Keith Laughner

Invoca

Director of Sales Development

Digital Divide Data (DDD Kenya)

Outbound sales process design, message & system development.

Strategic Advisor

Sama

Built and scaled the global outbound SDR motion where I developed scalable and repeatable processes, implemented playbooks, talk tracks, skills matrix,' and an objective hiring process.

During my time, I was able to improve meetings set by 916%, sales qualified opportunities by 450%, and SDR pipeline generation by 1,500%

TigerGraph

Led the US SDR team for TigerGraph where my focus was on hiring, process, improving efficiencies, implementing metrics & reporting, coaching, mentoring, and preparing SDRs for promotion into sales, marketing, CS, engineering, etc. In 6-months I improved meetings set by +329%, completed meetings by +330%, and meetings converted to the funnel by +317%.

Manager of Sales Development

Led a team of 30+ SDRs that managed large enterprise companies, launching the team's first data analyst group to improve efficiency and streamline communication. I built playbooks and talk tracks that increased SDR productivity by over 60% during the pandemic despite a remote environment & a reduction in force.

Manager, Sales Development

Team Lead, Enterprise Sales Development 

Strategic Account, Enterprise Sales Development

Tapjoy

Account Executive, Mobile Ads

FTI Services

Account Executive, Network Managed Services

United States Marine Corps

Infantry, Scout Sniper/ Combat Swimmer 🎖️

I simplify the sales process | FOLLOW for tips & tricks

Some of the best advice I've ever received and continue to pass along to the people I work with is, "figure out what you love, and then find a way to get paid for it." Since I can ever remember, I've always gravitated towards and been fascinated by coaching and building teams - I legitimately love watching someone become successful by implementing a skill that I taught them. 

I've been fortunate enough to "get paid for what I love" by building teams across the startup world since 2015. I'm most proud of doing so from scratch, where I can take an environment with minimal momentum and hire smart people, implement scalable processes, train, coach, and watch these teams excel in their space. I've helped multiple companies improve all of their productivity metrics by well over 300%, and I don't see myself letting down anytime soon - did I mention that I love this stuff :)

If you'd like to drive more pipeline and close more business this year, here are ways I can help:

→ Playbook design 
→ Talk track creation
→ Hiring processes that will ensure you're hiring  top performers over-and-over
→ Group Coaching
→ 1:1 Coaching
→ Send me a message to work together!

Phone: 805.729.3105
Email: keith@kmlsales.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laughnerkeith

I'm hiring. 

5 must-have characteristics you'll need to do well in our system:

① - Clock Speed:

AKA, you need to be able to handle objections and adjust on the fly. 

I highly, highly subscribe to human, real-life conversations. So, if you're scared to get on the phone, please do not apply. 

You will be given a tried and true framework to get you on your way, but to be truly successful, you must be obsessive about finding your voice and understanding your prospects' universe. 

I promise I will lead you to water. I can't make you drink it. That's up to you.

② - Curiosity

You'll struggle or fail if you come to training to check the box. 

It's up to you to have a curious mind. I can't teach you that. 

You can't pass the mid-term just by coming to class. You'll need to go deeper on your own. 

Nobody cares about your success more than you do.

Own it.

③ - Accountability

I will not micro-manage you. I don't have time for that. 

I'll teach you everything I know (don't know if that's good or bad), but if I care about you hitting your goals more than you do, this won't be a very long relationship. 

④ - Grit

Sales is HARD. Let's not sugarcoat this. 

Are you WILLING to put in the grind day in and day out? 

Many people are capable of being great, but far fewer are WILLING to do what it takes. 

I want people who are willing.

⑤ - Likeability

Quite simply, don't be an asshole.

I can let a lot slide, but the one thing I will not tolerate is someone spreading negativity throughout the team. 

I don't care if you're the greatest seller in the history of sellerdom; if you're an asshole, your effect will be net negative, and you won't be here.

You'll have individual goals, but this is a team. A championship team at that.

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Happy Selling!

P.S. - Link in the comments 👇

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Keith M. Laughner

Director of Sales Development @ Invoca | I simplify the sales process | FOLLOW for tips & tricks

I used to obsess over chasing my next opportunity.

It was draining and killed my focus. 

But at some point, I realized the value of appreciating where I'm at.

If you find a company where:

→ You’re paid fairly
→ You’re learning & growing
→ You like the people you work with

Stay.

If one is missing, you can usually be ok.

BUT, 

If two are missing, you HAVE to bounce.

Companies that meet these criteria are rare. 

DO NOT take it for granted.

Happy Selling!

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Amateur: "I send 50 emails a day"

Intermediate: "I send 50 emails AND make 50 calls."

Advanced: "I send 50 emails AND make 50 calls, AND leave VMs"

Expert: "I send 50 emails AND make 50 calls, AND leave VMs, AND send videos to everyone I spoke with, AND engage prospects on social."

The reality:

Hitting your goals requires way more than relying on one type of outreach. 

It requires you to be a 5-tool player (Call, Email, Social, Video, Text).

Happy Selling!

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It’s impossible to hit your quota today.

Instead, here's what's achievable today:

- You can send 20 connection requests with a note to build familiarity.
- Make a call with a VM referring folks to your connection request.
- Send an email with a P.S. referring to your VM & connection request.
- You can send a personalized video to a prospect to put a face to a name.

It’ll only take you a few hours.

However, in a week you’ll have:

- familiarity with prospects.
- multiple touchpoints and content to point to.
- potential customers ready to convert.

Don’t say:
"I want to hit my quota today."

Instead, say:

"I want to invest time in my prospects today."

Focus on the reps, not the results.

When you commit to the process, the scoreboard becomes a formality.

Happy Selling! 

P.S. Try to get your "NOs" in today. You'll find at least a few yeses mixed in.

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90% of the objections you'll ever face, will happen tomorrow:

(Yes, really)

And Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday.

If you're not preparing your responses, scripting out, and practicing, routine objections like:

- Not interested
- Send me an email
- We have something in place

Then how do you plan to handle the other 10% when it's presented to you? 

Gold glove shortstops, actors, teachers, coaches, etc... script out routine things and practice them so much that they become, well, routine.

"I don't want to sound like a robot"

You won't.

Scripts make you prepared. 

And proper preparation prevents poor performance.

- Listen to your calls
- List out the most common objections
- Write a response to all of them
- Practice A LOT

So tell me. Why haven't you done this yet? 

Happy Selling!

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I DID NOT want to go to the gym this morning. Literally, not at all. 

I woke up and the first thing I thought was "Nope, ain't happening."

But then... my pal, Daniel Dubinsky popped into my head and asked me "Is today special." 

Me: It's kinda chilly out, does that qualify as "special? 

I knew the answer right away.

To me the grind is sacred. 

I know that my routine sets me up to be productive whether at work or in my personal life - it's always in my best interest to do it, even when I don't want to.

So, I urge everyone to NOT make their bed, hit the gym, eat healthy, make that one last call for the day, etc - you need to do you.

Just make sure that today is all the way special and you're willing to deal with the consequences of letting your guard down on your discipline.

Let's have a big week. 

Happy Selling!

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Nobody will ever care about your success more than you do.

(And that’s a good thing)

Because it means you’re in control:

→ Try new things.
→ Learn constantly.
→ Talk to as many people as possible.

Take full ownership of your path.

If you want something, it’s up to YOU to make it happen.

Go get it.

Happy Selling!

P.S. - What’s one action you’re taking today to get closer to your goals?

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AI isn't going to take your job. It's going to help you hit your quota.

(Finally)

80% of your time in sales is spent on non-money-making activity.

The good news: Your quota goes up every year 🙄

You're stretched too thin and never spend time doing what you're hired to do: Sell.

And because of this, countless things fall through the cracks. 

If you don't have time to make calls, prospect, or follow up, you have no pipe. 

And when you have no pipe, you fail.

So what can we do? 

Embrace AI. It's your assistant, not your replacement. 

AI doesn't take jobs. It eliminates inefficiency.

Freeing you up to actually focus on money-making activities. 

Here are 5 tools that will make AI work for you, not against you:

(You've probably never heard of these)

1). Gamma.app

Transform proposals, presentations, and slide decks into compelling narratives.

2). Fathom.video

Captures and organizes your meeting insights, allowing you to focus on the conversation instead of note-taking.

3). Magical AI

From data entry to email responses. Magical saves you time and effort, letting focus on money-making activity. 

4). Scribe AI

Generates clear, detailed documentation in seconds, making it easy to share processes and train others without extra work. 

5). Tome.app

Helps you craft presentations that feel like engaging narratives and capture your audience's attention effortlessly. 

Happy Selling!

P.S. - What’s one task you wish AI could handle for you? Drop it in the comments! 👇

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3 Tips to help you develop more grit by Monday:

I've been in some VERY stressful sales environments. 

We're talking:

- Super manual processes 
- No niche or real market fit
- Insanely unrealistic goals
- Zero alignment from sales development, sales, and marketing

It can be crazy overwhelming.

BUT...

If you have some real grit, you can be successful in less-than-favorable situations.

Happy Selling! 

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Grit.pdf

Stories book meetings & close deals.

So, stop:

→ Using generic, "me" centric scripts.
→ Talking about your features and benefits (nobody cares).
→ Sleeping on the opportunity to make things personal.

Here’s what I’ve learned coaching top-performing sellers:

→ Stories make your pitch unique bc you're saying things your competitors can't say.
→ Stories make you relatable.
→ Stories create trust. Your prospect sees you as a peer instead of a telemarketer.

The biggest mistake?

Saying the exact same tired things your competitors are saying.

I’ve watched countless sales folk struggle because of this.

Your biggest opportunity in 2025?

Use stories.

Want to learn how to use storytelling to book more meetings? Check out my FREE guide in the comments.

You won't be successful selling features. You will be by telling great stories. 

Happy Selling! 

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I don't care if it's the little leagues or the major leagues; a fastball is still a fastball. 

The speed of the pitch varies, but if you can hit, you can hit.

A great hitter will always find a way to adjust and continue to do so. 

What does this have to do with sales? 

1️⃣ - SDR moving from mid-market to enterprise

Companies might be a little bigger, and things might take a little longer, but a call is still a call, email is still email, and social is still social - You'll adjust.

2️⃣ - SDR moving from Sr. SDR to Account Executive

You already have experience with closing (meetings). The deal cycles are longer; you take a few more calls, learn more things, jump through a few more hoops, etc.

(I'd actually argue that closing a cold prospect is quite a bit harder at times). 

BUT

Closing is still closing - you'll adjust.

3️⃣ - Sales/ SDR Manager moving to Director

You already have experience managing people. Now, you're managing managers, who, the last time I checked, are people - you'll adjust.

SO

If you're in #sales, have been promoted, are looking for an upgrade in responsibility, and are struggling with imposter syndrome.

KNOW THIS

If you can hit, you can hit, and all you need to do now is adjust to the game's speed, which you inevitably will. 

And if you're #hiring and you find a good hitter, it's in your best interest to get them into your lineup. 

When I set a lineup, I want good hitters from top to bottom. I don't care if they're rookies or veterans; I'll get them in my lineup. 

DO NOT get cheated out there. 

Happy Selling!

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Sales Leader: Hey, you seem to be crushing it right now. What are you doing to get these results?

Salesperson: I mean, nothing crazy. I'm just consistent with my outreach.

Sales Leader: That's it?

Salesperson: I mean, yeah... I'm sticking to the frameworks and showing up every day.

Sales Leader: Huh, interesting.

There is nothing mystical about getting results in sales. 

It all comes down to 3 things: 

1). A perfect list
2). Perfect data on said list (mobile, email, LI URL).
3). Staying blended in your outreach and executing day in and day out no matter what. 

Let's not overthink this, my friends.

Happy Selling!

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Do not get cheated out there, my friends.

Happy Selling!

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5 Books That Will Teach You More About Business Than Any Overpriced MBA Ever Could:

(#4 is my favorite)

5 Book That will Teach Your More About Business Than any Overpriced MBA Ever Could.pdf

Bad account prioritization is killing your pipeline.

The biggest mistake companies make?

Using flimsy ICP criteria that’s: 
↳ too broad
↳ vague
↳ based on a “gut feeling.”

At first, it seems like casting a wide net will bring in more meetings: "We closed some deals in this industry. They're all a good fit."

But guess what? It doesn’t.

When your ICP isn’t ridiculously clear, SDRs:
↳ Waste time working accounts that will never buy.
↳ Burn out from working harder, not smarter.
↳ Miss out on accounts that do want to buy.

And because of this, your team spins its wheels:
↳ More activity, less pipeline.
↳ More frustration, fewer wins.

Instead, here’s how to pinpoint the right accounts:

1). Analyze closed-won deals.

What patterns do you see? 
↳ Industries and company size 
↳ Decision-maker personas
↳ Buying triggers
↳ Deal velocity.

2). Focus on intent signals.

Who’s actively searching for solutions in your category? 

Use tools that track website visits, content downloads, or competitor research to prioritize the accounts already in-market.

3). Use engagement data.

Which accounts are interacting with your brand? 

Track email opens, clicks, LinkedIn engagement, to find interest.

4). Prioritize by revenue potential.

Which accounts have the need, budget, and urgency to buy? Align outreach to the accounts that offer the biggest ROI.

5). Combine firmographics with behavior.

It’s not just about industry or company size. Layer in real-time activity to prioritize the accounts that are showing actual buying intent.

Double down on those patterns.

6). Refine over time.

Your ICP isn’t static. Revisit to reflect market changes and deal insights.

Everyone knows the saying: "Try to sell to everyone, ultimately close no one."

If you're involved with identifying ICP in your company, don't be lazy. 

Do the work up front. It sucks really, really bad.

But, if you focus, you can have it done in under a week.

You owe it to your top-of-funnel teams to give them a crystal-clear north star.

Don't wing it.

A perfect list gets you a minimum of 50% of the way there.

The rest is process & messaging. 

Happy Selling!

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80% of startups fail because they build something no one wants.

The same thing happens in sales when we create content no one sees.

Prevalidate before you build:
↳ a product
↳ a video
↳ a hyper-personalized email.

It's insane to me to see how much time sellers waste on work that doesn’t do anything for them.

The consequence? 
↳ burnout
↳ low morale
↳ missed targets

When you spend time creating without knowing if it will land, you’re winging it with your most valuable commodity: time.

Ain't nobody down for that.

Instead, prevalidate

Here’s a 4-step playbook to test your ideas before investing time:

Step 1: Send a Short Message

Before making a video or some hyper-personalized email, send a quick, relevant message. 

Example: “I noticed [specific insight about their company]. Would it be helpful if I shared a short video with an idea I think could help?”

Step 2: Look for Micro-Responses

Track replies or engagement. If you get a “Yes” or positive curiosity, that’s your green light to create. If there’s silence, refine your message or idea.

Step 3: Build a Minimal Version

Instead of a polished 3-minute video, make a quick 30-second version. 

Share it with prospects or peers for feedback and iterate based on what lands.

Step 4: Measure, Then Scale

Once you get proof (positive responses, meetings, or feedback), invest the time to create the polished video or sequence and roll it out at scale.

Take one hour to run through this playbook on your next idea. 

You'll spend far less time "hoping" something sticks and more time on money-making activity.

Happy Selling!

P.S. -  Need help applying this strategy to your outreach? I’m offering FREE 1:1 sessions over the break to walk through your next idea and prevalidate it together. 

Drop a “Let’s do the dang thang” in the comments or DM me directly!

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From struggling to find direction after the Marines to building high-performing teams driven by relentless execution, my journey as a leader has been nothing short of transformative.

I’ve experienced firsthand how clear principles and discipline can turn chaos into results.

Here are 10 leadership lessons from Phil Knight that build championship teams (that can help you too):

FOLLOW Keith M. Laughner for more. 

[IMAGE CREDIT: Kody Nordquist on X]

BREAKING: ChatGPT Canvas is live.

(You might not need Google Docs, Notion, or half your other tools anymore.)

Here’s how to try it out:

1). Open ChatGPT and ask for a canvas.
2). Pick what you want to create: sales playbooks, training guides, or even code.
3). Start drafting. Edit. Refine. All in one place.

Here’s why it stands out:

→ Everything stays in one workspace. No tabs, no clutter.
→ You can edit at scale: bulk updates or precise tweaks.
→ Built for teams: feedback and iteration made simple.
→ It’s even optimized for code with syntax highlighting.

It’s a tool that simplifies how we work, collaborate, and get sh*t done.

What else is happening:

1. OpenAI launched Search for real-time data.
2. Google is moving fast with Gemini’s multimodal AI.
3. Notion AI keeps doubling down on automation.
4. And now ChatGPT is making its move.

In just a few months, OpenAI:
↳ Rolled out Canvases to streamline content creation.
↳ Introduced Search to give you instant web results.
↳ Made collaboration inside AI as seamless as outside.

Remember: Those who use AI will far outperform those who don't.

If you don't believe that or aren't using this stuff, I got nothing for ya.

Happy Selling!

P.S. - Have you tried this? Let me know what you've built in the comments.

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7 Reasons Why Thanksgiving is the Best Holiday:

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