The Sales Evangelist: Sales Training|Speaking|Business Marketing|Donald Kelly

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Can LinkedIn really influence 50% of your company’s pipeline? The short answer: yes. My guest, Alina Vandenberghe, co-founder of Chili Piper, joins me to share exactly how she made it happen. You’ll hear how she leveraged LinkedIn to drive more deals—without needing a massive following or traditional influencer status.Meet Alina Vandeberghe·  Alina Vandenberghe shares how her personal LinkedIn efforts drive an astonishing 50% of Chili Piper’s open pipeline. ·  She busts the myth that only people with massive followings can have impact—her 42,000 followers create over 6 million impressions thanks to targeted, authentic engagement.Influence vs. Influencer: Changing the Narrative·  We discuss the difference between “influencing” and being an “influencer.” She shows how you don’t need to be a celebrity or content-creator archetype to influence potential customers and pipeline—focus instead on genuinely impacting your audience. Overcoming Hesitation: From Fear to Purposeful

Should salespeople become influencers? I’m a firm believer in this, and my guest, Michael Manzur, Founder & CEO of Flood Me Social, is back to discuss the importance of thought leadership and influencer marketing. He shares how building genuine influence and community online is the modern path to driving real results.From Audience to Community· You can’t just focus on your ideal audience as an influencer—you have to build a community. · Michael explains how sales professionals can use social media platforms like LinkedIn to create meaningful conversations, provide value, and position themselves as trusted thought leaders.· In today’s world of AI, influencer salespeople must do more than simply attract an audience—they need to create engagement that fosters stronger connections, leading to more opportunities and qualified leads.Common Mistakes Companies Make with Influencer Campaigns· Michael points out how many organizations jump into influencer campaigns without first aligning th

I’m so excited about this episode. I have a good friend and co-host of our new podcast joining me. We’re here to introduce Sales 101: The B2B Classroom.It’s a podcast for sales professors on how you can help guide the next generation of sellers in our industry. Students and those already in the industry can still listen in — we share plenty of tips that can help you as well.Growth of College Sales Programs·  BJ and I have taught sales at Brigham Young University for years. We’re starting to notice the growth of college sales programs compared to 20 years ago. BJ shares that there’s been a 50% increase in sales programs.·  What’s so great about this is that students are able to gain sales skills before entering the field. It’s also an untapped recruiting source for modern B2B organizations.Hands-On Training in Academia·  College sales programs allow students to gain real-life skills using frameworks like Challenger, SPIN,and MEDDIC, as well as industry tools (Salesforce, HubSpot).

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AI can do a lot, but it’s ineffective when it comes to building relationships with prospects. Even though creating connections is important, most sellers tend to struggle with this. I invited my guest, Ravi Rajani, a sales coach and author of Relationship Currency, to join me in this episode to discuss his newest book. He shares what inspired him to write this book and why sellers need to focus more on building relationships to create strong pipelines.The Origins of "Relationship Currency"· To start, Ravi discusses what inspired him to write his first book. He shares a funny story about talking to his mentor about the idea of writing a book while having a second baby on the way. · Looking back on his career and life, he noticed how much his relationships influenced his success. He learned that by building trust and communication skills, other sellers can achieve the same success.The Central Role of Trust· Would you be friends with your bestie if you didn't trust them? Your prospects f

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How can you train your sales team to choose the right leads that bring in money and not waste the company’s time? This is where the power of AI tools lies. To show us how, I've invited Chris Brisson, a sales automation expert, to chat with me in this episode. He shares innovative strategies to streamline lead engagement, boost response rates, and fill your sales team’s calendar with more qualified prospects.Meet Chris Brisson· Chris Brisson is the founder of Sales Message and Call Loop, two innovative platforms that help businesses supercharge their communication and sales processes. · He is recognized for his forward-thinking approach in leveraging SMS messaging and artificial intelligence to automate the “messy middle” of sales, freeing sales reps to focus on building relationships and closing deals. · His solutions have been game changers for organizations of all sizes, transforming the way they connect with prospects and customers.The Lead Qualification Challenge· Someti

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Are you trying to use AI to speed up your sales cycle, only to find it's making your prospects' experience worse? The key is using technology to your advantage, not against you.In this episode, I'm joined by Doug Foley, an expert in sales enablement and AI integration. He shares his insights on leveraging AI tools to build more meaningful client relationships and enhance your sales process from start to finish.Meet Doug Foley·  Douglas J. Foley is a strategic advisor, accomplished author, and the founder and CEO of Foley Media AI, where he architects AI-driven revenue engines for CEOs, high-growth companies, and Fortune 100 organizations. ·  Leveraging frameworks such as his Customer Loyalty Framework and AI Sales Engine™, Doug delivers predictable, measurable growth and transformative EBITDA results. ·  His practical, results-focused methodologies help senior leaders confidently scale and optimize their businesses.Why AI Matters in Enterprise Sales·  Doug sha

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After three to four follow-up emails, you start feeling like you're just an annoying fly to your prospects. Honestly, you're probably just buzzing their inboxes, especially if you're only sending simple "just checking in" messages. In this episode, I'll show you how to send follow-up emails that actually grab your prospects' attention.Quick StatHere's an interesting stat: It takes six to twelve interactions for prospects to respond and follow through on closing a deal. This doesn’t mean you have to send six to twelve cold calls or follow-up emails. You should probably stop sending those generic follow-up emails—they don't work. The act of reconnecting with a prospect is following up, so you don't have to tell them what you're doing.Use the MEDDIC Sales MethodologyGo back to your discovery call or your initial conversation to remember why your prospect needed a change in their business. When you talk to them again or send them a message, try something like this: "You mentioned you were usin

It’s in the data! Reps who used some form of sales methodology are 33% more likely to hit their quota than those who don’t.But which one is the best one to use? Join me in this episode where I break down MEDDIC vs. BANT sales methodologies to help you decide which one is the best option for you. I’ll tell you what they are and provide examples of when you should use them.What Is the BANT Sales Methodology? BANT is a simple sales process that most sales rep often learn early in their careers. It stands for:BudgetAuthorityNeedTimingWhen you use this sales methodology, you determine the client’s budget, if the person you’re talking to is a decision maker, what the need or pain you’re trying to solve, and how soon they’re trying to fix it.Also, I like to adapt this method to better suit the client's needs and make it more understandable throughout the process.What Is the MEDDIC Sales Methodology?This has nothing to do with medicine, even though sales reps in the medical field can use it to their advantage. H

Today, Dr. Noah St. John is here to challenge everything you thought you knew about why some people thrive and others get stuck. If you want to level up your success in any area of your life, the first thing you must do is to change your mindset. Dr. Noah is going to show you how to conquer the "head trash" that holds us back, break through income plateaus, and unlock results.Meet Dr. Noah St. JohnDr. Noah has been teaching clients for 30 years and is credited with helping them add a collective $3 billion in revenue. He is known as the "Done with Head Trash" guy and is a leader of the movement to help people get past their self-imposed limitations. He has written 25 books on the subject and has helped individuals and organizations ranging from 100 to 10,000.Inner Game vs. Outer Game: The 80% RuleDr. Noah argues that success is at least 80% about your "inner game". The inner game is everything happening in your mind, including the beliefs and stories you tell yourself. While "outer game" activit

Is traditional sales outreach becoming less effective? And if so, what replaces it?In today's episode, I chat with Jean-Philippe Schepens van Thiel, founder of AxonJay, about how real-time data, predictive behavior, and AI-generated signals are fundamentally changing how we approach sales. If you’ve ever felt like your messaging is falling flat or that your timing is always off, this conversation is your blueprint for modernizing outreach.Meet Jean-Philippe Schepens van ThielJean-Philippe is the founder and CEO of AxonJay AI, a company helping B2B sellers harness the power of predictive signals to find the right opportunities at the right time. With over 15 years in data-driven sales and marketing, including a successful exit to Dun & Bradstreet, JP is now on a mission to help sales teams break through the noise and win deals with precision.Sales Outreach at an Inflection PointBuyers are bombarded by thousands of messages a week, most of which they delete without reading. Jean-Philippe believes we’ve hit

Is it possible to get your entire sales team to work together and crush goals one after another? Consider all the benefits your organization would gain if this were to actually happen.To make this dream a reality, listen to my chat with Justin Balik, co-founder of Wealth InsurED, in this episode. He shares three sales tactics that brought his company from half a million to three million in 90 days.Meet Justin Balik Justin has been a force in financial services since graduating from the University of Miami in 2012. He quickly rose from agent to a top 10 manager among 10,000+ peers. Now, he and his wife own a business revolutionizing IUL sales training, producing high-end agents with unparalleled speed and results in the industry. He has helped tens of thousands with insurance and retirement, specializing recently in tax minimization for high-net-worth clients.Specialize Your Sales Roles Most sales teams have reps doing everything: prospecting, appointment-setting, closing, and follow-up.&nb

There’s a theory that if a seller focuses on a buyer’s inner feelings, then they’ll be more effective in closing a deal. This will require you to put your therapist cap on to tap into the customer’s emotions.My guests, Jack Frimson and Zac Thompson, sales professionals and co-authors of Selling Is Therapy, share their techniques from their latest book. Listen to learn more about how you can start selling like a therapist to close more deals.Meet Jack Frimson & Zac ThompsonJack and Zac are seasoned sales professionals and co-founders of an agency specializing in helping clients book more high-quality appointments. Together, they have worked with hundreds of clients, developing practical, actionable strategies to make sales conversations more empathetic, effective, and rewarding for everyone involved.  Why the Therapist Approach?Salespeople often default to outdated, aggressive tactics that leave both parties feeling slimy.Drawing inspiration from therapy, Jack and Zac discovered that the bes