Morgan Gentes

Yesterday, I ran the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon 🏃‍♂️ Here are some commonalities between running and sales ⬇️ 1. It's a (half) marathon, not a sprint. 2. Discipline is key. 3. Your training program will set you up for success. 4. Sometimes you will not want to wake up early and go for a run or hit the phones on a cold call block. Both are important and necessary for success. 5. Time management is critical. 6. The hardest part is starting your journey. 7. Hard work WILL pay off.

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It's Thankful Thursday - and I'm so thankful that I’ve had a lot of coffee chats recently with my fellow Canadian sales pros! There was a common theme keeps coming up: “I want to start posting on LinkedIn but there are already so many LinkedIn influencers out there, posting sales tips on a daily basis.” ☕🤔 I hear you. It can feel like LinkedIn is already packed with people talking about prospecting, lead generation, and the latest sales hacks. But let’s take a step back for a moment. 🚶‍♂️ Have you noticed that many of these influencers work for CRM companies, B2B databases, or similar businesses that sell sales tools? Of course, their content is going to revolve around prospecting, lead generation, and closing deals. It’s in their best interest to promote the products and methods that support their business. 💼 But guess what? This is YOUR reminder: LinkedIn isn’t just for them. It’s for YOU, too! 👈 We don’t have to be a “guru” selling a new software to share valuable insights. We all have stories from the field, lessons from tough calls, and tips that we can help others. We’ve all got a perspective that is grounded in real, day-to-day sales work. The world doesn’t need another copy-paste influencer post. It needs OUR authentic voice, our unique experiences, and our genuine insights. So, if you’ve been hesitant to start sharing because you think the space is already crowded—don’t be! There’s room for real voices and new stories. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there’s always someone out there who needs to hear exactly what you have to say. It’s never too late to start. Your first post could be the one that makes a difference to someone else. So, go ahead—let’s hear your story! 💪 #thankfulthursday #CanadianSales #LinkedInJourney #AuthenticityMatters #SalesCommunity #ShareYourStory

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I hear a lot from SDR Managers "Auto diallers aren't strategic" Or "we don't want to be a call centre it removes that personal touch" Now to say you won't lose a little bit of that Persoanl touch would be a lie. Let’s imagine Salesfinity didn’t provide you with: -ICP -Personna -Competitors -Problem the company solves -Relevant info about the prospect (Job title, name, company, etc) -Open jobs at the company -Notes from your CRM /Salesengagement platform All in call at a single click. I pose the question to you..... Is it worth sacrificing 10% percent of that “strategic” touch…. for more conversations..... I thought so! Interested in people outlook on this 👀?

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Here is my SDR Manager Playbook that I use to make sure every SDR hits quota: If your an SDR Manager, save this post. 1. Call Reviews -Track competitor mentions, pricing, and feature discussions. Analyze what turns calls into wins or losses. -Spot trends in objections and competitor mentions. Identify features prospects care about most. Refine messaging based on what resonates. -Talk ratios, focus on a 40/60 talk-to-listen ratio. Reduce long monologues and prioritize active listening. Build rapport with thoughtful pauses. 2. Pipeline Review: - Review deals at team, individual, and pipeline levels. Spot risks with AI-generated deal health insights. -Adjust follow-up strategies to keep deals moving forward. 3. Coaching: -Tailored plans for individual reps based on performance data. Campaign-level insights to improve objection handling. -Continuous improvement through actionable feedback. 4. Objections Handling: -Analyze what works in handling objections. Standardize responses that turn resistance into progress. Share best practices across the team. For my tech stack, reviewing call insights, deal trends and coaching insights, I'm using MeetRecord. Before using them I was spending most of my day breaking down these insights and was still missing key pieces since I couldn't listen to every call or review every deal in the pipeline in depth.. For outreach, I use Apollo and LinkedIn. This playbook helps my team book more meetings, stay consistent, and have a process that we know is based on data, not just what we think might be working.

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I am torn on this. I lead both SDRs and AEs, so I know how these conversations go. But my two cents is this... My #1 job for my SDRs is to make them successful in their current role. My #2 job is to make them successful for the rest of their career. I could argue that #2 is more important than #1 and teaching an SDR to qualify prospects is a key step in their career development. But it all comes down to expectations. If an AE is expecting that qualification, they need to have a re-alignment. If they want to invest in the success of their SDR, then working with leadership to develop that skill is a win/win! The SDR gets better, smarter, and more ready for the next step in their career. The AE also gets better, smarter, and more ready for the next step in their career... if they are looking to go into leadership. So I see it both ways. Like anything in life, there are several ways to go about and think about things. But I would not lump an AE who is helping their SDR develop into a better salesperson into the "suck at selling" "order taker" bucket.

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Adi: Hi [Prospect's Name], it's Adi calling from Achievers. How's it going? Prospect: Hey, I'm good! How about you? Adi: I'm doing great, thanks! It's a gorgeous sunny day here in Toronto, so no complaints. How about you? (Spent a minute building a strong rapport, getting to know the prospect a bit. Chatting like old friends, they even share their vacation plans with me.) (Felt like we were best friends now 😌 ) Adi: Anyway, I don’t want to take up too much of your time, [Prospect's Name]. The reason I’m reaching out today is—(proceed with the value prop) Prospect: You know what, Adi? This sounds interesting, but I’ve got to run. Can you shoot me an email? (They hang up.) Adi: (heartbroken but resilient) Well, onto the next one! Welcome to the a day in the life of an SDR. Is anyone else still dialling? Achievers #SDR #Sales #ColdCalling

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People that care about UX and productivity for sales people: SDR Managers (god bless you wonderful folks). I do find that most direct managers in Sales aren't polling their employees--especially AE's to find out what's not working, what they are putting up with and not complaining about. There are tons of tools that sales folks are buying on their own dime like Scratchpad, Superhuman, etc. We all care about "giving developers the right tools to stay in flow".. but your revenue team? Sure, leaders need our forecasting tools and enablement systems (maybe)--but ask your team "what sucks about this CRM layout, how does thing work on your mobile device, what things are getting in your way, how much time do you spend clicking around poorly designed tooling interfaces---and what would move the needle for you". As an AE-centric leader, i'm working to put things in place that sure--make folks more productive--but that they don't hate using. What say you? whats sucks in your world? what tools do you buy on your own to deal with your day? or even how should the world work for a day-to-day SDR/AE/Account Manager, etc

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The Power of a Great Sales Manager 🌟 Throughout my journey, I’ve seen firsthand how transformative a great sales manager can be. They are so much more than team leaders—they are mentors, strategists, and motivators who truly shape the success of their teams. 🚀 I’ve been fortunate to witness some incredible sales managers in action, and it’s inspiring to see how much of a difference they can make—not just for the numbers but for the people they lead. 💼✨ To all the sales managers out there who lead with passion, empathy, and resilience—you’re making a bigger impact than you know. 👏 #LeadershipInAction #SalesManagement #Inspiration #TeamSuccess #Gratitude

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𝐍𝐨 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧. And that's not great for me. It's not just a quip either; it’s a hard truth backed by years of buyer behaviour data. Buyers want autonomy. They want clarity, simplicity, and results. Trust me - in 2025, the most successful salespeople won’t feel like salespeople at all. They’ll act as orchestrators, ensuring that buyers make decisions with confidence. Even when the seller isn’t in the room. They’ll be 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔. - - - - - - - - - Project managers have thrived for CENTURIES by doing exactly what today’s buyers demand. Think industrial revolution factory managers ensuring production lines ran smoothly or NASA’s Apollo program. They weren’t the ones designing rockets or assembling them. They were the ones aligning resources, creating processes, and solving problems to ensure the mission succeeded. The best sellers in 2025 will be the ones designing a process where the buyer feels empowered, not pressured. - - - - - - - - - - - - At its core, a project manager ensures everything stays on track. They anticipate problems, provide solutions, and guide everyone to the finish line. Sellers should aim to do the same. Instead of selling, focus on ORCHESTRATING. - - - - - - Here’s how that happens: 1) Simplify the Buying Journey 2) Enable, Don’t Persuade 3) Build Trust Through Reliability Project managers don’t “sell” their team on the idea of completing a project. They map out a clear timeline, define milestones, and make it easy for everyone to move forward. Sellers need to do the same: simplify the buying journey so that prospects always know what’s next. Great project managers give their teams the tools they need to succeed. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦. Stop persuading. Start enabling. - - - - - Buyers don’t care about your personality; they care about your reliability. The person who delivers what’s promised, anticipates needs, and eliminates friction nearly always wins. The industry has fetishized the idea of a salesperson who can “sell ice to an Eskimo,”. But no one wants ice they don’t need. - - - - - - Here’s how you can start acting like a project manager: 1) Audit your buyer journey. 2) Where are the friction points? 3) What information do buyers need to move forward? 4) Coordinate with marketing, product, and customer success to create a 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. and most importantly... 5) Be upfront about challenges, limitations, and risks. - - - - - Buyers trust sellers who tell the truth, even when it’s not convenient. In 2025, selling won't be about charm or persuasion; it will be about empowerment. The BEST sellers will operate quietly behind the scenes, building processes that leave buyers feeling confident and capable.

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Sellers who have "need for approval" from their prospects are 35% less effective (RAIN Group). It's not your job to make your prospect feel "good" all the time and here's a prime example: When Spencer Ivey is asked for a discount, he simply nods his head and says "....Okay..." He doesn't jump to justify his pricing. He doesn't immediately start negotiating. He lets the silence linger. No doubt, this makes the prospect who just asked him for a discount feel somewhat uncomfortable (Ironic, since that's what they were trying to do to HIM when they demanded a discount!). 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐬. Salespeople that want their prospects to like them (need for approval) will immediately jump to problem solving mode when they get asked for a discount. But the best? They're ok with a little discomfort, even if it means they're less "likable". They know that the discomfort will compel the other party to justify their ask with more information (information is your greatest ally in a negotiation).  

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Sales teams are getting smaller. If your an AE this can be a good thing for YOU personally. less reps = more opps coming your way = more money (we all know it) This can also be a bad thing if you don't know how to manage your time accordingly. One thing I would do is stop wasting time on tire kickers. Use data to determine the accounts you should spend most of your time on. Here is an example: After I have a first demo with a prospect I share my interactive demo center (built with Tourial) filled with self-guided demos, videos, slides, pdf's, examples basically everything they need to go get other stakeholder buy in for my solution. Before sharing the demo center I create a customer share link so I can easily see how that account is engaging with my resource. Every morning when I start my day I look at all my active opportunities then look at their engagement data in Tourial, Website visits via Warmly, Email opens / clicks via Salesloft, and of course if they've messaged me anything. The Tourial Data is my personal favorite (yes I am biased). Check out these 3 Account's Demo Center engagement data that I looked at this morning. Which Account would you invest more time in to bring to close? Spoiler Alert: I choose Account 3 with the 9 unique visitors checking out my demo center 👀. Happy Hunting Y'all ✌🏽 #sdr #ae #salesleader BONUS: I can also click into these links and see exactly where each visitor is spending their time inside the experience. Basically, which demos and other material they care about most. I use that to send them more nurture material that is similar to what they are already engaging with. *All of this is based on my own personal experience and other sellers who I have taught how to use our tool who have had success. Don't take anything you see on here as a silver bullet for you. Test things out for yourself and see what works best for YOU*

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3 ways you can help your SDRs right now: 1. Give them time back on their calendar ⏰ Less time in unnecessary meetings, the more time they can give to their role. Tell them they can leave a meeting early if it’s not relevant to them! 2. Show them how to time block. Give them an example time block schedule so they can better manage their time 🗓️ 9-10am calls 10-11am emails Etc. 3. Take the load of admin work off their plate 📋 There’s always going to be manual processes and admin work involved. However, the faster you can help them source a contact or lead list, the faster they can reach out What else can you take off their plate? 🍽️ #SDR

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"What's the most in demand profile companies are hiring in sales?" Here you go: - 2:1 degree or higher - Started career as an SDR now in a closing position - Hit/exceeded most of your targets (its a myth you need to have smashed every quarter/year) - Genuinely loves new business *and is good at it - Sold insights/data/intelligence/research/SaaS (into any market) - Happy to work in London 3 days a week - Been promoted in this/last role If this is you, I'd love to speak with you about roles at several companies! Basic salaries from £50k-£65k, OTEs up to £130k Here's a snapshot of companies I'm hiring this skillset for right now: ✨Intelligence company into banking/hedge funds, on track to be a unicorn in less than 5 years ✨Leader in economic insights into financial markets & property. Possibly the best socials in London! ✨Insights and data companies in private sector markets. Privately owned, 4.6/10 glassdoor reviews! ✨Virtual reality startup, making waves in several sectors. ✨Global economic development agency - operating across Europe, Middle East, USA and Asia. Get in touch today to arrange a call 📩

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Here's what I did to become confident at cold-calling. Try some of these out! :) 1. Ask open-ended questions. 2. Use humour when it feels right. 3. Prep battle cards for objections. 4. Be different, human, and authentic. 5. Celebrate every win with your team. 6. Mirror a high-performing rep’s script. 7. Keep sentences short and let them talk. 8. Always smile while speaking - they can tell. 9. Make sure they accept the invite on the call. 10. Leverage existing customers for social proof. 11. Set dedicated cold-calling power hour blocks. 12. Regular role-playing with your team or manager. 13. If you see shared interests, mention it for rapport. 14. Research briefly before each call (Prospect + Company). 15. Always appreciate them for their time at the end of the call. 16. Focus on having a conversation, rather than booking a meeting. What else am I missing? ☝

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🌪️ “ThE SdR cYcLe oF dOoM” 🌪️ A tale as old as time… CRO: Teams not sourcing enough pipeline over the phone. Why? SDR Leader: ❌ Low dials and connects ❌ Inexperience ❌ Limited product knowledge CRO: You have 1 quarter to fix it. I’ll even throw you some budget. SDR Leader: We’ve got this! 🛠️ Invest in parallel dialer 🛠️ Increase dial minimums 🛠️ Gamify with $20 Amazon gift cards 🛠️ Schedule Product Lunch & Learns 🛠️ Roll out messaging and dashboards And within a month: ✅ Most reps make more dials ✅ The “lazy” ones bounce ✅ Skills mildly improve Despite all that hard work and $ there’s barely a blip in performance. What comes next? 🔥 PIP 🔥 Fire 🔥 Hire 🔥 Onboard 🔥 Repeat CRO: We should replace SDRs with AI. LinkedIn: The SDR model is Dead. Cold calling is dead. ☠️🤘 Anthony Natoli, Morgan J Ingram and I: Our teams and clients must be zombies…🧟‍♀️🧟‍♂️ because the phones are alive and well with Cognism I’ve been this SDR leader, I’ve been this SDR and turned it around to the tune of 300% increase in qualified pipeline. Join us for 45 min of tactics to write a different story. 🧟‍♀️ > 🤖 Tag your favorite cold caller(s)/SDR leaders in the comments! #Sales #SDR #Coldcalling

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Salary Range is $45,000 - $50,000 USD (Fully Remote, Global 🌎) - Doesn't matter where you are in the world. 4 weeks PTO Laptop to get you started $1500 CAD learning budget $1000 CAD in travel allowance A Customer Success Rep that: - understands that success starts at support interactions with users - is the bridge between engineering and users on detailed bug/issue reporting, feature requests, etc. - knows how to effectively deliver trainings with passive campaigns to onboard user and improve product adoption - has the acumen to deal with admins for successful renewals and upsells - is up for the challenge to work in a startup and build the customer success function Someone with technical support experience and has managed 50+ accounts with at least $1 Million in Book of Business. There is no training, onboarding or a hard playbook to follow - we would build it together. If you think you've got what it takes, take a crack at applying below. Or if you think you know someone, tag them in the comments. https://lnkd.in/dZw3gbTs P.S - if you want to stand out, shoot me a loom video on LinkedIn :) #remote #csm #job

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This week's topic - Incentives Running incentives can be very manual/time-consuming and let's face it spreadsheets and whiteboards aren't the most Aesthetically pleasing. A big conversation I have with prospects currently is how to drive the right behaviours so recruiters/sales reps don't just do activity for the sake of it. OneUp's weighted point system allows managers/directors to choose what each metric is worth. A great example would be a CV/BD email = 1pt and an interview/placement is worth 250pts. This drives the recruiters to aim for the more rewarding metrics which of course has a knock-on effect on pipeline, progression and more importantly revenue. Open to learning more drop me a message.

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Many SDR managers fall into the trap of making 1:1s all about the numbers: - Chasing activity targets - Tracking how many leads were added to sequences - Focusing on quota progress - Pushing solely for more activity But the real impact of a 1:1 comes from shifting the focus to what genuinely drives success: - Clearing roadblocks - Coaching for skill development - Genuinely checking in on their wellbeing - Understanding their personal ambitions - Recognising achievements—big or small 1:1s should be about people, not just numbers. Fixate solely on metrics, and you risk losing trust and connection with your reps.

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SDR leaders - it's important to understand and train your SDRs on the difference between being personable and personalization. I'll use use myself, an SDR Leader an example: personable - "saw you post about being the world's greatest girl and dog dad" AI research is all the rage, and we are the best at embedding into your crm or call software. personalization - "keeping your SDRs efficient and educated is a key to keeping pipeline growing. Organizations like relatable reference 1 and 2 embedded (software) to optimize the relevant information their team needs before each calls. this grew the amount of meetings by 30% and meeting stickiness by 80%. polite and having facts vs directly relating to success is the difference maker, the latter will lead to more success. #success #sales #personalization #sdr

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