👩🏻‍🏫 Krysten Conner

🚫pipeline anxiety l Terrible dancer l Always a Teacher 🦄🦄🦄 ex Outreach, Salesforce, Tableau 👉🏼👉🏿👉🏽 Click bell/top right to be notified when I post 🔔

You’re not trying to “hit quota.”

You’re trying to become the kind of seller who can repeat top performance across territory changes, market shifts, and new quarters.  

Not with luck. Not with late-quarter heroics. With a *system*.


Most AEs can have a great quarter.  

Consistent top performers have a way of operating that creates sustainable, repeatable results.

That’s what I teach.


I spent 12 years selling Enterprise deals at Salesforce, Tableau, and Outreach. I eventually broke records, 14X’d territory expectations, and ran a 47.6% win rate. But I didn't start that way.

The biggest shift I made wasn’t a new script or a new tech stack.

It was learning how to sell like a top performer actually sells:

✅Reduce confusion (connect the dots, make WIIFM obvious, reduce friction)
✅Run discovery that’s **direct and tactful**
✅Multi-thread early and build real champions 
✅Win the 95% of the sales cycle that happens between meetings
✅Act like a **Sherpa**: guide the buying journey so your buyer never has to guess what’s next


If you’re a rep who’s already performing and you’re thinking:

“I don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.”  

“I want to be on the leaderboard… consistently.”  

“I want make my process sustainable, so my results are sustainable.”

I'm your person.


Here’s what clients say after working together:
 👉 “I closed a $2.66M ARR enterprise deal after 26 months of work, and Krysten's coaching was critical in helping get it across the line."
 👉 "I set an ambitious goal when I started: hit at least 200% of quota in my first full quarter. Working with Krysten helped me turn that goal into reality. I hit 225% and closed the largest deal ever won by a new rep."
👉 "Wanted to thank you and let you know I closed my biggest deal ever in December, $2.2mil TCV, 3 year agreement. We were stuck at one stage with a start date that would have caused the deal to slip from Q4 to Q1, I used your COI principles and in-particular a visual graph that showed what the actual cost was of starting now -vs- later. Ended up getting it done 🤩 Thank you!!"


You don’t need another sales theory.
You need someone who’s been in your shoes - and knows how to win big deals now.

Let’s work together: krystenconner.com


🟢 I offer 1:1 coaching for individual reps, and workshops for sales teams who want to win bigger, faster, and more often.


Browse client wins here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystenconner/details/recommendations/



💫"We pay for every lesson with either time or money. And we use the currency we value least."
         -Alex Hormozi

Member

I walked away from the biggest deal of my career. $13.7M. Would've blown my quota out of the water.

But here's what that "loss" taught me...

The CEO had everything: 
✓ A problem we could solve 
✓ Agreement he HAD the problem
✓ Desperate need to fix it 
✓ Budget approved

But one thing kept nagging at me.

Every meeting, he'd ask about customization. 
About "partnering" to build features.
About source code access. 

Classic Build vs. Buy syndrome.

After our 5th in-person meeting (yes, FIVE), I finally saw it clearly.

This wasn't a buyer. This was a builder trapped in a buyer's process.

His personality screamed "I'll do it myself." 
His energy peaked when discussing his team's capabilities.
His questions focused on HOW we built it, not WHAT it could do. 

So I made the call that physically hurt:

I removed it from my pipeline.

My manager: "Are you SURE?" 
My financial plan: "But the commission..." 
My ego: "You're giving up."

Here's what happened next:

→ Freed up 30+ hours that month 
→ Focused on a $1.8M deal that actually wanted to buy 
→ Closed 3 other deals while he was still "evaluating" 
→ Finished with my best year ever

And that CEO? 
18 months later, still building. 
Still solving the same problem.

The real lesson?

Not every deal is YOUR deal.

Some buyers aren't buyers—they're builders in disguise. And the time you waste convincing them is time you could spend closing real deals.

Three questions I now ask myself:

1./ Are they asking about outcomes or architecture?
2./ Do they light up more about building or buying?
3./ Is their real goal independence or results?

If the answers point to "building," I'm out. No matter the size.

Because the best deals aren't always the biggest ones. 
They're the ones that actually close.

What deal have you walked away from that taught you the most?

Krysten Conner

I help AEs win 6-7 figure deals to overachieve quota & maximize their income l ex Salesforce, Outreach, Tableau l Training B2B Sales teams & Individual sellers l 3x Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Sales by Demandbase

Here are the 8 questions CFOs ask before every software purchase. (And they're brutal.)

Every champion I've ever worked with eventually hits a moment of panic:
"What do I say when Finance starts asking the hard questions?"

👉 Most CFOs won't tell you what they're really thinking. They just kill your deal silently.

But I've spent 13 years watching Enterprise deals die in Finance. And I've learned what CFOs actually need to hear.

Here are the 8 questions every CFO is asking behind closed doors, courtesy of the "Only CFOs" newsletter, as highlighted by  Nate Nasralla :

1. Why do we need [X product] now? We were fine before. 
2. What bucket does this fall into, and can you quantify it?
-----Improves efficiencies
-----Increases revenue
-----Mission critical (e.g. cybersecurity)
-----"Candy": nice-to-have tool that doesn't really fit into the above groups 
3. Is the spend in the budget? If not, how will you make up the difference? 
4. How does this tool tie into our company objectives for this year? 
5. What tools do we already have that do something similar? And if similar tools exist, why can't we use those? 
6. Implementation: What are the people / time requirements? 
7. Support costs: Will we need to upgrade soon to enterprise /other tier? 
8. Pricing:
-----If usage-based pricing: I want a detailed analysis on how pricing works and modeling for what our planned usage will look like.
-----If seat-based pricing: I don't want to buy a bunch of extra seats for planned growth. That got a lot of people in trouble when headcount growth halted and layoffs happened.

The deal-killers? Numbers 1, 3, and 5.

At Salesforce, I watched 6-7 figure deals die instantly when the champion couldn't answer those 3 questions clearly.

What are the best way's you've found to prepare your champions for these conversations?

Which of these questions makes your Champions the most nervous? 

PS - Find this helpful? You might like my newsletter. Over 7,000 sellers getting valuable nuggets every week. More details in my bio. Hope to see your name on the list!

Building sales teams and delighting customers at early stage hyper growth startups.

Mike Gallardo

How to structure an outbound sequence:

(steal these 6 steps today)

1. Value Props

You need two. Spend a lot of time researching and thinking through the core value propositions of your startup. You should know, in your own customer's words, exactly what their challenges are, what they're looking to accomplish and how you specifically help.

2. Triple Tap

Email, phone and social all on the same day to break the noise. Best strategy for getting attention and responses from busy prospects. Plus, you never know which channel your prospect is most likely to engage with.

3. Cold Emails

Two emails per value proposition. The first email you send plus a reply email. That's it. Anything more and you start risking getting marked as SPAM. Focus on quality over quantity.

5. Cold Calls

6 total. No matter what anyone says these work. Tied for first with LinkedIn outreach right now. And If you have a power dialer it can be a superpower. Do not sleep on the phones, friends.

6. Break up email

This is optional but I think it can be done well. A lot of people have strong beliefs here and whenever that's the case my advice is to test it out yourself. 


Bonus tip: Engage with their content on LinkedIn.


What did I miss?

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7

10 years sober.

Struggling to find the words.

If there's one thing I've learned it's that you really can do anything you set your mind to. No matter how hard or impossible it may seem at the time.

So set yourself an absolutely audacious goal for 2026. And give it everything you got. My money is on you figuring it out and making it happen.

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7

My best AEs crush discovery questions.

Steal 12 of their best ones:

Drumroll please... 🥁

1. Starting a discovery call by focusing on their priorities: "Hey Jill - Let's start with what brought you to [company] today. What are you looking to accomplish specifically?"

2. Asking about their process and challenges: "Hey Jill - A lot of founders I speak with have some challenges when it comes to [X]. Can you put me in your shoes and walk me through your process step by step? When you need to [X] what happens?
 
3. Demonstrating subject matter expertise and learning their priorities: "Hey Jill - Typically founders I speak with have the following priorities... [insert priorities] is that the same for you or is something else more important at the moment?" 
 
4. Making a recommendation for next steps: "Hey Jill, looks like we're in a great position to help with X, based on that do you mind if I make a recommendation for next steps?" 
 
5. Actively listening and making sure you understand: "Hey Jill, it really stood out to me when you said X, can you share more about that? Do you have a specific example?" 
 
6. Summarizing what you heard: "Hey Jill, thank you so much for sharing. Here's what I'm hearing so far... [insert summary] did I get everything correct?" 
 
7. After showing a feature on a demo: "Hey Jill - What stood out to you the most about what we just walked through?" 
 
8. After showing a feature on a demo: "Hey Jill - Who else on your team would benefit from [feature] and [benefit]?" 
 
9. After showing a feature on a demo: "Hey Jill - What was running through your mind as I was showing that?" 

10. Getting approval to connect on Slack: "Hey Jill - I've found it really helpful to connect with my clients on Slack. That way we can both communicate easily and get answers quickly when we need them. Would you be open to that?"

11. Learning their buying process: "Hey Jill - Curious, what steps would need to be taken on your side to make a confident yes or no decision with something like this?"

12. Determining if you're the vendor of choice: "Hey Jill - Curious, if we can align on pricing would [company] be the vendor of choice and who you recommend? Is there anything you see at this point as a reason to potentially not move forward?"

What'd I miss?
- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

My favorite cold call opener 

(steal the exact script)

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀:

"Hey Jill - It's Mike from Deel. This is a cold call. But it's a well researched one about [insert research]. Do you have a moment? I promise to be brief."

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁:

1. It's short.
2. Easy to understand.
3. Asks for permission first.
4. Has research and relevancy.
5. Doesn't ask if it's the right person.
6. Lets them know that it'll be a quick call.


Huge shoutout to ️ Batrawy for this gem!


- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

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Certified Public Accountant

Sales Director at Deel

The Best Sales Course

Wow I just promoted 15 people 🤯

Here they are:

1. SDR to AE (6)
2. SMB1 AE to SMB2 AE (4)
3. SMB2 AE to MM AE (3)
4. SMB2 AE to Sales Manager (2)

We run promotion cycles every 3 months at Deel.

The opportunities here are crazy.

Come join us! https://lnkd.in/gkG9ukRk

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7

How to run discovery calls better than 99% of AEs.

(In 5 simple steps)
 
 
 
𝟭. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 
 
Don't ask "Where are you calling in from?" 
 
Instead: 
 
 
Hey Jill, 
 
Appreciate you taking the time. 
 
I want to make sure we get the most out of our call today. 
 
So I'd like to start with my research, what I know about your business and how I think we may be able to help. 
 
How does that sound? 


The prospects you're speaking to are busy. They have problems they want to solve. They will respect and appreciate you not wasting their time. 

Sure, if it's someone that likes to chit chat change gears. But most of the time getting down to business is the optimal strategy.
 
 
𝟮. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 
 
Don't ask "What brought you to Acme?" 
 
Example: 
 
 
Hey Jill, 
 
In my research I noticed XYZ. 
 
I speak with a lot of founders in your situation and usually, that means a focus on: 
 
1. Priority 1 
2. Priority 2 
 
Is that the case for you or is something else more important? 


𝟯. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱

Most AEs don't use SDR notes to formulate questions. Which makes prospects feel like they have to constantly repeat themselves.

Example:

Hey Jill,

I noticed from my colleagues note that [context]. 

Would you mind walking me through... [question].

 
𝟯. 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳
 
Once you learn their key priorities and problems. 
 
Explain the following: 
 
- How you'll specifically help 
- How your solution's different 
- Why those differences are important 
 
Have this be the cornerstone of your entire sales process. 
 
 
𝟰. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 
 
Don't ask "What next step makes sense?" 
 
Instead: 
 
- Make a recommendation 
- What will be covered on the call? 
- Why is that valuable to the customer? 
- Multi Thread with other stakeholders 
 
This takes at least 5 to 8 minutes to do. 

Watch the clock and don't be afraid to interrupt if needed.
 
Do these 5 things consistently and watch your confidence with discovery calls soar. 
 
What'd I miss, friends?

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7

My best AEs run a killer sales process.

(steal all their best moves)


𝟭. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀
Get a firm timeline with an exact date. Then clearly communicate everything that needs to happen before that date. This ensures your buyer is truly committed. It helps them get the resources they need. And it prevents overcommitting and a poor experience.

𝟮. 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀
I can't emphasize this enough. Quick response times are one of the best ways to stand out as an Account Executive. Respond the same day at the very least. Shoot for within two to three hours. Responding fast builds trust. It provides a better experience. And you can easily win deals on this alone.

𝟯. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀
Arm your buyer with the right tools, information and collateral, so they can make the strongest case possible internally. This is how you win complex deals. You create a shared space for all their resources and stakeholders. That way you never stop selling. Even when you’re not in the room.

𝟰. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
Do not wait to match power with power. Bring in your leadership early. It’s a great way to build confidence earlier than your competition. This also encourages your buyer to include other stakeholders from their side. Leaders can also add value and help get things done internally faster.

𝟱. 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
This is very underrated. Most salespeople just want a signature then throw the deal over the fence. The best AEs stay involved. They ensure implementation is a great experience. And they get a lot of referrals from their buyers. 

𝟲. 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀
Who would I be if I didn't mention next steps? The best reps watch the clock. They reserve enough time to discuss next steps without being rushed. And they make sure those steps are clear and invaluable. So the buyer is motivated to schedule the call as soon as possible.

𝟳. 𝗧𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀
If you are not texting with your buyers you’re leaving money on the table. It's the best way to get information quickly, check in on how a call went or how things are going, and to be available for your buyers. Use this strategy to blow past your competition.


What would you add?

- Mike G

My best AEs crush it on LinkedIn.

Steal their 3-step process.


Step 1: Refer back to the email you sent.
Step 2: Provide value based on a trigger.
Step 3: Soft CTA offering to be a resource + social proof.

𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀:

Step 1:

Hey Jill, sending over an email shortly. Subj: “SKO Plans”. Wanted to connect
and put a face to the name.

Step 2:

Jill, It’s Q4 which means SKO is probably top of mind. Here’s a calculator that give you cost breakdowns by city: [link]

Thought you’d find it helpful.

Step 3:

When you start planning SKO happy to be a resource - Helped XYZ plan theirs
for 57 reps in Mexico City so feel free to shoot me questions anytime.


𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁:
- Keep it simple and don't overcomplicate it.
- Just quick/easy message with value and resources.
- And watch the responses come rolling in.


Good luck out there!
Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

90% of my team hit quota in Q4 🤯

Here’s how we use AI:


As you can see:

We’re all about working smarter, not harder :)


How we use AI:

1. First Touches
AI analyzes role, company, funding, job posts, and web activity to generate tailored openers. This drives way higher reply rates without burning hours on research.

2. Discovery Prep

AI surfaces likely pain points, key priorities and key details from previous convos. This allows AEs to come in as experts and focus on revenue driving activities.

3. Call Debriefs

AI summarizes real pain, decision criteria, power structure, and risks.
Follow ups get sharper and deals move faster.

4. Objection Handling

AI predicts legal, security, finance, and procurement pushback.
AEs easily get ahead of likely objections in conversations, decks and emails.

5. Battle Cards

AI generates specific positioning vs competitors in real time.
That way AEs are never caught off guard or have to circle back with answers.

6. Selling 24/7

AI can answer questions the customer (or new stakeholders) have at any time.
AEs keep deal momentum and keep selling even when they’re not there.

7. Deal Strategy

AI alerts AEs when new stakeholders engage, what content buyers are consuming, and where risk is building inside the deal. Reps instantly know what to focus on, how to adjust their strategy, and where to lean in to win through superior insight.


By the way…

We use Aligned for 6 and 7. 

I highly recommend checking them out (for free!) here: https://lnkd.in/gqNS6GRW


What's your opinion on AI?
- Mike G

Brand partnership • Sales Director at Deel

A simple cold call formula.

(4 easy steps)

 
𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿:
Keep it as simple and straightforward as possible. Provide a little context. Let them know the call will not be long.
 
Hey, this is Mike with Acme. Good morning. I’m reaching out about your X process. Do you have a moment? I’ll be brief. 
 
𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵" 
Instead of sharing features describe the challenges that you help people like them solve. Ask them if those challenges are relevant.
 
Typically, when I talk to other Sales Leaders that are X, a couple of challenges are top of mind: 
 
- Challenge 1 
- Challenge 2 
 
Are either of those relevant to you or did I miss the mark? 
 
𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 
As soon as you have some momentum or interest. Try and book the meeting. Don't be afraid to ask early and often.
 
That’s something I hear from a lot of the founders I speak with and how we can potentially help. 
 
For context, our platform [insert value prop]. 
 
Would you be opposed to taking a look to see if we can help you as well? 
 
𝟰. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 
Save deeper discovery for after the call is booked. Try and get the information that will be most helpful for your Account Executive.
 
Before you hang up, do you have 20 seconds for a couple of quick questions so we make the most out of our time tomorrow? 
 

What'd I miss?
 
-Mike G 

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

A simple outbound sequence structure.

Only needs 6 things.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱:

1. Value Props

You only need two.

Spend a lot of time researching and thinking through the core value propositions of your startup. You should know, in your own customer's words, exactly what their challenges are, what they're looking to accomplish and how you specifically help.

2. Triple Taps

Email, phone and social all on the same day to break the noise. No this is not annoying for most people. Oftentimes, they only see one of the three messages. You never know which channel is best for someone.

3. Cold Emails

Two emails per value proposition. The first email you send plus a reply email. That's it. Anything more and you start risking getting marked as SPAM imo. Plus, you really shouldn't need more emails than that (4 total).

5. Cold Calls

I have 6 in this sequence but you can add more if you'd like to. This is the second best channel right now. LinkedIn being the first. So don't sleep on it.

6. Break up email

This is OPTIONAL but I think it can be done well. A lot of people have strong beliefs here and whenever that's the case my advice is to test it out for yourself before making any assumptions.

What's your opinion on this structure?
What would you change?

- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

End cold calls ~ 5 mins.

The entire point is to book the meeting.


So, once someone has interest.


𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁:
 
"Hey Jill - Sounds like there's we could help with [priority/challenge]. Would you be open to taking a quick look and seeing how that would work?" 
 

That's it. 
 
Short, sweet and direct. 
 
Book the meeting and on to the next one.
 
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 
 
You're really really good and are 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 confident longer calls do not mess up your close rates. 
 
More the exception than the rule. Most of the time, the best play is just to go for the close.
 
- Mike G 

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

I've done 100+ promotions at Deel 🥳

Here they all are:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 
 
1. SDR > AE (31) 
2. AE I > AE II (10)
3. AE > Senior AE (25) 
4. Senior AE > MM AE (9) 
5. Senior AE > AM (1) 
6. Senior AE > Manager (10) 
7. Senior AE > SDR Manager (4) 
8. Manager > Senior Manager (5) 
9. Senior Manager > MM Manager (2) 
10. Senior Manager > SDR Director (1) 
11. AE > Enablement (1) 
12. AE > Revenue Operations (1) 
13. Sales Manager > Sales Director (1) 


And the best part?
I'm hiring AEs!

So if you're looking for a massive opportunity...

Apply here!:https://lnkd.in/gkG9ukRk

-Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

I just hit 100k followers 🥳

3 things I need to share with you:

𝟭. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱

If you would have told me 5 years ago (when I started) that this is where I'd be I would've thought you were crazy. One of the greatest life lessons is that taking action is 100x more important than having a plan. Trust yourself to figure out things a long the way. Life's too short to play small. So take some risks, don't be afraid to try new things, and have some fun!

𝟮. 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳

I'm also going to be 10 years sober this year. Which is so wild! Literally went from rock bottom (and an intervention) to turning everything around and creating a life that I thought was literally impossible back then. If you're in a tough spot just keep telling yourself "you can do this" and do everything you can to take the best next step forward. I'm telling you, no matter how bad things are, you can always turn things around.

𝟯. 𝗜'𝗺 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴!

Ok, I had to throw this one in here. The opportunity at Deel is too good not to share! I'm looking to hire AEs because I've literally promoted so many people off my team to MM, management, other teams, etc. And I'm looking for some gritty, tenacious, sharp individuals to help us continue crushing it in 2026. If you're interested, even in the slightest bit, join me at the webinar below to learn all the details!

👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eRm_v7Qz

PS. We're also hiring SDRs, leaders, and a bunch of other roles too. So grab a spot if you'd like to learn more; our founders Alex and Shuo will be there too!

Here's to a massive 2026,
Mike G

How to book meetings on Linkedin. 

(3 easy steps) 💙 
 
 
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭. 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 
 
My default is a blank connection request. 
 
But if that's not how you roll... 
 
Here's a template you can use: 
 
Hey Jill. Sending over a note shortly regarding SKO planning. Wanted to introduce myself and put a face to the name.
 
 
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮. 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 
 
Use external and internal resources: 
 
 
Hey Jill.

With Q4 underway, many sales leaders are starting to plan SKO.

Here is a calculator teams are using to compare costs across different cities. 

(link)

Thought you might find this helpful.

Cheers,
Mike G
 
 
𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯. 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 
 
Out of the 1000s of DMs I get... 

1% of them (or less) are voice notes.
 
Great way to pattern interrupt and get attention. 
 

Here's a template for ya: 

 
Hey Jill.

Hope the resources were helpful.

If you would ever like to connect on SKO planning and which locations tend to offer the best experience while keeping costs efficient, happy to share what we are seeing.

I also sent a note with the subject line “SKO Planning” if it is easier to reply there.
 
𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: Send a quick (45 second) video showing how your software would help with their most likely priority and/or challenge.


What'd I miss? 
 
- Mike G 

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#1 Channel: LinkedIn
#2 Channel: Cold Calls
#3 Channel: Cold Emails


And the #1 strategy...
Using all 3 channels in your outbound.

Cold calls used to be #1.
But I think LinkedIn is where it's at right now.

What do you think?
- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7

How to start discovery calls strong.

(using a simple script)


It may seem like a small thing, but...

People don't like repeating themselves.

So if your SDR shares notes...

Make sure to use them!


𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘄:

Hey Jill,

Excited to connect today. I spoke with my colleague Sara, and she shared some context around [SDR notes].

Did I capture that correctly, and what is most important for me to understand about your business and what you're looking to accomplish?


Why this works:

1. Prospect doesn't have to repeat themself
2. Show that you're prepared
3. Focus on their priorities


It's the simple things that matter most,
Mike G


👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

Here's my best agenda structure.

Simple, easy, and direct.


𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁:

Hey Jill. Appreciate you taking the time.

To start, I will give a quick two minute overview of what we do at Acme so you have context on how we typically help our customers.

From there, I would love to learn more about you, what prompted you to take this meeting, and the key initiatives your team is currently focused on.

If there is alignment, we can walk through the platform and talk through how we could support your top priorities and goals.

Is there anything specific you would like to make sure we cover today?


3 tips:
1. Start with what you do (for outbound leads)
2. You can remove that (for inbound leads)
3. Give the people what they want (demo on first call)


𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: On a scale of 1 to 10 what would you rate this agenda?


Double espresso kind of day,
Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

I get 1000s of DMs.

Not many have voice notes.


If you want to stand out.
Try adding them to your LI outreach.


𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁:

Hey Jill,

Thanks for connecting.

I’ve been talking with a lot of sales leaders lately who are planning their SKO in cities outside of Vegas. The goal is keeping costs under control while still creating a really strong experience for their teams.

I’ll send over a few helpful resources shortly. The planning process can get surprisingly time consuming, especially when you are coordinating travel, venues, and budgets for a large remote team.

Glad to be connected. If any questions come up, feel free to shoot them my way anytime.


PS. Gotta send them valuable resources too ;)

Question: Do you send a note with your connection request?


Stand out, book meetings, make money,
Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

Max out your 401(k).

Starting today.

If that's not possible, no worries.

Just make it your #1 priority and focus. 

And be willing to make sacrifices (short term) to make it happen.

- No new car
- No buying a home
- No expensive vacations
- Grocery shop and cook most meals

It's legit the most important thing you can do for your future self.

It sounds easy.

But trust me it's hard.

Especially when in your 20s.

At least, that's how it was for me. 

Investing was the absolute last thing on my mind.

So I didn't invest much until much later in life (early/mid 30s).

If I could go back in time... 
This would literally be the one change I'd make.

So don't make the same mistake I did.
And start maxing out your 401(k) today.

I promise the sacrifice will be worth it,
- Mike G

👉 Get The Best Sales Newsletter delivered straight to your inbox for FREE: https://lnkd.in/g-dHTj7s

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Mike Gallardo

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The Battle

👩🏻‍🏫 Krysten Conner

Mike Gallardo

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Posts

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}👩🏻‍🏫 Krysten Conner's LinkedIn Performance

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