The Enterprise Sales Playbook

Buyer Enablement

7 Nonobvious Lessons from Sales Reps Buying for the First Time

Most sellers have never been buyers. But when you buy, you change how you sell. Learn from dozens of sellers buying for the first time.

Blog

Sales Management

How to Cut Deal Slippage & Compress Sales Cycles

Sales cycles grew an average of 27 days in the first half of this year. So here's how to compress cycles, and keep this quarter's deals from slipping.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

How to Build a Sales Process & Enablement Program, in 1 Page

Building a business case isn't just an activity in a part of the sales process. It *is* the process, and every selling activity flows from it.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Selling in Vectors: Using Influence & Consensus to Get Complex Deals Done

Every contact in your deal is a vector, moving the buying team in a certain direction. Your progress is the sum of all vectors in the buying committee.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Working Backwards: Designing Deals with a Concise, 1-Page Press Release

Here’s a move 98% of sellers will ignore. But it’s as close as I can come to guaranteeing you executive attention: building a future-state press release around your customer's outcome.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Selling With: The Art of Shaping Internal Buying Conversations

Read a preview and order our new book, Selling With. It's all about the art of selling with champions, to shape internal buying conversations & close enterprise deals.

Blog

Sales Skills

Selling in Soundbites: How to Sell More By Saying Less

Sellers who can communicate more while saying less, win. Shrinking the sales cycle down to 1 sentence is how it's done.

Blog

Sales Skills

How to Craft Executive-Level Points of View: Frameworks for Strategic Reps

A point of view is the foundation for every solid business case. Here's how to create one, drawing on 5 popular consulting frameworks.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

How to Design a Value-Based Sale that Drives Business Impact

Reps are told to "sell value” all the time. But what does that actually mean? Here's how to shift away from selling products and design a true, value-based sales experience.

Blog

Sales Skills

How to Write in Sales

My career in sales, plus all 95,000 words on this blog, summarized in a short memo with 10 bullet points.

Blog

Sales Management

Developing Presence: How to Become a Non-Anxious Seller

Develop poise and a calming presence—which is attractive to buyers—while pushing back the anxiety so common in sales.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

How to Sell With Champions: Ask Them to Do the Heavy Lifting + 4 Example Questions

We often forget our buyers have a role to play in the sales process. By getting them to do a lot of the hard work with you, you'll increase your chance of getting the deal done.

Blog

Sales Skills

Why Close Rate is the Metric of 2023 + 5 Ways to Increase Yours

Close rate is directly tied to increased revenue in a way pipeline coverage isn’t. Here's how every seller needs can boost theirs, and a counterintuitive link between your pipeline metrics.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

The Build Loop: Create Insanely Committed Champions by Co-Creating a Compelling Business Case

Creating champions helps you build a stronger business case. Co-creating a business case helps you build stronger champions. Here's how both steps work together.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

How to Build Mutual Action Plans Your Buyers Actually Follow Through With

Sales reps typically see low to no engagement from buyers in their MAPs. Then they complain “they don’t work.” Here's how to boost MAP engagement and keep deals on track.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

The Change Equation: A Framework to Keep Deals from Falling Apart

People don’t like change. That's why you’ll lose deals despite having a logical, solid financial case. Use this framework to keep your deals on track to close.

Blog

Sales Skills

My (Almost) Very Expensive Lesson in Creating Strong Narratives that Shape Reality

Narratives are powerful enough to create the second-largest bank failure in recent history. And they’re powerful enough to shape the direction of massive, global enterprises too.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

9 Must-Read Enterprise Sales Lessons Revealed in Leaked Emails at Tesla, Facebook & Microsoft

Learn to sell enterprise deals from these internal communications you were never supposed to read.

Blog

Sales Skills

How to Multithread & Navigate Dysfunctional Buying Groups in Enterprise Sales

Deals hanging by a single thread are risky. But there are wrong ways to multithread, too. Here's the right way to get multithreaded & manage large group dynamics.

Blog

Sales Skills

How to Sell Priorities, Not Just Problems + 5 Steps to Shift Your Messaging

Any deal you’re trying to develop that’s not directly aligned with a company priority is at risk. Even if you’ve built a solid champion, it’s your job to enable them with a sharp message that cuts through the noise.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

The “Hardwired” Enterprise Proof of Concept Framework: Land & Expand All-in-One

A deep-dive into a two-part framework for running short, contained proof-of-concepts that increase buying confidence and deal value.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

How CFO’s Evaluate Deals: 3 Things You Need to Design Finance’s Dream Deal

Budgets are a fraction of what they were last year. Which means you need to structure and de-risk your deals to appeal to the CFO. Here's how.

Buyer Enablement

How to Fix the Only Two Problems in Sales: Math & Drama

If you’re not finding and working through both types of problems, your deal’s at risk. Yet, 90% of sales activity only touches on the first problem: Math.

Blog

Sales Skills

Win in Writing: Copywriting Shortcuts to Accelerate Enterprise Deals

Becoming a better writer is becoming a better seller. Use these copywriting secrets to supercharge your win rate, and help your champions sell internally.

Blog

Sales Skills

Why Buyers Hide Their Objections From You (and What to Do About It)

Objections are part of every deal. But most reps don’t realize "handling" them is counterproductive. Use the 'Understand-Unpack-Respond' framework instead, and keep your deals on track.

Blog

Sales Skills

13 Standout Mid-Funnel Email Frameworks You Should Steal. Right Now.

The typical, middle-funnel email is totally forgettable. It blends in when it should stand out. Replace your tired old email templates with these frameworks.

Blog

Sales Management

How to Manage Up: 10 Steps to Become a Standout Account Executive

Conversations happen about your career, when you’re not in the room. Here's how to build internal allies and shape their stories by managing up well.

Blog

Sales Skills

How to Avoid Screwing Up Executive-Level Sales Meetings

Every minute with an executive plays an outsized role in your deal’s outcome. Here’s an end-to-end process to help you nail your next exec-level meeting.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Designing a Sale Around Buying Behavior — Two Shifts That Win Deals

Make these two shifts that boost your win rates, and align your sales activities with the internal sale your deal champion is managing.

Blog

Sales Skills

Turning Interest into Advocacy with Nate Nasralla - Winning the Challenger Sale Podcast

In this episode of Winning the Challenger Sale, WTCS host Jen Allen is joined by Nate Nasralla, Founder of Fluint.

Podcast

Sales Skills

How to Ask Better Questions: A Roadmap for More Powerful Discovery

There’s one sales practice that everyone uses, but few master. The practice? Asking good questions.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

How Buyers Think: Designing Buying Experiences With Cognitive Bias In Mind

Almost nothing is guaranteed in sales. That’s clear to see when a late-stage deal you’ve been developing for months blows up.

Blog

Sales Management

How to Map B2B Decision Makers | Enterprise Account Maps That Actually Help Win Deals

Enterprise account mapping is about designing the flow of internal communications. Who needs to say what to who, and when, to keep a deal moving.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Podcast Episode: Millennial Sales

In this episode, we discuss Nate’s life as a start-up founder, a deep dive into how to sell enterprise deals, and more.

Podcast

Sales Skills

The Ultimate Guide to Writing in Enterprise Sales — How to Craft Internal Narratives

I’ve concluded writing is the most highly-important, under-developed skill for sales reps.If you study standout reps landing six, then seven, then eight-figure deals, you’ll see a pattern.

Blog

Sales Skills

Minimum Viable Sentences: A Framework for Crazy Productive Sales Conversations

How limiting your words can multiply the value of your sales conversations.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Podcast Episode: Champions Articulate Your Value - The Sales Enablement Podcast

Especially when selling virtually, helping champions articulate your value, in the internal language of the buying team, can make or break a deal.

Podcast

Sales Management

Measuring Deal Momentum, the Formula for Enterprise Sales

It’s been said “time kills all deals.” It’s true of a transactional sale. But in the context of a complex sale, time isn’t always the enemy.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Podcast Episode - Never Lose a Deal When You're Not in the Room

Episode from the Love Selling, Hate Sales Podcast. Ever wonder what your buyers are saying when you leave the room? Often, it's up to your champion to sell the deal to the full buying committee.

Podcast

Buyer Enablement

Podcast Episode: Sales Reps Don't Close Deals, Buyers Do

Episode from the B2B Power Hour. Nick sits down with Nate Nasralla, Founder of Fluint to discuss how Enterprise AE’s are actually closing deals with the ever growing buying committees.

Podcast

Buyer Enablement

Seismic vs. Highspot vs. Showpad — The Sales Enablement Buyer’s Guide

In this post, we’ll compare three leading sales enablement tools — Seismic, Highspot and Showpad — to help you make a confident, low-regret buying decision.

Blog

Sales Management

Trust-Based Selling – How to Manage This Hidden Pipeline Metric

How, exactly, do you create trust in sales? Can you measure it? How much do you really need to build? This post answers these questions with a simple mental model you can apply to each of your deals.

Blog

Sales Skills

How to Confidently Talk Pricing With Prospects

It’s easy to feel awkward while talking pricing. Here are five phrases that help you build trust with buyers while talking budgets.

Blog

featured

Buyer Enablement

The Uncommon Practice of Testing Sales Champions

A champion — someone with both power and influence inside the buying circle — can help you create momentum when you’re hitting inertia. But how do you know if your contact is a true champion?

Blog

featured

Sales Skills

The Inner Life of the Enterprise — 10 Concepts for Developing Large Deals

Whether you’re an AE accepting a promotion, or sales leadership moving your focus up-market, closing larger deals can take far longer than you’d expect. Here’s an insider’s look at 10 corporate concepts you should know as you develop larger deals.

Blog

Sales Skills

How to Build a Compelling Problem Statement (+Case Study)

A simple formula that breaks down your buyer’s problems into a specific, compelling statement that grabs attention. Plus a step-by-step case study.

Blog

featured

Sales Skills

The Secret to Better Battlecards: Villains & Heroes

There’s a major problem with battlecards. Every time you use one, you’re fighting a feature war. Learn how the best battlecards pivot the conversation away from the competition.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

The #1, Non-Obvious Sales Tool You Should Be Using

You'll never guess it. Plus, learn what Jeff Bezos can teach you about enabling buyers, and closing more deals.

Blog

Sales Skills

The One, Guaranteed Way to Trigger Urgency in B2B Sales

Revenue moves at the slow speed of relationships. Learn how to trigger more buying urgency — the jet fuel for high-performance sales teams — in an authentic way.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

5 Things Flying First Class Taught Me About B2B Sales Experiences

Communication isn't what you say. It's what your buyers hear, and buyers hear a whole lot more than what you say. Understand how to build your sales process around your buyer's point of view to win more sales.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Your New Sales Enablement Job Description

Top B2B sales teams are embracing Buyer Enablement as the rocket fuel they need to generate more revenue. Understand what this shift means for you, and your job.

Blog

Buyer Enablement

Future-State Press Release Framework

Grab executive attention in your deal, fast.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

The Buyer Enablement Framework Package

Download every framework we've released, with one click.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

Selling With

Read a sneak peak before the full book's released.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

Value Story Framework

Write a compelling storyline for your champions to sell with.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

An Interactive Guide: The 1-Page Business Case

Build a compelling business case with your champions.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

Enterprise Sales Lessons Inside a Leaked Facebook Memo

Learn to write narratives with this line-by-line breakdown.

Resource

Sales Skills

The Enterprise Seller's Personal Development Framework

Become a standout, strategic seller with a structured approach to your own growth.

Resource

Sales Skills

The Discovery Roadmap

Clarify your thinking & ask better questions using this discovery framework, with 27 example questions.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

Key Account Meeting Brief

Use this pre-meeting brief to prep your internal team and nail your next key account conversation.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

The Buyer Enablement Mini-Course

Signup to get this free, 10-part email course & learn how to shape internal buying conversations.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

Mid-Funnel Email Frameworks

Get a dozen, ready-to-use email frameworks guaranteed to standout in your buyer's inbox.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

The Enterprise Proof-of-Concept Worksheet

Land & expand enterprise deals with this template for designing and delivering an effective POC.

Resource

Sales Management

Weekly Pipeline Update Framework

Grab this ready-to-use framework to communicate weekly progress against pipeline goals. Manage up, and stand out.

Resource

Sales Skills

The One Page Business Case

The one-page framework to bridge the gap between your sales meetings and your buyer's internal meetings.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

The Enterprise Sales Playbook

How to build and sell with champions to land larger deals. Check out this packed Enterprise Playbook, the definitive guide to making the shift to “buyer enablement” for complex sales.

Resource

Sales Management

Mutual Action Plan Template

Keep your deals on track to close by staying aligned with your champion.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

The Purchase Decision Framework

Enable your buyers to make informed, low-regret decisions.

Resource

Sales Skills

The Seller’s Guide to Creative Deal Follow-Up

Kickstart stalled deals with these creative follow-up ideas.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

The Forward-Worthy Follow-Up Guide

Learn how to stop writing "checking-in" emails to your pipeline, and kickstart stalled deals.

Resource

Sales Management

The Ultimate, Executive-Level Presentation Deck

We built a 59-slide deck, with everything you need to know about creating executive-level presentations.

Resource

Sales Skills

The Inner Life of Enterprises

Ten concepts to help you land larger deals, with more empathy for enterprise employees.

Resource

Buyer Enablement

Messaging Frameworks B2B Sales Champions Love

Craft a message your prospects are proud to champion with you using these ready-to-build frameworks.

Resource