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Most salespeople are more effective when they are empowered to take ownership, make decisions, and build relations
“Who’s your ideal customer?” One of Karl’s favorite exercises with salespeople starts with that simple question: who is your ideal customer? Oftentimes, the answers he gets are met with a series of traits:
“Okay,” Karl adds. “Imagine you’re on a plane. You’ve got a seat in first class, the weather is great, it’s going to be an easy flight. Your ideal customer sits down next to you. They don’t put on their headphones or turn away. Instead, they say hello and mention that they always end up talking to their seatmate on the plane - let them know if it starts to bother you. It’s a dream scenario. Who just sat down next to you?” A lot of salespeople know exactly who it is. “Oh, it’s Mary Beth from XXX company.” “I’d want it to be the CFO of XXX company.” “Jeremy Brennen from XXX, hands down would be my dream seat mate.” Then, Karl asks them the real question. “If you already know who your dream customer is, why haven’t you reached out?” If you already know who that ideal person is, why are you waiting for a chance encounter when you could be putting some intentional focus towards winning their business? On the Unlocking Sales Success episode of The Cash Flow Contractor podcast, Karl dives into the five steps of Iceberg Selling, why repeating what a customer shares with you helps build your connection, and how the same strategies that help you connect with customers will help you become a better manager for your team. Check it out now on Apple Podcasts!  As a leader, you’re responsible for the performance of your team.
Many leaders believe that means it’s their job to:
If that sounds like an overwhelming ask, it’s because it is. In fact, it’s downright impossible. Not to mention, it’s counterproductive. As much as managers may wish they could, they can’t actually control the performance of their team. The instinct may actually get in the way of their team’s ability to succeed. So that begs the question: what is your job as a leader? Oftentimes, your real role is to remove the roadblocks that are standing in your team’s way. Think about some of the challenges people on your team may be facing. They could be:
Most salespeople are more effective when they are empowered to take ownership, make decisions, and build relationships in a way that is authentic to them. Oftentimes the biggest hurdle isn’t that they aren’t doing enough; it’s that they don’t have the freedom to take ownership of building their relationships and growing their accounts. Remember, your sales team wants to be successful. Salespeople are in their field because they like to build connections, they enjoy the competitive aspects of their job, and they like to win. They also have a vested interest in doing well, given that their compensation is tied to their performance. They are staking their livelihood on their abilities to sell to customers and grow your business. If their performance or results are disappointing you, don’t assume it’s because they aren’t trying or don’t care about their performance. Instead, look deeper into the organization and try to determine if there are any blockers that may be holding them back. Is there something that could be standing in their way? Is there something leaders or managers aren’t doing that’s making it difficult for them to succeed? Is there information or resources they need access to? When the team isn’t getting expected results, the instinct is often to start micromanaging and monitoring them more closely, or remove them from the team. Try fighting both of those urges. Instead of trying to control the process, ask yourself (and your employees!) what tools or resources would make them more successful. It’s very easy to point the finger when you don’t get the results you want as quickly as you want. However, if you don’t identify the root cause, history is bound to repeat itself. Take the time to look deeper into the organization, figure out what could be hindering your team, and determine the best way to remove anything standing in their way.  Imagine getting into the passenger seat of a car with a recent acquaintance. Once you’re buckled in, they immediately start driving. Yes, they make small talk and they seem friendly enough, but they don’t tell you where they’re driving. They don’t explain how they’re getting there. They simply drive.
Now imagine that after you get in and exchange some brief pleasantries, the driver gives you a run down of what’s going on. “Today, we’re going to an event across town. I’m planning to take I-94 and then a few backroads, with some flexibility depending on the traffic. After that, we’ll find a good place to park. Does that sound good?” It likely goes without saying that the second situation is the one you’d feel more comfortable in. As salespeople, we design a roadmap that we believe will get us to our ideal destination. We’re also in charge of following it to move the meeting from point A to point B, hitting every stop along the way. But just because your customer is the passenger doesn’t mean they don’t need or want to know how you’re planning to get there. Your job is to facilitate the meeting. It’s also to make sure the customer knows and feels comfortable with what is going on. Before you dive in, make sure you give the customer an idea of where you’re taking them. Why You Should Show the Customer Your Plans. First and foremost, telling your customer exactly what they can expect from the meeting is a courtesy. It allows the customer to feel more confident in the direction the meeting is heading in, gives them a glimpse of your thought process, and lets them know where and when you’d like to hear input or be asked questions. This is incredibly beneficial for you, too, as it keeps the meeting on track. When a customer buys into the cadence and flow of the meeting, they’re more likely to follow your plan. They’re less likely to interrupt with questions that the next section of your presentation was going to cover. They’ll be more prepared to give input when you ask for it. They’re less likely to jump to the conclusion of the meeting without giving you a chance to dive into the discovery. When a customer knows what’s coming, they’re in a better position to play ball. Knowing where you’re taking them also keeps the customer focused. They aren’t wondering what you’re going to talk about next, what the next steps of the meeting are, or worrying that you’re about to ambush them with a contract. They stay present and focused because they know what to expect. You’re still the driver, and your customer is still the passenger, but knowing the general roadmap keeps the customer from trying to commandeer and change the route. How to Explain Your Plans. Simply put, explaining your plans is sharing an agenda for your meeting in a more conversational, narrative way. You’ve likely already created a bullet point agenda to keep you on track during the meeting (and if you haven’t, you should). This is an extension of that. Here’s what it might sound like. “Hello, [customer’s name]. I’m really excited to be meeting with you today. Here’s what I have in mind for our meeting. First, I’d love to spend a few minutes learning more about what you’re looking for, what your team hopes to achieve, and what a successful outcome might look like for you and your company. After that, I’ll share some initial ideas and solutions for how we can help you. As we talk and learn more about each other, I want to make sure I’m finding the right solutions for you, so please feel free to share your candid feedback or any other details that might help. “After that, we can check to see if this seems like the right fit or not. If it is, we can talk through possible next steps and how we can work together to create a solution that will help your team reach your goals. We can also put some time on the calendar to keep our conversations moving forward. How does that sound to you?” The goal is to quickly and simply explain what the customer can expect from the meeting. However, it also tells them four important things:
Sharing Your Plans Breeds Collaboration. One of your goals with the design of your meeting was to position yourself as a long-term partner to the prospective customer, and not as a salesperson looking to make a quick, singular transaction. Explaining the path you’re taking is a continuation of that. It shows them at the very beginning of the meeting that your intention isn’t to immediately win their business. Instead, you’re looking to co-create a solution so that you can chart a path forward together. Learn More. Iceberg Selling is a technique grounded in the understanding that for every person, organization, and situation, you can only see 10% of what’s really going on. By adopting the right mindsets, prioritizing building relationships, and approaching customers with genuine curiosity, you can start to explore the other 90% and improve your sales performance. Get the book to learn more about Iceberg Selling.  You might have a hidden jewel on your sales team, but if you expect each person to shine in exactly the same way, you may mistake a diamond for charcoal.
Not every salesperson sells the same way because not every person has the same communication style or builds relationships the same way. That doesn’t mean one method is inherently wrong. In fact, it’s the opposite. Two salespeople can be equally effective utilizing wildly different styles, but neither will be if they’re forced to conform to a mold that isn’t authentic for them. Your whole team is working towards the same goal; but that doesn’t mean there is only one way to get there. There are many different ways to succeed. Your job as a sales leader isn’t to dictate how each member of your team approaches sales, but to empower them, give them the tools they need, help them stay in action, motivate them, and keep them accountable. Instead of telling your team what path they need to take, you’re there to help them be successful on their path. If you’re curious about what this looks like in action and how you can tap into the full potential of each person on your team, check out Karl’s appearance on The Insight Interviews Podcast. During the episode, Karl shares a powerful personal story about how different ways of learning and selling never felt authentic to him and why that has enabled him to uncover hidden potential and become a more effective leader. Check it out now on Apple Podcasts.  You likely don’t have the same approach for every event you support for one obvious reason: different events have different needs and goals.
The same approach wouldn’t make sense for a non-profit fundraising gala and a multi-day pharmaceutical sales team event with several general sessions, breakouts, and an awards ceremony. And that internal meeting would look and feel very different than an association meeting where the focus is education, a shareholders event, or conference open to anybody in a certain field or discipline. The length of the meeting, the budget, the type of venues, and even whether or not attendees pay to attend are different for each type of meeting and the different organizations that may be hosting or funding it. As the AV or production team supporting the event, you know that your approach will only be successful if it’s designed to meet the individual needs of the event. And yet, so often, AV partners take a one-size-fits-all approach to the proposal process. They pull from the same list of discovery questions, some of which may not be relevant for certain types of events or be too broad to really dig into the needs of the customer. They use the same template, regardless of whether or not it’s the best way to paint a picture of what it will be like to work with them. They frame the budget the same way, regardless of who will be reviewing the proposal. How you communicate with your prospective customers matters, especially in response to a competitive RFP, so make sure you’re being intentional about how you present yourself. One helpful thing to keep in mind is buyer personas. There are a number of different types of customers who may contract you for an event. It could be a meeting planner, the venue’s staff, the organization’s meeting planner, or even a production team that needs to source local equipment and talent. By understanding who is making the hiring decision and who you’ll be working directly with, you’ll be able to determine the best way to connect with and support them. If you’re selling to somebody who is on the organization’s meeting planning or leadership team, focusing too heavily on the technical details will feel like speaking a language your customer doesn’t fully understand. Yes, they may understand that it sounds like you know what you’re talking about, but they’ll likely struggle to picture what the event will look like or what the partnership will entail. Instead, the best approach with this type of client is sharing the outcome you’ll create and giving light details on how you’ll bring it to life. Your goal is to help them envision their event and give them reassurance that they won’t have anything to worry about with you as their AV supplier. On the other hand, if you’re working with a production team that needs to source local equipment and talent, sharing specific technical details becomes your greatest selling tool. They understand the technology for live events and what labor they want. They also know what a good process and workflow looks like. Confirming that you understand the specifics of their ask and are able to deliver it gives them confidence in your ability to collaborate to create a successful outcome. It may take more work than utilizing a standard proposal template and process, but implementing a more intentional and specific proposal process to fit the buyer persona and event’s needs allows you to position yourself as a better fit and makes you a more attractive potential partner.  Being a salesperson is like constantly interviewing for a job. And anybody who has made hiring decisions before knows that a job interview doesn’t start or end when the prospective hire is in the room.
Imagine looking out of your office window and seeing a car come speeding into the parking lot and whipping into a space. The person jumps out of the car and walks briskly towards the building before getting a panicked expression on their face and running back to the car to get something they forgot. Or perhaps the person entered the building looking calm and collected, but when told the interviewer (you) was running late, they got snippy with the receptionist or talked down to them. Maybe they were talking loudly on their phone in the elevator, and saying rude or inappropriate things. None of these happened during their actual interview, and yet, all of them paint a negative picture of what it will be like to work with them. Odds are, you aren’t hiring that person. How you show up for meeting matters, and just as a bad first impression may poison the well, a well-designed meeting paints a great picture of what it will be like to work with you. From the moment they’re able to see you, your goal is to show the prospective customer that you are intentional, focused, deliberate, and able to make the most of the limited amount of time you may have with them. For many salespeople, this means the basics: showing up early, having all documents prepared, dressing professionally, and popping a breath mint. But that’s the bare minimum you can do. What will really set you apart is architecting your meeting. Architect Your Meeting. What outcome are you playing for during your meeting? This could be the first meeting you’re having with a customer where you’re hoping to start getting to know each other and building a connection. Or perhaps, you’ve started forming a relationship and now your goal is to start co-creating a solution. Maybe you’ve been in conversations for a while, and you’re hoping this meeting is the one where the customer will decide they are ready to move forward. Defining what stage of the selling cycle you’re in will help you craft an experience that is designed to reach that goal. If you’re trying to establish a relationship and get to know each other, a low-pressure meeting in a restaurant may be perfect. However, if you’re presenting ideas visually, a meeting location where you can easily show your computer screen would be much more advantageous. Perhaps you’re early in the discovery phase and seeing the day-to-day functions of their business would be helpful. Maybe there is some combination of locations that would best fit your needs. There isn’t one right answer to what kind of meeting you should have. So before offering to come to their office or sending out a zoom link because it’s your default way of conducting business, think about what the purpose of the meeting is, what your ideal outcome would be, and how you can craft a meeting to achieve it. Plan and Rehearse the Logistics. Architecting your meeting doesn’t mean coming up with a script that you’ll closely follow with “choose your own adventure” deviations based on the customer’s feedback. It means that you’re planning everything within your control as thoroughly as possible so that, when you’re in the meeting, you’re able to focus all of your attention on building a relationship with the customer. In-person meetings in a professional location If your client is in the same area as you and they offer to meet face to face at their offices, do whatever you can to make it work. Once the meeting is scheduled, make sure you know how to get there ahead of time. Yes, everyone knows to map how long the drive will take from their home, or even to check the individual steps of the drive. But you should take it further by rehearsing the drive. Take some time during the few days leading up to the meeting to actually practice driving the route. Make note of any road closures or upcoming events in the area that could cause an unexpected delay. Figure out where you’re supposed to park on the day of the meeting and how you get there from the street. If it’s a large building with multiple parking lots, yours may not be close to the main road, and it will be good to budget extra time into your drive. Also make note of which door you’re supposed to enter through and how to get there from the parking lot. Once you’re in the building, do you need to check in and get a badge? Will somebody lead you to the meeting room, or do you need to have an idea of how to navigate the space? Having all of this information will keep you calmer on the day of the meeting. You won’t feel panicked if unexpected construction adds to the drive time because you’ll have already planned around it. You won’t be scrambling trying to figure out how to get to parking lot B when Google Maps had you enter the building area in the west garage. You won’t be running late because you didn’t realize you had to check in at the front desk because it was part of your plan. When you rehearse these steps, you aren’t just ensuring your on time arrival, you’re taking away guesswork that could leave you frazzled at any point along the way. You can spend the drive focusing on the meeting in front of you. You’ll be calm as you walk through the parking lot. You’ll be warm and kind to anyone you run into because you won’t be in a hurry. SUBHEAD - Meeting at a restaurant. Meeting at a restaurant Great business has always been done over lunch, dinner, or drinks. If you can suggest a meeting at a restaurant (your treat, of course) you should, so long as it makes sense with the purpose of the meeting. Like any meeting you’re traveling to, practice your route. If you’re in a busy city, make sure you know if parking will be available, if the restaurant has valet available during your meeting time, and if you’ll need cash on hand to pay the valet and a tip. Pro-tip: look at the menu ahead of time and decide what you’re going to order. When your customer is in front of you, you don’t want to spend any mental energy or time hemming and hawing about what to eat. You want to take a quick glance at the menu, confirm what you’re getting, and wait patiently for your customer’s attention. Just like with plotting your route, it keeps you focused on what matters most - the customer. Online meeting Most salespeople would love for every meeting, especially with prospective customers, to take place in-person. But the fact of the matter is, some of your customers may not be geographically close enough for that to be an option, may primarily work from home, or just find it easier with their schedule to meet over Zoom (or Teams, or one of the many, many other options). If you’re like most people, you probably already spend a fair amount of time on video meetings, but it’s never a bad idea to double check your surroundings to make sure you’re giving off the right image. Before your meeting, put your camera on and double check what your background looks like. Is there anything peeking out of the corner that may be distracting? Is there a weird shadow behind you during a certain time of day? Is the lighting too harsh or soft? Next, take a short recording of yourself and listen to it back. Are there any distracting noises, like street traffic or construction? Using headphones helps to reduce background noise, but it doesn’t hurt to make sure your audio sounds as distraction-free as possible. The goal here is to make sure that you’re giving off a professional vibe, even when you’re working out of a home office. Architecting Your Meeting Reduces Risk. The truth is, there are so many factors outside of your control leading up to the meeting with a customer. And while some of those things may be outside of your control (like your neighbor’s yard service taking several hours to mow or the mailman setting off your dog), having a clear plan that you’ve rehearsed allows you to take control of absolutely everything that you can. It ensures that you’re not only on-time, but calm, collected, and smiling when you first meet with your customer. It keeps you from spending your meeting overthinking what you’d like to eat for lunch, instead of making small talk that helps you understand your customer’s world. It keeps the top edge of your printer from jutting into your shot just enough to distract people you’re on a video call with. When you craft your meeting intentionally and have a clear plan for each step leading up to and during it, you’re able to pour all of your mental energy towards showing up the way you want to and building a relationship with your customer. They may not know all of the work you put in, but that shift is one they’ll plainly feel, too. Setting the stage intentionally helps the customer see a path forward with you. Learn More. Iceberg Selling is a technique grounded in the understanding that for every person, organization, and situation, you can only see 10% of what’s really going on. By adopting the right mindsets, prioritizing building relationships, and approaching customers with genuine curiosity, you can start to explore the other 90% and improve your sales performance. Get the book to learn more about Iceberg Selling. Karl is a big believer in having a playbook full of plays that help him connect with and grow his relationships with prospective customers. Or, more specifically, he has a playbook for each stage of the sales funnel.
At first, your goal is to get the right kinds of leads into the funnel. And that means fishing where the fish are. If your ideal customers are at conferences, trade shows, or networking events, make sure you are, too. If your potential customers are on LinkedIn, use the site to do outreach. If any of your existing customers have connections that could use your help, don’t be afraid to ask for a referral. Each of these strategies are outlined in Karl’s Playbook, and each of them has a variety of plays to help him execute effectively. As you think of a Buyer’s Journey , the plays go from getting leads into the funnel to connecting with and understanding the customer. The goal is to create conversations where “aha!” moments naturally happen. Those moments spark inspiration and allow you to casually float different ideas so that you can start to suggest a path forward. The plays at the bottom of the funnel are about how to present the proposal and, most importantly, how to use the proposal as a way to continue co-creating a solution. The goal is still to keep the conversation going and gain more and more buy-in as you go. Even in this final stage, you want the client to help shape the solution. If you’re interested in creating this kind of playbook for yourself and the strategies behind this way of selling, make sure you check out Karl’s appearance on the Consulting Leaders Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  Venues regularly are asked for recommendations for vendors, including AV teams, for upcoming events. It goes without saying that venues are most likely to recommend a team that’s at the top of their mind, who they trust, and that they enjoy working with.
Luckily, there are a few ways you can make sure you’re at the top of their list. First, if there are any venues that you regularly work in or would like to work in more, make a habit of stopping by regularly. You don’t need to have a formal meeting on the calendar to drop by with donuts, coffee, and some business cards. Stop in, say hello, and let them know you’re available to brainstorm on any upcoming events they have. Before you leave, ask if they have any business cards that you could hand out to customers or industry partners who might be looking for a venue. These spontaneous drop-ins are effective because you’re not being pushy or trying to make an immediate sale. Instead, you’re putting in the ground work to form a relationship and showing that you’re committed to supporting their team and their business, too. Second, create and offer to present AV workshops to these same venues that you want to grow your partnerships with. Reach out to any points of contact you have and offer to host an annual AV 101 course for their internal team. Once again, the intention here isn’t selling, but educating so that the folks on their event team understand the AV aspects of live events a little bit better. Bring refreshments, your top event technicians, and any technology you think would be especially inspiring or relevant for the types of events and clients they typically host events for. This helps your team in a few major ways. It gives the venue’s event team a better base understanding of AV. It’ll help them communicate better with their customers (a win for them), while also making it easier for your team to collaborate with them on upcoming events (a win for both of you). These workshops also help your team and the venue team become more familiar with each other so that you can start to form connections. Most people prefer to work with teams they already know, like, and trust, and these meetings will help facilitate that between your teams. And, of course, your team will be at the top of their mind when somebody asks for AV vendor recommendations. Both of these strategies take some time and effort, but they’re easy ways to form and deepen connections that lead to big boosts in business. Want to learn more? Join our live event peer group or reach out with any ideas or topics you’d like to talk about!  When you first receive an RFP or start having conversations with a new prospective customer, it’s easy to make a list of everything you know about them (including anything you can easily find out on your own). What’s much harder, if not downright impossible, during those early stages is outlining everything you don’t know.
Knowing what’s going on above the surface might give you a slight indication of the size, shape, and scope of the iceberg lying underneath, but until you dive in and start to explore, you’ll only be guessing at what’s there. The same is true with new customers. Until you start asking questions, forming a relationship, and making an effort to understand what’s going on in their world, you won’t have a full picture of what they really need, what they’re looking for in a vendor, and how you can provide value to them. The answer to each question should provide you with more insight - it should also lead to more questions. While many salespeople will assume they have a full picture after just a little research or hearing answers to just a few questions, you need to keep searching for more. You need to stay curious. You need to dig deeper. Dive Deeper Before the First Meeting. Researching the company and exploring their website is a good first step, but it’s also the bare minimum you can do to learn about the brand. If the company has a physical store, go to it. If they have a branch location, try to visit it. If you know somebody who works for the company, talk to them. Make an effort to understand the experience and perception the company wants to create firsthand. If your research shows that any higher ups in the company, like the CEO, a board member, or somebody on the senior leadership team, has written a book, hosts a podcast, or writes articles, listen to or read them. Even if they don’t share too much specifically about the company, it’ll give you an idea of who they are and the culture they’ve likely worked to instill. Finally, and this is a big one, if the company is publicly traded, listen to recordings of investor calls or shareholder meetings. Hearing the organization’s leadership talk about their future and the direction they’re hoping to head in will tell you a lot about how the company does business and how they make decisions. This will give you invaluable insight into how they might choose vendor partners, like you. The Discovery Process Doesn't Have an End Date. You’ve done the initial research, you’ve had preliminary meetings, and you’ve started to dive deeper. The discovery phase has ended and it’s time to move into the proposal and then (hopefully) the signed contract phases. Right? Wrong. The discovery process shouldn’t have an end date. Not when the proposal is being created, not once the contract has been signed, and not years down the line when the prospective customer has turned into a long-term one. While many salespeople let up on the gas during the proposal process, it’s the wrong instinct. If you’ve made it to that point, you’ve already started to build trust with the customer and they’re likely getting more comfortable around you. That means they’re more likely to open up, give frank answers to your questions, and share information they may not realize could be important. This is the stage where meetings feel less like an interview and more like a conversation - so make sure you continue to approach those conversations with the same curiosity that you did in the first meeting. This is where you start to uncover the true size and shape of the iceberg. You're Laying a Foundation. When you take the time to figure out what your customer values, you’re laying the groundwork for something bigger than a one-time sale. You’re creating a partnership that will continue to bring value to both of your organizations. Your ongoing curiosity matters for multiple reasons. First, anybody who’s formed a true partnership with a customer knows that it isn’t uncommon for a vendor to become a confidant, advisor, consultant, and sometimes makeshift therapist. In these early days, your curiosity and commitment to learning more shows that this is the kind of relationship you’re interested in forming. Second, in the short-term, you’re understanding what solutions they really need. Yes, they’ve already established that they want your products or services, but maybe there is an additional service they could use. Maybe the product they inquired about isn’t the one that is best suited for their needs. Maybe there is a way to create a more comprehensive solution to fill a variety of needs. Hitting a home run the first time you work with them will make them want to continue working with you. And, of course, you’re able to provide more value and be of service, which is what selling is really about. Learn More. Iceberg Selling is a technique grounded in the understanding that for every person, organization, and situation, you can only see 10% of what’s really going on. By adopting the right mindsets, prioritizing building relationships, and approaching customers with genuine curiosity, you can start to explore the other 90% and improve your sales performance. Get the book to learn more about Iceberg Selling.  Most businesses run on cycles. There are times of the year where demand naturally peaks and then lulls in slower seasons. Then there is the ramp up to the busiest months of the year, where the prep work is arguably more time consuming than in the busy season itself.
Why does this matter to you as a salesperson? Because the stage of the sales cycle your customers are in changes what their business looks like, what their customers need, and how you can best provide value to them. During his recent appearance on the Thought Leadership Studio podcast, Karl shares a workshop he did with a sales team that worked in the construction / manufacturing industry. The sales folks had customers like ACE Hardware, True Value Hardware, Home Depot, and other big hardware retailers. They found that, for their customers, the cycle was seasonal. During winter, when the temperatures dropped and snow was falling, so did sales, for obvious reasons. Customers weren’t coming in to get construction materials, gardening tools stayed on shelves, and most equipment needed for outdoor work wasn’t getting purchased because people weren’t going to need them for a while. Of course, in the summer, that same product that was stagnant started to fly off the shelves. Understanding this cycle was important for the sales team for several reasons. If they tried to sell a bunch of supplies that would only be used for outdoor work in warm temperatures, they were a lot less likely to be successful. Even worse, their customers would probably start to feel that the salesperson they were working with either didn’t understand their industry or that they cared more about making a sale than being a partner. Instead, Karl coached them to use the off season to improve their long-term relationships with their clients by sharing information that they’d value. Before the buying season started, they would share information about regional forecasts or weather patterns that might indicate an early start to summer or a hotter or wetter season than usual, as well as trends that may impact their sales. Karl also noted that if the sales teams waited to start upselling outdoor supplies until the weather had already warmed up and demand started to increase, they may end up being too late for the rush. The sweet spot, it turned out, was to reach out to their customers in the early spring to start conversations about what the customer would need in order to be prepared for the rush of summer. Proactively reaching out to customers before the summer began showed that: 1. The salesperson understood the nature of their business. 2. The salesperson had valuable insights into the needs of their customers. 3. The salesperson was truly invested in being of service. 4. That this partnership was providing them value. During his appearance on the Thought Leadership Studio podcast, Karl shared what understanding business cycles has to do with iceberg selling and how it helps you show up for your customers in a way that breeds better connection. Listen to the podcast now on the Thought Leadership Studio website as well as Spotify or Apple Podcasts to learn more!  Your customers, partners, former teammates, and friends are your best advocates - but if you don’t ask them for help, they likely won’t realize you need it. And if you aren’t intentional about how you ask for help, it’s less likely to result in you creating the kind of connections that you’re hoping to.
The key is to reach out to your best connections and ask them to make an introduction to someone in their network (if you have a specific idea about who, even better! But more on that later). It sounds daunting. After all, asking for help, especially from professional connections, can feel like an imposition. However, it helps to remember that an introduction is just that - an opportunity to speak to someone new. You’re not asking for a guarantee of new business or fishing for a sale. All that you’re asking is that an initial greeting is facilitated. Here are the steps. Step 1. Identify your best connections and think about whether they seem like they’d have a relevant network and be willing to make introductions. Consider what industries you want to continue growing in, specific types of events you’d like to pursue, or groups with your target demographic, and reach out to clients who are most likely to have connections within those groups. Step 2. The more targeted your requests for connections are, the more likely they are to result in a meeting with your ideal potential customer. Before you talk with the connections you’ve identified, figure out who they may be able to connect you with. LinkedIn is a great tool for this. Go to your client’s profile and see if any of their LinkedIn connections are somebody you think you could build a partnership with, provide value to, or support. What you’re really looking for here is mutual value. When your customer reaches out, you want them to be able to share why meeting you could benefit the person they’re connecting you with, not just your team. Pro Tip: Use your CRM to manage the entire process by logging which customers you plan to reach out to and who you’d like them to connect you with. Step 3. Reach out to your connections and ask them if they would be open to making introductions to people in their network. If they are, be prepared with 2-3 names of people or organizations you’d like to have them reach out to on your behalf. It may be that they don’t have a close enough relationship with one (or more!) of the names you share to personally introduce you, but it will give them an idea of the types of groups you’re looking to connect with and may give them an idea of who would be a good fit. The initial request for help often feels the hardest because there are so many variables. What’s the best way to reach out to your client? What should you say? How do you approach the conversation? Here are a few ways to get started: Work it into conversation If the client you’re asking for a referral is somebody you speak to and work with regularly, that’s great! Work the request into your regular conversation. Not only is this more personal, it takes pressure off by making the ask feel more casual. Here’s a guide for how you can start the conversation: You: Hey, (client). Do you have a few extra minutes to talk? There’s something I wanted to run by you. Client: Sure, what do you have for me? You: It’s about my business and adding to it with customers that are really good fits. I’ve really enjoyed working with you and your company and thought I would ask if you have anyone in your network that might be a good fit for what we do? Not sure if anyone would come to mind, but thought I’d ask. From there, let the conversation flow naturally! Casually schedule a quick call If this is somebody you have a close relationship with but don’t have any upcoming meetings scheduled, shoot them a quick text. Tell them you have something you want to run by them and ask if they’d have 5-10 minutes to hop on the phone over the next few days for a quick chat. For customers who you most regularly talk to via email or are particularly hard to meet with face-to-face or over the phone, you can also email them your request! Keep it short, casual, and direct. Here’s a template: SUBJECT: Idea to run by you [CLIENT NAME], I hope things are going well in your world. I am reaching out with an idea to run by you. I was brainstorming about ways to find more clients like you and your company, as we are really looking to work with more good fits. I wondered if you might have any ideas of people/companies that you know of that might be a fit for us. No worries either way, just thought I would ask to see if anyone comes to mind. Thank you in advance and I look forward to catching up some time. Best, [YOUR NAME] If they respond positively, make sure to follow up with a few specific names of groups you’d like to connect with. Step 4. After the initial ask, especially if your client responds positively, don’t be afraid to follow up! Even though your customers will likely be willing or even excited to help, it likely won’t be at the top of their priority list or top of mind - so make sure to give them a reminder. Here’s a guide for what you can say: SUBJECT: Ideas for meeting with [NAME] [CLIENT NAME], Thanks for your willingness to help me connect with [NAME]! Let's find a time to catch up and talk through the next steps for making an introduction. I'd love to treat you to breakfast, coffee, lunch, drinks, or dinner. We could also meet up at [X, Y, Z event] or play a round of golf. Whatever works best for you! Thanks, [YOUR NAME] The goal here is to make this as easy (and enjoyable!) for everyone as possible. After all, this client is doing a favor for you, so meet them where they’re at. Reaching Out to a Connection Directly. It’s also possible that your client will recommend that you reach out to the new connection directly, with them copied in case they want to jump in. Of course, in an ideal case scenario, your client is the one to make the introduction. But if they don’t have the time, don’t push them. Here’s what you can say when given the green light to reach out: SUBJECT: Introduction from [CLIENT NAME] Hello [NAME], My name is [YOUR NAME] and I'm friends with [CLIENT NAME] (cc'd here). We've worked together for [X] years doing [type / number of events] across [geographic area]. [CLIENT NAME] thought we could be a good fit. For context, I've been producing and managing AV events for over [NUMBER OF YEARS]. Most of the events I work on are [ADD DETAILS HERE]. I think this is one reason why [CLIENT NAME] thought we could be a good fit. I realize this email is out of the blue, but I've always been curious about [NAME OF ORGANIZATION] and wondered if there may be an opportunity for my team to support your events and help you reach your goals. Here are some resources in case you'd like to learn more about me and [NAME OF YOUR COMPANY]:
Please let me know if you might be open to scheduling a call sometime. I'd also be happy to [list anything of value you can provide. I.e.: discuss your upcoming event, review any proposals you have, be a sounding board for more ideas, share venue resources, etc.] Best, [YOUR NAME] Your primary goals when asking your clients for help are:
Want to learn more? Join our live event peer group or reach out to learn more about strategically building your referral program!  In the (slightly edited) words of Billy Zane in the movie Titanic, “a real [sales]man (or woman) makes his own luck.”
Yes, most good salespeople have natural selling abilities, people skills, and an interest in building relationships. What sets great salespeople apart isn’t that they were lucky enough to get incredible leads or have selling instincts that the average professional lacks. What takes a salesperson from good to great is how they invest their time and energy, and making that change is as simple as a shift in perspective. Quality over Quantity. Many salespeople assume that in order to close more accounts, they need to go after more leads. They think of their closing rate as relatively fixed (perhaps it’s roughly the average closing rate for their team or has been their closing rate for years), so they believe that the more leads they have, the more deals they’ll close and the higher their numbers will be. When they have free time, they sign up for networking events. They make cold call after cold call. They look at the top of the funnel. They ask for more. A great salesperson, however, understands that quality, not quantity, is what will boost their bottom line. Well, of course the quality of the lead matters, you may be thinking. And it does. Some leads that enter the funnel don’t fit the ideal customer profile, aren’t serious about buying in the near future, or have an incumbent vendor who they have no real intention of leaving. But quality doesn’t just refer to the quality of the leads coming in. It also encompasses the quality of the experience the salesperson offers to the prospective customer. A great salesperson realizes this, so they don’t use every spare moment of their day looking for more leads. Instead, they focus their energy on stacking the deck in their favor. This means researching the organization and the customer contact to make sure they uncover every detail that’s readily available so that they can approach an initial discovery meeting or call with tailored questions that position them to get more information. They set themselves up to dive deeper. Get Curious. Once a great salesperson has learned everything they can, they’re able to figure out everything they don’t know that could help them form a relationship with the customer. They realize that the best (and really, only) strategy to start gaining an understanding of what’s going on beneath the surface is by asking questions, not with the intention of selling, but with the intention of learning. The list of questions isn’t a set of boxes to tick. They don’t lead you down one of two selling paths, where your path forward is clearly charted. Instead, each question is merely a starting point. The answers lead to unplanned follow up questions, natural conversations, and seemingly minor details that help the salesperson build a relationship with the customer. When you commit to remaining curious, the discovery process never ends - you’re consistently looking to understand what is going on in the customer’s world so that you can figure out how you fit into the picture. Get Deeper.
These questions are all important and undoubtedly the answers matter, but asking them won’t set a salesperson apart from anyone else the buyer is meeting with. That’s all surface level information - and what you need to know doesn’t necessarily come from asking questions. It comes from having conversations. If you ask a customer what the company values, they’ll likely rattle off the mission statement or core values listed on their website. But if you start talking about different corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs they’ve participated in, you’ll get past the corporate speak and get an idea of what really matters to them. You’ll start to uncover what’s going on in their world, why they care about the things they do, what’s important to the company, what their culture is really like, and what it would mean to be a part of their team or be a vendor that supports them. This type of deeper understanding puts you in a position of discovery, which in turn can help you see clues to different types of opportunities where you may be able to be of service. This may provide you better ideas on how your offerings could be of real value to this customer and put you in a position where you’re a partner instead of a vendor. Learn More. Iceberg Selling is a technique grounded in the understanding that for every person, organization, and situation, you can only see 10% of what’s really going on. By adopting the right mindsets, prioritizing building relationships, and approaching customers with genuine curiosity, you can start to explore the other 90% and improve your sales performance. Get the book to learn more about Iceberg Selling. Before he became a sales consultant and fractional CRO, Karl ran a digital agency for about 10 years. It was a business with a great reputation for creating experiential, unique websites and applications and everybody seemed to love working there.
It was a reputation that spread quickly, and anytime they’d post a job opening, they’d get flooded with applications. Once the pleasantries were out of the way, Karl started each interview with the same question. “Hey, on our website, in our portfolio, what was your favorite website our team created?” This question was a test. Because if somebody responded with, “Oh, I didn’t really have enough time to look at them,” or, “I don’t really know specifically what websites you guys have built, I just know you do great work,” the interview immediately got on the off ramp. If somebody couldn’t put in enough time to be prepared for a job interview in a highly sought after position, it showed that they weren’t willing to do even the most basic level of research. They weren’t going above and beyond to really understand what the company was all about. If they didn’t put in enough effort before a job interview to be able to answer a really simple question, why would Karl think they would start putting in effort to get to know potential customers later? On the other hand, if somebody came in and shared that they saw the website the team made for X company, loved a leader’s appearance on Y podcast, or talked about what they’ve heard about the company culture, it would go a long way. Why? Because it made it clear that the applicant cared enough about the opportunity to take the initiative to learn more about them - and they’d likely care enough about their customers to do the same. On the Hidden Sales Secrets episode of the Selling with Love podcast, Karl shared crafting an experience doesn’t just create loyal customers, but fills his cup, why salespeople need emotional resilience, why elevator pitches only serve the bottom of the funnel, and more. Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts to learn more!  We’ve all been there. An RFP comes in with detailed information about an event, the scope of work, and an ask to know more about your process and differentiators. More often than not, one of the final, but most important, parts of the RFP is the ask to include 3-5 references.
This should be the easy part. After all, you likely have a long list of customers you work with regularly and you believe would have great things to say about your team. But which ones are the best to put down? Not only that - are they willing to be a reference? The timeframe for the RFP is quick and the clock is ticking, and suddenly, you feel stressed about how to move forward. Not to mention, asking for a reference can be awkward and uncomfortable. Here’s how you get ahead of it. Before an RFP is even in front of you, create a list of 3-5 customers you believe would be outstanding references for your company. They don’t necessarily need to be your biggest customers, but rather, someone you’ve worked with repeatedly and who you know have great things to say about your team. Next, reach out to your contacts at those companies and ask if they’d be open to being a reference account a few times a year, just in case anybody thinking about hiring an AV company wants to talk to one of your best customers. Odds are, they’ll say yes. But without the looming pressure of a proposal deadline, you won’t feel as stressed about getting an immediate response and the customer won’t feel put on the spot. Having a list like this already built (as well as having your top customers primed on what to say and getting a pre-commitment that they’ll give you a great recommendation) gives you an extra tool in your arsenal. It’ll save you time when an RFP comes in or a lead asks for a referral. And if a lead doesn’t ask? Even better. You can offer the referral as a way to close the deal. In fact, you might find opportunities where you can naturally get your best customers and promising referrals in the same room together. If you’re like most AV companies, there’s probably a non-profit group you work with at a significantly discounted rate. Next time you’re building a contract for one of their events, ask if, in return for that discount, you can have a table to bring some of your clients and prospective clients to the event. You’ll get the opportunity to show prospective clients a really incredible event your team has produced and even give them a backstage tour. Meanwhile, your existing clients get to enjoy a fundraising gala on your dime. And the entire time, all of you will be seated at the same table, allowing your best customers to mingle with your biggest leads. Who knows? Maybe one of them will even bid on an item in an auction or make a donation - making the entire situation a win for everyone.  When we’re given an opportunity, we typically only have access to 10% of the picture. Just like with an iceberg, the majority of the information lies beneath the surface. And, just like when steering a ship, that 90% matters. That 90% tells you what your customer values, how you can build a relationship with them, and what you are uniquely positioned to offer that competitors can’t.
But you can’t dive into the deep end before you know how to swim, which is why Iceberg Selling starts with getting a full grasp of what’s going on above the surface and using that information to intentionally learn more. Assume Your Customer Has Done Their Homework. The potential customer has reached out to you or your organization for a reason. Whether they found an ad online, received a referral from a trusted contact, or simply heard good things through word of mouth, something prompted them to contact you. Which likely means that they already like something that you’re putting out into the world. They already have baseline information about your organization and the services you offer, but there is a lot they still need to learn in order to make the decision to work with you. Try to see your company, and yourself, through your customer’s eyes. What do they likely already know about you, your services, and your offerings? What information could they have found online or through social platforms? By figuring out what your customer likely already knows about you, you’ll have a better idea of what they still need to learn in order to move forward. Do Some Preliminary Research. Before you try to explore what’s beneath the surface, you need to have a full grasp of all the surface-level information. In other words, don’t forget to do your homework. While you won’t be able to gather all the necessary information about a prospective customer from their website or an email, digging for clues does give you information on what direction to dig in. The lucky part is that doing this research is easier right now than ever before, for the simple reason that so much information is available at our finger tips. This is true for the organization you may be working with, but it’s also true for the person who contacted you. Research the company What does the company do? Is it a private business or a public company? What can you gather about their performance over the past year? What sector are they in? What would they likely be using your services for? A large pharmaceutical company that’s had a tough few years is going to have vastly different needs than a locally owned diner that’s a popular staple in town. By understanding who you are working with, you’ll have a better idea of how to approach a discovery conversation. Next, think about how your organization and how you personally offer value specific to their industry, market, or company. Perhaps you have specialized knowledge in their industry, which will allow you to make more tailored recommendations. Maybe you have relevant customers who you can share as a reference or as a success story. Finally, try to figure out how the company identifies themselves. Most organizations, even small ones, have their vision, mission, core values, and culture defined. Many will even have it listed directly on their website or social platforms. They may even list who their core customers are. All of these things will give you important context as you consider what kind of person or company they want to work with. A company with a strong growth mission will want to align with like minded people, where a small family business may be more comfortable working with somebody they’ve built a personal connection with. Think about the ways in which your company or your personal values align with theirs so you can figure out how you fit in, not just to serve their needs, but with their culture. In addition to the website, take a look at their LinkedIn page or any other social media platforms they may use. This will give you a good idea of how they want to be seen, both in strictly professional environments, as well as through more casual mediums. Research your contact Let’s say a teacher has a classroom of twenty students. Half of them are average students, about a third of them are high-scoring You want to be a good fit for the organization, but ultimately, the entire company isn’t making the decision to work with or buy from you. There’s likely a small team or even one singular individual making that call. And there’s a good chance it’s the person who contacted you in the first place. Before you start diving deeper, you want to know everything you can about them. Check out their personal LinkedIn profile to learn how long they’ve been with the organization, what their title is, if they’ve had any recent promotions, what experience they have, and where else they’ve worked. If they’ve reposted any articles, check them out to see what interests them. If they’ve written any posts, take note of what their communication style is. You won’t be able to gain everything you need to know from this, but it will give you an idea of what it may be like to work with the individual, not just the company, and help you adapt your process to fit theirs. Adjust Your Focus. There’s a big difference between entering a meeting or dialing into a call with somebody who’s gathered preliminary information and somebody who hasn’t. Those who haven’t can only ask surface level questions. They don’t have enough background to start diving into the details, so instead, they spend the limited time they have with the customer gathering general information. There’s often very little opportunity to ask follow up questions, probe for more information, or pick up on subtle nuances that may give them a lot of useful information. Even worse, they look unprepared and unprofessional when they only ask questions that, realistically, they could have and should have already known the answers to. Meanwhile, those who spend 20-minutes intentionally researching the customer and the organization approach the meeting with a different focus. They may confirm details they discovered, but the majority of the time will be spent gathering information that can’t be found in the RFP, on the internet, or in an email - giving them a significant advantage over their competitors. Learn More Iceberg Selling is a technique grounded in the understanding that for every person, organization, and situation, you can only see 10% of what’s really going on. By adopting the right mindsets, prioritizing building relationships, and approaching customers with genuine curiosity, you can start to explore the other 90% and improve your sales performance. Get the book to learn more about Iceberg Selling. |
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