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Tag: Prospecting

Here's a problem that'll make your head spin: What do you do when you can sell way more than your company can produce? That's the question posed by Dylan Noah from Toronto. Dylan sells craft cider to bars and restaurants across his territory. He's the only salesperson for a small producer, working with limited tools (no proper CRM), and here's the kicker: he could sell a million dollars' worth of product, but production isn't enough to meet that demand. If you're shaking your head thinking this is a champagne problem, you're half right. But for Dylan trying to hit his income goals through commissions, it's a real constraint that's costing him money every single day. Stop worrying about what you don't have and focus on maximizing what you do have. Build a simple segmentation system using whatever tools are available. Create detailed buying profiles for all your accounts so you know exactly who to call when specific products become available. Work your account coverage pyramid from top to bottom, always prioritizing your highest value customers. Sell out of everything, even the less popular products, so you have leverage when talking to ownership about compensation. The reality is that most sales challenges aren't about having the perfect tools or unlimited resources. They're about having the discipline to work a proven system consistently, even when conditions aren't ideal. That's how you win in sales. That's how you hit your numbers. And that's how you build a foundation of skills that will serve you for your entire career, whether you stay in a resource constrained environment or move to a role where the sky's the limit. Ready to master the fundamentals of prospecting and account management? Check out Jeb Blount's latest book with Brynne Tillman, The LinkedIn Edge, and learn how to build systematic, relationship-driven sales processes that work in any environment. Sales Gravy is the number one sales training company

How to Hit Your Number When Production Can’t Keep Up (Ask Jeb)

Here's a problem that'll make your head spin: What do you do when you can sell way more than your company can produce? That's the question posed by Dylan Noah from Toronto. Dylan sells craft cider to bars and restaurants…

6 High-Probability Moments to Send LinkedIn Connection Requests Prior to an Event Events create natural relevance. Conferences, trade shows, user groups, and local meetups give you a reason to connect that does not feel forced. The mistake sellers make is waiting until the event starts or turning the request into a pitch. A better move is connecting days or weeks ahead with a simple acknowledgment of the shared event. Example: Hi Sarah, saw you’re attending the Midwest Manufacturing Summit next month. I’ll also be there and am super excited! I’d love to catch up in person at the event. In the meantime, let’s connect here on LinkedIn.  You are aligning with something already on their calendar. When you see them at the event or reach out afterward, your name is no longer unfamiliar. Following an Event After an event, connection requests work best when they reference a real interaction, even a small one. A short conversation, a question during a session, or a brief introduction creates enough context. The request should reflect that moment, not attempt to convert it into a follow-up. Example: Tim, I enjoyed meeting you at the conference last week. Your take on [subject/trend/idea] was intriguing. I look forward to staying connected and to our next conversation.  This reinforces continuity and professionalism without pushing the relationship forward prematurely. After a Sales Call Sending a connection request after a sales call is one of the most underused opportunities in prospecting. If the call was answered and productive, the request reinforces credibility and continuity. Example: Thanks again for the conversation today. I appreciated your perspective on how your team is thinking about next quarter. I look forward to our next meeting and sharing some ideas I have with you and your team.  If the prospect did not answer, a connection request can still make sense as a light reinforcement, especially early in the relationship. It keeps your name present without escalating pressure. Either way, the request works because the call establishes legitimacy first. After a Meaningful Interaction Not all interactions happen in formal selling environments. Thoughtful exchanges in comment threads, group discussions, or brief conversations in passing all create natural moments to connect. That might mean running into each other at a non-work event, crossing paths at an airport, or chatting briefly in a line somewhere unexpected. Example: Haley, it was a pleasure meeting you on our flight to Atlanta. Thank you for your restaurant recommendations! I look forward to staying connected, What makes this work is that the interaction was real. The request simply continues it. Mutual Connections Shared connections reduce perceived risk when handled with restraint. They signal that you operate in similar professional circles, not that you have permission to pitch. The mistake is overexplaining or implying endorsement. Example: Hi Mark, I noticed that you are connected to my good friend, James, and since you are also [interested in, working in, located in] I thought it might make sense for us to be connected also.  A simple acknowledgment is enough. Familiarity does the work. Profile Views Profile views signal awareness, not intent. When someone views your profile after a call, email, or content interaction, a connection request can make sense as a low-pressure acknowledgment. Example: Wendy, thank you for visiting my profile. I had a chance to look at yours, and based on your interests, I thought it might make sense for us to connect.  The discipline is resisting the urge to read more into it than is there. Want the exact framework for integrating LinkedIn into a disciplined outreach sequence without pitching, spamming, or wasting time? Buy The LinkedIn Edge by Jeb Blount and Brynne Tillman today. Sales Gravy is the number one sales training organization

6 Moments LinkedIn Connection Requests Actually Work in Prospecting

LinkedIn connection requests are misunderstood because sellers expect them to do work they were never designed to do. A connection request is not a pitch. It does not advance a deal. It does not earn you a meeting.  Used correctly,…

Here's the scenario that's playing out in sales organizations everywhere right now: Your team fought through a brutal first half of the year, rallied momentum in the second half, crushed their numbers, and now they're ready to coast through December. That's the exact situation Kyle Begbie, a regional sales director at Fuse HR Solutions in Ontario, Canada, brought to this week's Ask Jeb. His team overcame massive market disruption, economic headwinds, and buyer hesitation to finish the year strong. Now he's facing the most dangerous challenge of all: keeping that momentum alive through the holidays and into January. If you're nodding your head right now, you're not alone. This is the point in the year where sales teams either set themselves up for a championship quarter or dig themselves into a hole that takes months to climb out of. The last piece of maintaining momentum is taking time to celebrate what your team accomplished. Sit down with your team and tell them the story of what they did this year. Make sure they understand the lesson: When they shifted their mindset, they changed their game. That's what happened. Tell them they did a great job. Make sure they're taking time for their family and having fun. Help them manage their time so they can do both. But fill up their hearts with confidence and belief that they can do anything. Because here's the truth: Nothing changed this year except for them. And if that's true, then nothing can stop them next year either. It doesn't matter what happens in the marketplace. Even if we go into a recession, people are still hiring. The money is still there. It's just that more people are chasing it. Teach your team that it doesn't make a difference what happens. The economy can fall apart, but they're good enough to go find where the money is and take it. Because while everyone else is sitting around telling themselves what they can't do, your team is telling themselves what they can do. That's how you carry momentum. That's how you avoid the January hole. And that's how you build a championship sales team. Sales Gravy Podcast with Jeb Blount

How to Carry Sales Momentum Through the Holidays and Into the New Year (Ask Jeb)

Here's the scenario that's playing out in sales organizations everywhere right now: Your team fought through a brutal first half of the year, rallied momentum in the second half, crushed their numbers, and now they're ready to coast through December.…

Here's a question that'll stop you in your tracks: Would you let someone walk up to you, take your wallet, empty out all your cash and credit cards, and leave your family with nothing? Of course not. That's insane. But if you're in sales and you let rejection stop you from making calls, booking appointments, and closing deals, that's exactly what you're doing. You're handing over your commission check to fear. That was the powerful insight from Wendy Ramirez, a leading Mexican sales expert and author of Lo que nadie habla de las ventas: Estrategias para no ser llamarada de petate or What Nobody Talks About in Sales: Strategies to Avoid Being a Flash in the Pan, on a recent episode of Ask Jeb the Sales Gravy Podcast. When you give rejection the power to stop you, you're literally taking money away from your family. Let that sink in. Listen more on the Sales Gravy Podcast, the number one sales training company

Are You Letting Rejection Control Your Sales Career? (Ask Jeb)

Here's a question that'll stop you in your tracks: Would you let someone walk up to you, take your wallet, empty out all your cash and credit cards, and leave your family with nothing? Of course not. That's insane. But…

Research isn't prospecting. Learn when to stop preparing and start dialing to book more meetings. Jeb Blount shares the framework on the Sales Gravy Podcast, the number one sales training podcast

How Much Research Should You Do Before a Cold Call (Ask Jeb)

Here's a question that'll expose one of the most common productivity killers in sales: How much research should you do before making a cold call? That's the challenge Michael Bricker from West Monroe, Louisiana, brought to a recent Ask Jeb…

LinkedIn touches are deliberate, strategic moves that give your calls and emails more impact. Done consistently and with intention, they turn routine outreach into conversations prospects actually want to take. They don’t replace the phone or email—they make them more effective. Every profile visit, comment, or tag builds recognition, credibility, and context. The reps who succeed with LinkedIn aren’t lucky. They follow the sequence, they repeat the actions, and they focus on doing it right. LinkedIn becomes a multiplier, amplifying every interaction in your cadence and giving you a clear edge in your territory. Soft touches require patience and execution, but the payoff is real. Warmer calls. Stronger relationships. More opportunities. Approach LinkedIn with intention, and you’ll see how the velvet glove works with the boxing gloves of prospecting. Your punches land harder, your calls get answered, and prospects are more ready to engage because you’ve earned credibility and familiarity before you ever pick up the phone. Want the full LinkedIn playbook? Buy The LinkedIn Edge by Jeb Blount and Brynne Tillman. It’s packed with non-negotiables that will turn your profile into a pipeline-building machine.

3 LinkedIn Touches That Supercharge Your Prospecting Sequences

A strong LinkedIn prospecting sequence is built around subtle, intentional touches. If phone and email are the boxing gloves of prospecting — direct and hard-hitting — LinkedIn is the velvet glove. It softens your approach, builds credibility, and supports your…

If picking up the phone feels tough again, start here. Learn how to make that first call, rebuild confidence, and get back to consistent prospecting that wins. Ask Jeb Blount on the Sales Gravy Podcast

Beat Sales Call Reluctance and Get Back to Fanatical Prospecting (Ask Jeb)

Here's a question that hits closer to home than most sales reps want to admit: What do you do when you've been away from prospecting for a while and suddenly the call reluctance feels brand new again? That's the situation…

Enterprise Sales For A Start-Up Ask Jeb

How to Build an Enterprise Sales Strategy for Startups (Ask Jeb)

Here's a problem that'll tie you in knots: You've got a killer software solution that saves companies massive amounts of money on employee benefits. You know exactly who needs it: Fortune 1000 companies with self-insured health plans. But you can't…

25 AI Prompts for Prospecting, Closing & More

15 High-Converting AI Sales Prompts for Prospecting, Closing & More

The sales landscape has fundamentally shifted. While your competitors are still dialing for dollars the old-fashioned way, elite sales professionals are leveraging AI as their secret weapon to prospect faster, personalize deeper, and close bigger deals.  Success comes down to…

You Don't Need Sales Navigator to Dominate on LinkedIn

You Don’t Need Sales Navigator to Dominate LinkedIn

Every week, someone asks me: "Jeb, do I need Sales Navigator to prospect on LinkedIn?"My answer: No. But you do need a system. LinkedIn is the most powerful prospecting platform on earth. It's a self-updating database of over a billion…

How to Train MLM Recruits to Sell With No Sales Experience (Ask Jeb)

How to Train MLM Recruits to Sell Without Sales Experience (Ask Jeb)

Here's a question that'll make your head spin: How do you train MLM recruits who have zero sales experience to actually sell instead of just posting on social media and hoping for the best? That's the question Andrew Osborne from…

7 Ways to Fail at Social Selling & How to Change Your Approach

7 Ways to Fail at Social Selling & How to Change Your Approach

The buzz around "social selling" is deafening. Every guru, every pundit, every platform is screaming about its power. And yet, most salespeople are failing at it. Miserably. They log into LinkedIn. They dabble with AI. They send dozens of messages…