Are you ready for the unexpected twist in the world of sales coaching? Get ready to be surprised by an unconventional approach to overcoming objections. Stay tuned for the big reveal that will change the way you think about coaching sales teams. Find out the surprising insight that will revolutionize your sales leadership.

If you’re feeling frustrated with your sales team’s performance and struggling to hit quotas, then you are not alone! Sales leaders often face the challenge of coaching their teams to overcome objections, but traditional methods may not be yielding the desired results. It’s time to shake things up and find a new approach to drive success. Don’t miss out on this game-changing revelation!

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Mastering Objection Handling

Effective objection handling is crucial in sales, requiring sales teams to navigate challenges and turn objections into opportunities. By mastering objection handling, sales reps can build trust with prospects and guide them towards making informed decisions. Coaching sales teams to overcome objections is a key aspect of driving successful sales outcomes.

This is Jon Freeman’s story:

Jon Freeman‘s entrance into the world of sales was anything but planned. Despite initially pursuing a career in data processing, he found himself immersed in technology and sales. It was through this unexpected journey that Jon discovered his passion for helping people navigate the complexities of decision-making. His personal evolution from a hesitant salesperson to someone who now thrives in the sales environment provides a unique foundation for coaching others to overcome objections. Jon’s story is one of unexpected turns and valuable insights, offering a relatable narrative for sales leaders looking to guide and empower their teams to excel in handling objections and driving sales performance.

In this episode of The Modern Selling Podcast, Mario Martinez Jr. sits down with Jon Freeman, the Vice President of Global Sales at Innerspace.io, to dive into the intricacies of coaching sales teams to overcome objections. Jon’s journey from data processing to sales provides a unique perspective on understanding objections and guiding sales teams through their individual paths. He emphasizes the importance of empathizing with prospects, leveraging the Socratic method for effective coaching, and cultivating strong listening skills within sales teams.
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Throughout the discussion, Jon’s practical advice and insights underscore the value of personalized coaching approaches and empathetic listening skills. His emphasis on the human element of sales and ethical business practices makes this episode a valuable resource for sales leaders and professionals aiming to enhance their sales strategies and team performance. With relatable anecdotes and expertise, Jon’s conversation with Mario Martinez Jr. offers a fresh perspective on navigating objections and fostering meaningful sales conversations, making it a must-listen for sales leaders looking to elevate their team’s objection handling skills.

Your customer is more comfortable not making a decision, even when that decision is better for them. Your job is to help them cross that chasm or jump across that fence. – Jon Freeman

This week’s special guest is Jon Freeman

Jon Freeman, the VP of global sales at Innerspace.io, brings a refreshing blend of accidental sales experience and strategic leadership to the table. With a background in technology and a career that spans industry giants like Novell and Intel, Jon’s journey from reluctant salesperson to sales management offers a unique perspective on coaching sales teams to overcome objections. His approachable demeanor and deep understanding of complex B2B sales make him a valuable resource for sales leaders looking to elevate their teams’ objection-handling skills. Jon’s ability to blend practical wisdom with a touch of humor creates an engaging and relatable narrative that resonates with sales professionals seeking to navigate the challenges of objection coaching.

In this episode, you will be able to:

  • Master objection handling techniques to close more sales and boost team performance.
  • Cultivate lasting customer connections that drive loyalty and repeat business.
  • Navigate the fine line between managing a team and being a successful salesperson.
  • Leverage cutting-edge technology to supercharge your sales approach and stay ahead of the competition.
  • Embrace integrity as the cornerstone of successful and sustainable sales relationships.

Check out the video version for this episode below:

The key moments in this episode are:

00:00:00 – Overcoming Objections in Sales Coaching

00:01:38 – Jon’s Background and Innerspace.io

00:06:45 – Juicy Personal Story

00:09:56 – Coaching Sales Teams to Overcome Objections

00:13:33 – Practical Strategies for Sales Coaching

00:14:37 – Importance of Sales Guide and FAQ Document

00:15:26 – Dealing with Objections and Rejections

00:17:32 – Identifying Ideal Customers

00:20:23 – Testing and Iterating in Sales

00:25:49 – Selling New and Innovative Solutions

00:28:16 – The turning point in sales and statistics

00:33:24 – Importance of emotion in sales

00:35:09 – Building long-term relationships

00:36:56 – Balancing quotas and relationships

00:40:36 – Focus on the customer

00:41:33 – Challenges in Enterprise Sales

00:42:00 – Measuring Sales Team Performance

00:43:31 – Industry-Specific KPIs

00:44:15 – Tracking KPIs

00:45:04 – Connecting with Jon

Timestamped summary of this episode:

00:00:00 – Overcoming Objections in Sales Coaching
Jon discusses the challenge of coaching sales teams to overcome objections and emphasizes the importance of understanding individual mental maps and using the Socratic method to help sales reps navigate objections effectively.

00:01:38 – Jon’s Background and Innerspace.io
Jon shares his accidental journey into sales and introduces Innerspace.io, a company specializing in locationing using existing wifi systems to solve organizational challenges and improve productivity.

00:06:45 – Juicy Personal Story
Jon reveals his background as a figure skater and being invited to the first U.S. luge team, highlighting his early competitive spirit and the decision not to pursue the opportunity due to family attachment.

00:09:56 – Coaching Sales Teams to Overcome Objections
Jon emphasizes the need for sales leaders to understand and respect individual sales reps’ unique mental maps, use the Socratic method, and focus on the prospect’s point of view to effectively coach them in overcoming objections.

00:13:33 – Practical Strategies for Sales Coaching
Jon provides practical strategies for sales coaching, including creating a list of common questions and answers, leveraging the knowledge of top sales reps, and encouraging active listening and empathy to understand the prospect’s perspective.

00:14:37 – Importance of Sales Guide and FAQ Document
Jon emphasizes the importance of including a QA document in the sales guide for coaching sales reps. He also highlights the misconception CEOs have about the sales guide.

00:15:26 – Dealing with Objections and Rejections
Jon shares a humorous yet frustrating experience of facing objections and rejections, including an instance where a prospect responded with a rude message. Mario empathizes with the challenges of handling such situations.

00:17:32 – Identifying Ideal Customers
The discussion shifts to the importance of not wasting time on “dumb” customers and using judgment to recognize unproductive interactions. Jon emphasizes the need to recognize when to give up on certain prospects.

00:20:23 – Testing and Iterating in Sales
Jon draws insights from statistics and marketing courses, highlighting the significance of testing, especially when selling a new product or targeting a new audience. He stresses the need for continuous iteration and adaptation in the sales process.

00:25:49 – Selling New and Innovative Solutions
Jon shares his experience of selling new, innovative solutions and highlights the unique skill set required for such sales. He advises managers to carefully select sales reps for selling new products and emphasizes the importance of early adoption in such scenarios.

00:28:16 – The turning point in sales and statistics
Mario shares his experience of struggling in statistics and how it led him to realize his path in sales. He also talks about the importance of perseverance and seeking help when facing challenges.

00:33:24 – Importance of emotion in sales
Jon emphasizes the significance of conveying genuine care and emotion in sales interactions. He discusses the impact of sincerity and emotional connection on customer relationships and decision-making.

00:35:09 – Building long-term relationships
Mario reflects on the importance of building long-term relationships with clients, highlighting the lasting impact of genuine appreciation and maintaining contact with individuals, even beyond immediate sales transactions.

00:36:56 – Balancing quotas and relationships
Jon discusses the balance between meeting sales quotas and building long-term relationships with clients. He underscores the importance of integrity, efficiency, and assertiveness in sales interactions, while also prioritizing long-term value and connections.

00:40:36 – Focus on the customer
The conversation concludes with a focus on prioritizing the customer and recognizing the significance of understanding the sales cycle. Mario emphasizes the need to align sales efforts with addressing customer needs, while Jon highlights the role of prospecting, engagement, and problem-solving in sales leadership.

00:41:33 – Challenges in Enterprise Sales
Jon discusses the challenges of selling to large enterprise customers, highlighting the lengthy sales process and the complexity of B2B sales. He questions the effectiveness of current sales metrics in this environment.

00:42:00 – Measuring Sales Team Performance
Jon emphasizes the importance of tailoring metrics to the experience level and situation of sales reps. He suggests measuring prospecting for new reps and various funnel stages for different types of sales.

00:43:31 – Industry-Specific KPIs
Jon stresses the importance of industry-specific KPIs, such as measuring contacts in a company for big ticket items or tracking funnel stages for single transaction sales. He advocates for competition and coaching based on KPI performance.

00:44:15 – Tracking KPIs
Jon advocates for tracking as many KPIs as possible and ensuring transparency with reps. He advises using dashboards and discussing KPIs in weekly calls. Jon also emphasizes the need to promote good behavior and take responsibility for underperforming reps.

00:45:04 – Connecting with Jon
Jon shares his contact information and willingness to connect with sales professionals. He encourages personalized connection requests and emphasizes the importance of reaching out with a clear purpose.
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Winning Customer Loyalty

Building strong relationships with clients is essential for long-term success in sales, as loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and recommend your business to others. Overcoming objections through effective coaching helps to establish trust and credibility with customers, ultimately winning their loyalty. Sales leaders must focus on coaching their teams to prioritize customer relationships over short-term gains.

Leading vs. Selling

Sales coaching should emphasize the importance of leading prospects through the sales process rather than simply focusing on making a sale. By guiding prospects with empathy and understanding, sales teams can create meaningful interactions that lead to conversions. Coaching sales reps to adopt a leadership mindset helps them build rapport, address objections, and ultimately close more deals.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

  • Connect with Jon Freeman on LinkedIn and mention that you heard him on the Modern Selling podcast with Mario Martinez Jr. to establish a personalized connection request.
  • Check out Jon Freeman’s Twitter profile and follow him for valuable insights and updates on sales and sales management.
  • Check out http://innerspace.io/ for more information.
  • Download FlyMSG at flymsg.io for free to save 20 hours or more in a month and increase your productivity with a free text expander and personal writing assistant.
  • Watch the movie The Graduate for a classic coming-of-age story and immerse yourself in the timeless tale that Jon Freeman enjoys.

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