How to Prospect Like a Human. Susan Unger on Authentic B2B Selling That Wins Meetings

Prospecting hasn’t gotten easier—but it has gotten more human.In this episode of the My Sales Day podcast, Michael Hess welcomes back Susan Unger, a career prospector who quite literally does this work for a living. Susan is a senior “door opener” at Kopp Consulting, where her sole focus is securing first meetings with C-level decision makers when no prior relationship exists. If anyone understands the emotional grind of cold outreach in today’s market, it’s Susan.Recorded in mid-January—peak prospecting season—this conversation tackles why so many sellers avoid prospecting, what’s changed post-COVID, and how being prepared actually gives you permission to be more spontaneous, human, and effective. Susan breaks down how phone, email, and voicemail work together to tell a story over time, why vulnerability disarms resistance, and how small shifts—like asking permission or slowing down your delivery—can dramatically improve results.You’ll also hear why improv classes can sharpen selling skills, how listening to your own recorded calls accelerates growth, and why attitude, energy, and consistency matter more than clever scripts. This is a practical, confidence-building episode for sellers who want to stop dreading prospecting and start owning it.Featuring: Susan UngerHost: Michael Hess, My Sales DayTimestamps00:01 Welcome back + why this episode matters right now01:08 Why prospecting feels harder in today’s market02:32 Kopp Consulting explained: pure cold outreach and “door opening”03:14 Cold calling C-level execs with no prior relationship04:36 What changed after COVID—and why clients are more open now06:23 How Susan hands meetings off and secures the next meeting08:13 Why locking the follow-up meeting before ending the call matters09:26 Why sellers avoid prospecting (even when they know better)10:03 Preparation as the gateway to confidence and authenticity11:38 Being human on cold calls: vulnerability that works14:23 Breaking the ice and buying time with empathy16:03 You can think on your feet—practice makes it natural18:27 Why improv training improves sales conversations20:29 Authenticity, self-deprecation, and knowing your limits24:07 “Show up prepared, then allow your personality”27:24 Listening to your own calls: self-evaluation that pays off30:12 Asking permission on cold calls—and why it works33:31 Gamifying prospecting to beat resistance36:22 Burst prospecting and building daily momentum37:55 Why email + voicemail still create impressions39:22 How managers can coach prospecting through real examples42:20 Referral-based prospecting: the habit sellers forget45:39 Motivation, mindset, and confidence rituals that stick49:14 Quieting the inner voice and just starting50:11 Final takeaway: better habits, better sellingHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.