The Sales Evangelist

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Is it still possible to reach seven figures in SaaS sales? You got into sales to build a comfortable life and enjoy a little extra. But after how last year turned out, that goal may feel far-fetched.To help you reset and refocus, I’m revisiting episode 1528 with Brandon Fluharty, sales coach and founder of Be Focused. Brandon breaks down his seven steps to start making seven figures in SaaS sales, starting with one critical shift in mindset.1. Get In The Right Environment· Find your Goldilocks situation concerning your ideal workplace, whatever that may be.· What kind of internal infrastructure do you need to start making seven figures in SaaS? 2. Build A Transformation Mindset· Seven-figure earners sell a transformation that doesn’t just solve an issue; it prevents the problem from happening again.· In SaaS, you want to be the player touching multiple parts of the business. That requires a transformational mindset and is a key principle of Brandon’s framework.3. Be Strategic About Your Target Account List· Sell to clients that give you purpose. Identify the reasons you prefer your ideal client and search for more that fit those criteria.· Doing so keeps you motivated during the dishearteningly long sales cycles common with enterprise companies.4. Create A Standard No One Else Delivers· The Diamond Standard: picture a coal field in your competitive landscape and be the diamond for your clients.· It’s easier to perform to this standard when working with clients you’re genuinely interested in and passionate about.5. Break Through Personal Limitations· The higher you climb, the more imposter syndrome you’ll feel. For example, Brandon initially thought his introversion limited his success.· As he advanced, he realized he could listen more than he talked and that perceived weakness became a strength.· Write down the traits you feel hold you back. Then ask yourself how you can repurpose them into strengths.6. Rally Others Inside Your Organization· Nothing great is achieved alone. When you’re working toward seven- and eight-figure deals, you’ll need help.· Be a generalist with your skill set, but a specialist to start making seven figures in SaaS.7. Develop A Personal Operating System· Move away from hustle culture and work smarter.· Balance Brandon’s Discipline, Flexibility, and Curiosity (DRC) and Plan, Rest, Effort, Performance (PREP) live life instead of hustling around the clock. (It’s a more humanistic approach.)“Be like a scientist and look back at your workday with curiosity.” — Brandon Fluharty.ResourcesFollow Brandon Fluharty on LinkedIn and subscribe to his bi-weekly newsletter for more content, information, and insights on tech sales. Join my Sales Mastermind to get real-world feedback, accountability, and proven sales strategies.Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content. Sponsorship Offers1. This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals...

Most sales outreach blends into the noise not because sellers lack effort, but because they approach prospects the same way everyone else does. In this episode, Ashley Winston breaks down why traditional outreach tactics fall flat and how sales professionals can stand out by leading with relevance, clarity, and genuine curiosity. We explore how to create conversations that feel natural, human, and worth responding to.Why Prospects Ignore Most Sales Outreach (00:02:10 – 00:03:35)Ashley explains that buyers aren’t ignoring messages because they’re rude, they’re overwhelmed.Generic outreach, vague value statements, and self-focused messaging give prospects no reason to engage.The real issue isn’t volume, it’s relevance.The Biggest Mistake Salespeople Make in Messaging (00:03:35 – 00:05:10)Most outreach talks about the seller instead of the buyer.Ashley shares why messaging that leads with credentials, features, or company history immediately creates disengagement.Prospects care less about who you are and more about whether you understand them.How to Personalize Without Overcomplicating It (00:05:10 – 00:06:55)Personalization doesn’t mean writing long messages.Ashley explains how small signals like role relevance, timing, and context, dramatically increase response rates without extra effort.Relevance beats creativity every time.Using Curiosity Instead of Pressure (00:06:55 – 00:08:30)Rather than pushing meetings, Ashley encourages sellers to spark curiosity.Open-ended questions invite conversation and reduce resistance, making prospects feel in control instead of sold to.Pressure ends conversations. Curiosity starts them.How to Earn Replies Without Chasing Prospects (00:08:30 – 00:10:05)Ashley breaks down why follow-ups fail when there’s no value added.Each touchpoint should introduce a new insight, observation, or reason to respond not just “checking in.”Silence is feedback. Adjust accordingly.What High-Performing Sellers Do Differently (00:10:05 – 00:12:10)Top performers focus on quality conversations, not activity metrics.Ashley explains how intentional outreach, patience, and consistency lead to better pipeline health and stronger relationships.Selling is about connection, not coercion.Key Lesson: Make It About Them, Not You (00:12:10 – 00:13:55)When outreach is centered on the buyer’s world, challenges, and priorities, responses come naturally.Sales success comes from empathy, relevance, and respect, not persistence alone.“If your message doesn’t immediately answer ‘Why should I care?’, it won’t get a reply.” – Ashley WinstonResourcesWant help applying these strategies directly to your pipeline and hitting your quota?Join The Sales Evangelist Mastermind, a 90-day program designed to help you close more deals and hit your number.Learn more at thesalesevangelist.com/mastermindSponsorship OffersThis episode is brought to you in part by HubSpot.With HubSpot Sales Hub, your data, tools, and teams come together on one platform to help you close deals faster. Try it at hubspot.com/sales.This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.Tired of prospects not responding? Get a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.Improve your LinkedIn outreach and land 3–5 appointments with our LinkedIn Prospecting Course.Visit

Traditional selling pushes prospects away. In this episode, Jeremy Miner breaks down why old-school persuasion no longer works and how modern buyers respond to questions that help them uncover their own problems and motivations. We explore how to reduce resistance, increase trust, and guide prospects to decisions without pressure by using a question-based, psychology-driven approach.Why Prospects Resist Being Sold (00:02:14 – 00:03:40)Jeremy explains that buyers are more informed than ever and can sense manipulation instantly. When salespeople push solutions too early, prospects naturally defend themselves by shutting down or disengaging. The key problem isn’t price or timing, it’s resistance created by the sales approach.Why Features and Pitches Kill Momentum (00:03:40 – 00:05:22)Most sales conversations fail because sellers talk too much about themselves. Jeremy shares why feature-dumping and early pitching overwhelm buyers and prevent emotional engagement. People don’t buy when they’re told, they buy when they discover.How Question-Based Selling Reduces Pressure (00:05:22 – 00:07:10)Instead of convincing, Jeremy teaches how to guide prospects with thoughtful, problem-aware questions. The goal is to help buyers verbalize:Their challengesThe consequences of not changing The urgency to act When prospects say it themselves, belief and commitment increase.Helping Prospects Connect Emotion to Problems (00:07:10 – 00:08:55)Logical reasons start conversations, but emotional reasons close deals. Jeremy explains how to ask questions that uncover frustration, fear, or missed opportunity without sounding manipulative. Emotion creates urgency; logic justifies the decision.How to Talk About Solutions Without Sounding Salesy (00:08:55 – 00:10:30)Jeremy emphasizes delaying solution talk until the prospect fully understands their own problem. When solutions are positioned as answers to their words, not your pitch, resistance disappears. Timing matters more than wording.Preventing Ghosting by Creating Commitment (00:10:30 – 00:12:05)Ghosting happens when prospects aren’t emotionally invested. Jeremy explains how confirming commitment throughout the conversation instead of at the end, keeps deals moving forward. If there’s no internal urgency, follow-ups won’t matter.The Role of Neutrality in Closing More Deals (00:12:05 – 00:13:55)One of the most powerful ideas Jeremy shares is remaining neutral. When sellers stop needing the deal, prospects feel safer opening up and making honest decisions. Confidence comes from control not pressure.Key Lesson: Stop Convincing, Start Guiding (00:13:55 – 00:15:30)The biggest shift modern sellers must make is moving from persuasion to facilitation. When prospects feel understood instead of sold to, decisions happen faster and with less resistance.“The moment you stop trying to convince someone is the moment they start convincing themselves.” Jeremy MinerResourcesLearn more about Jeremy Miner and his question-based selling framework at: 7thlevelhq.comExplore training on modern selling psychology and objection-free conversations.Want help applying these strategies directly to your pipeline and hitting your quota?Join The Sales Evangelist Mastermind, a 90-day program designed to help you close more deals and hit your number.Learn more at thesalesevangelist.com/mastermindSponsorship OffersThis episode is brought to you in part by HubSpot.With HubSpot Sales Hub, your data, tools, and teams come together on one platform to help you close deals faster. Try it at hubspot.com/sales.This episode is brought to you