Sales Methodologies

I love MEDDIC, it's been the guiding principle for how I've closed millions in Enterprise SaaS over the past 12 years. Not for the reasons you think though. MEDDIC can be very seller first if you don't use it properly. It's not just about filling out fields in Salesforce...it's about firing up your champions/buying committee to take action. Metrics Old lens: “Quantify the economic impact of your solution.” Buyer first lens: Co create measurable outcomes that matter to the buyer. Ask: “What would success look like for you six months after implementation?” Purpose: Show you care about their scoreboard, not your quota. E Empowered Champion Old lens: “Find the internal advocate who sells for you.” Buyer first lens: Empower an internal leader to create change with confidence. Ask: “Who feels the most ownership of solving this problem internally?” Purpose: Make them the hero of the story, not your mouthpiece. D Decision Criteria Old lens: “Understand how they’ll choose a vendor.” Buyer first lens: Clarify what matters most to them and why, then design around it. Ask: “When you’ve made great decisions in the past, what made them great?” Purpose: Align to their values, not your feature list. D Decision Process Old lens: “Map the approval steps to close faster.” Buyer first lens: Guide them through a friction-free buying journey that protects their time and reputation. Ask: “What’s the smoothest way to get this evaluated without adding noise internally?” Purpose: Be their internal project manager, not a pushy seller. I Identified Pain Old lens: “Uncover pain to create urgency.” Buyer first lens: Understand the human and business cost of the status quo. Ask: “What happens if nothing changes and who feels that most?” Purpose: Build empathy and shared motivation to act. C Champion Old lens: “Build and maintain a strong internal ally.” Buyer first lens: Develop mutual accountability with your internal partner. Ask: “How can I make you look good internally as we do this together?” Purpose: Shift from extraction to collaboration. TLDR...make it about them and not about you or your forecast and watch the magic happen Thoughts? #sales

How to sell (without feeling salesy): First, understand the Ethical Wealth Formula: (Value First × Trust Building) × Authentic Positioning  ———————————————————  Frequency of Asks × Pressure Tactics This isn't abstract theory. It's practical math: • Increase the numerator: deliver more value, build more trust, position more authentically • Decrease the denominator: reduce frequency of asks, eliminate pressure tactics • Watch revenue soar while your integrity remains intact Ethical doesn't mean unprofitable. It means sustainable. Principle 1: Value-First Monetization The approach that generates $864,000 monthly without a single "hard sell": • Deliver so much value upfront that buying feels like the obvious next step • Create free content so good people say "If this is free, imagine what's paid" • Solve small problems for free, big transformational problems for a fee Give until it feels slightly uncomfortable. Then give a little more. Principle 2: Trust Through Consistency I've never missed weekly content in 3 years, through vacations, illnesses, market crashes. The trust-building machine that works while you sleep: • Show up reliably when competitors disappear during tough times • Do what you promise, when you promise it • Maintain quality across every touchpoint One founder implemented this and saw conversions increase 74% in 30 days, without changing offer or price. Trust isn't built in grand gestures. It's built in boring consistency, most won't maintain. Principle 3: Authentic Positioning The approach that helped me raise prices 300% while increasing sales: • Own your expertise unapologetically, confidence is not arrogance • Speak to specific problems you solve, not vague benefits you provide • Tell detailed stories of transformation instead of listing features You don't need to be perfect to sell effectively. You need to be authentic about how you help. Principle 4: Invitation Vs. Manipulation The ethical alternative to high-pressure tactics: • Invite people when they're ready, don't push when you're ready • Create genuine scarcity (limited capacity) not fake urgency (countdown timers) • Respect "no" as "not now" rather than objection to overcome My most profitable sales sequence has zero countdown timers, zero artificial scarcity, zero pressure. Ethical selling feels like extending help, not hunting prey. — Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want to improve your sales strategy? Join our community of 172,000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/eTp4jain

"We're moving forward with another vendor." Every rep's nightmare sentence. I pressed for details. "Their approach felt more open. We actually knew what we were buying into." That stung. I'd shared: ••• Exhaustive feature documentation ••• Dozens of success stories   ••• Complete pricing breakdowns Where'd I go wrong? Days later, I got access to our competitor's sales process. The difference hit instantly: They didn't preach transparency. They lived it. Their follow-up wasn't an email avalanche. It was one collaborative hub where buyers could: ••• Monitor which stakeholders engaged with what ••• See their exact position in the evaluation journey ••• Find materials curated for their unique pain points ••• Manage internal distribution seamlessly My revelation: I was buried in PDFs. They were cultivating partnership. Next prospect, new approach: I built a shared workspace exposing EVERYTHING: → Which team members on our side viewed their data → Critical docs they'd missed → Realistic implementation expectations → Where we excel AND where we don't The buyer's response: "Finally, someone not playing games." Ink on paper in 10 days. Here's what's real: Today's buyers aren't starved for data. They're starved for authenticity. Yesterday's strategy: Bombard with polished assets that sidestep weaknesses. Tomorrow's strategy: Build transparent environments that tackle doubts directly. Your buyers know when something's off. Even when nothing is. Quit running sales like a shell game. Start running it like a glass house. You with me?

Early in my sales career, I took my daughter to a car dealership. She was happily enjoying her ice cream, and the salesman suggested I get a car with leather seats. When I asked, "So what?" he pointed out that it would make cleaning up the ice cream easier. That moment taught me the power of selling through features and benefits. Recently, on a podcast, the host asked whether my sales approach was product-focused or sales-focused. My answer? Neither. I use a buyer-first approach. Here are the three key approaches: 1️⃣ Product Approach: This is all about features and benefits, like the car salesman explaining the practicality of leather seats. 2️⃣ Sales Approach: This involves following a structured sales framework like SPIN Selling or The Challenger Sale. 3️⃣ Buyer-First Approach: This is my preferred method. It's about making deep and wide connections with your clients across their organization, building relationships, and practicing empathetic listening. ➡️ The data supports this approach: - According to Salesforce's State of Sales Report 2022, 87% of buyers expect sellers to act as trusted advisors. - The 2024 report discovered that 59% of business buyers feel sales professionals don't listen to them or truly understand their needs. - Recent insights from LinkedIn’s Deep Sales 2024 Report, revealed that only 17% of professional sellers follow the three habits that lead to success: building relationships, focusing on the right accounts, and immersing themselves in their clients' world. In today's market, a buyer-first approach isn't just effective—it's essential. Prioritizes the needs, preferences, and experiences of the buyer above all else. Share how you are connecting deeply with your clients? Links to learn more: Salesforce State of Sales Report https://lnkd.in/d6zTp2QQ LinkedIn’s Deep Sales 2024 Report. https://lnkd.in/insiders 

After 7 years of navigating sales and leading teams in price-sensitive markets across Southeast Asia, I've broken down my experience into these 10 lessons: 1. Leverage real-world examples: When addressing prospects' questions, anchor your responses in actual experiences with other clients. This illustrates social proof without sounding boastful. 2. Showcase intimate understanding: While discussing your product, be tactical, not theoretical; see #1. Display an in-depth understanding of the problem and the client's workflow. 3. Demonstrate first, ask second: Highlight the efficacy of your solution without pushing clients into an immediate commitment. Consider giving consultations, hosting workshops, delivering event talks, or writing articles. 4. Engage, don't oversell on LinkedIn: Stay active on LinkedIn, but refrain from frequent direct selling. Instead, genuinely engage with prospects' content and assist them. Ideally, they shall approach you first. 5. Outbound sales done right: If reaching out, ensure you a) contact 3 to 4 individuals within target organizations, b) A/B test email content and subjects, and c) follow up 3 to 4 times. Rinse and repeat. 6. Emphasize social proof: Populate your digital channels with client testimonials. Create a prominent “Wall of Love” on your website to host all testimonials and case studies, then distribute these across emails, ads, website, social media, blogs, and onboarding materials. 7. Build a lot of social proof: Consider the following to gather more testimonials: a) Offer to draft them for your client, b) Provide services at a reduced/no cost initially, and c) Incentivize the sales team not just for closing deals but also for acquiring testimonials/case studies. 8. Experience on the ground matters: Invest time in your target markets. Begin pitches by sharing personal anecdotes and what you cherish about that particular country. 9. Optimize commission structures: Continually refine your commission structures. Experiment until you find the sweet spot where the team is incentivized optimally for maximum output. 10. Streamline your deck: All supplementary slides should be in an appendix, displayed only if required. The deck structure I like follows this: a) introduce you and your company b) the as-is state c) why existing solutions are not effective d) requirements for the new world e) your solution f) demo g) social proof h) next steps What have I missed?

The fastest path to traction often leads to the slowest growth. Here’s why… One of the biggest challenges I face working with startups is shifting the mindset from short-term to long-term thinking. And I get it… You face urgencies and feel the pressure. And when you’re desperate for traction, it’s easy to fall into the trap of quick tactics, hoping that something, anything, will work. Devastating. We can call it “the desperation fix”: You waste money on dumb ads and flood inboxes with copy-paste DMs to reach bad-fit prospects. Sounds familiar? Zombie work creates more harm than good: → You burn cash randomly → You confuse customers → You drain your team’s energy → You lose investor confidence → You end up accelerating… but in circles Tactics alone can’t fix the lack of traction. They need to be anchored in something bigger. What you’re missing is a strategy. A compass that guides your direction and decisions. And it takes patience, consistency, and long-term thinking. Here’s what starts to change when you play the long game: → A clear idea of your ideal customers → A differentiated market position you can defend → A plan that guides tactics so they compound over time → Pricing power anchored in higher perceived value → Alignment across product, sales, and marketing You invest time and money wisely. That’s the foundation for sustainable growth. A business running on balance, where tactics fuel momentum and strategy gives direction. Short-term wins matter, yes. But only when they serve the long game. Agree? - - - If you found this post helpful: ❤️ → Give it a like  💬 → Share your thoughts in the comments ♻️ → Repost it to help others 🔔 → Follow me for more insights on brands and strategy

Struggling with cold intros that don't convert?  My client was too, and it made her lose heart. She could get referrals, but thought she couldn't close because she disliked selling herself. Most advice focuses on perfecting the offer. Wrong place to start. You don't need the best offer to close. I've sold $50M deals at Fortune 100s,  and netted $100K in 100 days solo. These are the 11 common mistakes I learned kill referrals, and the fixes that get closes: ❌Talking data only and overloading the audience ✅Be curious. Ask questions. Let them tell you what they need. 💬”What prompted you to want to meet today?” The goal is 40-60% buyer talk-time. ❌Pitching features instead of belief ✅Check their belief in you as the solution they need. 💬”What do you think delivers the biggest unlock for you?” Winning discussions have 28% more buyer questions. ❌Positioning as a general problem solver ✅Be the 32MM drill bit for the 32MM hole they need. 💬”Here is how and where I have solved this before.” Specialists are 2.9X more likely to command $10 K-plus project fees. ❌Skipping urgency ✅Show a loss-or-gain case. 💬”Would you burn another $160K trying to figure this out on your own.” An urgency cue lifts revenue 27% in studies. ❌Not establishing a decision expectation ✅Be clear about your direction. It is fair to set the agenda. 💬”I will ask for a decision by the end of this call.” Calls with a clear expectation have a 70% higher close rate. ❌Believing what you do is easy ✅Own your expertise was hard won and unique. 💬”I delivered X by doing Y for this client.” Generic social proof drops win rates 22%. ❌Expecting your experience is sufficient ✅Show leverage, talk method. Method > Experience. 💬”I used my 5 step framework to get the same outcomes at 20 clients.” 78% of clients pay a premium when they perceive exceptional, niche expertise. ❌Not demonstrating your impact ✅Quantify and connect outcomes to their needs. 💬”The result of this was a 20% increase in X.” Value-based pricing raises revenue up to 25% over hourly billing. ❌Focusing on your objectives, not theirs ✅First, demonstrate value, then explore mutual fit. 💬”Given your problem, here is how you accelerate. This is my method.” Buyers talk 28% more in calls that close. ❌Coming across as desperate ✅You choose whether you make an offer. 💬”I'm really excited for this opportunity," not "I really need to close to pay my kid’s tuition.” Discounting too early correlates with a 27% drop in win rates. ❌Treating an ask as dirty ✅Believe in yourself and your offer. 💬”If I feel we are a fit, I will tell how I work and ask for a decision at the end of this call.” Fastest sales cycles spend 53% more time clarifying next steps in the first two calls. My client made these easy fixes. Her close rate increased by 50%. Her confidence in herself? Up 100%. Try these easy fixes in your next call. Watch your close rate soar. Which do you believe will make the biggest difference?

Early in my career, I worked at a company that didn’t just track sales… It aligned every sales stage with the buyer journey. Suddenly, I wasn’t just filling out CRM fields. I was starting to think like my customers. This shift changed everything… The fastest way to close deals isn’t moving prospects to the next "stage" in your process. It’s understanding what they need to move forward in theirs. Here’s a checklist to help you think buyer-first at every stage: 1) Prospecting vs Awareness ☐ Selling: Identify potential leads and gather information. ☐ Buying: Recognize a problem or need and start researching possible solutions. 2) Qualification vs Consideration ☐ Selling: Determine if the lead fits the ideal customer profile and has a genuine need for the product. ☐ Buying: Evaluate different options and solutions, comparing features, benefits, and costs. 3) Proposal vs Decision ☐ Selling: Present a tailored proposal, outlining the solution, pricing, and terms. ☐ Buying: Narrow down choices and prepare for the final decision, often involving discussions with key stakeholders and decision-makers. 4) Negotiation vs Implementation Planning ☐ Selling: Negotiate terms, address objections, and finalize the agreement. ☐ Buying: Plan the implementation of the chosen solution, considering integration, training, and deployment. 5) Closing vs Purchase ☐ Selling: Finalize the sale, complete paperwork, and close the deal. ☐ Buying: Make the purchase decision and complete the transaction, preparing for the transition to the new solution. What’s something you do to make sure your sales process is aligned with how buyers actually make decisions?

Your sales process is broken! Qualify, discovery call, demo, and pushing buyers through pre-defined steps (tied to your method of choice) is broken. Sellers need to align with the buyer's journey.  Forrester says that 74% of B2B buyers conduct more than half of their research online before making an initial sales contact. Buyers are in control. Let me say it again.... Buyers are in control. Early in RR days we started working with a founder who was frustrated his sales reps weren't hitting quota. He had his team map SFDC to some crazy 14-step sales cycle that he developed. His reps spent most of their time trying to push buyers through these 14 steps instead of meeting buyers where they were in their journey.  One of the first things we did was shift to a "buyer-first" approach, training reps to map the buyer's journey and meet them where they were. Reps focused on content and value. 14 steps down to 5. Pipeline increased 3x in 1 quarters. Quota attainment increased by 35% 2 quarters. Sellers must flip the traditional sales process on its head. Instead of forcing prospects into our sales funnels, we need to meet buyers where they are. Listen first, ask thoughtful questions, and guide them through their journey. Shape your process around their needs, not the other way around. Make your CRM work for you, not the other way around. To drive revenue in today's landscape, be helpful, not pushy. Adapt your approach to empower prospects, not strong-arm them.

The Clinical Knowledge Gap That's Costing Medical Sales Reps Credibility. When I transitioned from physical therapy to medical sales, I noticed something surprising: Many reps knew their products inside and out but had significant gaps in understanding the clinical context where those products were used. This knowledge gap becomes obvious to healthcare providers within minutes—and it costs reps both credibility and sales. Here's how I've leveraged my clinical background to build stronger relationships: 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆: I take time to learn what happens before and after my product would be used. This broader perspective allows me to position solutions in context of the complete care pathway. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲: Each specialty has its own terminology and abbreviations. Speaking the clinical language fluently builds immediate rapport and respect. 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: I regularly read journals and research related to wound care so I can discuss outcomes and evidence at the same level as the providers I serve. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲: Whenever a provider offers the opportunity to observe procedures or clinical workflows, I take it. This firsthand experience is invaluable for understanding real-world application. For those without clinical backgrounds, building this knowledge is absolutely possible, it just requires dedicated effort. Attend conferences, take certification courses, watch procedure videos, and most importantly, ask thoughtful questions when you're with providers. Remember: In medical sales, clinical credibility isn't optional. It's the foundation of trust and the gateway to meaningful partnerships.