301: How to Sell from the Customer's Perspective
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Guest
Katie Mullen is the founder of MMS Consulting, which specializes in sales training and consulting and has helped Fortune 500 companies from all over the country increase sales, improve performance, and create more customer trust. MMS Consulting was founded on a several-year research project on the topic of how customers want to be treated. Hundreds of customers were interviewed on pet peeves, likes, dislikes, etc, and the answers were aggregated into data points that are now used during the training and consulting offered by MMS Consulting.
Before founding MMS, Katie Mullen spent fifteen years selling into diverse industries, including medical devices, online media, fundraising, and event planning. Katie hosts the “Golden Rule of Selling” podcast and is the author of The Sales Tightrope: A Research-Based Guide to Not Annoying Customers and Still Being a Top Performer.
Summary
Focusing on qualities essential for success in sales, such as curiosity and adaptability, Katie emphasizes the importance of building rapport and understanding customers individually. Her approach combines scientific research with personalized presentations tailored to each client, prioritizing long-term relationships over short-term gains. By employing discovery questions and addressing root issues, she ensures a mutually beneficial fit, fostering trust and loyalty for future opportunities.
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About Jeff
Jeff Ikler is the Director of Quetico Leadership and Career Coaching. “Quetico” (KWEH-teh-co). He works with leaders in all aspects of life to identify and overcome obstacles in their desired future. He came to the field of coaching after a 35-year career in educational publishing. Prior to his career in educational publishing, Jeff taught high school U.S. history and government.
Jeff has hosted the “Getting Unstuck—Cultivating Curiosity” podcast for 5 years. The guests and topics he explores are designed to help listeners think differently about the familiar and welcome the new as something to consider. He is also the co-host of the Cultivating Resilience – A Whole Community Approach to Alleviating Trauma in Schools, which promotes mental health and overall wellness.
Jeff co-authored Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. Shifting integrates leadership development and change mechanics in a three-part change framework to help guide school leaders and their teams toward productive change.
Show Credits
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"Getting Unstuck" theme music: Original composition of "Allegro ben ritmato e deciso" by George Gershwin. Arrangement and recording courtesy of Bruno Lecoeur.