Christopher O'Connell

Missing sales quotas? Despite best efforts, a lot of sales teams are set up to struggle. So, sales leaders need to identify and address the root cause. One of the main reasons sellers don't hit quota is inefficient prospecting. Many sellers are bogged down by time spent targeting low-value accounts, as well as scrambling to knit together information about accounts so they can reach the right people and tailor their pitch. These time-sinks steal opportunities to actually SELL. The key lies in shifting focus from merely increasing the number of leads and activities to maximizing the value of activities. Concentrating on quality and qualification rather than quantity empowers sales reps to improve performance and consistently meet their targets. See how better data and AI can help you create leaps in efficiency and ROI: https://okt.to/RxcyLQ

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5 strategies to automatically increase your win rate 👇🏼 Very interesting and accionable from Gong 1. Double down on backup 2. Give buyers time to think 3. Make sure reps talk money 4. Require next steps 5. Emphasize value, not features

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Most sales people who try cold calling are unsuccessful - fact Messaging is a key part of being successful with cold calling - fact Most sales people are equipped with bad messaging - my opinion It’s like using bad tires and expecting to win a nascar race. Bad messaging looks like this: -We are the best in this category. -We have 10 megatons of data or any quantity of anything. -CROs come to us when they need help with growth. -What’s top of mind for you in 2025? If companies want to be successful with cold calling they need to bring their A game with every aspect. That begins with messaging. Did you like the messaging they gave you? #sales #coldcalling #messaging

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What are the latest #Cloud developments for everything from security to AI? Find out what’s new and what to expect in the new 2024 CDW Cloud Research Report. Download it now to get up to speed! https://dy.si/HBUWPZ

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Just like Thanos, a strong backup strategy is inevitable! In today’s world, data loss is a snap away. Having a solid backup and disaster recovery plan in place ensures business continuity, data security, and rapid recovery. Don't leave it to chance, drop me a message to hear how Assured Data Protection, powered by Rubrik, can support! #assureddataprotection #backup #disasterrecovery #managedservice

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Success in Sales; Measurement vs. Soft Skills Now that we have built extensive processes and can measure everything in sales, where does the sales person fit in? I ask this because I recently heard a comment that said, "I don't need salesmen. I need people who can follow the process." In my opinion, if we step back and really look, there is a balance between soft sales skill and process/measurement. Process is now being sold as the science of sales. Statistics are now the categorization of sales behaviors. What about the Soft Skills of sales and of life? For example, how do you communicate with management, prospects, customers, friends and family? Even with a script, isn't there an art to communicating the right ideas with the right words and word combinations? What about the basics of tone like telling someone the sky is blue by yelling it at them? Do they care what color the sky is anymore? Are you more comfortable talking with someone if their bearing is appropriate to the situation? It doesn't matter who you're communicating with or what the topic is, without maturity in communication soft skills, you will lose your message in the method you deliver it. Is this a measurable skill? Is it a procedural box to check? The Soft Skills of sales need maturing, coaching and most of all, recognition as the glue that holds sales, sales relationships and sales performance together. So far, we've only addressed communication. What about listening, empathy, physical awareness (dress, eye contact without being creepy, handshakes etc.), self awareness, emotional control or the ability to "read the room"? The ability to measure sales at a more granular level has definitely changed the game for the better. Let's not forget about the people (not just as employees) that execute the sales process, create relationships, seek common ground, mirror moods etc. Measurement with Soft Skills is the balance where process AND sales create exceptional results. That's my opinion. What's yours? MB

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Improved ramp time for new reps by 40% Some CROs see the value and still want to wait for the “right time” (ie. after SKO, after year end) Other CROs like Brent Thurrell see the value and move fast knowing now is the only time. A big reason why he’s running a half a billion ARR revenue org. Decisive and knows the moves he made earlier in the year start paying off in Q4 and in Q1. Your next year starts now. #TOP #Sales #Training

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I’ve helped 12+ AEs and SDRs transition into SE/SC roles. There’s no doubt that you can earn a lot as an AE. AEs can make $1,000,000+ in a good year - a very lucrative career path. But the reality is most AEs don’t get there. It takes an exceptional AE to earn consistently at high levels, year in and year out. (I personally would be a terrible AE 😅) A big reason why folks pivot to Sales Engineering is because the earning potential is solid and much more consistent. That’s what the data in the image shows: 36% avg quota attainment for AEs vs... 74% for SE from this same company, with similar OTE’s As an SE, you don’t always have the extreme upside* that your AE counterpart will, but your income is more stable. (*there are some companies that pay SEs similar to AEs, with SEs able to clear $1M+ in a great year, though this is more of the exception than the rule) As an SE, there’s also less pressure to hit quota, quarter after quarter. The roles are different, with different responsibilities and varying degrees of risk (and upside). Both paths can provide tremendous opportunities depending on your strengths and the type of work you enjoy. Hope this provides some perspective for those who are considering SE or AE career paths. #sales #presales #compensation (source: RepVue)

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ICYMI, we recently unveiled the future of proactive threat assessment: Recon Scanner for Veeam Data Platform. ✅ Read the blog to learn how it can help you spot potential cyberattacks before they happen.

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For K-12 schools facing increasing cybersecurity threats and limited resources, a modern SIEM solution can help strengthen your defenses, affordably. Learn more in Elastic’s latest blog: https://gag.gl/x7eWQ7

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11 things world-class sales development teams DO—and what the worst teams DON’T Insights from... → Outbound Squad's experience working with world-class teams at Gong, Shopify, Rippling, and more → Orum's 2024 State of Sales Development report Commentary on how the best sales development teams... ✅ Use AI responsibly ✅ Retain top talent SDRs ✅ Align with AEs ✅ Deal with low-pick up rates ✅ And plenty more 👇 P.S. Watch this video for our full commentary: https://lnkd.in/eBFYfnU3

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Do you have a good handle on your #Cloud management? ☁️ Download the new 2024 CDW Cloud Research report for invaluable insights into your 2025 cloud strategy, the latest trends and much more. https://dy.si/99owk

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Time kills all deals. That saying is so true especially in SMB sales. If you get an inbound lead and you can't get in touch with them within the first 48 hours, it's likely not going anywhere. Be focused on quickly getting in touch with any inbound leads to maximize your chance of actually speaking with them. The Raken SMB team is constantly evaluating our approach to inbound leads to get in touch with as many as possible. #sales #smbsales #saas #saassales

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Cyber threats and malicious actors may be lurking outside your enterprise waiting to exploit security flaws. The stakes are higher every day. Comcast Business Beltway Region Vice President Dan Carr offers three important considerations for organizations of all sizes relevant to cyber breaches. CISOs and CTOs, do any of them address your security pain points? Direct message me to discuss our managed services solutions today. #CBMDR #MSSP #SOC #comcastbusiness #iworkforcomcast

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What are the 5 Buying Personas in #presales?💸 Brian Copeland explains what the idea of buying personas that he talks about in the book "The Ultimate Solutioneer" #sales #salesengineer

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How 5G supports enterprise-grade security from the ground up? Digital transformation is about reimagining your enterprise to meet changing market needs—and take advantage of new business opportunities—in an increasingly digital world. And because fast, flexible, and reliable networking is essential to connecting and innovating, 5G is at the heart of delivering what's next.

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