The Sales Evangelist

40% of a seller’s time is spent on prospecting. That’s a big investment, especially when a lot of it does not lead anywhere. So how do you make sure that time actually turns into real opportunities? Let’s break down how to prospect in a way that leads to conversations and closed deals.
Leverage Intent and Relevant Data
A big part of prospecting comes down to timing. You want to reach out when buyers are already looking for a solution.
That is where intent data comes in. Tools like ZoomInfo and 6sense can help you identify prospects who are actively researching solutions like endpoint protection.
When you do reach out, make it relevant. Speak directly to their industry and back it up with a recent success story from a similar company. That is what helps build credibility early.

Utilize Advanced LinkedIn Searching
Instead of reaching out to everyone, focus on a smaller group of people who are more likely to respond.
You can build a list of 30 to 40 individuals by narrowing your search. Look for people who are new in their roles or who have been active on LinkedIn in the past 30 days.
You can also look at who they are connected to, especially if they follow industry influencers or are part of specific associations. That gives you a stronger starting point for outreach.

Systematize Referrals
Referrals are one of the most overlooked opportunities in sales.
Most prospects are open to giving referrals, but very few salespeople actually ask for them. That is a missed opportunity.
Start making it part of your process. When you are working with a client, ask if they know others who are dealing with similar challenges. A simple ask can open the door to warmer conversations.

Target Niche Local Events
Not every opportunity comes from online outreach. Smaller, more focused events can be a great way to connect with people directly.
Think industry meetups or informal gatherings where conversations happen more naturally.
These settings make it easier to build relationships and lead to introductions that feel more genuine.

The Fortune Is in the Follow-Up
Even when you get in front of the right people, it does not mean much if you do not follow up.
A large percentage of event attendees have the authority to make buying decisions, yet most leads never receive any follow-up at all.
That is where the real opportunity is. Following up within 12 to 24 hours and staying consistent with your outreach can be the difference between being remembered and being forgotten.

“Nine out of ten prospects are willing to give a referral, but only about 11% of salespeople actually ask.” - Donald C. Kelly
Resources
Do you need help on getting more referrals? Check out episode 1976.
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Salesforce found that reps spend just 11 hours per week actually selling. That means nearly 70% of their time is spent on everything else. So where is it going? Let’s break down what sellers are really doing and why it’s keeping them from hitting quota.
Identifying Time-Bleeding Tasks
Let me show you what’s really taking up their day. A lot of it comes down to necessary work that just takes way too long. Think about the time spent digging for information before a call. That can easily turn into 45 minutes of manual research for one prospect.
Then there’s building proposals and assessments. Reps are sitting there formatting documents, choosing layouts, and putting together decks when that time could be spent in front of a customer.
On top of that, you’ve got CRM updates, data entry, and internal meetings that keep pulling reps away from actual selling. It all adds up fast, and before you know it, the day is gone without much time spent with buyers.

Leveraging AI and Process Optimization
So how do you fix it? It starts with getting rid of the work that does not need to be done manually.
AI is making that a lot easier. Instead of spending close to an hour researching a prospect, reps can pull together key insights in just minutes. CRM updates can be automated. Meeting notes can be summarized without lifting a finger.
And when it comes to proposals and documents, this is where better systems come in. Instead of starting from scratch every time, teams can use templates or even hand off parts of the process so reps can stay focused on selling.
The goal here is simple. Take as much off the rep’s plate as possible so they can spend more time doing the one thing that actually drives results.

Actionable Steps for Leaders and Reps
If you want to fix this, both leaders and reps have to take a hard look at how time is being used.
Start by tracking it. Spend a week writing down exactly where your time goes. Prospecting, emails, research, meetings. When you see it on paper, it becomes a lot clearer where the gaps are.
From there, leaders need to step in and protect selling time. That means cutting back on unnecessary meetings and making sure reps have systems that actually support them.
And finally, simplify the tools. When everything is scattered across different platforms, it slows everyone down. Bringing those tools into one place makes it easier to work faster and stay organized.
At the end of the day, this is about making sure your reps are spending more time in front of customers and less time stuck in the background work.

“Time is ticking and time is money.” - Donald C. Kelly
Resources
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Salesforce found that sellers who use AI are 3.7 times more likely to hit quota. So what are they doing differently? Let’s break down how AI is helping sellers work more effectively and why it’s becoming a core part of modern sales.
Maximizing Efficiency in Prep and Prospecting
AI is taking a lot of the busy work off a seller’s plate, especially when it comes to prep and prospecting.
Instead of spending 45 minutes digging into a single prospect, sellers can now pull together key insights in just minutes using tools like ChatGPT or Claude. That kind of time savings adds up fast.
And it changes how sellers spend their day. When you’re saving 30 minutes or more per prospect, that time can go back into higher-value activities like engaging on LinkedIn or actually reaching out to prospects.
AI is also making personalization easier to scale. Sellers can quickly find relevant details about a prospect and use that information to craft more thoughtful, tailored outreach without starting from scratch every time.

AI as a Sales Coach
AI is not just helping with research. It’s starting to act like a built-in sales coach throughout the deal cycle.
Sellers can use it to think through different scenarios before a call ever happens. By plugging in meeting notes or past conversations, AI can highlight potential risks and help them prepare more effectively for discovery.
It’s also useful when it comes to handling objections. Instead of guessing how to respond, sellers can use AI to brainstorm different approaches, especially when they’re up against a specific competitor.
And before a deal moves forward, AI can help pressure test it. Sellers can ask it to find gaps, weak points, or anything they may have missed so they can tighten their approach before presenting a solution.

"You're shrinking the busy work so you can focus more on selling." - Donald C. Kelly
Resources
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

You’re feeling the impact of the tariffs, aren’t you? They keep your deals from moving forward. Luckily, I came up with three ways to move those tariff blocks out of the way and make everything move in your favor.
1. Show Them What It’s Costing to Wait
When deals stall, it’s easy for companies to pause spending and focus on what feels urgent right now. But waiting comes with a cost.
Instead of pushing harder, help them see what happens if nothing changes. What does it cost the business to delay? What risks are they taking on by doing nothing?
When you lay that out clearly, the conversation shifts. It is no longer just about spending money. It becomes about avoiding a bigger loss.

2. Ask What Needs to Change, Not “When”
Most sellers follow up with one question: “When can we move forward?” That question does not move the deal.
A better approach is to ask, “What needs to happen for this to become a priority again?”
Now you open up a real conversation. You start to understand what is actually blocking the deal, whether it is budget, timing, or internal pressure. Once you know that, you can position yourself to help move things forward.

3. Stay Present So You’re First When It Opens Back Up
Sometimes there is nothing you can do at the moment. The deal is simply frozen. That does not mean you disappear.
Stay in motion. Check in, share insights, and send relevant updates that keep you top of mind without being pushy.
When things start moving again, the seller who stayed present is usually the one who gets the deal.

“Delays don’t kill deals. Ignoring the cost of waiting does.” - Donald C. Kelly
Resources
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Today, most deals involve 11 to 13 decision-makers. Nobody wants to be the one held responsible if things go wrong. So instead of one decision-maker, you’re dealing with a full committee. That’s one of the biggest reasons deals stall, and that’s what we’re getting into in this Missed Quota episode.
Why Deals Stall Even When You Do Everything Right
You’ve done your research. You ran a solid discovery. The demo went well. And then the deal just sits there.
A lot of times, it’s because you didn’t know who was really involved in the decision.
On top of that, buyers are spending less time talking to sellers. They’re doing their own research and only bringing you in for a small part of the process.
That means if you’re not connected to the right people, you can lose the deal without even realizing it.

Build a Champion Toolkit
If you have a champion inside the company, you need to set them up to win when you’re not in the room.
That means giving them the right information to speak to different stakeholders. Think about what the CFO cares about. Think about legal, procurement, and leadership.
Give your champion the tools to answer those questions so they can confidently represent your solution.

Map Out the Buying Committee Early
Don’t wait until the deal slows down to figure out who’s involved. Work with your champion early to identify everyone who has a say in the decision.
Then figure out what matters to each person. When you understand their priorities, you can tailor your approach instead of guessing.

Multi-thread Your Way Into the Deal
Your champion can’t carry the entire deal on their own. Ask for introductions to other stakeholders. Get in front of people like the CFO or anyone else influencing the decision.
Speaking directly to their concerns, makes it easier for the deal to move forward and take pressure off your champion.

“The first thing you need to recognize is that there are a lot more people involved in deals today than there used to be.” - Donald C. Kelly
Resources
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.