Sales [UN]Training

What can sales professionals learn from trial attorneys? Quite a bit—especially when it comes to influence, discovery, trust, and the way customers perceive us. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs examines the uncomfortable similarities between attorneys and salespeople. Both professions operate in the business of influence, but the way information is presented can have a major impact on trust. Kelly explores what happens when salespeople emphasize the positives of their solutions while minimizing problems, limitations, delivery issues, or competitive weaknesses. When customers discover something their salesperson failed to disclose, the resulting perception can damage the relationship and potentially cost the deal. Kelly explains why transparency and proactive communication are critical to sales velocity, particularly when customers are making high-value decisions. He also challenges sales leaders to teach their teams how to avoid looking, acting, and sounding like stereotypical salespeople. The episode then turns to one of the most important skills in professional selling: discovery. Kelly explains why assumptions can destroy opportunities, why great salespeople remain tactically curious, and why asking follow-up questions is often more valuable than accepting a prospect's first answer. He also addresses the importance of role-play and coaching salespeople to develop better sales dialogue. The final lesson: don't turn discovery into an interrogation. Great questions require practice, curiosity, and genuine focus on the customer. 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  

Leading a sales team through change is one of the toughest responsibilities in sales leadership, yet it's a challenge every manager faces. Whether it's a new CRM, revised compensation plan, updated sales process, or organizational restructuring, change often creates uncertainty, resistance, and a temporary decline in performance. The question isn't whether change will happen—it's whether you're prepared to lead your team through it successfully. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs explains why change creates friction inside sales organizations and why even experienced sales leaders often underestimate its impact. Drawing from personal experience, Kelly shares a real-world example of how a poorly communicated compensation plan nearly tore apart a high-performing sales organization, illustrating how leadership—not the change itself—often determines the outcome. Kelly also outlines practical strategies every sales leader should use before introducing significant change. Learn why having a communication plan matters, how gaining the support of your top performers can influence the rest of the team, why pre-selling change reduces resistance, and how ongoing conversations help keep performance on track throughout the transition. Finally, Kelly discusses one leadership mistake that can permanently damage trust during periods of change: blaming the company instead of leading with confidence. If you want your sales team to embrace new initiatives faster, maintain productivity, and build stronger trust during organizational change, this episode offers practical leadership lessons you can begin applying immediately. 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  

Most salespeople spend countless hours learning their products and studying competitors, yet they often overlook the competitor that quietly wins more deals than anyone else: change. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs explains why customers frequently choose to do nothing—even when your solution is objectively better—and why understanding the psychology of change can dramatically improve your win rate. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly breaks down how the human brain naturally resists disruption, why every purchase introduces risk, and how those concerns can extend buying cycles, strengthen incumbent vendors, or result in frustrating "no decision" outcomes. You'll learn why great presentations and compelling ROI alone often aren't enough when buyers are weighing operational disruption against future benefits. The episode introduces three critical dimensions every salesperson should evaluate in every opportunity: the customer's need to change, capability to change, and will to change. Kelly also shares practical questions that uncover hidden concerns before they become silent objections inside the buying committee. Finally, Kelly outlines practical strategies for reducing the perceived risk of change, including using customer success stories, preparing buyers for implementation, and helping prospects visualize a successful transition. Sales leaders will also hear why onboarding and coaching should include training on managing customer change—not just product knowledge—if they want more consistent wins. If you've ever lost a deal to "we've decided to stay with what we have," this episode will change the way you think about selling. 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  

Why do customers so often stop responding after what seemed like a great first meeting? According to Kelly Riggs, the answer isn't bad luck—it starts with how most salespeople have been trained. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly explains why the average sales call is remarkably predictable regardless of industry, product, or company. Rather than creating curiosity and urgency, salespeople often lead with company information, product features, and presentations that sound nearly identical to every competitor. The result is familiar to every sales professional: proposals that go nowhere, endless follow-up, delayed decisions, and eventually being ghosted. Kelly also explores the role sales training plays in creating this cycle. He argues that organizations spend enormous amounts of time teaching product knowledge while spending very little time developing consultative conversations that uncover what customers actually care about. Drawing on research and decades of coaching experience, he explains why elite salespeople ask better questions, create stronger dialogue, and earn trust by understanding the customer's business instead of focusing on their own products. Finally, Kelly shares practical ideas sales leaders can immediately apply, including learning directly from top customers, identifying why customers truly buy, and building conversations around operational challenges instead of product presentations. If you're responsible for improving sales performance, increasing win rates, or coaching stronger sales conversations, this episode offers actionable ideas to help your team stand apart from the competition. 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

Technology has transformed the sales profession, but has it actually made salespeople better? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs explains why the biggest competitive advantage in selling still comes from one timeless skill: conducting exceptional discovery conversations. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly challenges the growing belief that AI, CRM platforms, and other sales technologies are the answer to improving sales performance. While these tools provide valuable information, they cannot uncover a buyer's motivations, emotions, priorities, or desired outcomes. Those insights only emerge through meaningful conversations led by a genuinely curious salesperson. Throughout the episode, Kelly shares a memorable story from sales expert Larry Levine that illustrates how a single thoughtful question transformed a routine customer visit into an extraordinary opportunity to build trust and uncover valuable business insight. He also explains the difference between rapport and true relationships, why most discovery calls feel more like interrogations than conversations, and how salespeople can replace scripted questions with authentic dialogue. You'll also learn the concept of tactical curiosity—following the buyer's answers with genuine interest instead of rushing toward a presentation or product pitch. Kelly outlines practical ways to encourage prospects to share what matters most and reveals one discovery question that consistently produces deeper conversations and better sales outcomes. If your team wants stronger discovery calls, more consultative selling, and better customer conversations that create lasting value, this episode provides practical ideas your salespeople can begin using immediately. 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 Larry Levine podcast: https://sellingfromtheheartpodcast.com Fill the Funnel: https://blkr.co/ftf  

Why do organizations invest billions of dollars in sales training every year while win rates and quota attainment continue to disappoint? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs examines the biggest reason traditional sales training fails to produce meaningful, lasting results. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly explains why one-time seminars, kickoff meetings and information-heavy training sessions rarely create new habits. Simply exposing salespeople to new concepts isn't enough. Real improvement requires repetition, coaching and consistent reinforcement that helps sales professionals apply new skills in real customer conversations. The discussion also explores why modern selling is far more complex than following a scripted presentation. Every buyer, opportunity and sales conversation is different, making adaptability one of the most valuable skills a salesperson can develop. Kelly outlines why sales managers must spend less time acting as the "super salesperson" and more time developing their people through intentional coaching. You'll also hear a practical coaching process that sales leaders can begin using immediately, including how to prepare before customer meetings, observe without taking over during sales calls and conduct effective post-call coaching conversations that reinforce learning. If you're a Sales VP, sales manager or business leader looking to improve quota attainment, increase win rates and develop a stronger sales culture, this episode provides practical ideas you can put into action with your team right away. Stop relying on training events alone and start building a coaching culture that creates confident, adaptable salespeople who continue improving long after the training session ends. 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  

Sales managers love dashboards, reports, and KPIs—but are they measuring the numbers that actually improve performance? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs uses an unexpected comparison to the NFL to explain why some statistics predict success while others simply record history. Looking at championship football teams, Kelly identifies the key performance indicators coaches prioritize and shows how those same concepts apply to sales leadership. You'll learn why managing lagging indicators and activity metrics often produces disappointing results, and why a structured sales plan creates a much stronger foundation for consistent growth. Kelly also explains how common sales "turnovers" cost organizations deals every day, why advancing qualified opportunities through the sales process is similar to converting third downs, and how improving your "red zone efficiency" can dramatically increase win rates. The conversation also explores one of the biggest mistakes sales organizations make inside their CRM systems: bloated pipelines filled with opportunities that have little chance of closing. Kelly shares practical guidance on identifying high-value opportunities, eliminating wasted effort, and helping salespeople spend more time pursuing business that meaningfully impacts revenue. Whether you're a sales VP, sales manager, or business owner responsible for coaching a team, this episode provides a fresh framework for evaluating performance, developing better coaching habits, and focusing your organization on the metrics that truly influence results. If you've ever wondered which sales numbers deserve your attention—and which ones are distracting your team—this episode offers a practical perspective you can put to work immediately. 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  

Why do so many qualified prospects still choose not to buy—even after hearing a compelling presentation and a strong ROI story? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs welcomes behavioral science expert Matt Szczurek, author of The Hidden Yes, for a conversation about the psychology behind customer decision-making. Rather than adding more features, benefits, or discounts, Matt explains why top-performing salespeople first identify the psychological barriers keeping buyers from moving forward. Kelly and Matt break down the three most common mistakes sales professionals make: focusing too heavily on motivation instead of removing obstacles, relying on logical arguments instead of using context to shape perception, and implementing tactics before defining the behavioral outcome they want to achieve. The discussion also explores two of the hidden barriers covered in Matt's research. You'll hear why uncertainty often becomes the biggest conversion killer, how small changes in messaging can dramatically improve results, and why reducing perceived effort can make customers far more likely to act. Throughout the episode, Kelly connects these concepts to real-world sales leadership, showing why traditional product training alone rarely changes behavior. If you're responsible for developing salespeople, improving conversion rates, or helping your team influence buying decisions more effectively, this conversation provides practical strategies backed by behavioral science and real case studies. If you're ready to rethink how customers actually make decisions, this episode will challenge many long-held assumptions about selling. 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  

What does "adding value" actually mean? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges one of the most overused phrases in sales and explains why many sales organizations struggle to define value from the customer's perspective. While salespeople often believe they're communicating value through product features, quality, or service, customers make buying decisions based on something much different. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly explores why price objections aren't always about cost and how perceived value determines whether customers see your solution as worth the investment. He explains why sales professionals should spend less time defending pricing and more time uncovering the outcomes customers actually care about. Throughout the conversation, Kelly shares practical examples of how successful salespeople uncover emotional buying drivers, create stronger customer conversations, and position their solutions around the problems customers are trying to solve—not simply the products they're selling. He also discusses why buyers willingly pay premium prices for predictability, consistency, proactive communication, and an easier customer experience. Using a memorable luggage story, Kelly demonstrates how companies can command higher prices by solving problems customers genuinely value instead of competing on discounts. If you're leading a sales organization, coaching a team, or looking for ways to improve win rates without sacrificing margins, this episode offers practical strategies that can change the way your team thinks about value, pricing, and customer conversations. Stop competing on price—and start selling what customers actually want. 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  

Sales training remains one of the largest investments organizations make, yet sales performance data continues to show disappointing results. Why are so many salespeople missing quota despite the abundance of training programs, technology, and sales tools available today? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs examines the disconnect between sales training investments and actual sales performance. Drawing on research, real-world examples, and years of experience helping organizations improve sales effectiveness, Kelly outlines the three bedrock principles that separate impactful sales training from programs that fail to create lasting results. First, Kelly explains why context must come before product knowledge. Rather than overwhelming salespeople with information, effective leaders help them understand how customers use products, the problems they solve, and the outcomes they create. Next, Kelly explores the importance of confirmation. Learning doesn't happen simply because information was presented. Through assessment, testing, and active recall, sales leaders can dramatically improve retention and identify learning gaps before they become performance problems. Finally, Kelly addresses consistency—the most overlooked component of sales development. From role play and coaching to call reviews and preparation, consistent practice is what transforms knowledge into habits and habits into results. Whether you're onboarding new salespeople, developing experienced reps, or leading an entire sales organization, this episode provides a practical framework for building a training culture that improves performance, strengthens retention, and creates better sales outcomes over time. If you're a sales leader looking to get more from your training investment, this episode offers a clear roadmap for doing exactly that. 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  

Salespeople often assume they're losing deals to competing vendors, but what if the biggest threats to winning business aren't competitors at all? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs examines three powerful forces that quietly undermine sales opportunities: risk, change, and uncertainty. These hidden competitors frequently influence buying decisions long before a prospect compares products, pricing, or features. Kelly explains why buyers become paralyzed by perceived risk, how fear of making a bad decision can lead to delayed purchases, and why traditional ROI presentations often fail to address the concerns that matter most. He also explores the challenge of organizational change and why prospects frequently choose the status quo—even when they admit your solution is better. The conversation continues with a look at uncertainty, one of the most misunderstood obstacles in the sales process. Buyers often struggle with what they don't know about implementation, adoption, and future outcomes. Kelly shares practical ways sales professionals can reduce anxiety, build confidence, and help customers visualize success before a purchase is made. Throughout the episode, Kelly emphasizes the importance of consultative selling, understanding buyer motivations, asking better questions, and communicating value from the customer's perspective rather than the seller's. He also highlights the critical role that trust, credibility, and storytelling play in helping prospects move forward. If you're a sales leader looking to improve win rates, shorten stalled sales cycles, and help your team navigate complex buying decisions, this episode offers practical insights you can put to work immediately. 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  

Many sales leaders spend countless hours tracking calls, proposals, meetings, pipeline movement, and CRM activity. But what if that focus is actually limiting sales performance instead of improving it? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges one of the most common assumptions in sales management: that more activity automatically leads to better results. Drawing inspiration from a youth baseball coaching story and lessons popularized by Moneyball, Kelly explores the difference between managing outcomes and managing the inputs that actually influence those outcomes. You'll hear why an obsession with metrics can create unnecessary pressure, anxiety, and disengagement among sales teams. Kelly explains how sales managers often make the mistake of looking at historical numbers and trying to force future performance through activity mandates, only to discover that more calls, more proposals, and more presentations don't necessarily create more sales. Instead, Kelly makes the case for focusing on what sales leaders can truly influence. He breaks down the difference between outputs and inputs, explains why quality matters more than quantity, and shares the two characteristics he believes have the greatest impact on long-term sales success. You'll learn why learning is a critical driver of growth, how curiosity improves customer conversations, and why both should become foundational elements of a high-performance sales culture. If you're a sales VP, sales manager, business owner, or team leader looking for a more effective way to develop people and improve results, this episode provides a practical framework for managing what matters most. Here is the link to the article that Kelly references in this episode:  https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-simple-fix-for-americas-broken-youth-sports-machine?author=Gates+Garcia&category=News&elementPosition=0&row=0&rowType=Vertical+List&title=The+Simple+Fix+For+America's+Broken+Youth+Sports+Machine 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  

 Winning the sale is only the beginning. What happens after the customer says "yes" often determines whether you earn repeat business, referrals, and long-term loyalty—or create frustration that sends customers looking elsewhere.   Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most overlooked skills in professional selling: follow-up. Drawing from recent personal experiences as a customer, Kelly highlights the disconnect between what customers expect and what many salespeople actually deliver once the deal is closed. The conversation explores why customer experience remains a critical part of the sales process, even after contracts are signed and orders are placed. Kelly shares examples of poor communication, missed updates, inaccurate information, and reactive service that leave customers feeling ignored and uncertain. He explains why customers value proactive communication, timely updates, problem ownership, and clear expectations throughout implementation and delivery. For sales leaders, this episode is also a reminder that follow-up is not a skill that should be assumed. Kelly outlines the responsibility managers have to train salespeople on every aspect of the customer journey, including implementation communication, expectation setting, issue management, and post-sale relationship building. The episode concludes with a powerful lesson on professionalism: never blame other departments when something goes wrong. Instead, great salespeople take ownership, communicate solutions, and strengthen trust when problems arise. If you want your team to generate more repeat business, improve customer retention, earn more referrals, and create exceptional customer experiences, this episode provides practical guidance you can put into action immediately. 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  

Are your people there to sell a product...or are they there to help a customer? Ever wonder if your sales reps are completely killing deals in the first five minutes of a call ? In this episode, host Kelly shows you how to stop running cringeworthy product pitches and transform your team into elite, consultative professionals who actually solve buyer problems . In this episode of Sales on Training, host Kelly exposes a critical flaw in modern corporate sales strategies: the tendency for salespeople to give their true motives away at the very beginning of a call . Kelly breaks down the three distinct types of salespeople—the professional visitor, the product pusher, and the consultative professional—explaining why the elite top 10 percent fall into the final category . Many sales teams suffer from an inherent conflict of interest because they are explicitly trained to pitch product features rather than uncovering genuine client needs . This product-first focus triggers a buyer's defense mechanisms, erecting immediate walls that stall deals before they even get started . Kelly demonstrates that sequence is everything during customer discovery . By prioritizing strategic dialogue over rigid product questions, sellers can build real rapport and unearth challenges that clients might not even know exist . The episode also highlights how standard company onboarding actually creates bad habits by overemphasizing product training over conversational mastery . You will walk away with actionable insights on how to execute a perfect close using frameworks from author James Muir, alongside specific "setup questions" designed to naturally shift conversations toward client efficiency and profitability . Additionally, Kelly explores the psychology behind buyer skepticism and compares invasive interrogation styles to meeting an overly forward stranger at a restaurant . Elevate your management approach and transform your sales pipeline today. 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  

Sales presentations don't fail by accident—they fail by design. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs breaks down why most solution presentations sound the same, feel unconvincing, and consistently fall short of winning decisions. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Drawing on decades of observing real sales calls and role-play sessions, Kelly explains how traditional sales training creates predictable mistakes. Salespeople are taught to master the product, build a slide deck, and "go sell"—which leads directly to unstructured presentations, feature overload, and conversations with the wrong people in the room. The result? Confused prospects, delayed decisions, stalled deals, and shrinking win rates. Kelly walks through the most common presentation failures, including winging it without a plan, relying on PowerPoint as a crutch, and dumping features instead of guiding decision makers. He also highlights the real objective of a solution presentation: creating a clear, compelling connection between what the prospect needs and what the solution uniquely delivers. This episode is a wake-up call for sales leaders who assume good discovery calls and product knowledge automatically translate into effective presentations. Kelly makes the case that salespeople must be trained—intentionally—on how to prepare, structure, and deliver individualized solution conversations that stand out from competitors. If your team's presentations sound interchangeable, feel scripted, or struggle to move deals forward, this episode will challenge how you think about sales training—and show you where the breakdown really starts. 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

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges one of the most common—and costly—habits in sales leadership: making assumptions. From declining win rates to underperforming reps, many leaders jump to quick conclusions and implement fixes that never address the real issue. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly shares a powerful personal story that highlights how easy it is to misdiagnose a problem—and how dramatically outcomes can change when you identify the true root cause. He connects that lesson directly to sales teams, where leaders often assume poor closing is the issue, when the real breakdown happens much earlier in the process. You'll hear why "I don't have time" is one of the most dangerous mindsets in leadership, how surface-level fixes create frustration and stagnation, and why role play and structured practice remain essential tools for development when done correctly. Kelly also takes aim at common myths around motivation, showing how high-performing organizations succeed by building systems, culture, and standards—not by blaming people. The episode wraps with a critical leadership challenge: stop relying on first impressions and start diagnosing core issues. Because when leaders fail to do the hard work of proper assessment, they don't just miss the problem—they limit the potential of their entire team. If you want better results, it starts with better thinking. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly gets to the root cause of many sales problems and it all comes back to people. The systemic issues plaguing sales teams often comes down lackadaisical approach to hiring and the prevalence of mediocrity in sales. Finding the right people is HARD, making coaching your B and C players to A level work is more critical than ever! He stresses the necessity of adopting a more rigorous and strategic hiring process to consistently onboard high-caliber talent. He underscores the critical role of sales leaders in coaching and developing their teams, asserting that top-performing salespeople thrive under competent leadership. Riggs concludes with a call to action for sales leaders to reevaluate their hiring and coaching practices, thereby transforming their teams and alleviating the persistent "headache" of underperformance. 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 Doug Branson and Pod About It Productions

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs walks through a real-world sales scenario that looks successful on the surface—but quickly raises red flags for experienced leaders. Revenue is up, yet the company is underperforming compared to the broader market. The top salesperson continues to lead the team but hasn't grown in years. So what's really going on? Watch OR listen to Sales [UN]Training wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly challenges sales leaders to rethink how they diagnose problems. Instead of jumping to conclusions like pipeline issues or lack of activity, he emphasizes the importance of asking better questions and identifying root causes. Using practical examples, he illustrates how common assumptions can lead leaders in the wrong direction. The episode highlights a critical but often overlooked issue: capacity. A top performer may actually be limiting their own growth by over-servicing too many accounts. Kelly also outlines how ineffective sales management—despite experience and good intentions—can quietly undermine team performance. From leadership and talent evaluation to systems, processes, and culture, this conversation lays out a clear framework for analyzing sales performance at a deeper level. It also calls out a major mistake many organizations make: assuming that hiring experienced salespeople means they already know how to succeed. If you're a sales leader trying to close the gap between your performance and the market, this episode offers a sharp, practical perspective on where to start—and what to fix first. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges one of the most fundamental assumptions in sales leadership: what is the true role of a sales manager? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Too many managers focus on chasing revenue—tracking numbers, pushing deals, and stepping in to "save" opportunities. While it may feel productive, Kelly explains why this approach creates dependency, limits growth, and ultimately caps team performance. Instead, he introduces a powerful shift in thinking: the most effective leaders prioritize developing people who can consistently produce results without constant oversight. Using real-world examples and a compelling coaching analogy, Kelly breaks down the difference between revenue chasers and true people developers. He outlines the hidden costs of micromanagement, the illusion of control through metrics, and why accountability and coaching are the real drivers of sustainable success. The episode also explores new research revealing a surprising truth: leaders who balance results and people development dramatically outperform their peers—yet only 1% actually achieve this balance. If you're a sales VP or leader looking to scale performance, build stronger teams, and create lasting impact, this episode offers a clear roadmap for shifting your leadership approach and unlocking your team's full potential. 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  

Why do so many capable salespeople fall short of their revenue goals—even after extensive sales training? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges the idea that success in selling is driven primarily by personality, charisma, or natural talent. This episode originally aired January 12th, 2026. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining While selling skills matter, they only produce results when supported by three foundational habits that consistently successful salespeople share. First, elite performers plan everything. From prospecting to discovery calls to territory management, they don't leave outcomes to chance. A clear plan creates focus, efficiency, and more time in front of customers. Second, they execute that plan with discipline. Kelly explores why time—not effort—is a salesperson's most valuable asset and how distractions quietly sabotage results. He outlines how intentional execution, not longer hours, leads to predictable quota attainment and confidence in the number.  Finally, the habit that sustains long-term success: continuous learning. The most consistent producers are relentless learners who reflect on every call, catalog lessons, and build a deep base of real-world expertise. They don't rely on product knowledge alone—they bring insights, best practices, and perspective clients actually value. This episode is a practical reset for sales professionals and leaders who want consistency instead of peaks and valleys. If you're building a sales culture—or trying to level the playing field against more "naturally gifted" competitors—this conversation delivers a clear roadmap for sustained performance. 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

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs sits down with Steven Rosen, author of Focused: A Leadership Discipline for Sales Managers Under Pressure, to tackle one of the biggest frustrations in sales leadership—why training so often fails to produce results. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly Riggs opens with a hard truth: most sales managers are overwhelmed, undertrained, and pulled in too many directions to focus on what actually drives performance. Steven builds on that idea by explaining how lack of focus—not lack of effort—is the real issue holding teams back. The conversation highlights a critical flaw in most organizations: sales training is treated as an event instead of a system. Without reinforcement, coaching, and accountability, even the best training quickly fades. Kelly emphasizes that leaders who fail to reinforce training are essentially wasting their investment. Steven also breaks down the danger of "hero managers"—those who step in to close deals instead of developing their people. While it may feel productive in the moment, it ultimately creates dependent teams that can't perform without constant intervention. Another key theme is the idea of "exposure vs. mastery." Too many organizations mistake introducing a concept for actually building skill, skipping the repetition and practice required for real improvement. Finally, the episode explores the power of focus through Steven's "Three Things" framework, helping sales leaders prioritize what truly matters in a high-pressure environment. If you're a sales leader looking to improve performance, build stronger teams, and stop wasting time on ineffective training, this episode delivers a clear path forward. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly sits down with Adam Boyd to challenge one of the most common beliefs in sales: that teams struggle because they can't close. The reality is far more complex—and far more fixable.  Kelly opens the conversation by exposing a hard truth: most "closing problems" are actually symptoms of deeper breakdowns earlier in the sales process. From weak discovery to poor qualification, sales teams often fail to uncover what truly matters to the buyer. When that happens, deals stall, objections rise, and price becomes the only remaining lever. Adam expands on this by explaining how discounting is often a signal—not a solution. When salespeople haven't built a compelling reason to buy, they default to cutting price, eroding both margin and perceived value. The discussion also highlights how many reps ask too few questions, miss key stakeholders, and fail to understand risk from the buyer's perspective. The conversation then shifts to talent and leadership. Adam makes the case that training alone won't fix performance issues if the underlying talent isn't there. Kelly reinforces this by pointing out the critical role of coaching, noting that even the best training fails without strong sales leadership. Finally, they tackle the importance of process—why hiring better people won't help if there isn't a clear, consistent system for execution. 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

On this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs sits down with influence and buyer-psychology expert Robin Burr explore why traditional sales tactics often fail. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Many sales professionals rely on product knowledge, statistics, and persuasive arguments to win deals. But as Kelly and Robin explain, the real barrier in most sales conversations isn't information—it's human psychology. Buyers resist change, protect their identity, and often reject ideas when they feel pressured or "sold." In this conversation, Robin explains why the first sale is not the product or service—it's helping the buyer decide that change is necessary in the first place. When salespeople skip that step and push features or logic, they often create resistance that shows up later as objections. Kelly and Robin also unpack why many sales teams unintentionally sabotage themselves. From overloading prospects with information to relying on scripts and closing tactics, salespeople frequently treat symptoms rather than addressing the root causes of buyer hesitation. You'll also hear Robin break down his PERFECT objection framework, which focuses on prevention, exploration, reframing, facilitation, empathy, closing, and transition—an approach designed to resolve concerns without turning the conversation into a debate. If you lead a sales team or carry a quota yourself, this episode will challenge how you think about persuasion, objections, and the real drivers behind buyer decisions. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly looks at a sales scenario to outline the real challenges in identifying what's ailing most sales teams today.  Link to the post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kriggs_a-sales-team-has-13-salespeople-all-have-activity-7434938240450727936-Pqdj Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly challenges sales leaders to confront one of the most damaging patterns in sales organizations: focusing on what's outside their control. Economic headwinds. Marketing gaps. Customer service issues. Tariffs. Competition. While all of these factors are real, Kelly makes the case that allowing them to dominate conversations creates a culture of excuses. And once excuse-making permeates a team, performance declines and accountability disappears. Instead, Kelly outlines four critical areas every salesperson and sales leader can control: decisions, influences, habits, and circumstances. From daily prospecting choices to the people your team surrounds themselves with, these controllable factors shape mindset, skill development, and ultimately win rates. He explains why role play matters, why learning initiative should be non-negotiable in hiring, and why improving win rates even slightly can dramatically impact revenue. But the responsibility doesn't stop with the sales rep. Kelly emphasizes that the sales leader is the "thermostat" of the culture. If leaders commiserate, make excuses, or tolerate negativity — even from top producers — they risk being held hostage by poor behavior that erodes the team. This episode is a practical blueprint for sales V.P.s and frontline managers who want to eliminate excuse-making, reinforce accountability, strengthen culture, and build a team capable of performing regardless of external conditions. 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   https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kriggs_a-sales-team-has-13-salespeople-all-have-activity-7434938240450727936-Pqdj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAADrbl1kBpztm1p7QkSPYfPv1romvcsi1FTk

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges sales leaders to confront one of the most damaging patterns in sales organizations: focusing on what's outside their control. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Economic headwinds. Marketing gaps. Customer service issues. Tariffs. Competition. While all of these factors are real, Kelly makes the case that allowing them to dominate conversations creates a culture of excuses. And once excuse-making permeates a team, performance declines and accountability disappears. Instead, Kelly outlines four critical areas every salesperson and sales leader can control: decisions, influences, habits, and circumstances. From daily prospecting choices to the people your team surrounds themselves with, these controllable factors shape mindset, skill development, and ultimately win rates. He explains why role play matters, why learning initiative should be non-negotiable in hiring, and why improving win rates even slightly can dramatically impact revenue. But the responsibility doesn't stop with the sales rep. Kelly emphasizes that the sales leader is the "thermostat" of the culture. If leaders commiserate, make excuses, or tolerate negativity — even from top producers — they risk being held hostage by poor behavior that erodes the team. This episode is a practical blueprint for sales V.P.s and frontline managers who want to eliminate excuse-making, reinforce accountability, strengthen culture, and build a team capable of performing regardless of external conditions. 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  

Most sales teams operate on "tribal knowledge"—a set of unverified assumptions about why customers choose them. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs sits down with Jeff Bajorek to challenge these assumptions and expose a systemic failure in sales leadership. Research suggests that 80% of salespeople would be shocked to learn the real reasons their best customers buy from them . This gap in understanding often leads to generic messaging and missed opportunities for growth. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Jeff introduces a tactical Five-Question Framework designed to bridge this gap through vulnerability and specific discovery. By asking customers exactly why they chose the company the first time—and why they keep coming back—salespeople can refine their go-to-market strategy and slash time spent on maintenance by 50% without losing revenue. Beyond the technicalities of selling, the conversation explores the human element of leadership. Kelly and Jeff discuss the "coin-operated" management trap, where leaders assume throwing money at a problem replaces the need for genuine relationship-building . They emphasize that while systems and processes require efficiency, people require empathy and time. If you are a Sales VP looking to move beyond "good luck" management and start building a high-performance team grounded in mutual trust and verified value, this episode provides the blueprint for your evolution. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most misunderstood — and most powerful — drivers of sales performance: culture. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Many sales leaders blame poor results on weak selling skills, flawed compensation plans, or lack of process. But Kelly makes a compelling case that culture — defined simply as the commonly accepted behaviors inside your organization — is often the true root cause of underperformance. It's not what you post on the wall. It's what you allow. Kelly shares research showing how strong cultures outperform the market, improve profitability, reduce turnover, and increase engagement. More importantly, he explains why leaders are the thermostat of culture — not just observers of it. If mediocrity, gossip, entitlement, or poor accountability exist on your team, leadership tolerance is likely the reason. Through a real-world case study, Kelly outlines a practical blueprint for transforming a toxic environment into a high-performance culture. The steps include defining a clear and elevating vision, hiring and retaining the right people, eliminating toxic behaviors, implementing consistent skill development, and building a culture of accountability. If you want to attract A-players, reduce turnover, and dramatically improve sales performance, this episode provides a leadership framework you can implement immediately. 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  

Selling has always been a high-pressure profession, but not all pressure is created equal. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs examines the fine line between productive urgency and the kind of stress that quietly erodes sales performance, confidence, and consistency. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly explains how pressure affects the brain, why a little can sharpen performance, and why too much leads to cognitive decline, poor decisions, and erratic selling behavior. You'll learn the early warning signs that stress is damaging execution—including skipping steps in the sales process, rushing to quote, incomplete discovery, and increased ghosting from buyers. For sales leaders, this episode delivers a clear challenge: stop passing pressure straight downhill. Kelly outlines why reinforcing executive stress only magnifies performance problems and how filtering pressure is a core leadership responsibility. He also addresses one of the most common leadership failures—vague, nonspecific direction—and explains why clarity around expectations, behaviors, and outcomes is essential when urgency increases. The episode closes with a powerful insight drawn from real leadership experience: confidence comes from capability. Kelly shares how training, coaching, and time in the field equip salespeople to handle pressure without breaking down—and why teams with higher capability outperform others when the stakes are highest. If you lead a sales team and want stronger execution without burnout, this episode delivers practical guidance you can apply immediately. 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  

Most sales professionals believe relationships drive revenue—but too many confuse familiarity with credibility. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs sits down with keynote speaker and sales veteran Chris Cummins to unpack why credibility is the first and most important sale every salesperson makes. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly and Chris challenge the idea that knowing a prospect's hobbies or personal details equals trust. Instead, they outline a practical, disciplined approach to earning credibility by doing meaningful homework, asking better questions, and demonstrating a real understanding of a prospect's world. From researching industries and competitors to using personalized video outreach, Chris shares the exact methods he uses to stand out before a sales conversation even begins. The conversation also tackles a major blind spot in sales: what happens after the deal closes. Chris explains why most salespeople disappear post-sale—and how showing up anyway creates stronger relationships, more referrals, and expanded opportunities. Kelly reinforces why sales leaders should rethink how they train teams to lead with credibility instead of product pitches. This episode is packed with real examples, sharp contrasts to common sales behavior, and practical insights sales VPs can apply immediately. If you want your team to stop sounding like everyone else and start being seen as trusted partners, this conversation will reframe how you think about selling. 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  

Are you accidentally sabotaging your sales culture by promoting your top producer into a management role they aren't ready for? It's a classic B2B sales blunder: taking your best Account Executive off the field and expecting them to suddenly excel at sales coaching, performance management, and strategic leadership without a playbook. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges the industry-standard "battlefield promotion" and explains why traditional sales leadership hiring consistently produces poor results. If you're a Sales Director looking to scale or a Sales Manager struggling with the transition from "doing" to "leading," this episode is your wake-up call. Inside This Episode: The Gallup Gap: Why research shows that most organizations promote the wrong people into leadership roles 80% of the time—and the specific "talent vs. skill" trap you need to avoid. The Firefighter Blueprint: A look at the unconventional leadership model fire departments use to ensure their leaders can perform under pressure before they get the badge. Building Your Sales Management Framework: How to create a Sales Leader Guidebook that defines clear expectations, role-based coaching scenarios, and measurable performance assessments. The Individual Contributor Pivot: Understanding the fundamental shift in mindset required to move from hitting a personal quota to driving team-wide revenue growth. Stop "recycling" underprepared managers and start building a high-performance sales culture based on preparation and process. Whether you are currently leading a team or have your sights set on a VP of Sales role, Kelly provides the roadmap to ensure your next promotion is a success, not a statistic. 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  

Sales presentations don't fail by accident—they fail by design. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs breaks down why most solution presentations sound the same, feel unconvincing, and consistently fall short of winning decisions. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Drawing on decades of observing real sales calls and role-play sessions, Kelly explains how traditional sales training creates predictable mistakes. Salespeople are taught to master the product, build a slide deck, and "go sell"—which leads directly to unstructured presentations, feature overload, and conversations with the wrong people in the room. The result? Confused prospects, delayed decisions, stalled deals, and shrinking win rates. Kelly walks through the most common presentation failures, including winging it without a plan, relying on PowerPoint as a crutch, and dumping features instead of guiding decision makers. He also highlights the real objective of a solution presentation: creating a clear, compelling connection between what the prospect needs and what the solution uniquely delivers. This episode is a wake-up call for sales leaders who assume good discovery calls and product knowledge automatically translate into effective presentations. Kelly makes the case that salespeople must be trained—intentionally—on how to prepare, structure, and deliver individualized solution conversations that stand out from competitors. If your team's presentations sound interchangeable, feel scripted, or struggle to move deals forward, this episode will challenge how you think about sales training—and show you where the breakdown really starts. 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  

Why do so many capable salespeople fall short of their revenue goals—even after extensive sales training? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs challenges the idea that success in selling is driven primarily by personality, charisma, or natural talent. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining While selling skills matter, they only produce results when supported by three foundational habits that consistently successful salespeople share. First, elite performers plan everything. From prospecting to discovery calls to territory management, they don't leave outcomes to chance. A clear plan creates focus, efficiency, and more time in front of customers. Second, they execute that plan with discipline. Kelly explores why time—not effort—is a salesperson's most valuable asset and how distractions quietly sabotage results. He outlines how intentional execution, not longer hours, leads to predictable quota attainment and confidence in the number.  Finally, the habit that sustains long-term success: continuous learning. The most consistent producers are relentless learners who reflect on every call, catalog lessons, and build a deep base of real-world expertise. They don't rely on product knowledge alone—they bring insights, best practices, and perspective clients actually value. This episode is a practical reset for sales professionals and leaders who want consistency instead of peaks and valleys. If you're building a sales culture—or trying to level the playing field against more "naturally gifted" competitors—this conversation delivers a clear roadmap for sustained performance. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most critical challenges sales leaders face—hiring the right kind of salesperson. While many resumes look impressive on paper, the truth is that three out of four salespeople are failing to meet revenue goals, and one of the biggest reasons is misaligned roles. Kelly breaks down the essential distinction between "hunters" and "farmers," explaining why a top performer in one role may fail miserably in another. Drawing on personal experience as a sales leader and even a surprising ride-along with law enforcement, Kelly reveals how hunting is as much a mindset as it is a skill set. He shares how to probe during interviews to uncover whether a candidate has truly created opportunities from scratch—or simply thrived on inbound leads. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Learn why vague expectations set salespeople up for failure and how crystal-clear role requirements can dramatically reduce costly hiring mistakes. From the importance of identifying hunters early, to the tactics you can use to confirm whether a candidate has both the drive and skills for growth, this episode is packed with insights for sales leaders who want to stop wasting money on the wrong hires. Whether you're building a team from the ground up or looking to strengthen your existing sales force, this episode will equip you with practical strategies to identify, attract, and retain the kind of sales talent that drives real growth. 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

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most costly and overlooked problems in sales leadership: unprepared sales calls. He opens with a jarring truth that most leaders already suspect—salespeople are practicing on customers because they aren't being coached consistently, and the price companies pay for that lack of preparation is enormous. Kelly breaks down the real role of a sales leader, contrasting true coaching with the technical "support work" that consumes so many managers' calendars. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly shares the lessons he learned from one of the most impactful sales managers in his career, illustrating why every call needs a clear objective, planned questions, and anticipated obstacles. He explains how great reps think ahead, rehearse their approach, and walk into conversations ready for objections, emotional curveballs, and the unexpected. You'll hear why rapport isn't the same as trust, how discovery should create genuine dialog, and how preparation helps salespeople remain calm, confident, and consultative. The episode also highlights the importance of curbside coaching after calls—how to reinforce what went well, isolate areas for improvement, and teach reps to observe signals they currently miss. Ultimately, Kelly shows why preparation and coaching aren't optional—they're the foundation for developing capable, independent performers who no longer need a manager to "run the call." 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  

Consistency and predictability — according to Kelly Riggs — are the true holy grail of selling, and in this episode of Sales [UN]Training, he explains exactly how sales leaders can build both into their teams. Kelly starts by challenging the long-held belief that revenue is impossible to predict, arguing instead that the real issue is that most sales organizations lack a clear methodology for hitting their number. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining He introduces the first major discipline: creating a detailed, account-level plan that goes far beyond budgeting or forecasting. Kelly shows how true planning clarifies the exact opportunities required to hit quota, exposes revenue gaps early, and prevents salespeople from relying on chance. He then moves to the second discipline — executing the plan relentlessly. With classic reminders like "plan your work, work your plan," he emphasizes time management, distraction elimination, and the importance of structuring prospecting instead of squeezing it in "when there's time." But the third discipline is the one Kelly says separates predictable performers from everyone else: making every call a learning experience. Instead of rescuing deals, sales leaders should observe, coach, and guide reps through what they missed, what they executed well, and what to apply to the next opportunity. From wins to losses, each interaction becomes a coaching moment that accelerates long-term capability and capacity. Whether you lead a team or carry a quota, this episode offers a practical, repeatable approach to delivering results regardless of circumstances. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs takes sales leaders inside the real engine of sales performance: coaching that creates meaningful adjustments in real time. Rather than simply teaching new skills and hoping they stick, Kelly explains how true coaching mirrors elite athletics — observing, correcting, and refining behaviors as they occur in the "game" of a sales call. He walks through the difference between training new concepts and coaching during live execution, highlighting why most salespeople fall into repetitive habits without someone watching closely enough to help them change course. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Drawing from both sports and decades of front-line sales leadership, Kelly breaks down four essential adjustments every sales leader should look for during calls. These include helping salespeople become proactive with common objections, pushing them to explore beyond surface-level answers, preventing them from flipping into "selling mode" too early, and strengthening their emotional intelligence so they can maintain composure when conversations turn tense. He also shares personal stories of coaching that shaped his own career — from game-planning calls to the powerful "curbside coaching" method that accelerates a salesperson's growth immediately after the meeting. Sales leaders will gain practical steps for raising their credibility, increasing their influence, and building trusting relationships that make real coaching possible. If you want more consistent performance, better conversations, and salespeople who adjust instead of repeating the same mistakes, this episode delivers the roadmap. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs confronts a topic many salespeople avoid: professionalism and its direct connection to credibility. Drawing from real research and decades of field experience, Kelly shows how first impressions influence trust long before a salesperson asks a single question. Whether you sell to blue-collar environments, executives, or high-stakes decision-makers, the way you present yourself—appearance, demeanor, language, and respect—signals your capability immediately. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Using a relatable doctor analogy, Kelly highlights how rushing into "solution mode" without understanding the full picture destroys trust and derails opportunities. He explains why prospects subconsciously evaluate whether you're credible, prepared, attentive, and professional far earlier than most salespeople realize. Kelly also breaks down the unforced errors that make salespeople look average: talking too much, selling too soon, neglecting preparation, and engaging prospects with casual or sloppy behavior that undermines confidence. Listeners will hear why the first call has only two real objectives: build credibility and create a meaningful business conversation. Kelly outlines how consultative questions, genuine curiosity, and disciplined pacing dramatically increase the likelihood of earning a second meeting. He also challenges sales leaders to recognize the clues that distinguish true professionals from pretenders. If you want to fast-track trust, elevate your presence, and eliminate costly credibility mistakes, this is an episode you can't afford to miss. 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  

Most salespeople are using AI wrong—and it's showing. Kelly and guest Jeff Bajorek of Outbound Squad unpack how to stop getting generic junk from ChatGPT and start using it to actually improve your sales game. Salespeople love shortcuts—but AI isn't one. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly is joined by Jeff Bajorek to dismantle the lazy approach most reps are taking with ChatGPT. Spoiler: If your prompts are weak, your outputs will be worse. Jeff shares how he pulled the most common AI prompts from sales pros—and why they're failing to move the needle. You'll hear the top 10 things reps are asking AI to do (hint: it's mostly their job), and the smarter way to leverage the tool. They break down why ChatGPT is not a better Google and how it can become your best practice partner. Jeff walks through how he's using AI for personalized role play—complete with real-time feedback, tone analysis, and escalating difficulty levels. No awkward team huddles, no judgment—just pure reps. Kelly jumps in with stories from the field, how he's spotting AI in job candidate submissions, and why using AI to "act human" might backfire if you're not ready for the follow-up questions. If you're a VP of Sales or a frontline manager wondering how to integrate AI into your training without dumbing things down—this episode is your roadmap. Plus, Kelly closes with a reality check: AI is here to handle the tasks that aren't human, so your people can do what only humans can—build real trust and relationships. 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

Stop letting your salespeople practice on customers and wondering why they fail under pressure. This episode explains how to adopt the pro sports model of repetitive practice and coaching to build skills that stick. Why do three out of four salespeople fail to meet their revenue targets? The problem isn't the salespeople; it's the training model. We let our teams "practice on customers", a strategy that would get any professional sports coach fired. This episode explores what sales leaders must learn from the high-performance training models used by pro sports teams. Kelly contrasts the typical "exposure" model of sales training—a one-off kickoff meeting or seminar with no follow-up, repetition, or coaching —with the athletic model of daily, repetitive practice. Athletes don't start with a full-pads scrimmage. They break down skills into individual components (like a receiver catching one-handed balls), then practice them in small groups (like 7-on-7 drills), building habits through repetition. This is the only way to move a skill from "conscious incompetence" (knowing you're not good at it) to "unconscious competence" (flawless execution under pressure). If you're tired of your team developing bad habits and failing under duress, it's time to embrace real practice, like role-play. 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 celebrates two years of transforming how professionals think about sales — and tackles one of the biggest questions in the business world: why is selling so hard? Drawing from decades of experience, Kelly unpacks the long list of skills every salesperson must master — from systems and product knowledge to industry fluency, customer psychology, and competitive strategy. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining But it doesn't stop there. Kelly explains how companies unintentionally make the job harder through poor onboarding, unrealistic expectations, and one-off "event" training that quickly fades away. He highlights how many organizations still perpetuate outdated sales stereotypes — focusing on product pitches instead of developing professionals who listen, adapt, and solve problems. Sales is not a fallback career — it's one of the most complex, performance-driven roles in business. And while great salespeople thrive on challenge, true success depends on leaders who prepare and support them the right way. If you lead a sales team or want to understand what separates elite performers from the rest, this episode is a must-listen. 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 

Stop pitching at the first buying signal and learn the real secret to effective selling: listening. Discover the critical questions you're not asking—like "how do you feel?"—that unlock the motivations, emotions, and information needed to build trust and win the deal.  Salespeople are trained to talk, not to listen. We load them with product knowledge and then wonder why they commit the ultimate amateur mistake: pouncing on the first potential buying signal with a full-blown product pitch. This approach doesn't build trust; it breaks it. In this finale of a three-part series on listening, Kelly Riggs exposes the real secret to becoming a great listener. It's not just about asking good questions; it's about having the emotional intelligence to explore the details behind the first answer. You will learn that the ability to be a truly effective listener is predicated on one overlooked skill: preparation. When you are prepared, you can get out of your own head and stop thinking about what to say next, allowing you to genuinely tune in. This episode provides concrete examples of the powerful questions most salespeople are afraid to ask—including the simple shift from "what do you think?" to "how do you feel?"—to uncover a prospect's true motivations. Finally, learn why making assumptions is so dangerous and why clarification is the critical final key to understanding what your prospect really means. 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  

Most salespeople think they're great listeners—but Kelly Riggs says they're wrong. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly explores the critical difference between "hearing" and "listening to learn." Using lessons from psychology and real-world sales experience, he reveals why too many reps focus so hard on pitching that they miss what's actually being said. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly draws from "The Invisible Gorilla" experiment to illustrate how attention blindness ruins sales calls, then shares the concept of "staying in the moment"—a key sales competency proven to predict success. You'll learn why amateur salespeople ask fact-based questions, how pros create dialogue instead of interrogation, and why curiosity and empathy are the true foundations of effective selling. From sidewalk coaching to trade show mistakes, Kelly breaks down the traps every salesperson falls into—and exactly how to avoid them. If you've ever wondered why your prospects go silent or why your "great product pitch" fell flat, this episode is a masterclass in what to actually listen for. Tune in, take notes, and start rewiring your sales brain today. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most overlooked skills in sales—listening. Most sales calls are dominated by the salesperson's voice, leaving little room to learn what really matters to the buyer. Kelly explains why that's a critical mistake and how asking the right questions is the foundation of every successful sales conversation. Through relatable stories and sharp analogies, including one comparing listening to a car's transmission, Kelly illustrates how true sales effectiveness comes from curiosity, not chatter. He exposes why traditional training fails—focusing too much on talking about the product instead of discovering what the customer actually values. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Listeners will learn how to shift from "listening to reply" to "listening to understand," how curiosity drives connection, and why rapport doesn't come from swapping stories but from making people feel genuinely heard. Kelly also shares practical advice on retraining sales teams to lead with thoughtful questions and resist the urge to sell on the first call. If you're ready to rewire your sales brain and close more deals through better conversations, this episode will show you exactly where to start. 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  

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most critical challenges sales leaders face—hiring the right kind of salesperson. While many resumes look impressive on paper, the truth is that three out of four salespeople are failing to meet revenue goals, and one of the biggest reasons is misaligned roles. Kelly breaks down the essential distinction between "hunters" and "farmers," explaining why a top performer in one role may fail miserably in another. Drawing on personal experience as a sales leader and even a surprising ride-along with law enforcement, Kelly reveals how hunting is as much a mindset as it is a skill set. He shares how to probe during interviews to uncover whether a candidate has truly created opportunities from scratch—or simply thrived on inbound leads. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Learn why vague expectations set salespeople up for failure and how crystal-clear role requirements can dramatically reduce costly hiring mistakes. From the importance of identifying hunters early, to the tactics you can use to confirm whether a candidate has both the drive and skills for growth, this episode is packed with insights for sales leaders who want to stop wasting money on the wrong hires. Whether you're building a team from the ground up or looking to strengthen your existing sales force, this episode will equip you with practical strategies to identify, attract, and retain the kind of sales talent that drives real growth. 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 and Lee Salz break down why most salespeople fail at the very first meeting — and what to do instead. They uncover how playbooks, meaningful value, and emotional engagement can change the sales game. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs sits down with best-selling author Lee Salz to tackle one of the most overlooked — and costly — challenges in sales: the first meeting. Lee, author of The First Meeting Differentiator, explains why so many salespeople lose before they've even had a chance to win. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Together, Kelly and Lee explore why traditional training fails, why most sales meetings are forgotten within days, and how sales leaders can create reinforcement strategies that actually stick. They dig into the power of a documented sales playbook, the importance of shifting from a "discovery" mindset to a consultation mindset, and why providing meaningful value in every interaction is the key to earning a second meeting. Lee also reveals why emotional connection — not logic alone — drives buying decisions, and how salespeople can avoid the trap of product pitching. From understanding the forgetting curve, to developing target client profiles, to creating a true "deal foundation" in the very first meeting, this episode is packed with insights that every sales VP and frontline rep needs to hear. If you've ever wondered why hard-won opportunities stall, or why first meetings rarely turn into long-term relationships, this conversation offers a practical framework you can put to use immediately. Don't miss this timely and practical guide to transforming your first meetings into real business wins. 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 breaks down why selling is truly a competition and why there's no reward for second place. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, he shares four ways sales teams "play the game" and how mindset separates the elite from the average. Selling isn't just a job—it's a competition, and Kelly wants to make sure you're playing to win. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly challenges the conventional view of sales training and asks a critical question: are you preparing your team to truly compete, or just to participate? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly unpacks the unique reality of selling—there are no prizes for second place. Through powerful analogies and hard-hitting examples, he outlines the four ways salespeople play the game: showing up to play, playing to win, playing to win at all costs, and playing not to lose. Each mindset carries consequences, and only one creates consistent winners. Beyond strategy, Kelly explores the crucial role of mindset in sales success. Drawing parallels from elite athletes, he shows how mental conditioning, resilience, and the ability to learn from every win and loss are what propel salespeople into the top 5% of performers. Leaders, he argues, must go beyond assigning tasks—they must coach, train, and cultivate a culture of excellence rooted in competition and growth. If you're a sales leader looking to transform your team, or a salesperson ready to shift from "showing up" to competing at the highest level, this episode delivers the insight and challenge you need. 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  

How long does it really take for a new salesperson to become competent? Kelly Riggs challenges the myths, shares data on failure rates, and lays out a framework that sales leaders can actually use. How long should it take for a brand-new salesperson to reach competency? If you ask ten sales leaders, you'll get ten different answers—ranging anywhere from weeks to years. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs pulls apart the debate and examines the critical milestones that determine whether a new hire becomes productive or becomes part of the 75% who never make it. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly exposes the overconfidence many managers place in "experienced hires" and highlights why resumes, industry connections, and product familiarity often fail to translate into actual selling ability. He shares eye-opening stats: only 1 in 20 salespeople are truly elite, while the vast majority struggle. From there, he introduces the "Four Buckets" every salesperson must master—systems and processes, product knowledge, industry context, and the actual skills of selling. But here's the twist: training that overloads product details without real-world context slows development dramatically. Kelly provides a pro tip that accelerates onboarding—immersing new hires with satisfied customers so they can connect product knowledge with real experiences and stories. This method not only builds competence faster but also arms salespeople with authentic credibility when meeting prospects. If you're a VP of Sales or sales leader frustrated by long ramp times and inconsistent performance, this episode is packed with blunt truths and practical strategies you won't want to miss. 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

Stop trying to incrementally improve a broken system. Discover why radical, Deion Sanders-style transformation is the only way to fix the systemic issues holding your sales team back from explosive growth. We're on a short summer break. New episodes will return in September. In the meantime enjoy this episode in honor of College and NFL football returning. This episode originally aired on October 2nd, 2023. Most sales leaders believe they can transform their team's results, but the data shows three out of four teams fail to consistently grow year-over-year. The truth is, you can't transform your sales team—at least not in the way you've been trying. Incremental changes and minor tweaks won't fix the deep, systemic issues that lead to mediocrity and high turnover. Lasting change requires a radical overhaul, and most leaders simply don't have the stomach for it. This episode explores what it truly takes to engineer a massive turnaround. Drawing a powerful parallel to Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders' controversial but effective reconstruction of the Colorado Buffaloes football program, Kelly Riggs explains why you might need to change everything—your people, your culture, and your expectations. You'll examine the three core pillars of a successful sales organization: acquiring unique talent, developing radically focused leadership, and implementing bulletproof processes. Forget putting a band-aid on a major health problem. This is your guide to diagnosing the underlying causes of poor performance and executing a strategy that creates disproportionate, sustainable results. Are you ready to do the hard work required to win? 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

Could your team's sales training routines be considered a "dumpster fire"? Kelly Riggs explains why salespeople won't participate in training and reveals the systemic problems, and surprising solutions, to the sales training problem. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs addresses the frustrating reality for many sales leaders: their teams' lack of engagement in training. Kelly identifies three common complaints—salespeople who don't attend, schedule over training, or simply don't engage—and offers a blunt but necessary truth: "You're the problem". The problem isn't the salespeople's lack of motivation; it's a systemic issue that starts with who sales leaders hire and how they lead. This episode originally aired on June 2nd, 2025 The episode explores the non-existent barriers to entry in the sales profession, which often results in hiring individuals who are not self-motivated or dedicated to continuous learning. Kelly emphasizes that great leaders must hire people who are committed to self-improvement and set clear, non-negotiable expectations from the outset. He also discusses the critical distinction between training and learning, explaining that training is merely "exposure" to new ideas, while true learning and habit change only occur through coaching, practice, and a consistent feedback loop. Sales leaders must stop looking at symptoms and instead address the root causes of their team's underperformance. 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  

Stop overwhelming prospects with information; it isn't persuasive and it's killing your deals. Discover the seven critical psychological steps you must guide a buyer through to build trust, prove value, and create urgency. In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, host Kelly Riggs tackles one of the most common and costly mistakes in sales: believing that giving prospects more product information will win the deal. Drawing from decades of observing sales calls, Kelly dismantles the "show up and throw up" approach and replaces it with a proven, customer-focused framework. Listeners will learn the Seven Critical Steps to a Sale, a process that goes beyond features and functions to address the real decision-making drivers in a prospect's mind. Kelly walks through each step in detail: identifying or creating a perceived need, helping the buyer see the loss of inaction or the gain from change, building trust in your solution, making change feel manageable, minimizing risk, ensuring value exceeds price, and creating genuine urgency. With practical insights, real-world examples, and the reminder that "information isn't persuasion," Kelly shows how the best salespeople connect emotionally, align with personal agendas, and move deals forward without stalling. Whether you lead a sales team or close deals yourself, this episode will help you replace product dumping with a strategic, emotionally intelligent sales approach that wins more business—faster. 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