ask: “Would you be open to exploring potential gains on your end?” 10.) Call me back in 4 months. ⇢ Agree and ask what’s expected to change in that timeframe. ⇢ Probe lightly to uncover urgency: “Would anything make it worth discussing sooner?” 11.) I’m not interested. ⇢ Acknowledge their decision and highlight how their role impacts outcomes. ⇢ Ask indirectly: “Would it make sense to explore other perspectives before deciding?” 12.) We tried something similar before, and it didn’t work. ⇢ Avoid sounding defensive and reframe the conversation by emphasizing how you’re different. ⇢ Transition back to the pitch confidently: “Let’s dive in, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” Preparation is the key to handling objections confidently. Save this guide, adapt these responses to fit your style, and turn challenges into opportunities. Want a high-res version of this cheat sheet? 👉 Sign up for salesdaily.co

I watched a company lose a $1.2M deal last quarter because they were still running MEDDPICC like it's 1996. They identified a Champion and an Economic Buyer. They documented Pain points. They were textbook perfect. The problem in 2025 is that no single Champion can get a deal done. Sales methodologies from the 90s weren't built for today's buying committees, consensus-driven decisions, and distributed authority. The modern sale requires a complete methodology upgrade. No more obsessing over a Champion. You need relationships with the entire team. No more chasing generic Pain points. You need Numerical Priorities linked to business outcomes. No more vague "Compelling Event". You need documented, financially-validated trigger points. No more hoping for Decision Criteria. You need to shape it with objective benchmarks. The best sellers still run a methodology, but it's evolved. They're identifying group priorities, mapping out competing initiatives, and anchoring everything in provable ROI. Try this on your next deal…instead of asking "What's keeping you up at night?" ask "What are the top 3 numerical priorities for your department this quarter?" Watch how quickly you can separate real deals from wishful thinking.

Here's 2 testimonial formats that don't sound like bullsh*t: It’s tempting to showcase your most effusive reviews, but that’s a missed opportunity. We got this one last week: "I've been an entrepreneur for almost 30 years and this is the best thing I've ever done. Wish I did it 30 years ago.” I love reading testimonials like that! But I don't post them on our site. Why? Because they sound like bullsh*t. Think about it from your prospect’s perspective: If they read a review that says “This product is awesome!” will they think “Wow, this product must be awesome. Lemme grab my credit card…” (No. No, they will not.) Effective testimonials don’t just say “It's awesome,” they break through by addressing prospect’s specific goals and fears. Like this... 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝟮 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿? Share quotes from people describing that exact outcome. For example: • “We cut production times by 30% while lowering defect rates, I didn’t think that was possible.” • “We quadrupled the engagement rates of our outreach campaigns, now we actually need to hire more salespeople.” • “We were able to achieve 100% FCA compliance without hiring additional people." 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽? Call it out and knock it down. Examples: • “Normally my sales reps hate new software and refuse to use it, but they love [product] and they’re 24% more productive after the first week.” • “I thought migration would be a huge hassle, but we were up and running in 2 hours, no engineering required.” • “Our CEO was watching this project closely, so I was nervous about working with software from a startup. But [product] not only did the job, it made my whole team look like rockstars." For both options, the key is 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺. The more directly you can address the reader’s exact desire or blocker, the more the quote will resonate with them – and the less it will sound like bullsh*t. 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗽: What if your customers don’t give you the right words for your ideal testimonial? You can always reply to a happy customer and ask “Would you mind if we phrased your testimonial this way instead?” They’ll usually say yes. Who else needs to read this? Tag them 👇🏼 Are you a little smarter than you were 2 minutes ago? Follow me: Matt Lerner so you don't miss my future posts.

Something remarkable happened when we started bringing Customer Success leaders into our sales conversations. The traditional sales process transformed into a strategic partnership discussion that benefited everyone involved. After implementing this approach across hundreds of deals, we discovered benefits that went far beyond our initial expectations. Sales teams gained a deeper understanding of post-implementation challenges, which helped them qualify opportunities more effectively. Instead of focusing solely on closing deals, they began asking questions about operational readiness, internal champions, and resource allocation. Prospects received authentic insights into what successful implementation truly requires. Our CS leaders shared real examples of customers who thrived and openly discussed common obstacles they might face. This transparency built trust and helped prospects make informed decisions. Better aligned customer expectations from day one. When CS leaders joined these conversations, they highlighted potential roadblocks and success metrics based on similar customer profiles. This practical guidance helped prospects understand the work required to achieve their desired outcomes. This early involvement proved invaluable for our CS team. They gained visibility into the customer's vision before contracts were signed, allowing them to proactively plan resources and create tailored onboarding strategies. A surprising result was the reduction in "rescue" situations during implementation. We eliminated many issues that typically surfaced months into the relationship by addressing potential challenges during sales discussions. The data supported our approach. Deals that included CS leaders showed 40% higher implementation success rates and 25% faster time-to-value. More importantly, these customers renewed at significantly higher rates. For those considering this approach, start small. Choose strategic opportunities where CS insights could substantially impact the prospect's decision-making process. Document the outcomes and refine your strategy based on that feedback. Great customer relationships begin with the very first conversation.

Listen up. I’ve coached thousands of sales calls and most reps sabotage their own deals without realizing it. When I started in 2007, I nearly got fired for not understanding how language impacts buyer psychology. Now, after helping teams double revenue in 90 days, I can spot the hidden mistakes instantly. You're probably killing your win rate with these “harmless” phrases. Here are 6 phrases that are absolutely DESTROYING your deals (and what to say instead): 1) "Sorry to bother you..." Starting with an apology tells the prospect, “I’m not worth your time.” You’ve lost before you’ve begun. Top 1% performers NEVER apologize for delivering value. They command attention through absolute certainty. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Hey Alice, Marcus here from Venli. I'm reaching out because we helped Company X increase their pipeline by 37% last quarter, and I noticed your team might be facing similar challenges..." 2) "Just following up..." This lazy phrase screams, “I’ve got nothing to offer, but want your money.” Total momentum killer. Elite reps are wildly precise with their words and always reference specific commitments made in previous conversations. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Alice, you mentioned you were going to discuss our proposal with Charles during your leadership meeting yesterday. I'm curious … what feedback did you receive that we should address?" 3) "I know you're really busy..." Say this, and you’ve just made yourself irrelevant. Game over. Remember: YOUR time matters. Top performers signal status through subtle positioning every time. ✅ POWER MOVE: "I was just wrapping up a strategy session with Lisa, the CEO over at Company X, and wanted to quickly connect about next steps before my afternoon gets packed..." 4) "What are the next steps?" This signals poor process control - no system, no playbook, no real method. The sales machines I build don’t ask for direction - they GIVE it. They own the process. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Based on what we've discussed, here's what typically happens next: First, we'll schedule a technical review with your team for next Tuesday. Then, we'll deliver a customized implementation plan by Friday. How does that sound?" 5) "To be honest..." Wait, Wait... so everything before this wasn’t true? Nothing kills credibility faster. When I turn around failing sales teams, eliminating this phrase is always one of the first habits we break. ✅ POWER MOVE: "That's an excellent question, Alice. Here's exactly how our solution addresses that challenge..." 6) "What do I have to do to get your business?" Is this 1988? This pushy close screams desperation and kills trust instantly. The best reps I've coached understand that closing isn't an event. It's the natural outcome of a well-executed sales process. ✅ POWER MOVE: "It seems like you're hesitating about X. I'm curious … what specific concerns do you have that we haven't fully addressed yet?" Which of these six phrases have YOU been using without realizing it? 

11 negotiation tips I wish I knew when I started in sales: 1. Forget what they're asking for. Uncover the underlying need. Your buyer's 'ask' is a means to an end. What's their end? If you uncover that, you can find a solution. If you don't, it's impossible to negotiate. You can only haggle. 2. How you explain your pricing can either prevent or create objections. Bad way: "We charge $1k/seat and have a 5 seat min." Better way: "Our initial pricing is $5,000, and that covers you up to your first five users." 3. Quantify the business value. Do this before you negotiate. A $100,000 price tag looks like a lot to anybody. But a $10 million problem makes $100k look like nothing. 4. Establish 'must have' differentiation. Naive sellers think quantifying value is enough to win. It's not. Because if your buyer thinks your competitor can deliver the same value, but they're 50% of your price? You're toast. 5. A motivated champion is your best defense against procurement. Procurement grinding you down on price? Nothing like a champion to exercise their political capital. Creating champions is a skill. Learn it. 6. Multi-threading is your best "deal insurance." What happens if that champion gets canned? That's a lonely place to be. Building a multi-threaded network in a deal is your best insurance policy. 7. Begin the negotiation session by summarizing the business value. It's easy to argue over price in a vacuum. “II thought I’d spend the first few minutes summarizing the key elements of our partnership so we’re on the same page. Fair?” Remind them what's at stake. 8. Put the onus on your buyer. When you run into an issue, ask them a question. "What do you think is the best way for us to find a win/win?" Get them to solve the problem. They'll feel in control. 9. Never agree to a concession without knowing what comes next. Your buyer asks for a 10% discount? Great. You have authority to give it. But don't yet. Instead ask this: "If we came to an agreement on price, still has to happen before partnering together?" Most likely, they have more asks. Get all of those on the table before responding to a single one. 10. Give your concessions in decreasing increments. If your first concession is 10% off, then your next one is another 10% off, guess what? Your buyer thinks they can get yet another 10% off. But if your first concessions is 10% off, and your next concession is 3% off, your buyer feels they're at the end. 11. Isolate price resistance into 1 of 3 buckets: "Usually if people have an issue at price at this stage, it's for 1 of 3 reasons: First, you don't see the value. Second, you do see the value, but you have some sort of constraint. Third, you're just trying to get the best deal you can. Which of these is true for you?" Solve accordingly based on their answer. What tips would you add?

If you’re a founder, every time a key employee leaves your competitors, you should pick up the phone and call them. They will always talk to you. They are building their networks. They could be a good hire. Or a great source of intel. Either way, to them the war is over. When I was at Outreach, the Sales leader of my competitor left. I immediately reached out to him to congratulate him on a great fight. Through chit chat, I quickly learned how he won deals against me. I learned his product positioning “we are basically like Outreach but cheaper”. And the strategy of the company? Their strategy was to not fight us on product, just claim that the products are undifferentiated and beat us on price. So we were immediately able to figure out how to adjust our sales playbook so we can anticipate that objection. We would always ask who else are you talking to, and when this competitor’s name came up, we would warn our buyer “they will tell you our products are the same, but here is where they are not the same …”. Having that line in our sales process helped us deal with the “products are the same” objection our competitor would plant in our buyer’s head. Our competitor would follow through with their playbook, but the buyer was now warned and informed - so it was our competitor who lost credibility. This raised our win rate for the next 2 quarters. Until they changed tactics, and back at it we went. The difference between wars and businesses, is that wars end …

Your prospect Googled you before the call. The least you could do is return the favor. Yet so many reps still show up and open with: "So, tell me about your company…" "What do you do?" "Who are your competitors?" ⌛ Your prospect's time is precious. And you only get one first impression. Every basic question you ask that could've been answered with 10 minutes of prep silently tells your buyer: "I didn't care enough to prepare for this." I promise… buyers remember this sort of thing. Show up well and you'll be rewarded. Not just with deals, but with trust, referrals, and a reputation that opens doors. Differentiate not only your solution, but yourself as a seller and advisor. ––– Here's 5 ways to take your pre-call research to the next level: 1. Find out what leadership is betting on right now. For public companies, skim the latest earnings call or annual report. For private companies, look at recent press releases, funding announcements, or interviews with their executives. Don't just know what the company does, know what they're prioritizing RIGHT NOW. 2. Check their job postings. With a particular eye for roles that matter for your product or service. Open roles reveal where the company is investing and what problems they're trying to solve. A wave of data engineering hires tells you more than their About page ever will. 3. Study your champion's digital footprint. What have they posted, commented on, or shared on LinkedIn recently? What podcast were they on? What blogs have they written? Be sure to connect the dots between what matters to them and what you’re slinging. 4. Map the buying committee before the first call. Use LinkedIn and org charts to understand who else will likely be involved in the decision. Walk in knowing the landscape, not just the person in front of you. 5. Know the competitive landscape. Get a sense of the players in their space and the headline differences between them. See if any are already customers of yours and keep that in your back pocket. ––– The bar is on the floor. A little homework goes a long way. Show your buyers you respect their time, and they'll give you more of it.

#UNPOPULAR #OPINION In Entrepreneurship, Sales Plans always Trump Tech and Investments! When it comes to building a successful venture, it's easy to get caught up in the allure of cutting-edge technology and the promise of investor funds. However, allow me to make a bold statement: A founder armed with a well-thought-out sales plan is 100X better positioned for success than someone solely relying on the best tech and investor money. 📈💰 Here's why and how: 1. Sustainable Revenue Streams: A sales plan focuses on generating revenue, which is the lifeblood of any business. For instance, take the case of Airbnb. While their platform is tech-driven, their success largely depends on their sales and marketing strategies. They tapped into the sharing economy trend and leveraged their host community to grow exponentially. 2. Market Validation: An effective sales plan often involves engaging with customers early on. This direct interaction helps you understand market needs and validate your product or service. Consider the story of Dropbox. They started with a simple explainer video that quickly went viral, showcasing their value proposition and attracting millions of users before even launching the product. 3. Bootstrapping Potential: Not every entrepreneur has access to substantial investor funds. A strong sales strategy can help you bootstrap your way to growth. Take Buffer, for example. They initially grew their user base by sharing valuable content on social media, building a community of loyal followers, and converting them into paying customers. 4. Sustainable Growth: A sales plan sets the foundation for sustainable growth. Look at Salesforce as an example. They pioneered the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model and focused on building long-term customer relationships. Today, they are a global giant in the CRM industry. 5. Adaptability: Tech trends can change rapidly, but a robust sales plan allows you to pivot and adapt to market shifts. Zoom, for instance, started as a business-focused communication tool but quickly adapted to the remote work boom during the pandemic, experiencing exponential growth. Remember, while technology and investments are essential, a well-crafted sales plan is your North Star, guiding you toward revenue, market validation, and sustainable growth. So, entrepreneurs, put on your sales hats, and let's turn dreams into reality! 🚀💼 #Entrepreneurship #SalesStrategy #BusinessGrowth #StartupSuccess #MarketValidation