In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs kicks off the "Dumpster Fire" series by addressing one of the biggest issues in sales training: generic claims. Riggs highlights how generic, unprovable statements like "we have the best quality" or "our service is unbeatable" erode trust and credibility with potential clients. Through his direct and engaging style, Riggs explains why these claims fail and shares a much more effective approach—using real success stories from clients to build authenticity and rapport.

He dives into how social proof, or what he calls "third-party selling," can replace these empty claims with concrete, believable narratives. By teaching salespeople to focus on real customer success stories, Riggs argues that you can differentiate your company, establish trust, and create more meaningful sales interactions. If you’re tired of watching your sales efforts go up in smoke, this episode provides actionable strategies to put out that "dumpster fire" and improve your team’s approach to selling.

This episode is packed with practical advice for salespeople and sales managers alike, encouraging listeners to rethink their approach to customer conversations and leverage real-world examples to boost credibility.

In this episode:

Why clients don’t believe your people's sales claims, and how it backfires

Understanding the concept of social proof and third-party selling

How to effectively leverage success stories in sales conversations

The difference between a generic claim and a compelling story

Next-level sales training: immersing salespeople in customer success

The importance of capturing and using client testimonials in sales training

Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining

Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019.

Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs sits down with Chris Lancaster, VP of Sales for Spectrum Paint, in the second installment of the "Crushing Your Number" series, talking to real people making real sales decisions every day. Chris, with over 25 years of experience in the paint and coatings industry, shares his journey from salesperson to VP, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of managing a large sales team across multiple locations. The conversation delves into the complexities of transitioning from sales to leadership, particularly the difficulty in allowing team members to learn from their failures and the importance of setting clear expectations. Chris emphasizes that while sales success often leads to promotion, the skills required for effective sales management are vastly different. He candidly discusses the struggles with developing a consistent onboarding process and the critical need for clarity in expectations to ensure team success. Whether you're a seasoned sales leader or just starting your management journey, this episode offers invaluable insights into the often-overlooked aspects of sales leadership and training.

Inside this episode...

Chris discusses the challenges of transitioning from salesperson to VP of Sales and the hardest parts of sales management.

The pitfalls of assuming great salespeople make great managers; the importance of letting team members fail and learn.

The struggle of knowing when to trust your team to make decisions and the impact of leadership autonomy.

Chris shares his evolution in thinking and how it took years to get comfortable with letting others lead.

The challenge of managing people: unexpected responses and the difficulty in getting people to think for themselves.

Importance of setting clear expectations and accountability in training new salespeople.

The difficulties sales managers face and the trap of promoting top salespeople into management roles.

This episode is packed with actionable advice for sales leaders and managers, focusing on real-world challenges and strategies for overcoming them.

Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining

Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019.

Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

Kelly will be back next week with Part 2 in his series Crush Your Number, talking with real salespeople about real sales problems. Until then, enjoy one of our most popular episodes on training salespeople to be believable. Is it even possible?

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly examines critical issue of trust in sales, exploring why salespeople are often not believed by prospects. Riggs highlights alarming statistics showing that salespeople are trusted as little as lawyers and politicians, raising the question of whether traditional sales training is to blame. He critiques the common sales approach where representatives immediately boast about their products and services, which makes them indistinguishable from each other and therefore not credible.

Riggs suggests that to gain trust, salespeople need to avoid generic claims and instead provide concrete, specific data and real-world examples that clearly differentiate their offerings. Riggs further explains that sales training often focuses too heavily on product knowledge rather than on teaching salespeople how to genuinely connect with prospects. He underscores the importance of presenting oneself as a professional consultant who understands the client’s business and can offer tangible solutions. This approach not only sets salespeople apart but also helps in building a trustworthy relationship with potential clients. Riggs advises that companies should rethink their sales training strategies to emphasize believability and specific, verifiable claims, rather than the usual, repetitive sales pitches that prospects have come to distrust.

Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining

Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don’t and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales.

Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com.

Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes’ Coaches Council since 2019.

Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson