Celeste Berke Knisely, MTA

Corporate & Team LinkedIn Trainer | Turning Corporate Teams Into Invisible Sales Armies

A Sales Growth Company

36% of 1230 Executive buyers we surveyed said the deal stalls because sellers aren’t able to find problems. 

We teach and reinforce with your team how understand the unique business problem you solve for your customers, how to find them during discovery and make a case for change / show the cost of inaction. 

No problem = no sale

THE SALES STRUGGLES ARE REAL:

- Win Rates are Declining 
- Low Average Sales Price
- Long Sales Cycles
- Poor Pipeline Development

The Gap Selling Methodology is a sales technique that shifts the focus of the sale from your product to the buyer’s problem. In old-school selling methodologies, focusing on the features and benefits of your product meant the buyer had all the power when it came to understanding the prospect’s true needs. 

With Gap Selling, we teach you how to find the gap– the space between the buyer’s current and future states– and utilize that information to sell to the real problem the buyer is experiencing.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER METHODOLOGIES?

Gap Selling teaches you how to be Problem-Centric™. We don’t pitch about our product or service, and we don’t try to find the customer’s “pain point” to manipulate a sale. Gap Selling is a collaborative effort with the buyer to identify the true source of the problem, evaluate the cost of that problem, and work together to find a solution to fill the gap.

Different Ways to Learn Gap Selling:
-Read the Book
-Engage with Out Team for robust training / reinforcement 

As one of a handful of Certified Sales Training Partners, I not only carry a pipeline and actively sell, but I teach/train too. Industries of Focus are primarily:  Hospitality, Hospitality Technology, Hospitality Service Providers, SaaS, Mar Tech and Retail (To Name a Few).

The Value lies in the gap.  

GAP SELLING SETS UP SALESPEOPLE TO BE TRUSTED ADVISERS.

Shoot me a DM to chat so you can see what discovery SHOULD look like.

Certified Gap Selling Training Partner | Changing The Way The World Sells

Revenue Magazine

How do you find content specifically for sales, by those in the trenches - and weed out the noise? You build a platform that allows you to find what you need with the click of a button.

Revenue Magazine was born out of frustration with the endless stream of generic, recycled sales advice flooding LinkedIn. We saw a glaring gap in the knowledge available to salespeople, leaders, and operations professionals—one that needed to be filled with meaningful, actionable insights. That’s why we bring together 30 handpicked experts who deliver the strategies and advice they actually use to succeed. 

We cut through the noise and deliver content that truly elevates your game—no bullshit, just real, valuable knowledge from the people who live it every day.

And yes, it is gated! Why? To keep out the bots. You subscribe - a new article is dropped daily!

www.revenuemagazine.com

Founding Contributor at Revenue Magazine - Writing About Sales Teams/Discovery/Sales Leadership

Celeste Berke Knisely - Sales Training & Coaching

A self-proclaimed "Sales Growth Strategist" who collaborates with executives to identify strategic gaps and create roadmaps for success. With a passion for cross-functional collaboration, team development, and delivering results, I am your partner in achieving top performance.

My consultancy focuses on two key areas. Firstly, consulting with high-performing teams to develop robust sales strategies and uncover gaps in sales cycles and stagnant revenues. Secondly, we assess current sales processes and implement modern sales growth initiatives. Through bespoke sales training and social selling programs, I help teams identify opportunities and quickly implement training to elevate their sales organization.

Known as a LinkedIn Expert, I excel in power networking and community building. With 21 years of experience in non-profit and for-profit arenas, holding B.S. and M.S. degrees, I previously served as Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for a hospitality management company. Managing 19 properties, a 50+ member sales team, and $105M in annual sales, I earned accolades such as Director of Sales of the Year, 2x Manager of the Year, and was named 40 under 40 by the Triad Business Journal. I am also a certified sales professional from Marriott International and am recognized as a top LinkedIn Expert in Denver.

Connect with me on LinkedIn for collaboration in sales strategy, bespoke sales training, GAP Selling - Training, Sales, Branding & Prospecting Webinars, Sales Strategy, and Sales Team Coaching. Let our team guide your sales organization to exceptional results.

Sales Trainer / Sales Strategist

Hospitality Sales Edge

You could do the same thing you've always done - OR - lean into challenging your team to embrace a new approach.

In an industry where excellence is non-negotiable, it's time to embrace a fresh and modern approach to hospitality sales.

Let's face it, most hospitality sales training is outdated and completely focused on needs, benefits, features, objectives and knowing your SWOT compared to your competition. While all of that information is GREAT - I've yet to see a training company embracing modern day approaches to how buyers buy.

You pay to train your team only to wonder why there was zero retention and results haven't changed.

Revpar is on the decline, expenses are rising, competition is fierce and your pipeline isn't growing to sustain revenue targets.

You are not alone...but doing what your team has always done (relying on inbound or dropping rates to fill) is not the answer!

Yes, relationships matter, but in today's modern selling environment, trust, value and how you can help a buyer goes a long way.

The Hospitality Sales Edge R.E.A.C.H. model was built by a former hospitality seller turned trainer for modern day hospitality sellers.

Arm your team with the know how to prospect daily, to build their own pipeline, to know the ins and outs of every single opportunity so you can drive revenue, fill need times and feel confident in your strategy.

I work with independent teams and many brands to train their teams on modern-day sales approaches. No two trainings are the same - they are bespoke based on a thorough diagnosis of what your team is doing.

The cherry on top? I will evaluate your team's tech stack as well - as if you aren't leveraging tools that can drive incremental revenue, you are losing to the competition.

Shoot me a dm, check out www.hospitalitysalesedge.com or simply follow along for tips and trends.

Sales Training / Sales Strategies & Growth Consultant

TLR Consulting Group

Relationships are authentic, and your team’s NEW approach should be too.

Hospitality Industry – Sales Teams, VPs, Development Teams, Hospitality Executives, Management Companies, and Brands alike – it’s time that we disrupt the industry! 

Does your team have systems and strategies in place to create visibility and a competitive advantage in the marketplace?  Old outdated methods do not work. Almost 1 Billion professionals are online – let’s meet them there.

Our Mission is to help guide the Hospitality Industry to its full potential through modern training, strategy, and levering the digital-first world.  We:

➜Show your teams how to create a competitive advantage online, so that your customers, accounts, and potential partners know who you are

➜Teach proven strategies to fill your pipeline, build your authority, position your team members as the go-to expert, but most importantly, how to find, attract and talk to your ideal clients; authentically.

And if you’ve read this far – we know hospitality. We’ve lived it with first-hand experience both at the property level and above property at the corporate level.  For over 19 years!  

✔If you want to position your team or company as the GO-TO choice in hospitality?
✔Do you want to increase the number of warm conversations that your team has so that they directly impact the bottom line and increase RevPar?  
✔Is your team struggling with recruiting and attracting new talent?  Most likely a simple strategy shift is needed.
✔Do you want to be known as the leader in hospitality so that investors, partners, and management contracts come to you?  

If not, then it’s time to take a look at your team’s strategy to elevate your status in the industry.

Ask me about Our:
•	Elite Sales Training Program for On Property Sales Stars 
•	Training and Workshop Series Specifically Designed for Modern Day Hospitality Sales/ABM
•	Hospitality Executive Presence and Positioning

President - TLR Hospitality (a division of TLR Consulting)

Strategy to Accelerate Sales Growth, Build Brand Awareness, Foster Networking Opportunities, Create Employee Advocacy Programs, Increase Employee Engagement and Productivity, Decrease Turnover & Ignite Social Capital. 

Customized Team Trainings & Workshops for Corporate Teams

Backed by 19 years of experience in sales & marketing, our strategies and proven systems catapult teams into the digital age of "social selling". We've helped teams secure over $300M in revenues from leveraging LinkedIn and tapping into the power of the platform; in addition to creating new revenue streams and properly positioning team members and Executives into the top 1% of profiles on LinkedIn.  

We work with: 

🎇 Leadership Teams & Executives -
Who have put their personal brand on the back burner.  We properly position their profiles as an authority so they can gain visibility as a trusted thought leader and influencer.

🎇Sales Teams & Business Development Teams -
Who have been using old and outdated sales tactics. We transition teams to understand and leverage the power of social selling to gain more referrals, expand their network, and how to build a robust sales pipeline to attract ideal clients..

Our clients experience results based on our proven framework:

1️⃣ Investigate

We get to know your team, your process and your goals.  We will look what has worked in the past and identify the gaps in process and systems.  

2️⃣ Customize

Our team will create a customized LinkedIn Strategy that fits your team's needs and provide training that speaks directly to your organization.  

3️⃣ Deliver & Implement

We deliver high value trainings and workshops that have action-oriented tactics and take-aways that your team will be able to implement immediately.  Most teams see results within 30 days.

Are You Ready To Turn Your Workforce Into A Social Media Powerhouse?

🤝Let's collaborate.  For more information, book a 15-minute consultation here:  www.callmeceleste.com

Stonebridge Companies

Drove strategic thinking across 19 sales departments.

Promoted to this role, I leverage my property management success at the regional level with a dash of strategy and loads of big ideas. I’m known for my: 

➜ Cutting-Edge Strategy

I’m a dot connector. Detailed and analytical by nature, I organize the chaos and see the big picture before others do. Whether it’s with people or the bottom line, I’m always forward-thinking. 

For example, in 2016, I initiated and partnered with multiple stakeholders to create a cluster sales team model, integrating three hotel sales teams into one. This critical business decision sparked record-high revenue, cost savings and aligned sales strategy.

➜ Expert Negotiation

A relationship builder at heart, I treat business human to human, executive to executive. I see beyond the surface of the deal, and the heart, inviting clients into a true partnership rather than a transactional exchange.  

I’m an integral player in winning big brands like Google, Amazon and Facebook in addition to making unprecedented deals to serve our clients and advance our bottom line.

➜ Talent Development

I lead to transform. Coaching to the strengths of 40+ Director of Sales, Sales Managers and Sales Support Team Members, I held monthly webinars, conducted one-on-one coaching sessions and honed processes to increase sales funnels and activity. 

I carve out positions to promote my team. In the last two years, I’ve paved the way for eight employees to advance their career within the company. 

Data analysis also plays a key role in my position. Bench-marking, sales forecasts and P&L statements all guide the direction of my cross-geographic teams and recommendations to leadership.

Regional Director ‣ Sales | Strategic Planning | Operations | Team Management & Leadership

Armed with vision and strategy, I came on board to tackle turnover and get the Marriott property firing on all cylinders again. 

* Spoiler alert * It worked! I won Marriott’s Manager of the Year twice (2013 & 2014) and Stonebridge’s Director of Sales of the Year in 2015.

When I started, I crafted a 30-60-90 plan and built the staff from the ground up. Creating foundational processes and finding the right seat for each team member was the secret sauce. I invigorated my five-member sales team and inspired community by creating:

➜ A baseline sales training program
Later adopted corporate-wide as a training standard operating procedure (SOP) for sales managers.

➜ Team processes
I instituted one-on-one meetings with each salesperson and created “Teleprospecting Tuesdays” where both department staff and executives picked up the phone to build relationships…together!

➜ Innovative marketing strategies
We leveraged current market conditions in our favor, offering gas cards with bookings to counter expensive fuel costs at the time. 

Exceeding revenue goals by 114% in 2016 and landing a big brand, national account, a 26% year over year gain, in addition to the other 35+ national accounts I managed, was truly a success!

In this role, I am most proud building a high-performing sales team from the ground up.

I loved leveraging their potential within the Aspiring Leaders Program and recommending them for internal promotions. 

One employee in particular who struggled at first, is now a key player in the company, in her third promotion.

Director ‣ Sales & Marketing | Talent Strategy | Operational Improvement | Team Development 

Crescent Hotels & Resorts

I came to this role for the downtown experience.

With the 235-room Marriott at the heart of Sacramento’s city-center, I led a three-person sales team pushing them to creative avenues for business development, including new incentive programs.

I also spearheaded the annual strategic marketing plan and rooms budget while cultivating tight bonds with Fortune 500 clients like Delta Airlines, SAP and Bombardier.

Director ‣ Sales & Marketing | Strategic Planning | Market Planning | Contract Negotiation

Aimbridge Hospitality

Boom - I was the first person in the company's history hired into a Director of Sales & Marketing without industry experience.  I successfully navigated seven interviews before securing this role, paving the way for others by overcoming objections selling my untapped leadership potential.  

I successfully launched a new career leading a staff of four proactive sales people to achieve a $10M annual budget for a Marriott property situated on the campus of three Medical Centers.

Area SME (training leader):  Conducted system training (Hotel Sales Pro) and new Director of Sales/Sales Manager onboarding for the organization.  Worked with sales leaders at various properties within the portfolio to ensure that they were utilizing systems, set up departmental goals and activity goals; monitored results and made recommendations to Regional Management.

Provided complete meeting planning services for clients and groups of all sizes.  Negotiated meeting space, catering and rooms contracts with clients to create win-win agreements for both parties.

Director ‣ Sales & Marketing | CRM SME | In-Market Sales Trainer

Pace Communications

Liaison to the company’s largest account (David’s Bridal) – the nation’s largest bridal retailer – a $780 million company.

Implemented a $4 M invitation and gift program on e-commerce website and in 275 stores nationwide.  Acted as an SME by aiding in developing training programs for stores during new product launches

Coordinated monthly meetings at client site in Conshohocken, PA bringing together multiple stakeholders including the client, graphic designers, and merchandisers, to brainstorm new product ideas and prepare nationwide product launch timelines.

Account Manager | Operational Leadership | Strategy Leader ‣ Sales 

Guilford Merchants Association

A Jack of All Trades, my experience at GMA/GCHMA was varied and no two days were the same.  From managing and executing special events ranging in size from 20 to 800+ people (including two annual tradeshows) to volunteer management, I did it all - often on a shoe string budget.

Sourced speakers from National Speaker’s Bureaus, prepared event agendas, coordinated event logistics, conducted site inspections, solicited for event sponsorship and managed third party vendor contracts (décor, temporary labor, audio/visual, hotels, and convention space).    

Created yearly Guilford County Hotel/Motel Association budget and oversaw overall fiscal management of the Association.

Special Events & Project Coordinator/Assistant Executive Director

𝐈𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐈𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬, 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠.

You and Your Team has untapped potential, but they need to be asking the right questions.

Budget, Timeline, Jumping to a demo - or sending a hasty proposal; those will not cut it these days.

𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 - A visible online strategy combined with a solid sales methodology drives awareness, builds your brand reputation and attracts ideal clients. 

Not only is it imperative for your team to understand the fundamentals of what has changed in selling and how to address shifts, but they also need to grasp Social selling, solving for business problems, and creating innovative personal brands to:

✔ Fix Low Close Rates
✔ Address Declines in Sales
✔ Improve Weak Pipeline
✔ Get Clients to the NEXT YES

𝗛𝗶. 𝗜’𝗺 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲, 𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫
🎯 My mission is to empower you, your organization and team members leverage their skills to sharpen their discovery calls, fill pipelines and build their brands while doing so!
--------------------

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵:

✨ GAP Selling Training
✨ LinkedIn Sales & Marketing Training & Workshops
✨ Sales Strategy Coaching
✨ Business Growth Strategies

My 21 years of experience in corporate hospitality afforded me the lessons and opportunities to understand:  
🔑 The Revenue gaps that are missing
🔑 How to show up and have meaningful and authentic conversations and build a lasting following
🔑 The methods to actually move the needle in your business (not jumping to demos)

There are a number of reasons why helping others is MY purpose. 

Not only am I a sleuth at dissecting business problems, but I'm a type 2 on the Enneagram.  

That means I question things.  I look at situations with a different 👓. 
 
🏆 So, let's get a new set of 👀 on your business so we can change the way your team sells!

𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗷𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵:
🔑 DM me on LinkedIn
🔑 Email:  celeste@salesgrowth.com
📅 Click featured section links for videos!


"𝘈𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 & 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴" - 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘎.

Certified Sales Training Partner | The Sales Game Is Changing, Are Your Ready?

Do You Have a Sales Methodology that Actually Works?

THE SALES STRUGGLES ARE REAL:

- Team Not Converting
- Low Average Sales Price
- Long Sales Cycles
- Poor Pipeline Development

The Gap Selling Methodology is a sales technique that shifts the focus of the sale from your product to the buyer’s problem. In old-school selling methodologies, focusing on the features and benefits of your product meant the buyer had all the power when it came to understanding the prospect’s true needs. 

With Gap Selling, we teach you how to find the gap– the space between the buyer’s current and future states– and utilize that information to sell to the real problem the buyer is experiencing.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER METHODOLOGIES?

Gap Selling teaches you how to be Problem-Centric™. We don’t pitch about our product or service, and we don’t try to find the customer’s “pain point” to manipulate a sale. Gap Selling is a collaborative effort with the buyer to identify the true source of the problem, evaluate the cost of that problem, and work together to find a solution to fill the gap.

Different Ways to Learn Gap Selling:
-Read the Book
-Train Today
-Enable Your Team

I'm excited to partner with this amazing organization as a Certified Sales Training Partner come June 2023 and deliver TOP NOTCH sales training.  Industries of Focus are primarily:  Hospitality, Hospitality Technology, Hospitality Service Providers, Travel, Tourism, Software, Analytics, F&B, Events, Mar Tech and Retail (To Name a Few).

The Value lies in the gap.  

GAP SELLING SETS UP SALESPEOPLE TO BE TRUSTED ADVISERS.

Special focus areas include: Hospitality Tech Sales Teams

Shoot me a DM to discuss ways we can work together

I got a Voicenote from Leslie Venetz and froze.

Literally - little old me. I don't know her personally, (but let's be real, I know her...in the LinkedIn way) and she slid into my DMs.

I freaked out a bit. And then, I smiled and felt humbled. That she saw me. That she believed in me. That she asked me to join the stage with her for one of her events.

Fast forward to early 2025, she reached out again and told me that she tapped me for a super secret society called Women Sales Experts. The imposter syndrome creeped in. The names of the women in this organization are some of the brightest, fiercest and most forward thinking in the industry.

To join as a new member in the Winter cohort alongside ⚡Shannon Plumb⚡, tomorrow fly to Chicago to meet many of these women for the first time in person. 

A place to level up my learning, to network, to work on my business (we have a cohort designed JUST for peer to peer help) and to celebrate the power that we have as individuals and collectively.

A huge thank you to Membrain.com, the event sponsor, and to all the women that have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event possible - Anita Nielsen, MBA, Kristie K. Jones, Wesleyne Whittaker, Amy Franko, Janice B Gordon...and many others.

Smoothing sailing to Chicago as I take....my 28th flight this year. Southwest for life (those are fighting words - I know).

Raise your hand if you’ve experienced the Leslie effect?

Blind Spot Detection to Predictable Revenue | Gap Selling Certified Training Partner Powered by the Problem-Centric™ OS | Co-Founder, Sales On Tap →Modern, Always - On Hospitality Sales Training & Reinforcement | Witty

One post got me to leave my house.

And it wasn't even the post, it was the person who tagged me.

Gosh - two + years ago I was introduced to Randi-Sue Deckard 🔬via Riley Blaisdell 🦏 .  I've now managed to meet up with Randi-Sue 3x in person this past year. That's almost as many times as I've seen my parents.

So when she tagged me in a post from 🏀 Stephen Oommen who was doing a Denver meet up, it was a no brainer as it was based on HER recommendation.

Worst thing about in person networking - having to carry a business card - so none of us did....and shocker - we all connected either before or after here.

Best thing - meeting people you've only seen online - out in the wild. Yes, they really do exist.

To the new connections I made and conversations about life and business - thanks for helping to take connections offline.

The takeaways - yes this is an amazing platform for business, but what has come as a result of the actual conversations with connections - can't be measures.

Thanks Stephen for bringing us together!

Julie Hansen - will see you twice in a week!
Alyson B. - small world! (we have a mutual friend whom I went to college with, and we never would have known that if we didn't TALK in person).
Jason Seedig - we chatted about life - and our second acts!
To the others who joined - thank you! Patrick Thrasher, Lara Darvie, Vince Heaton and Scott Davis

5 things all Women in sales deserve…


To have a voice at the table

To have moments of 30 seconds of insane courage

To belong to a community of women that lift them up 

Access to ongoing training and reinforcement 

The belief in themselves they can do anything.



What is a 6th you’d add?

I canceled my MRI and surgery because my husband has an Ironman.

That’s the truth. I put myself on the back burner to fuel his passion.

I ghosted the ortho.

You could call it a shift in priorities (just like our buyers). I call it what it is. I don’t have a plan....the plan actually seems a lot harder than now. 

And they (the dr.) didn’t show me why I needed to change right now.

All I can think about is how to give up lifting for three months and who walks my kid to and from school if I’m on crutches for six weeks? (oh, my hip is torn in two places - helpful context here - same hip - repaired in 2013).

Do I limp daily? Yes.
Aleve like it’s a vitamin? Also yes.
Wearable hip ice pack. Yes.
Heat at night. Yes.
Still limping. Often.
Complaining about it - many a night.

It appears the impacts aren’t big enough. I should know. I dive to impacts for a living. 

Here’s the business tie: buyers live in this same math. Sometimes it's risk math.

They limp along. Even a solid plan, they still may not change. 

No clarity = no change, no confidence = no change. Impacts are meh = no change.

That's why the status quo is the biggest competitor. It's safe. It's known. It requires no change.

If my ortho had shown me how I was cutting off years of my life, risking my health, causing permanent damage...asking me how many times I no longer dress up and go out on date nights because heels hurt me.....how often I'm short with my child because I'm in pain.....and and and.....I would have been toute suite (that means right away in French) to that MRI and the surgeon.

But he didn't. 
He was meh. 
So now I'm meh.
Limping through the pain.
Limping at my husband's Ironman next month.

So while many of our buyers live in the meh, I'd ask - did your team REALLY do a thorough diagnosis on that opportunity? Or did they treat it like my dr. did and just skimmed the surface?

PS. Anyone want to offer up some impacts that can help me change my mind? Like really scare me into getting this surgery (for the second time in 13 years)?

Sales Discovery Expert | Predictable Revenue Growth | I Don’t Love Dogs | Sales Training & Reinforcement | Gap Selling Certified Training Partner Powered by the Problem-Centric™ OS | Co-Founder, Sales On Tap Community

If sending a prospect 24 messages is too many, how many times is too many for a buyer?

LinkedIn after dark - weigh in. 

I've been pinged 24 times that a prospect has entered our Aligned room. 

Yes, 24 separate occasions they have accessed the room - after an introductory call.

**Pause - shoutout....**

Shout out to this tool because it's taken what is a journey - and helped some of our prospects / now customers - dive in to resources all in one place to get a legit Master's level education. 

We have a few cresting over 5 hours in the room.


Ok.....so while there is a ton of noise out there about how many touches it takes to reach a prospect - I truly want to know - if a prospect were to enter your Aligned room 24 times - for roughly 1.25 minutes each in the span of 45 days....and never responds to your messages/calls - what exactly are they trying to do? 

Are they trying to send me a signal I'm not picking up??

I'll take any wrong answer....

Ps. It's the things that keep us guessing in sales, right?. All the tools, and still, we can't read mins. Here's to tomorrow's ping!

Exciting news: we’re launching a new service - making your buyer love you so much… you can feed them.

(Coming soon: “Buyer Sleepovers” and “Take Your Seller to Work Day.”)

Hats off to our Producer Keenan .

PS. This is a joke to lighten the mood for hump day. A friend of mine is now having DAILY check in across the team until EOM to push for signatures, so....many could use a laugh about now.

Red Bull or Protein?

That’s the first question we ask when we engage for SKOs.

Because the first question you should ask is simple:
Do you want a motivational high or measurable change?

Most teams say they want lasting results but plan for a two-day Red Bull high.....

Music. Motivation. Confetti. All the speakers.

Then everyone’s back to business as usual.

If you want protein outcomes, you have to create a plan to design FOR them.

Here are three of the seven things most SKOs miss (the rest are in the ebook):

1. Purpose-driven design – Know if you’re building hype or habits.

2. Narrative and theme – Build a story that sticks and drives action all year.

3. Balanced agenda – Energy is great, but if it’s not tied to execution, it fades fast - just like that red bull high.

This is what we help teams figure out....how to design an SKO that drives real change, not just hype.

The other four (4) things and what success actually looks like are inside our new 30 page eBook, "How to Create the Best SKO Ever."

This post was getting long enough - so no gatekeeping. If you want the ebook, just say ebook and I'll shoot it to you in a DM! No emails, no gates, just the good stuff to move metrics, not just morale.

PS. It's a protein over Redbull for me 10/10 - you?

Huge fan of micro-managing.

Micro-managing the behavior change so teams understand WHY it's imperative that they get a buyer to say..."yes, we have to change".

And it's not easy. At all.

The next yes (or micro agreements) that happen in the sales process are flipping tough. But without them, many buyers act polite.

They act interested.
They live in your pipeline
They live rent free in your team's head
And yet, they will never close.

Because along the way, your team never got them to that point where they say...."we can't stay here".

The other day I watched a proposal walk through from a team and five slides in - it was all about the seller and the org and nothing about the buyer and why they couldn't stay where they were. I stopped the team and said point blank - I checked out. 

So if I've checked out, your prospect has too.

Where in here were the buyer's stats? Where was their environment? Why do they have to change and did you ever ask them if they see why they can't stay where they are? What is happening in their business as a result of where they are? What are they looking to achieve.

And it was a moment.....

If the buyer doesn’t believe the current state is costing them something real revenue, reputation, etc....they’ll always default to doing nothing because change is hard. 

Micro-manage those agreement to change moments....if not....status quo wins.

If you’ve ever blamed price for a lost deal, my skincare routine disagrees.

74% of buyers surveyed said they’ll go over budget if the seller connects the dots between their problem and the business impact.

Weekly download: How Buyers Want To Be Sold

Asking the magic 8 ball…. why has no one adopted our sales methodology? The last one didn’t work either. We’ve rolled this out two times….

Why is everyone on the team doing their own thing with little outcomes? 

I’m a cat herder…🐈‍⬛

Is it me? Am I insane…or did I miss something?

(Inside voices)

You may have missed this.....

**Download of the Week inside. It's a BANGER.

taplio

Celeste Berke Knisely, MTA's Linkedin Analytics