In this episode of the Sales Readiness Podcast, Ray Makela, SBI’s Managing Director is joined by Ethan Radoff, Partner at SBI, to explore the critical role of building strong relationships and rapport in sales. The two discuss why trust and emotional connections are essential in the sales process and how sales professionals can improve their ability to connect with buyers. With a strong focus on delivering value in every interaction and sustaining long-term customer relationships, Ray and Ethan outline practical strategies and techniques for improving sales effectiveness.

Key Talking Points

• Active listening is a superpower.

• Engaged, thoughtful conversations build trust and credibility.

• Sustained relationships drive long-term success.

• Post-sale engagement is just as important as pre-sale interactions.

• Sales is still a people business.

• Emotional connections drive decision-making just as much as a product offering.

In this episode, Anthony Erickson, SBI Managing Partner, hosts JD Miller, author of “The CRO’s Guide to Winning in Private Equity,” to discuss the implications of a growing company, and the necessary mindset and strategy adjustments that come with major transitions. They dive into the tough decisions leadership must make in order to maintain focus on the long-term goals of an organization.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategies to identify and avoid common leadership blind spots when scaling an organization.

• Ways to combat the natural tendency to become risk-adverse, despite growth coming from agility and innovation.

• Assessing the practicality and benefits of major operational and leadership changes before making a quick decision.

In this Sales Readiness Podcast episode, our host Ray Makela, Managing Director, is joined by Sarah Bedwell, SBI Executive Consultant, to share firsthand experiences and insights on selling to the C-suite, a process that requires a different mindset and a tailored approach. Selling to executives presents a unique dynamic, and Ray and Sarah walk through tactics to deliver value at every step of the process.   

For many sellers, gaining access to executives can feel like an uphill battle. Despite these challenges the two highlight the importance of C-suite conversations to drive deals forward and uncover additional opportunities that lower-level conversations might miss.  

Key Takeaways:  

• Common pitfalls to avoid including asking endless questions without providing strategic insight.  

• Using RAMP as a structured approach to meeting key executives.  

• Identifying when to approach the C-Suite in order to maximize value and avoid wasting their time.  

In this episode, Anthony Erickson, SBI Managing Partner, hosts JD Miller, author of “The CRO’s Guide to Winning in Private Equity,” to explore the critical role predictability plays in achieving consistent growth in today’s fast-moving business environment. Together, they break down the common challenges business leaders face when trying to predict outcomes and provide practical solutions for improving forecasting.

Key Takeaways:

• Game-changing tools and frameworks for improving forecasting reliability.

• Striking the right balance between trusting the numbers and listening to your intuition.

• Prioritizing predictability across all levels of an organization is key to drive alignment.