Building a Personal Brand in Sales: Lessons from Alison Mullins

This is Alison Mullins‘s story:

Episode Overview

Alison Mullins’ journey towards becoming an expert in sales and personal branding can be traced back to her roots in southwest Virginia and her experiences in some of the most competitive markets around the world. As a small-town girl, she began her career in the construction industry specializing in natural stone surfaces. With time, Alison ventured into sales and marketing, exploring architectural, interior design, and luxury residential sectors. From working in Italy to quarries in Brazil, her experiences have shaped her unique expertise. However, the most pivotal of her experiences was surviving Hurricane Wilma in Cancun, Mexico. This event pushed her to a road of self-discovery, where she transformed her hardship into a resilient spirit, becoming a survivor with an undying passion for her work.

To truly be an expert in your field, you have to be willing to talk to others, learn from others, and give to others. You’ve got to be a connector. – Alison Mullins

About Our Guest

With a rich background in sales and marketing, Alison Mullins has spent two vibrant decades leaving imprints in various sectors, including construction and natural stone surfaces. Her passion and dedication are reflected in her global work travel, from the United States and Canada to Italy and Brazil. Now as the founder of Rep Methods, her deep-rooted sales wisdom continues to bloom, helping countless professionals transform their sales strategies. Alison’s approachable personality also adds a warm touch to her expertise, making her insights more relatable yet powerful.

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What You’ll Learn

• Uncover the secret to upscaling your business through sales proficiency and a resonant personal brand.
• Traverse the journey of book writing, encapsulating its challenges and rewarding experiences.
• Comprehend the need for humility and ongoing education for longevity in the sales field.
• Apprehend the increasing influence of video content in consumer engagement.
• Decode the method to foster leadership skills within your sales force.

Timestamped Summary of this Episode

The key moments in this episode are:
00:00:08 – Introduction and Background

00:01:42 – Expertise and Becoming an Expert

00:08:07 – Writing a Book as a Platform

00:10:38 – Developing Expertise and Claiming Expert Status

00:14:21 – Rewards of Putting Yourself Out There

00:15:50 – Using Video to Engage with Buyers,

00:16:43 – The Power of Video in Sales,

00:19:19 – Key Elements of Successful Sales Leadership,

00:23:30 – Building Leadership in Sales,

00:28:01 – Sales Leadership Skills,

00:32:35 – Being a Disruptor,

00:33:31 – Disrupting in a Male-Dominated Industry,

00:35:05 – Quiet Disruption,

00:36:33 – Disrupting the Conversation,

00:38:15 – Connecting with Alison,

Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:08 – Introduction and Background
Mario Martinez introduces the podcast and welcomes Alison Mullins as his guest. They briefly discuss Alison’s new book, “The Art of Selling,” and her background in sales and marketing. Alison shares her experience in the construction industry and her passion for natural stone surfaces.

00:01:42 – Expertise and Becoming an Expert
Alison emphasizes that expertise is self-declared and requires passion, knowledge, and humility. She believes that being willing to learn from others, connect with people, and contribute to the community are essential for becoming an expert. Validation from others can also help establish expertise.

00:08:07 – Writing a Book as a Platform
Alison shares her motivation for writing the book, which was to establish herself as an expert and share her knowledge and experiences. She sees writing a book as a way to gain credibility and prove a point. It was also a therapeutic process for her.

00:10:38 – Developing Expertise and Claiming Expert Status
Alison discusses the boldness required to claim expertise but also emphasizes the importance of allowing others to recognize your expertise. Putting yourself out there, being prepared for backlash, and receiving validation from others can help establish expert status.

00:14:21 – Rewards of Putting Yourself Out There
Alison encourages individuals to put themselves out there and take credit for their expertise. While there may be fear and uncertainty, the rewards can be significant. The validation and positive feedback received can enhance credibility and establish expertise in the field

00:15:50 – Using Video to Engage with Buyers,
The importance of using video content to engage with buyers is discussed. Video allows for face-to-face interaction and the use of multiple senses, making it a more effective tool for building expertise and connecting with an audience.

00:16:43 – The Power of Video in Sales,
Video is highlighted as a valuable tool for salespeople to engage with customers. Platforms like Loom, OneMob, and Hippo Video are mentioned as options for sending video messages and maintaining customer connections.

00:19:19 – Key Elements of Successful Sales Leadership,
The importance of mental health balance is emphasized as a key aspect of sales leadership. Other essential elements include organization, passion, and understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses.

00:23:30 – Building Leadership in Sales,
Empathy is identified as a crucial skill for salespeople to develop leadership in their craft. The concept of limbic resonance and the ability to intuitively understand and connect with others is discussed as an art form in sales.

00:28:01 – Sales Leadership Skills,
The importance of empathy, intuition, and chameleoning (the ability to adapt and fit into different situations) in sales leadership is highlighted. These skills take time to develop and contribute to effective sales leadership and customer relationships.

00:32:35 – Being a Disruptor,
Alison discusses the benefits and challenges of being a disruptor in the industry. She emphasizes the importance of speaking one’s mind and standing up for what one believes in. She also shares her experience as a woman in a male-dominated industry and how it has shaped her as a disruptor.

00:33:31 – Disrupting in a Male-Dominated Industry,
Alison highlights the unique challenges she faces as a woman in the construction industry. She shares the importance of having confidence and resilience as a disruptor. Being noticed and heard is key to making an impact in a male-dominated field.

00:35:05 – Quiet Disruption,
Alison shares a story about an interaction with someone in the tech industry who initially praised her book but later expressed hesitation in sharing it with his audience. Instead of reacting negatively, Alison responded humbly and asked for his support, demonstrating a quiet form of disruption.

00:36:33 – Disrupting the Conversation,
Alison discusses her response to the tech industry professional’s feedback. She explains how she disrupted the conversation by assuming he either intended to insult her or didn’t realize the impact of his words. Alison humbled herself by asking for support while still pursuing her goals.

00:38:15 – Connecting with Alison,
Alison shares how listeners can connect with her through her website, where they can schedule a quick conversation with her. She prefers phone calls as a way to connect in the 21st century.

Sales expertise and personal branding

Wielding a profound experience in sales, Alison paints a clear picture of the importance of personal branding as a lever to establishing oneself as an expert in an industry. Her belief is that passion, continuous learning, and humility should drive this endeavor. By taking a bold stance to showcase their skills, individuals can gain recognition and influence, which can boost their professional journey and build credibility.

Resources

• Get your pen and paper or iPad and keyboard ready to take notes as you listen to the Modern Selling podcast.
• Check out FlyMSG.io, the free personal writing assistant, and text expander application created by Vengreso, the company founded by Mario Martinez Jr.
• Learn more about Alison Mullins and her new book, The Art of Selling: We Make Order Makers, Not Order Takers.
• Visit the Rep Methods website to explore Alison’s brand and the services she offers for business development and sales.
• Consider writing your own book to establish yourself as an expert in your field and gain credibility.
• Reflect on the importance of humility and continuous learning in developing and maintaining expertise.
• Take Mario’s advice and create a YouTube channel or video series to share your expertise and answer burning questions related to your industry.
• Check out Modern Selling on YouTube to watch the video version of this podcast episode.
• Visit the podcast’s website to access additional resources and episodes to help you grow your sales numbers at scale.
• Follow Mario Martinez Jr. and Alison Mullins on social media to stay updated on their latest insights and content.