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

32 flights this year and 3 more in next 7 days…

Thankful for a-list status on Southwest Airlines 

Wrangling a 6 year old - off for a week only to eat bread and dessert, Thursday

Thankful 

Having my best year yet as an entrepreneur 

Thankful. 

Building in the quiet moments 

Thankful.

The journey of learning and being wildly uncomfortable this past year 

Thankful.

It takes 30 seconds of insane courage to get started…..

And also one day to get germs 🦠 from a kid and be sick for 10 ish days. 

Since Nov 12th I’ve been ——-Tempe>Denver>Buffalo>and Boston next week

And somewhere across the friendly skies I crossed 14k followers here. 

Thankful 

As I sat at the airport yesterday with my child and my 80 year old parents - looking tired - and feeling snotty and worn out - I sat back and thought, these are the moments I’ll take with me. 

Not the wins, not the social media - but the freedom to be able to spend time with loved ones. 

I created that. 

Thankful.

Ps. It’s the week of being thankful - so while you may be seeing posts of those crushing it or those sharing about work life and family life, lay offs to job celebrations - it only takes a moment to support someone else with a comment or a dm. 

Go create those memories this week!

Sales Discovery Expert | Leveraging the Problem-Centric™ OS to Achieve 25%+ Predictable Win Rates Across Underperforming Teams | Mom of One & Done | Gap Selling Certified Training Partner | Co-Founder, Sales On Tap

It took six years to get here, and today is the day.

Six years ago, when I left corporate, I set out to change the way Hospitality Sellers sell. I looked back to all of the training I got and realized, it missed. Leaning heavily on in-person training, I realized, the reinforcement, adoption and retention piece was often an afterthought.

It took one attendee this past April saying "now what - who is going to support me after I leave this training?" to flip the switch for me. And thus the concept of what is now Sales on Tap was born.

RevPar is slipping, sellers aren't equipped to know how to build their own pipeline, AI is taking over and making short lists without hotels realize they are missing out, lead volume is on the decline -----> action has to be taken.

Today's the day, hotel sellers, VPs, Management Companies and Ownership Groups

Sales on Tap just launched.

A modern social-selling community built for hotel sales pros who are tired of waiting for leads to show up.

And frustrated with check-in calls that go nowhere and follow-up emails that get ignored.

No more theory.
No more outdated tactics.

Just actionable training, live coaching, and a community that gets it. Always on, always available - we never leave.

Because planners aren't buying the way they used to. 

And sellers who adapt?
They win.

HUGE props to my partners, Cory Falter and Susan Tucker, for bringing the energy, the grit, and the get-it-done vibes.

Doors are open, join for FREE: https://bit.ly/47YRxVS

Or get the full scoop here: https://bit.ly/3Kccogv

Who here has seen a Manel?

It's when the panel at a conference or event is filled only with men. Don't get me wrong - plenty of amazing men out there, but with women claiming they are changing their gender here on LinkedIn to test if their reach changes, something is amiss.

There are no shortage of resources to find exceptional voices including: Women in Sales, Women in Revenue, Women Sales Experts.....as well as Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance

And I'm pumped to share directory space with so many women featured in this directory powered by RaizUp

PS. Who here is with me to amplify the message - more Panels filled with Women - or at least equal representation?

👋Feel free to drop your name if you are also included in the directory so we can celebrate you!

Converted - hands down, the best bed ever. 

As I sit here digging deep to write this post, I’m perched literally inside of what I’m now referring to as the best hotel bed ever - at the The Westin Boston Seaport District that Heavenly Bed. 

IYKYK

My legs are screaming - and I’m saying what the sign in my house says “shut up legs”. See my elf on the shelf - my husband propped it up on his bike statue right next to the sign we read aloud often. 

Shut up legs. 

It’s a reminder to push yourself past your comfort zone. 

When things get tough, growth happens. 

My legs are on fire because I stood training today from 8 am until 4:30, with a reception that followed until 7. 

And mid training today, I was faced with a first……LinkedIn made a lil switch-a-roo about 5/6 days ago and I didn’t notice it until I went to train on the thing.

There I was - mid class talking about prospecting and how to find people - in a bit of a panic. Where did the button go???

Why has this changed?

I had to tell the inner voice - “shut up - you are fine - you can pivot and work through it. You can learn right along with the class”.

And so we did. 

We learned what happened to the button - why some of us have the new version and others don’t yet - and the change to the filters. 

Day 3 sharing about the elf on the shelf and relating it to sales - because I can. 

But am I now also not Hilton loyal? Am I a Westin convert??? This bed!!!!

We staged a broken leg for our Elf on the Shelf.

My 6-year-old believed it instantly.

If only sales role play worked that way.

I hear it form sales leaders. “
“Our team dislikes role play”
“Oh, we don’t do role play because the team doesn’t think it’s real”
“Role play doesn’t feel real”

Most reps don’t buy into role play because it doesn’t feel like a real buyer scenario, so they laugh it off and somehow we expect them to “turn it on” when it counts.

Like we don’t put them in game time scenarios yet expect they can pivot and ebb and flow during game time and nail it?

That’s why weightlifters have sore muscles - they practice in real time. 

You want real improvement?
Get the game-time reps in

I use Gap Up and AI Keenan. (Yes, Keenan . )

At anytime I dial up real personas.

I’m blind to the scenario until they get on the call. (Talk about first call jitters)

No warning. No prep. It’s in the moment. 

The only ace in my pocket is I know the 6 problems I solve for. 

Then, after I’m humbled with my attempts at any part of discovery (can do it all or parts), I can call, message or go 1:1 with Keenan to strategize and coach me, individually. 

Not generic 
Based on my own blind spots 

Now imagine doing that with actual deals. Same concept. And he helps. Uploading calls, my blind spots and disco holes and set a plan for deal velocity. 

That’s what I did recently to help me close a six figure deal. I loaded up my ai coach and we got to work.

It’s the best kept secret and for all you sellers out there with your learning stipend that you haven’t used - wish you had a coach or someone you could ping at anytime to help close a deal - take it for a 7 day test drive for free. 🆓 linky in comments. 

*And for teams. Yes, we have this for a team.

Ps. Day 2 of posting my elf on the shelf and relating it to sales because this is what it’s come to….

And then I'll shut up.....

I uttered those words on a recent podcast and wouldn't you know that's the clip I'm sharing here.

You've probably heard of the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve? It's when you learn something, but don't apply or use it so within 7 days it goes away. Most of my career that's how I was trained - in one ear and out the other - because who had the time to apply it?

Now, we have social media. We have dopomine hits. We have methodologies and trainers and coaches ON STAFF - who are there to help with reinforcement and retention so we see that uplift, behavior change and metrics move.

So we stay memorable
So we drive pipeline

Filmed this while sick - but what a great start to that day when I get an inbound that started with....."I've seen your content".

That is what Cory Falter, Susan Tucker and Nicole Quessenberry and I chatted about on: The Buzz, the Burn, and the Bounce-Back: Hotel Sales Lessons from 2025 - the latest InnSync Podcast.

Snag the full episode here: www.lureagency.com/blog

PS. The real truth is, no, I will not shut up - I have too much to say and hospitality sellers are in for a banger of a year!

Sprinkles parked himself in front of our Christmas cactus this morning almost like she was waiting for it to bloom.

Honestly, same. We’ve had this thing for two years and keep thinking, “Maybe this is the year.” (It never has bloomed).

That’s straight hopium.

But here’s the difference:
I don’t treat my pipeline that way. It’s a running joke in sales. “Pipeline built on hopium” - then everyone laughs.

Today, while training for Aimbridge Hospitality we had groups build a strategy on how they’d go find $100k of business, proactively. 

Not hopium - actually strategy. 

My cactus?
Me and Sprinkles will still hope.

Day 4 of relating the Elf On The Shelf to sales. What a challenge I gave myself.

Here’s a tiny change that drives a big outcome...

Getting the buyer to reflect.

It's that lightbulb moment. And I laugh, because when I first started my LinkedIn journey - like really going all in - six ish years ago - my background was 5 lightbulbs. I used to pride myself when sellers had that lightbulb moment. When something clicked and they reflected and went....ah, I get it now.

Same thing we coach sellers to do - only this time - it's to get their buyer to reflect and get that lightbulb moment. But, the rub - we have to work with our team to EARN that buyer's moment.

Buyers only reflect when you point them to something they haven't thought of or inspected before - or inspected in the way that you showed them.

In a few recent examples, my wording was:

What I asked:
Curious - I've heard you say a few times the team offers discounts or incentives to secure business. Let's go back to Jan 2025. If you reflect over this past year and add up everything your team did to buy that business, how much was it?

Why it made them reflect:
They were looking at things quarter to quarter, not for the year. Now realizing WOAH - $2M for the year in incentives to buy business...that's a problem.

Another example...

What I asked:
Do you still believe ‘need’ should be your main qualification criteria?

Why it made them reflect:
They’d built an entire framework around “need.” That question forced them to zoom out and realize: we’re qualifying on what buyers say they want, not on the problems they actually have.

If you want to coach your team to create reflection, here’s the one move that works every time:

Ask them: “What did the buyer realize on that call?”
Not what they the rep realized
But that the buyer realized

Many reps can't answer it. So this may help: "what question could you have asked that would have made them stop and think?

Everyone makes it look easy.
Many are doing it.
How hard could it be?

There’s a book. People swear by it.
In theory, it explains the entire process the why, the how, the rules.

But nowhere in there is the coach.
Nowhere is the team.
No real-time guidance.
Just… “here’s the system, good luck.”

And the noise? My gosh, the noise.

A million people offering a million suggestions. Facebook groups. Endless posts. Experts everywhere.
Courses. Tips. Tools.
Everyone promising the “right way.”

And honestly, it’s tough.
Getting a win this time of year feels near impossible. Hope screens in. Metrics fly out. 
Gut feelings are gone off of. Rules start bending. 
You throw out years of training and process to survive the moment.

Is that a strategy?
No.
But when the days are numbered, and the pressure’s on, it’s what most people do.

And that doubt starts creeping in:

Am I even doing this right?
Do I follow this person’s or that one?
Which approach actually moves things forward?
What if I forget everything overnight?
Did I already do or say that? I didn’t put it in the CRM. 
We have no notes on this!!!!
What if the boss notices?
The boss always notices.
They inspect everything.
And the pressure… so much relies on getting it right, every single day.

If this sounds like sales…it is. Especially this month. 
Until it isn’t.

Because this is satire about today - this morning of Night One.

And all of this?

Wasn’t about discovery calls or deal strategy. Save that for our teams. 

It was about the arrival of Sprinkles our Elf on the Shelf. Marking the official start of the 24-night sprint every parent knows all too well.

To all the parents who were quietly cursing under their breath last night… we’re in this together. All 24 nights of it.

PS. Thought leadership is great. Sales content is great. But sometimes? We just want to know someone else is juggling Q4, year-end deals, and a tiny magical creature who now owns our December. So for the next 24 nights: I’ll share a little sales, a little elf, a little humanity because honestly, we could all use the lift (or maybe it’s just me).

And also, ditch the weather small talk on discovery calls - like let’s talk Elf ideas. 

What’s your elf’s name?

Ps. I hope Sprinkles doesn’t fall.

Day 5. And yes… it is an elf post. Just not the kind you’d expect.

Tonight isn’t about Sprinkles getting into mischief or making a sales analogy. I’m tapped out. 

It’s about the stuff this season is actually made of…..traditions.

I’ve been traveling all week for work and ended up gone longer than planned, which means more days away from my little one. So when I walked in tonight and saw the Bucee’s ornament, and Spinkpes hanging out near it, it stopped me.

We picked that up on a 15-hour drive to Texas three years ago: diapers, road snacks, chaos…..and every year, like my mom did for us, I get each kid an ornament that marks a memory or a moment. So all the kids have this same org ament packed away with the date. 

Ten years in, the older two already have 35+ each waiting for their own trees someday. By adulthood? Probably 60–75. Their entire holiday childhood in a box.

And yes, I can still hear my mom saying, “You can always add 100 more.” We’d decorate as a kid and spend hours and she’d say….”100 more”.

These these tiny traditions matter. The trump always talking about sales. They humanize many of us. 

The force is to slow down-to refeleft. 

As each or ament tells a story. And the stories are what really matter. 

Here’s to a magical Friday night making memories - looking at lights and snow…… 

Pipeline will be there Monday.

This CISO just gave your sellers the keys to the kingdom.

I hear:

Our team can’t get into the CSuite
Reps get stuck at almonds or gatekeepers 
We can’t seem to get to Decision Makers 

This CISO dropped a value bomb. 

On why he won’t answer his cell, and what it takes to actually get him to engage with a salesperson.

When you drop the product / service talk, and show up leading with problems, a hypothesis and what you solve that matters to him and his company then how your solution helps with that. 

Sounds simple, except once again, two calls in today started with “our team leads with product and we can’t generate pipeline”.

Happy to share his whole post if anyone wants to see it. 

Chef’s kiss to him.

Black Friday is great - or is it absolutely awful for what it does?

Creates this behavior that if you ask a seller for a discount, you'll get it.

Here's a newsflash. I don't discount. Nope. It's not in our DNA at A Sales Growth Company. RARE...can count on one hand an inclusion. Why? Because we do such in depth discovery, and uncover what prospects are trying to solve for, we find their COI (cost of inaction) and actually have a leg to stand on when I get a pricing objection or an ask for a discount.

Usually my response is in the form of (shocker - more questions):

Help me understand..... (is this rooted in the belief that this won't solve their problem, they don't think that it will work - or often, this is just the biggest investment they have made (so confidence)....

I'm confused (then use all the info I got about problems, impacts and root causes) to bring up their environment and ask about the ask.....

So today, when I was asked not once, but twice about a discount for our e-commerce online training, I chuckled. 

Because without any discovery, I cannot with confidence, say that what they are looking at will even SOLVE their problems. 

If I don’t know what you’re trying to solve, I can’t recommend anything.

So I didn't. I lead with. "Help me understand....."

Consumers can have their Black Friday deals.
B2B sellers don’t need to act like Best Buy on Friday.

4 days until end of month - is your team acting like a cyber special, or are they digging their heels in to go back into discovery to use the information they learned to understand MORE and get the buyer to reflect?

And yes, that may mean you could lose a deal. But 100% it may also mean your team drives ACV and recommends a whole suite of services to a customer to actually solve problems.

PS. I realize this is like 5PM the night before Thanksgiving. I smell like onions - I can't get the smell out of my nose - it's infiltrated my clothing - and I may be the only person in the US who doesn't like Thanksgiving food at all. :)

Sunday nights. 

US holiday week is behind us, with a new month starting tomorrow. 

So many’s sellers and leadership are sweating that quota attainment. Year end push. Go go go. 

There are only a few industries I know that absolutely crush it this time of year - most get a “January” push off. 

But as I laid in my parent’s house (an old farm house that’s 150 years old) last week listening to the 50 mph winds shake the house, I realized……breathe.

In and out. 
Repeat
In and out. 

Perhaps you’ve taken the last 6 days off of LinkedIn (ahem) and the guilt has built up

Perhaps you have been sick and dealing with massive anxiety and can’t seem to find clam. 

Perhaps the pressure you put on yourself is just silly. 

Breathe in and out. 

For most of us, this is a journey - not a sprint. 

There is a whole world who doesn’t know what sales is or an sdr or cold call or kpis.

There are people without social media who thrive and are living their best life. 

A hack for me has been to move the Facebook app and the IG app to the end screen of my phone. I forget about them - they are hard to find. Less social media = the more I’m forced to focus on things that matter. 
 
So if you need a lil - “I see you, it’s all tough, and here’s a virtual sales hug” - 🤗- here you go. 

Pass it on.

If we offered prospects free snacks the way companies bribe people to RTO, would sellers close more?



Just curious. 






Ps. Day 8 of posting about this dang elf and relating it to sales because in one of my classes this past week, I said - you literally can make content out of anything. So here I am leading from the front at 9:13 pm after finishing my call recaps to clients.

Remember that game as a kid where you put a cone on your head and try to run in a straight line? It never was straight.

I kinda think some teams are doing this and thinking they will fix what's happening.

Here's what I've been observing:

This week alone on calls:
Not hitting numbers (like any) → “Oh, COO is building a new coaching tool.” (say what - your team opens every single call with a product pitch - shifting THAT is where to start - not coaching them to do more of that?)

Haven't closed a deal in 2 months → “We’re rolling out internal objection-handling training.” (it's not the objections - it's what's happening way before that)

2 Sellers out of 19 are carrying the team for Quota → AEs open with a company history deck because “the CEO mandates it.” (your buyer's are rolling their eyes- they literally don't care about your product or history).

Buyers are screaming that they want you to help them solve their problems, and the solution is not, more you. It's more them.

One way you can immediately help your team shift?

Uncover what you solve for. At the business level.

Gain alignment around that.

GO through the painful exercise of that.

Put the product on the shelf and get into the actual problems your business solves for THEM.

It's the #1 place we start with every single customer and 10/10 times - they all say: WOW....we should have done this years ago - gain alignment on what we actually solve for (the business problems).

**No - chatgpt can't do this exercise - it sucks at it.

99.99% it makes all of the above go away and sets you on a straight line to better performance.

PS. I will take throwing up over being dizzy any day of the week. Am I alone here?

Is performance actually a tooling issue… or a skill issue?

A question many in sales leadership are toying with. 

Just peek at their wish list......SANTA - what’s really driving revenue growth as we head into 2026? 🎅

On Thurs, Dec 11 from 2–3pm ET, we (Keenan . and myself) are hosting a small, invite-only roundtable with Greg Leos GM and Head of Payments at Weave (NYSE: WEAV), along with a handful of CEOs, CROs, and senior growth leaders from across the US to dig into exactly that.

Nothing formal. NO DECKS. No pitch....Just an honest conversation around:
• How leaders are balancing investment in AI/tooling with stronger problem-centric rep skills

 • What’s actually moving the needle: skilled discovery, manager-led coaching, or tech?

 • How to turn tools + training into a real GTM performance system, not a pile of disconnected parts

 • Peer comparison on what’s actually working inside their orgs

We’re keeping the group tight so everyone can talk, not just listen. Yes, this is a peer to peer discussion.

If you want a seat at the table, here’s where to grab it:
https://lnkd.in/gxXp_UFd

PS. Attendance is really limited to keep the group small and intimate.

2 fers in sales 

We love them as consumers 

Dave’s killer bread buns - $6.99 for 8, or 2 for 1. 

Adds to cart ✅

Buy one get one 
I’m now the proud owner of 24 clementines thanks to King Soopers BOGO yesterday. 

Sales - 2 fers exist - 

One call, two outcomes:

A good discovery call should both qualify and disqualify.

(But many reps only treat it as a qualifying move)

DQ’ing early is a gift to your pipeline

One question during disviery, two levels of data:

A single well-placed question that gets a 2 fer -  “Walk me through that”…

Uncovers: 

- surface facts (we call that current state info)

- root causes ;what is causing the biz problem)

So lucky me when this weekend was Dec 6th and 7th - I got a 2 fer. One post - covers two days and a 2 for 1 - me not having to move the elf for two days. 

Got to love a good two-fer.

Ps. Day 6 and 7 of posting about
The elf and relating it to sales…..also, who knew my first grader would be using “6-7”. IYKYK.

One meeting booked - “that was so easy”

Straight from the mouth of a 25 year seller.

We asked 20 sellers to join us on a six week journey to test out the foundational concepts of Sales on Tap  to see if we were on to something. 

Week after week we were met with:

“No one has taught us this before”
“Wow, I didn’t realize you could do that for prospecting”
“Love how accessible you are to answer our questions”
“This is so helpful for my role”.


Mousumi Johnson from Benchmark’s GSO team had an immediate win. 

She jumped into Sales on Tap and came out with real, modern firepower.

She didn’t “take a class.”
She got visible.
She got intentional.
And she got results.

➝ Learned how to actually use LinkedIn
➝ Found the right planners in her backyard
➝ Booked a meeting from simple, consistent outreach
➝ Built confidence showing up online - daily, not someday

That’s why Sales on Tap works and this concept is different than what’s out there. 

Fun, bite sized, in the trenches with sellers - always on. 

It gives sellers the tools to build pipeline without burning out and feeling like they on an island.

The doors are open. The quick start is free to everyone - and opens for teams soon (so management companies with a team of sellers - think the cost of a few networking events that covers a seller FOR THE YEAR) with live, weekly training, in depth modules and a robust prompt library to help with prospecting. 

🎥 Watch her story. Then decide if you’re ready to sell like it’s today—not yesterday.

Doors are now open, join for FREE: https://bit.ly/47YRxVS

So yeah, today is the soft launch. 🔥

Ever notice how everything sounds the same when you’re not looking for it?

This morning my kid ran over to show me our elf… sitting in the middle of a sea of old music boxes.

To them, it was magical.
Me - acting surprised and relating it to sales.

When everything looks the same and plays the same tune, how do you choose?

That’s the exact trap sellers fall into when they double down on leading with product. Many of the calls I have with leadership - I uncover that their team preprint sells. 

Many products / services are similar.

The problem is when sellers rely on the product to do the differentiating.

You stand out by helping the buyer see what’s going on in their world:
-the problems they actually have at the business level 
-the impact of those problems
-and the root causes no one else is diagnosing

Buyers don’t pick the prettiest box. 

They pick the seller who helped them understand their situation more clearly than anyone else.

Let’s create more of those sellers!!

And these music boxes?

I’ve had them since childhood… and rarely play them. Yikes! 

Exactly what happens when you sell features buyers never needed.

Ps. Day 9, digging deep posting about this elf and relating it to sales. It’s not landing 😂

Caption this - although, tie it to sales. 



- Day 11 of posting about the elf and relating it to sales and I’m not sure I can make it to 24 days. 

The worst performing posts….my elf series. 😂

If LI shows this to you after dark, drop a sales related caprion if you are game….

taplio

Celeste Berke Knisely, MTA's Linkedin Analytics