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Sales Today

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This podcast has
298 episodes
Language
English
Explicit
No
Date created
2020/09/08
Latest episode
2026/10/29
Average duration
36 min.
Release period
7 days

Description

'What a time to be in sales' People say this various times in many different ways – excited, exasperated, worried, pessimistic, optimistic, happy, sad, confused – the whole range of human emotions. This is an exciting time to be in sales, if you are selling B2B complex solutions. It's a time when you can bring huge value to your customers; it's a time to thrive. But you need to know how, as it is a time unlike any before. The rules have changed and as a sales professional you can have a hand in redefining how the game is played. Challenges salespeople face are: · 'Busy Busy Busy' – being ineffective; it results in wasted opportunities, is tiring and stressful and means the focus is on the wrong activities to deliver results · 'Olde Worlde' – being old-fashioned; when salespeople are self-centred rather than customer-focused, too technical in their approach or use bad techniques better suited to a bygone era of selling · 'Muddled Mindset' – being misaligned; it can happen at organisation, management and individual level and the confusion leads to frustration and wasted effort. By using a more collaborative approach salespeople can make a difference and sales can become a force for good and fight against the negative image it can often be associated with. The Sales Today podcast explores how sales professionals can adapt and futureproof themselves by using the best practice shared by host Fred Copestake and the guests of the show. What a time to be in sales! Host Fred Copestake is Founder of Brindis, a sales training consultancy, and bestselling author of 'Selling Through Partnering Skills' and 'Hybrid Selling'. Connect with Fred on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. www.linktr.ee/fredcopestake

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The Biggest Bluff in Sales Negotiation
2026/10/29
Threatening to walk away from a negotiation might sound like a powerful tactic. But what happens when someone calls your bluff? In this episode of Sales Today, Fred Copestake is joined by Mark Raffan, the Negotiations Ninja, to explore why walking away from a deal isn't always the clever negotiating move people think it is. Mark challenges the common misconception that walking away is a negotiation strategy, explaining why having genuine alternatives, preparing properly and understanding what you actually want are far more important than making empty threats. Fred and Mark also discuss the psychology behind negotiation tactics, why salespeople are often too quick to offer discounts, and where the line sits between persuasion and manipulation. In this episode: Why threatening to walk away can seriously backfire The difference between walking away and having a genuine BATNA Why preparation is essential for successful negotiation How buyers use simple tactics to encourage concessions Why salespeople shouldn't panic when a customer says no The surprising role of CRM in negotiation preparation The difference between persuasion, manipulation and ethical negotiation Because good negotiation isn't about winning a battle. It's about finding an agreement that works for both sides. Connect with Mark: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markraffan Website: https://negotiations.ninja Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/LK5-wxsMKGQ   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Why the Best Solution Doesn't Always Win
2026/10/22
Having the best product or solution doesn't guarantee you'll win the business. So what really influences a customer's decision? In this episode of Sales Today, Fred Copestake is joined by Nick Buxton, founder of Value Led Growth, to explore the growing trust gap in B2B sales and why buyers are increasingly reluctant to take risks, even when a better solution is available. Nick introduces a simple but powerful equation: Buyer Confidence = Expected Value − Perceived Risk. Together, they discuss why salespeople need to look beyond ROI and product benefits, understand the personal risks buyers face, and make it easier for customers to move forward with confidence. In this episode: Why the best solution doesn't always win The relationship between value, risk and buyer confidence Why personal risk matters as much as business value How complex buying groups make decisions harder Why sales and marketing need to focus on the entire buyer journey How to reduce risk by moving from promises to proof Why selling less initially can create greater long-term opportunities Because winning business isn't just about demonstrating value. It's about helping customers feel confident enough to act. Find Nick and Value Led Growth on LinkedIn to explore more of his thinking on buyer confidence and value-led selling https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-buxton https://www.linkedin.com/company/value-led-growth   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/M6pDwQUqK3A   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
7 Shifts for Commercially Stronger Conversations
2026/10/15
Are your sales conversations too focused on your products and not enough on your customers' problems? In this special episode of Sales Today, recorded from a recent webinar, Fred Copestake shares seven practical shifts to help salespeople, particularly those in technical and engineering sales, have more commercially valuable conversations. Fred explores why product knowledge alone isn't enough, how to uncover what really matters to customers, and why moving from product to problem is the key to better sales conversations. In this episode: Product Gravity: Shift the focus from your products to customer problems. Commercial Curiosity: Understand what's happening in your customer's world. Deliberate Discovery: Ask questions that create clarity, not just gather information. Problem Fluency: Know your customers' challenges as well as you know your products. Customer-Defined Value: Focus on the outcomes customers actually want. Collaborative Conversations: Stop selling to customers and start thinking with them. Deliberate Commercial Thinking: Move from reacting to planning ahead. Fred also introduces the Engineering Sales Academy, designed to help technical salespeople develop and apply these skills through ongoing training, coaching and practical support. Because customers don't buy products. They buy outcomes. Find out more about the Engineering Sales Academy: Join the waitlist.   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/w7EYAIsXd6o       Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Great Salespeople Don't Automatically Make Great Sales Managers
2026/10/08
Being great at selling doesn't automatically mean you'll be great at leading salespeople. In this episode, Fred is joined by Kelly Riggs, founder of The Business LockerRoom and author of The Five Power Moves, to explore why the transition from top salesperson to sales manager can be so difficult especially when organisations provide little or no training for the new role. They discuss the five moves Kelly believes can transform sales management: creating clarity, holding regular one-to-ones, having effective coaching conversations, building individual sales plans and improving onboarding. They also explore why coaching is a fundamental skill for any sales manager and why deal reviews and pipeline reviews shouldn't be confused with actually coaching your people. In this episode: Why top sellers can struggle when promoted into management The five power moves of effective sales leadership Why clarity comes before accountability The importance of individual sales plans The difference between managing deals and coaching people Why great sales managers develop people rather than do the job for them A practical conversation about making the shift from successful salesperson to successful sales leader. Connect with Kelly ·         LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriggs ·        Get the Book: 5pmbook.com   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/a_0FJEiUC6U   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Human Sales Coaching with the Frequency, Timing and Availability of AI
2026/10/01
Sales coaching works. The problem is getting enough of it, at the right time. In this episode of Sales Today, Fred is joined by returning guest Kevin Beales, founder of My Sales Coach, to explore how AI could help solve that problem without trying to replace the human coach. They discuss the disconnect between what managers call coaching and what salespeople actually experience, why more technology hasn't necessarily created more capable sellers, and where AI genuinely adds value. The opportunity? Combine the empathy, expertise and judgement of a human coach with AI's ability to provide frequency, availability, context and timely intervention. In this episode: Why sales coaching is more than simply asking good questions The difference between coaching for growth and managing for performance Why AI role play and feedback alone won't solve the competence problem Where AI can strengthen coaching Why timing matters as much as coaching frequency How AI can spot coaching opportunities a human might never see Why the future could be human coaching amplified by AI A great conversation about using AI for what it does best - while keeping humans firmly in the loop.   Connect with Kevin ·         LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbeales ·         Website: https://www.mysalescoach.com   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/a-mFuuWNN78   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Mindset, Skillset, Toolset: What Really Makes a Great Salesperson?
2026/09/24
What really makes someone great at sales? In this episode, Fred is joined by Nigel Gracie to explore the three elements he believes sit behind sales performance: mindset, skillset and toolset and why mindset needs to come first. They discuss why self-awareness and emotional intelligence matter, whether empathy can really be taught (or faked!), and why understanding the person behind the buyer is just as important as understanding their business needs. They also look at why so much sales training fails to create lasting behaviour change and why simply giving people another methodology, tool or process isn't enough. In this episode: Why mindset comes before skillset and toolset The importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence Why you can't fake empathy Understanding the personal wins behind buying decisions Why great salespeople don't necessarily make great sales leaders Why sales training needs to change behaviour, not just transfer knowledge The link between enjoyment, repetition and performance A fascinating conversation about developing salespeople from the inside out, rather than simply giving them more things to do. Connect with Nigel ·         LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nigelgracie Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/9qDLGXx27XQ   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Overcoming Sales Call Reluctance
2026/09/17
What really stops salespeople from making the call, asking the question or starting the conversation? In this episode, Fred talks with Christer B. Jansson about sales call reluctance and why it goes much deeper than simply not wanting to pick up the phone. They explore the thoughts and behaviours that can quietly limit sales activity, why fear of being "too salesy" can actually make sellers less useful to customers, and why doing lots of activity isn't enough if the conversations themselves aren't meaningful. They discuss: Why knowing what to do doesn't mean you'll actually do it The psychology behind sales call reluctance Why fear of being pushy can hold good salespeople back The difference between activity and meaningful customer contact How call reluctance can become part of a sales culture Why both skills and mindset need attention A fascinating look at what might really be happening when a salesperson knows exactly what they should do…but still hesitates   Connect with Christer ·         LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/christerbjansson ·         Contact: [email protected]   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/gKusr1Bdy5w   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Win More Business in Manufacturing
2026/09/10
Manufacturing and engineering businesses do brilliant work. But are they always brilliant at explaining why customers should choose them? In this episode, Fred is joined by Andrea Wilson, MD of Support UK Manufacturing and founder of ManufacturingUK.org, to explore how manufacturers can communicate their value, build stronger relationships and ultimately win more business. In this episode: Why manufacturers need to talk about more than what they make How to communicate why customers should choose you Why relationships and collaboration can be a genuine differentiator The importance of having better commercial conversations Why technical expertise alone doesn't automatically create great salespeople Why AI should support human conversations rather than replace them Why shifting from product to problem creates better customer conversations The big takeaway? Stop assuming customers will work out why you're different. Understand what matters in their world, communicate the problems you can help solve and give them a reason to choose you. Because great engineering deserves to be understood as well as admired. Listen now: Win More Business in Manufacturing Connect with Anndrea ·         LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-wilson-supportukmfg ·         Website: https://manufacturinguk.org Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/Tjts5LDOXt0 Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
What Procurement Pros Get Trained In
2026/09/03
What if salespeople understood what procurement teams are actually trained to do? In this episode, Fred is joined by returning guest Mark Schenkius, procurement expert and author of The Other Side of Sales and The Art of Spending Money Wisely, to look at sales from the buyer's side of the table. They discuss why procurement isn't simply about squeezing suppliers on price, why buyers think about risk as well as cost, and why something a salesperson sees as exciting - like innovation —-can look very different through procurement's eyes. In this episode: Why buyers and sellers can approach negotiations very differently Why procurement thinks beyond price and cost savings Why innovation can look like risk to a buyer How procurement uses silence as a negotiation tool Why understanding a buyer's objectives changes the conversation Why salespeople need to understand the buyer's world, not just their own How trust can change the relationship between sales and procurement The big takeaway? Step into the buyer's shoes. Understand what they're measured on, what they're worried about and how they see the decision - and selling becomes a very different conversation. Connect with Mark ·         LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/markschenkius ·         Website: https://roi-10.com/en ·         Books:   https://amzn.eu/d/05nyfs8e                         https://amzn.eu/d/09Ge9mPq   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/K0DRtC8K-Gw   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
The Secret Behind 'Discovery Prospecting'
2026/08/27
What if discovery started before the first sales meeting? In this episode of the Sales Today podcast, Fred Copestake is joined by David Kreiger, founder and president of SalesRoads, to explore why many salespeople are getting prospecting wrong and how a discovery-led approach can completely change the conversation. Rather than rushing to pitch, David argues that great prospecting starts with research, intelligent assumptions and genuine curiosity about what is happening inside the customer's business. With the information now available particularly through AI - there's increasingly little excuse for going into a prospecting conversation cold. In this episode: Why discovery should start during prospecting Using research to create intelligent problem hypotheses Why you don't always need to start with the decision-maker How frontline conversations can uncover valuable insights Earning the right to move higher within an account Why permission-based openers can work The importance of slowing down and getting your tonality right Why great prospecting should feel more like consulting than selling The big idea? Stop prospecting to pitch. Start prospecting to discover. Do that well and you become someone customers actually want to speak to - because you're bringing knowledge, perspective and insight rather than simply pushing a solution.   Connect with David ·         LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidkreiger ·         Website: https://salesroads.com   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/Igka5Za7SQI   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the Collaborative Selling Scorecard – free Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Why Should Customers Choose You?
2026/08/20
Why should a customer choose you over your competitors? If the answer is "because we're innovative, experienced and provide great service"… there's a good chance your competitors are saying exactly the same thing. In this episode of the Sales Today podcast, Fred Copestake is joined by John Ravaris, author of Define Value, Drive Growth and founder of UVP Solutions, to explore what really makes a Unique Value Proposition unique. They discuss why being different isn't enough - your difference has to matter to the customer - and how businesses can connect their strengths with the problems customers need solving and the success they want to achieve. In this episode: Why most value propositions aren't particularly unique The difference between being different and being meaningfully different Why customer discovery is essential How to connect your strengths to customer pain and success Why you shouldn't tell every customer everything you do John's Discover, Develop, Deploy and Delight approach Why your UVP should initially be written in pencil Turning happy customers into advocates Why sales, marketing and customer-facing teams need to tell the same story The big question to ask yourself? Why should customers choose you? And if your answer could just as easily describe three of your competitors, it might be time to rethink it. Listen now to Why Should Customers Choose You? About John Ravaris John is the founder of UVP Solutions and author of Define Value, Drive Growth, a practical guide to creating unique value propositions and using them to enable business growth Connect with John LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-ravaris Website: https://uvpsolutions.com Get John's Book:  https://amzn.eu/d/0e8FDb38   Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/Y024Lz_Li3M   More from Fred Take the free Collaborative Selling Scorecard to see how your sales approach suits today's selling environment. https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers
Telephone selling made simple
2026/08/13
Why do perfectly confident people suddenly become nervous when they pick up the phone to sell? In this episode of the Sales Today podcast, Fred Copestake is joined by sales trainer and coach Anna Bates to explore how to make telephone selling simpler, more natural and far less intimidating. Anna shares her straightforward approach to phone conversations — from getting your mindset right before the call, to using tone effectively, asking better questions and actually asking for the sale. They also explore Anna's "corridor" analogy: rather than pushing someone towards a decision, your role is to calmly help them move from where they are now towards the right next step. In this episode: Why people become nervous selling on the phone Why selling doesn't mean being pushy How tone of voice changes a conversation Why you don't need a clever opening line How to use structure without sounding scripted Why gatekeepers can be incredibly valuable How to recognise buying signals Why so many people simply forget to ask for the sale How better questions help customers think The big message? Stop trying to sound like a salesperson. Be human, understand the customer's world, have a useful conversation and help them decide what to do next. Connect with Anna LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-bates-woodhart Website: https://www.room11coaching.co.uk     Follow Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   More from Fred Take the free Collaborative Selling Scorecard to see how your sales approach suits today's selling environment. https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/6Einmxxg9EA   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers
Selling is like tracking serial killers
2026/08/06
Why complex sales are won by great investigators, not great presenters. Most salespeople think they've found a champion. In reality, they've found a friendly contact. In this episode, Fred Copestake is joined by Tom Stearns, go-to-market consultant and co-author of the bestselling book Graphic Sales, to explore one of the biggest reasons complex B2B opportunities stall. Together they discuss why relationship building alone isn't enough, how to identify a genuine champion, and why mapping buying teams is remarkably similar to investigating a crime scene. If you sell technical, engineering or enterprise solutions, this episode is packed with practical ideas that will help you navigate complex buying decisions more effectively. In this episode you'll learn ·         Why most salespeople misunderstand what a champion really is ·         The difference between a contact and someone who can genuinely move a deal forward ·         How to test whether your champion has real influence ·         Why complex sales require multiple stakeholders - not just one relationship ·         How account mapping helps uncover hidden decision-makers ·         Why technical experts often talk too much ·         How to engage finance, procurement and senior leaders more effectively ·         Why understanding your customer's world matters more than knowing your own product ·         How short personalised videos can help unlock stalled opportunities Key Takeaways ✔ A champion has desire and capability. ✔ One relationship rarely wins a complex sale. ✔ Great salespeople investigate buying organisations. ✔ Customers buy differently than salespeople often expect. ✔ Technical expertise builds credibility - but curiosity wins conversations. ✔ The best salespeople understand customer problems before talking about products. ✔ Complex sales are managed, not chased.   Episode Highlights The Champion Myth Many salespeople mistake a friendly contact for a champion. Tom explains why genuine champions have influence, understand the buying process and are prepared to advocate internally. CSI Selling One of the standout moments of the episode compares enterprise selling to investigating a crime scene. By visually mapping stakeholders, relationships and influence, salespeople gain a far clearer picture of how decisions are actually made. Technical Sellers Talk Too Much Fred and Tom discuss why technical experts often lead with product knowledge when they should be leading with questions. Listening creates more credibility than demonstrating expertise. Know the Buyer Before the Product Rather than obsessing over product features, organisations should spend more time helping salespeople understand procurement, finance, operations and executive priorities.    About Tom Stearns Tom Stearns is a Go-To-Market Consultant and co-author of Graphic Sales - a practical sales playbook presented as a graphic novel. His work focuses on helping sales teams build repeatable prospecting processes, improve account planning and navigate complex buying groups. Connect with Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomstearns Website: https://www.stearns.io Get the book 'Graphic Sales' by Tom Stearns & Peter Cleary: https://www.stearns.io/book   About Fred Copestake Fred Copestake helps engineering and B2B sales teams create commercially stronger conversations through Trust First Selling and the VALUE Framework. Connect with Fred: https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Watch this episode on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/3PhzTIM56ao    Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers   Useful resources Take the free Collaborative Selling Scorecard: Check how well your sales approach fits today's buying environment https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com/
Training vs Coaching
2026/07/30
Why telling people isn't enough to change behaviour Sales organisations spend millions every year on training, yet many still struggle to see lasting improvements in performance. In this solo episode, Fred Copestake explores one of the biggest misconceptions in sales development: the belief that training and coaching are the same thing. Using questions supplied by Bec Turton from My Sales Coach, Fred shares his approach to diagnosing sales performance, explains why "one and done" training rarely works, and introduces a simple distinction that can transform how organisations develop their people. If you're responsible for leading, developing or coaching sales teams, this episode offers practical ideas for creating learning that actually changes behaviour—not just knowledge. In this episode you'll learn Why product-focused teams often struggle to have commercial conversations The first thing Fred looks for when working with a new sales team Why "One and Done" training rarely delivers lasting results The simple difference between training and coaching Why coaching creates faster behavioural change than many leaders expect How to align learning with real customer opportunities Why sales development should focus on implementation, not information The importance of quick wins in building coaching momentum Why meaningful improvement always requires consistent effort Key Takeaways ✔ Great salespeople solve problems before they explain products. ✔ Training puts information in. Coaching pulls potential out. ✔ The best development programmes combine learning with real-world application. ✔ Coaching conversations should focus on results, not activity. ✔ Lasting improvement comes from consistent practice—not one-off events. ✔ There are no shortcuts to commercial excellence. Product vs Problem Thinking Fred explains why many technical sales teams already know their products exceptionally well - but become significantly more effective when they learn to lead conversations with customer problems instead. The Coaching Difference Rather than simply transferring knowledge, coaching uses questions to unlock thinking, helping salespeople discover better solutions for themselves while remaining focused on measurable business results. Why Training Doesn't Stick Too many organisations invest in isolated training events without embedding the learning into day-to-day customer activity. Fred explains why implementation is where real development begins. No Magic Wand There are no shortcuts to becoming commercially stronger. Sustainable improvement comes from deliberate practice, coaching and putting new skills to work with real customers.    Connect with Fred https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredcopestake   Subscribe to Sales Today - New episodes every week If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe and share it with your network.   Watch this episode on YouTube: ttps://youtu.be/weTzIHaeNXM   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers
Salespeople Can't Be Trusted to Run QBRs!
2026/07/23
Why Quarterly Business Reviews should be about customer value, not sales pitches Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) are supposed to strengthen relationships, demonstrate value and identify future opportunities. Too often, however, they become little more than product presentations. In this episode, Fred Copestake is joined by Celia Sanchez Garcia (Celia SGAR), Founder of Vendor Manager Hub, to discuss why many QBRs fail and what salespeople can do differently. Drawing on over 16 years of supplier and vendor management experience, Celia shares why customers should often take the lead in QBRs, how suppliers unintentionally damage trust, and the framework she uses to ensure every review focuses on delivering outcomes rather than promoting the latest products. Whether you're an account manager, customer success professional or sales leader, this conversation offers practical ideas for building stronger, longer-lasting customer relationships. In this episode you'll learn: Why many QBRs fail to deliver value The biggest mistake salespeople make during customer reviews Why customers often lose trust during supplier-led meetings The difference between operational meetings, QBRs and executive reviews How Customer Success and Sales can work together more effectively A proven QBR agenda that keeps conversations focused on customer outcomes Why improvement opportunities should come before innovation discussions How active listening creates better commercial relationships Why making life easier for customers is often your greatest competitive advantage   Key Takeaways ·         Customers don't buy products. They buy outcomes. ·         Great QBRs review value already delivered before discussing anything new. ·         Customer Success often understands how to maximise existing value better than Sales. ·         Trust is lost when suppliers ignore what customers have asked for. ·         The best account managers bring insight, not just information. ·         Continuous improvement creates future sales naturally. ·         The easiest way to become a strategic supplier is to make your customer's life easier.   Resources Vendor Manager Hub Helping organisations build stronger supplier relationships through better vendor management. Vendor Score It A platform for measuring supplier performance, scorecards and KPIs.   Connect with Celia SGAR LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celiasgar Vendor Manager Hub: https://www.vendormanagerhub.com Vendor Score It: https://www.vendorscoreit.com   About Fred Copestake Fred Copestake helps organisations create commercially stronger conversations through Trust First Selling and the VALUE Framework. His work focuses on helping salespeople move beyond products and features to create better buying decisions through trust, curiosity and commercial thinking.   Connect with Fred https://linktr.ee/fredcopestake   Take the Free Collaborative Selling Scorecard How collaborative is your sales approach? Take Fred's free Collaborative Selling Scorecard and discover how your current approach compares with today's buying environment. https://collaborativeselling.scoreapp.com   Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gu85qPEOccA   Watch Fred's FREE YouTube Course: Sales Mastery for Engineers: https://bit.ly/Sales-Mastery-For-Engineers

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