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Is sales an art form or a rigorous science? In this episode, Scott and Mike welcome back Barton Schmitz, VP of Strategic Accounts at CAPSA, to settle the debate. The conversation begins with a surprising revelation: Barton prefers driving in absolute silence to foster strategic thinking—a stark contrast to the noise of the daily grind.

Barton shares the philosophy he developed while turning around the culture at Sunrise Medical, defining sales simply as "getting people to do something they would normally not do."

He dismantles the idea that sales is just "presenting" and breaks down a proven, circular methodology that turns order-takers into top performers. Whether you are selling medical devices or Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Barton argues that without a process, you are just painting with your fingers.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Silence: Why successful leaders use drive time for deep thinking rather than distraction.
• The Definition of Sales: It isn't just offering a product; it is influencing behavior to change a result.
• The "Will You?" Close: Why asking "Do you like this?" is a trap, and why you must ask "Will you buy this?"
• The Da Vinci Debate: Mike argues for sales artistry; Barton argues that even Da Vinci had a process.

The 4-Step Solution Sales Process: Barton details his "Flywheel" approach to sales, ensuring velocity and results:

1. Prepare: Don't wing it. Understand the pipeline and the customer before the meeting.
2. Present: This is where the commitment happens. If you aren't closing here, you are just talking.
3. Implement: Delighting the customer through the delivery of what was promised.
4. Follow-up (The Refresh): Creating the environment for the next sale.

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Jeff "Raccoon Man" Padilla returns to the show to set the record straight. The episode kicks off with a hilarious listener review from Jeff's nine-year-old daughter, asking why Scott and Mike are "tasting feet" instead of "tasting defeat."

Once the laughter subsides, the trio tackles the most expensive and risky challenge in sales leadership: Hiring.

Jeff breaks down why "Ability" trumps "Knowledge" and "Skills" every time.

The group debates the pros and cons of hiring fresh college graduates (blank slates) versus seasoned veterans (who may come with bad habits). They discuss the difficulty of uncovering "invisible" traits like curiosity and work ethic during a standard interview process.

Finally, Scott proposes a radical new hiring tactic: The "Reverse Ride-Along," where the hiring manager shadows the candidate in their daily life for two days to see if their hustle matches their resume.

Key Takeaways:

• The "Tasting Feet" Blooper: A reminder that even your intro needs a refresh if it sounds like you are eating toes.
• Curiosity & Business Acumen: These are the two non-negotiable traits Jeff looks for. Can the rep understand the customer's business model, not just the product specs?
• The KSA Debate: You can teach product knowledge and sales skills, but you cannot teach "Ability" (intrinsic potential) or desire.
• The Risk of the Unknown: Hiring is a two-way street of risk. The company risks revenue; the candidate risks walking into a toxic culture.
• The "Reverse Ride-Along": A proposed method to verify work ethic by observing the candidate's natural routine before making an offer.

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On this week’s episode, Scott and Mike are joined by one of their "four actual listeners," Jeffrey Padilla, Director of Sales at Rainier Surgical. Jeff shares his journey from a desk-bound bracing coordinator to running the sales department, proving that hate for paperwork can be a powerful motivator.

The trio dives deep into the philosophy of sales leadership. Jeff explains why he stopped giving his reps the answers and started asking "Why?" to build critical thinking. They discuss the concept of "Platinum Hours" —the preparation time outside of 8-5 that separates top performers from the rest—and why willingness to do the work in the dark is the #1 trait he looks for in new hires.

Finally, the group debates whether Cold Calling is truly dead (spoiler: it’s not, but walking in blind is) and Jeff breaks down his "Raccoon" sales style: digging deep to solve problems and being relentlessly reliable. He caps off the episode with a masterclass on Gap Selling, explaining how to move customers from their painful Current State to their desired Future State.

Key Takeaways:

• The "Why" Management Style: Don’t just give reps the answers. Force them to walk through their logic. It creates autonomy and confidence.
• Platinum Hours: Success isn't just about what you do when the customer answers the phone (Golden Hours); it's about the prep work you do when they don't (Platinum Hours).
• Cold Calling 2.0: Walking in blind is dead. Walking in with research, understanding the business problems, and having a hypothesis is very much alive.
• Gap Selling: You aren't selling a product; you are bridging the gap between where the customer hurts now and where they want to be.
• The Raccoon Analogy: Be a problem solver. Sometimes you have to dig through the mess to find the solution.

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What happens when a nurse interrupts a product manager in the middle of a training session to tell them they are wrong? apparently, a 25-year career in sales leadership begins. On this episode, Scott and Mike welcome Barton Schmitz, VP of Strategic Accounts at CAPSA (and Mike’s former boss), to discuss the transition from clinical care to high-stakes sales.

Barton drops a masterclass on the fundamental difference between "servicing" a customer (pointing them to the bread aisle) and selling to a customer (walking them there and finding out why they need the bread). He shares his "Steering Wheel Sticky Note" hack for accountability, explains why a "No" at the closing table is actually a failure of process, and breaks down how to use your manager to clear internal roadblocks—including creative deal-structuring like "split terms."

Key Takeaways:

• The Definition of Selling: Barton defines selling simply as "getting people to do something they normally would not do." If they were going to do it anyway, you are just an order taker.
• The "Bread" Analogy: Don't just point to the aisle. Walk the customer there, ask questions, and uncover the need. That is the difference between service and sales.
• The Steering Wheel Hack: Before every call, write your specific goal (PO, commitment, next step) on a sticky note and put it on your steering wheel. When you get back to the car, that note is your immediate accountability mirror.
• Pipeline vs. Tasks: A sales process is a tool to move a customer at a controlled rate. If you aren't moving them forward, you are just completing tasks.
• Leveraging Leadership: Don't suffer in silence. Use your manager to clear operational roadblocks or to approve creative financial structures (like split terms) to save a deal.

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We have all been there: You are handed a project, you feel out of your depth, and you are convinced everyone else knows exactly what they are doing. On this week’s episode, Scott and Mike tackle Imposter Syndrome head-on, using a disastrous DIY plumbing story involving an angle grinder and a shower handle as the perfect metaphor for professional growth.

The duo discusses why being an "expert" doesn't mean knowing everything—it means knowing who to ask and being willing to figure it out. They break down the "7 Red Lines" theory, Scott introduces his concept of the "Working Wheel" regarding willingness to change, and they offer three practical steps to get out of your own head and start trusting your own expertise.

Key Takeaways:

• The "Expert" Trap: Referencing the viral "The Expert" YouTube sketch, the hosts discuss how sales reps are often asked to do the impossible (like drawing transparent red lines). True expertise isn't magic; it's creativity under pressure.
• Scott's 3 Steps to Beat Imposter Syndrome:
  1. Stack Your Wins: Write down your successes. When you see them on paper, it is harder to convince yourself you are a fraud.
  2. Progress vs. Perfection: Stop comparing your internal struggles to someone else’s external highlights. You are not the worst salesperson ever; you are just learning.
  3. Collaborate to Validate: Talk to other pros. You will quickly realize they aren't "superhuman"—they just have different experiences (or a blowtorch and lubricating oil).
• The Working Wheel: Career longevity comes down to a willingness to try new things. If you stop trying, the wheel stops turning.
• Curiosity > Intelligence: You don't have to be the smartest person in the room. You just have to be the most curious and the most prepared.

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On this "take two" episode (after a technical mishap lost the first recording), Scott and Mike welcome back Jeff Cutter, founder of WIITT Selling (What Is Important To Them). Jeff breaks down the fundamental flaw in most sales processes: the obsession with our decks, our products, and our preparation, while completely ignoring the customer's narrative.

Jeff shares how this mindset shift started early—selling his neighbors not on a mowed lawn, but on the freedom to ride their bikes on the weekend. The trio discusses why sales reps often get stuck at the "context level" (activities, features, specs) and fail to reach the "emotional level" where decisions are actually made.

Key Takeaways:

• Define WIITT: It stands for What Is Important To Them. If you don't know the specific problem and the emotion attached to it, you are just guessing.
• The "Context" Trap: Most CRMs are filled with "activities" (sent email, had meeting), but lack intelligence on the actual problem. You need to move from "What are you doing?" to "How does this problem make you feel?"
• Co-Author the Story: Don't hijack the conversation with your own pitch. Use mirroring and emotional labeling to stay in the customer's story until you uncover the root cause.
• The Jeep Theory: Citing Clotaire Rapaille, Jeff explains that customers often lie (unintentionally) about what they want (e.g., safety), when they truly buy based on a deeper emotional code (e.g., freedom/open road).

Guest Resources: Check out Jeff’s free guide, "Stop Guessing, Take Control of Your CRM Intelligence" at wiittselling.com.

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Have you ever looked around the sales floor, watched a top performer, and thought, "I need to do exactly what they are doing"? You try to copy their jokes, their cadence, or their spreadsheet obsession, only to find it feels clunky and awkward. On this week’s episode, Scott and Mike discuss why trying to be someone else is the fastest way to set off a prospect's "BS alarm."

Instead of imitation, the duo argues for adaptation. The goal isn't to become the person next to you; it's to identify your own unique "Superpower"—a mix of self-awareness and feedback—and lean into it. Whether you are a "spreadsheet person" or a "storyteller," your success comes from consistency and authenticity, not mimicry.

Key Takeaways:

• The Danger of Imitation: While it is good to want to improve, trying to change your fundamental personality to match a peer usually fails because it lacks genuineness.
• Defining Your Superpower: Your superpower is often identified through external feedback—what do people thank you for doing well? It requires the self-awareness to separate your daily "whirlwind" tasks from your core strengths.
• The "Friends" Theory of Sales: You can't sell to Joey the same way you sell to Chandler. A great sales rep reads the room and adapts their delivery without changing their core process.

• Scott’s 4-Step Guide to Authentic Sales:
  1. Stay in your lane: Don't get distracted by how others sell.
  2. Play to your superpower: Know what you are best at and maximize it.
  3. Adapt without imitating: Learn from mentors, but put their tactics into your own voice.
  4. Consistency always wins: Once you find a process that fits your style, stick to it.

Listener Challenge: Mike leaves us on a cliffhanger this week: If self-awareness and strength are superpowers, what is the opposite of a superpower? Listen in and drop your answer in the comments!

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It’s that time of year. You’re waiting for management to spin the "Bingo Wheel" and drop a new, terrifying number on your desk. "Congratulations, you grew 15% last year... now we need 25%." Panic sets in.

This week on "The Selling Podcast," Mike and Scott reveal why waiting for your quota to build a plan is a rookie mistake. They argue that you must create your sales plan before you receive your quota. Why? Because data gives you leverage. If you know your numbers better than your manager does, you turn a mandate into a negotiation.

We break down the 3 effective ways to create a quota-based sales plan that puts you in the driver's seat:

1. Start with a Data-Driven Breakdown: Don't look at the scary big number. Mike explains how to slice the data by product, time, and customer. Understand exactly where your growth came from last year so you know if a 20% increase is a pipe dream or a layup.
2. Territory & Segment Prioritization (Assign Quotas to Clients): This is the secret sauce. You can't control corporate, but you can control your territory. We discuss "monetizing" your accounts by mentally assigning them their own quotas. We also introduce the "2x4 Method" (selling 2 products to 4 accounts, or vice versa) to visualize exactly where the new revenue will come from.
3. Build a Pipeline That Matches the Strategy: A goal without a pipeline is just a wish (or a pipedream). We discuss how to ensure your pipeline math actually supports the new number, factoring in close rates and "sandbagging" buffers.

Plus, we have a candid (and hilarious) conversation about "Sandbagging"—the sales rep’s secret weapon. Is it ethical? Does every manager know you’re doing it? (Spoiler: Yes, and they’re doing it too).

Tune in to stop fearing "The Number" and start building a plan that makes hitting quota a mathematical certainty.

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Mike Williams - Cell 801-635-7773

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