In a world where sales influencers typically write books to establish their expertise, Mario Martinez Jr. took a different path. Instead, he embarked on a journey that led to the creation of The Modern Selling Podcast, ultimately making him a sales influencer without ever writing a book. But what Mario didn’t expect was the incredible impact he would have, with nearly seven years and 250 episodes of wisdom shared. And now, as he welcomes David Graswick, Vice President of Global Sales at DataBook, they uncover the unexpected key to sales success in the digital landscape. Brace yourself for a twist that will revolutionize the way you approach personalized communication, leaving you hungry for more.
Today’s special guest is David Graswick, Vice President of Global Sales at DataBook. He joins host Mario Martinez Jr. on the 250th episode of The Modern Selling Podcast. Reflecting on his journey, Mario shares that he started the podcast to become a sales influencer without writing a book, a task he wasn’t particularly fond of. Instead, he opted for the medium of podcasts and short videos. With almost seven years and 250 episodes under his belt, Mario is thrilled to have David as a special guest. David, who has been with Data Book for three years, is praised for his impressive three-year tenure as a VP of Sales, which is quite rare in the industry. Mario and David delve into the importance of securing C-suite meetings and the value they bring. They emphasize the need for sellers to understand the business problems they solve, as well as the different buyer personas within an organization. Articulating these solutions effectively is crucial to capturing the attention of executives. They also discuss the significance of personalized messaging, keeping it concise and attention-grabbing. With their combined expertise, Mario and David provide valuable insights for sales professionals in the digital landscape, aiming to improve sales outcomes through personalized communication.
Executives aren’t moved by product features and content. Salespeople need to bring narratives and messaging that can be consumed in 30 seconds or less. – David Graswick
About our Guest:
Meet David Graswick, the Vice President of Global Sales at DataBook. With over 21 years of experience in software sales, David is a seasoned professional who understands the value of personalized communication in the sales process. He believes that connecting with C-level executives is worth the extra effort, as it opens the door to uncovering additional budget and unlocking new opportunities.
David’s strategic approach involves tailoring sales campaigns to address the unique needs and pain points of different buying personas, from top-level decision-makers to the doers in the middle and the end-users. His wealth of knowledge and expertise has helped countless sales professionals achieve success by focusing on personalized engagement and building meaningful relationships with key stakeholders.
We are thrilled to have David join us on the podcast to share his insights and strategies for leveraging personalization in sales. Get ready to gain valuable tips and techniques that will elevate your sales game to new heights.
In this episode, you will be able to:
- Master the art of selling to the C-suite and unlock new opportunities for business growth.
- Harness the power of personalization to supercharge your sales efforts and win over even the toughest prospects.
- Unlock the potential of AI-powered writing assistance to effortlessly craft compelling messages that resonate with your audience.
- Streamline your sales processes with technology and turbocharge your productivity, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – closing deals.
- Elevate your writing proficiency to foster stronger connections with your prospects, leaving a lasting impression that sets you apart from the competition.
The key moments are:
00:00:08 – Introduction
00:01:08 – Celebrating 250 Episodes
00:03:39 – Introduction of David Graswick
00:06:33 – Fun Fact about David
00:08:38 – The Value of C-Level Meetings
00:16:36 – Articulating the Business Problem
00:18:04 – The Need for Strategic Selling
00:19:55 – Creating a Tight Narrative
00:21:18 – The Power of Brevity
00:25:34 – Effective QBRs
00:27:38 – Elevating Business Acumen
00:32:26 – Identifying and Solving a Problem
00:33:55 – Presenting to C-Level Suite
00:36:32 – Building Relationships with Executives
00:36:57 – Finding Champions
00:40:49 – Using an Omnichannel Approach
00:47:20 – Introduction to FlyMSG
00:47:33 – Conclusion
Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:00:08 – Introduction
Mario Martinez Jr. introduces the podcast and its purpose, which is to provide insights and tips to help sales professionals improve their sales numbers at scale.
00:01:08 – Celebrating 250 Episodes
Mario expresses his gratitude to the listeners for making the podcast successful and announces that this is the 250th episode.
00:03:39 – Introduction of David Graswick
Mario welcomes David Graswick, Vice President of Global Sales at Data Book, as the special guest for the 250th episode. David shares his background in sales and his role at Data Book.
00:06:33 – Fun Fact about David
David reveals that he was a two-time horseshoe champion in Pittsburgh during his younger days, showcasing his talent in an unexpected sport.
00:08:38 – The Value of C-Level Meetings
Mario asks David about the importance of getting C-level meetings. David highlights the benefits of engaging with C-level executives early in the sales process, as it can unlock additional budget and lead to more strategic conversations.
00:16:36 – Articulating the Business Problem
Many sellers struggle to articulate the business problem their product or service solves, which hinders their ability to impress executives. Focusing on product features instead of business problems is a common challenge among sales professionals.
00:18:04 – The Need for Strategic Selling
Economic conditions have forced organizations to realize that sales teams need to be more strategic. The product feature-focused approach that worked in the past is no longer effective. Salespeople must attach themselves to high-impact problems to capture executive interest.
00:19:55 – Creating a Tight Narrative
To get the attention of executives, salespeople need to align their messaging with what the executives care about. This means understanding their personal and business goals and linking them to the solutions they provide. Concise messaging is crucial.
00:21:18 – The Power of Brevity
Salespeople should assume that their messages will be read on smartphones. Keeping messages short and to the point is essential. The first two sentences of a message can determine whether an executive continues reading or moves on.
00:25:34 – Effective QBRs
QBRs should be concise and focused on what executives care about. A successful QBR should include an executive summary that ties financial metrics, operational metrics, strategic priorities, and the value story together. This approach maximizes the chances of getting executive attendance.
00:27:38 – Elevating Business Acumen
Sellers need to elevate their business acumen.
00:32:26 – Identifying and Solving a Problem
The conversation starts with a discussion about identifying a problem and finding a solution. The speaker talks about how they were able to save over $100,000 a month by solving a coverage issue at their office using wireless repeaters and building a core infrastructure.
00:33:55 – Presenting to C-Level Suite
The speaker discusses the importance of understanding what C-level executives care about and framing the conversation around those concerns. They share an example of how they saved $1.2 million for a company by not reducing their costs, but by reducing another provider’s cost.
00:36:32 – Building Relationships with Executives
The speaker shares a strategy they used to build relationships with C-level executives. They started with 15-minute coffee meetings and gradually developed strong relationships that led to attending important meetings and events together.
00:36:57 – Finding Champions
The importance of finding champions in an organization is discussed. The speaker differentiates between a coach and a champion, emphasizing that a champion has access to power and is willing to help you reach the C-suite. If you don’t have a champion, find someone else who is willing to break through roadblocks.
00:40:49 – Using an Omnichannel Approach
The speaker emphasizes the importance of using an omnichannel approach to engage with executives. They mention that cold outreach is often necessary, but it should be combined with other channels such as personalized emails and video messages to increase success.
00:47:20 – Introduction to FlyMSG.io
FlyMSG is a free text expander and personal writing assistant. The host expresses gratitude to the listeners and hints at the next episode.
00:47:33 – Conclusion
The episode ends with the host bidding farewell with the phrase “Lam.” No specific information or key takeaways are mentioned in this part.
AI-powered Writing Assistant
An AI-powered writing assistant, like FlyMSG.io, can significantly streamline and improve sales communications, addressing the ever-increasing need for efficiency and effectiveness in the highly competitive digital landscape. These tools utilize natural language processing to provide real-time, personalized writing assistance, enabling sales professionals to craft clear, concise, and impactful messages. Not only does this help to engage and capture the attention of potential customers, but it also allows sales teams to focus more on building relationships and closing deals.
Master Selling to the C-suite
Engaging the C-suite is a key aspect of successful sales operations. When selling to executives, it’s vital to focus on the business problems that your product or service can solve, not the product features. By understanding what financial metrics and goals the executives prioritize, salespeople can tailor their messaging to align to these areas, enhancing the chance of securing a successful meeting and concluding the sale.
Personalization
Personalization in sales is not just a matter of courtesy; it’s also a proven strategy for achieving better results. A personalized approach to sales allows salespeople to develop strong relationships with their prospects by directly addressing their needs, challenges, and objectives. By crafting personalized messages that engage and resonate with the prospects, sales professionals are more likely to drive conversions and foster long-term relationships.
Watch the whole interview, in video format, directly below:
The resources mentioned in this episode are:
- Visit the FlyMSG.IO website to download the free personal writing assistant and text expander application.
- Subscribe to the Modern Selling Podcast on your preferred podcast platform to stay up-to-date with the latest episodes.
- Connect with Mario Martinez Jr. on social media to engage with his content and stay informed about sales strategies.
- Learn more about Data Book, the company where David Graswick is the Vice President of Global Sales, by visiting their website.
- Consider the benefits of targeting C-level executives and the potential for unlocking additional budgets by engaging with them in a strategic manner.
- Research financial metrics that are important to C-level executives and use this information to have more meaningful conversations with them.
- Remember that there are multiple buying influencers within an organization, so develop a sales campaign that addresses the needs and pain points of each persona.
- Recognize the importance of engaging with middle-level employees who are responsible for implementing solutions and may serve as champions for your product or service.
- Don’t overlook the users and lower-level employees who will be directly using your product or service on a regular basis.
- Prioritize personalization and tailor your pitch to the specific needs and challenges of each executive you are pitching to.
