Mor Assouline’s Post

11 months ago I lost a $3.5K MRR deal that I was 90% sure was going to close. It was a rookie mistake. The CEO emailed me back: "Hi Mor - sorry for the delay. We discussed it this week and decided to go another direction for now. " I pulled up the call recording and it played it back and realized I missed the biggest question: → I never asked about her co-founder. And I didn't ask because she was aligned with everything I was going to help her with. She also asked me what else I needed from her when we started. I assumed this was a done deal. But that's the problem with salespeople (even the seasoned ones). We think we have a deal that's a layup, so we let our guard down. What I should have asked (that I usually do) is ask her the following questions: → "You mentioned it's you and your co-founder, what's their sentiment around this or are they not aware that you're considering (and talking) to a sales coach and consultant?" → "Is your co-founder involved in doing sales as well from time to time?" → "When you speak with your co-founder, what do you anticipate them pushing back on? - and feel free to be as blunt as possible.." → "Aside from me, who else will you be evaluating (or have already) that is more aligned compared to what you heard today?" The takeaways: 1. Always assume there's something standing in the way of getting the deal done even when things have a >90% probability to close. 2. If you don't give your prospect permission to be direct/blunt, they'll likely be too polite and shield the truth. 3. Never let your guard down just because you've done this a million times. 4. Dissecting your calls and coaching is the only way you improve. P.S. Grab these top 24 questions 6,000+ AEs are using to master discovery: https://lnkd.in/edAVrn2v

Yesterday I attended a Founder-led Sales event organized by Underline Ventures. Let’s unpack the takeaways I gathered from a room full of founders and sales pros 🧵 1) Enterprises don’t buy features, they buy VALUE. The value of your product lies in how many business problems it can solve. 2) If you don’t know your ICP inside-out, you’re lost at sea. 3) Conversely, if you don’t learn how to sell to them (specifically), you’re drowning. 4) Your job as a seller is not done when the deal is signed. Sell, upsell, renew, retain. Rinse ‘n repeat. 5) Energy is an investment too. Don’t want negative ROI? Don’t engage in the wrong conversations. 6) Absorbing knowledge from anyone relevant to your business is guaranteed to make you a better seller. 7) You’re in charge of the process. Not prospects, not your managers. Either you’re driving the process or it will end up driving you (probably insane) 🥲 Thanks for the invite Bogdan Iordache & Adriana Spulber!

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From Door to Door, to Top of Their Industry! Meet Jack, a local boutique owner who saw a 40% increase in foot traffic after our door-to-door campaign. Ready to transform your business? Let’s chat! #brandawareness #marketingtips #growthstrategy #businesstips #localbusiness #businessleads #leads #smallbusinessowner #businessgrowthstrategy #leadgeneration #growyourbusiness #getmoreclients

I remember a leadership meeting long ago that got heated. I was worried the legal teams weren’t converting the marketing leads we were getting. The legal teams claimed the marketing wasn’t generating good leads. That meeting lives rent-free in my head. I wonder how I would handle that conversation now. First, I knew that I was right. The legal team had lost several marketing leads. I had the facts in front of me – I knew these were cases we wanted and should’ve signed. But… this conversation also came at a time when the marketing wasn’t growing on pace with expectations. Our conversion rate was an issue, and I was right to mention the lost leads and “leaky bucket” issues we had. However, I also have learned to trust the intake teams. When they say the leads aren’t good, they are usually right. If lead-flow or quality of leads is an issue, I work on LEAD GENERATION – not trying to discover how many leads the intake teams ‘lost.’

“After signing the paperwork, you think about it differently.” ✍️ I recently heard this from a Marketing Leader. They just signed with RevPartners and were learning the next steps. Marketing and sales leaders get so many pitches. They go through so many deal stages. And everyone says THEY’RE the expert. And after the deal is signed, the fun begins. Leadership begins to see what they really bought. In this case, they were relieved. 😌 But in many cases, it’s the opposite. 😬 I’m willing to bet your prospects think differently about your product/services after they sign, too. 🤔 What does that tell you? The customer journey doesn’t end at the sale! 🚀 In fact, the “right side of the bowtie” is where the magic happens. ✨ Winning a sale is just the beginning. Keeping the customer happy and engaged is crucial for a recurring revenue business. 💼💡 In order to NOT be one of those companies that is “thought about differently” after the sale, ask yourself: ➡️ How do you track what’s happening after a sale? ➡️ How do you identify if you have a leaky bucket? ➡️ What levers do you need to pull to fix that leaky bucket? #RevOps is the foundation for tracking and scaling revenue generation, AND it can also pinpoint where you’re not meeting expectations with your customer. 📊 Anyone else got a memorable quote from the client post-sale?

A Call to Action: In sales, chatting directly with decision-makers is a game-changer. Here's why: 🎯 Bullseye: Talking to decision-makers means you hit the right target, saving time and getting straight to the point. 🤝 Buddy System: Building a direct connection creates trust and friendship, making deals smoother and long-lasting. 💡 Inside Scoop: Direct chats give you the lowdown on what decision-makers really want, helping you tailor your pitch for maximum impact.

It's the first week of September, so naturally, you are thinking about the January sales kick-off meeting - right? No? I get it. September is busy. So is October. But if you want to strengthen your positioning for 2025 and you haven't reworked it by December, don't be surprised if the new pitch you show at your SKO looks a lot like last year's pitch. You've got about 10 weeks to make a real change happen. Many of the companies I work with don't think about adjusting their positioning until something big happens. Sometimes, the big thing is good (an acquisition, some big new hires, new funding), and sometimes, it's bad (a rough quarter, a painful set of lost deals, unplanned executive departures, a regulatory fine). We often think about adjusting positioning when the good stuff is happening, but having a look at it when it feels like the wheels are coming off the bus is just as important. When the chips are down, that's a very good time to make sure the team is aligned, the positioning is tight, and the company is ready to come back swinging. This is the topic of today's newsletter - link in comment.

SalesNote.ai is officially live! You know what’s the best affirmation of what we’re building? When I present to angel investors and executives they immediately get it and say “I’ve been on 4 sales calls this week, not one of the reps showed they prepared, they just went right into their normal standard pitch”. I can attest to this starting a business and managing sales teams too. I’ve had multiple software demos where reps don’t talk about the research they did and show me they know me. You LOSE credibility right away. Let’s start winning early sales people. Signing up here is your first step: https://app.salesnote.ai/ We’re accepting 100 new paid customers, then will switch to the waitlist, so sign up now and upgrade to secure your spot! Huge thank you to my amazing team of Advisors Jason Knapp Chris Battis Jami Rahman John Kraal Deniece Kennedy

End of quarter? Most reps are drowning, with nothing left but their tie floating around as they try and save their Q3. Here we are again. The last-minute rush, frantic emails, and desperate phone calls. Deals flying around like a Hail Mary pass at a family BBQ—hoping someone, anyone, catches it. Hate to break it to you, but the reality is this: the outcome of your quarter was determined by what you did the last 2.5 months. These last-minute efforts? They aren’t saving you. Sure, you might hit your number this quarter, but let’s be real—you’re borrowing from next. Digging a hole deeper than the one you just climbed out of. So, while you’re “tying up loose ends,” stop and think—what can you do now to avoid this scramble next time? 1. More targeted outreach – Not just more calls, but smart calls to the right people. 2. Master your pitch – Not just practice, but refine and tailor it to hit the mark every time. 3. Consistent value follow-up – Stay in touch with value, not desperation. Nurture your pipeline so your deals are already warm when the next quarter comes. Remember if you’re always tying up loose ends, you’re not preparing—you’re just surviving.