In our 4th episode of The Sales MiNUT, we sat down with Ben Calfee, the VP of Sales at Showpad.
Watch this amazing episode to learn what it takes to craft an eye-catching email opening line, understand what he loves about working in sales, and hear his advice on how to make the buying experience better for prospects.
Watch the video or read the transcripts below:
What’s your biggest sales no-no?
Don’t ever be asked to do something twice.
Best tip to handle a ghosting prospect?
Either create value or move on.
What’s your favorite cold call/email opening line?
Punch me in the face. That’s not the line, but that’s what I want you to do. So give me something compelling or controversial, some sort of insight or statistic.
What’s something sales reps should do to make the buying experience better for prospects?
Create value in every single interaction. So come to the table with a point of view, with some sort of hypothesis of how you can help the customer.
What’s the best piece of sales coaching you ever received?
Make your point and then shut up. Leave room for a little bit of creative tension.
Why work in sales?
Sales is the best job in the world. You get to be creative, analytical, persuasive, and help your customers. And there’s the thrill of the hunt.
Who’s the best sales colleague you ever worked with and why?
I’m going to be a suck up here and say my current CRO, Doug Grigg. I’ve worked for him two different times, and we have such a great time.
What’s the worst reaction a prospect had to a joke you said?
I’ve had people try to correct me because they thought I was being serious. They corrected whatever sarcastic comment I made.
To win 5-lbs of walnuts, count down from 10 but switch 1,3,6,7 with the word “walnut”.
Have you ever had anybody be able to do this?
Ten, nine, eight, walnut, walnut, five, four, walnut, two, one.
