Hi Friends,
Here is your end-of-the-week insight into what I see going on in the business world, what I’m thinking about, and what I’m learning about. Forward anything that you feel inspired to share. If this was forwarded to you and you found value, subscribe here for a weekly edition!
To celebrate, I want to offer you a chance to register for our first-ever, free, in-person sales conference at the end of March (Register Here).
Ahead of the conference, I have spent the past week speaking to attendees about what problems they are looking to solve. What is most interesting is that companies of all sizes are balancing very similar issues this year.
Those include overly elongated sales cycles, additional decision-makers in deals, difficulty with the top of the funnel, AI noise, and the standard how to find great talent and keep it.
We will be covering all of this at the conference. However, I don’t want to leave you high and dry. The number one most effective tip this year in terms of shortening sales cycles has been walking prospects through your sales process and seeing how it aligns with their buying process. Too often, we have an idea of how we want things to go but don’t express it and get grossly misaligned.
Have transparent conversations with your buyers and drive toward the optimal sales cycle in their organization.
What Made Me Laugh
I used to be a “best” email sign-off guy. Then I found out how much that irritates people, so I switched to “thanks” or “thank you!” or something similar. I think I have now found my new sign-off!
Being a first-generation American is a unique yet somewhat familiar experience. A few years ago, I started meeting regularly with other first-generation Americans to discuss what it was like growing up in the 80s and 90s in the DC Metro area. This group is from all different cultures, but many of the things we experienced with our parents were very similar. One such thing was our moms telling us that going outside in the winter without a jacket (or with wet hair) would make us sick. Turns out our moms were kind of RIGHT.
Potpourri (shoutout to Jeopardy!) is a category that covers a variety of topics.
One of my favorite startup newsletters/blogs is by Tomasz Tunguz. I find his writing to be accessible, his advice actionable, and his insights valuable. If you have not subscribed, you should. His blog on pricing was extremely well-received in my network. Check it out!
There are probably a thousand different versions of the quote below, and for good reason. I am not sure how this resonated with my son, but I do think these are points that I can continue to repeat to him throughout his life, and some, if not all, will eventually stick!
“Laziness kills ambition
Anger kills wisdom
Fear kills dreams
Ego kills growth
Jealousy kills peace
Doubt kills confidence
Now read that right to left.”
– Unknown
You can get weekly helpful information for sales professionals by following my company’s Maestro Mastery blog here.
Let me know what you think about this week’s edition of Fuentes Fridays. Which section was your favorite? How can I make this better? Shoot me a message on LinkedIn @willfuentes.
Until next week!
Thanks,