Ask a lot of questions and get lots of input even if you don’t always agree
Matt Sunshine is a managing partner for The Center for Sales Strategy and LeadG2, a company that specializes in improving sales performance and lead generation. Previously, Matt also worked as the center’s executive vice president and a senior consultant. Matt has more than 20 years of experience in sales and media relations. Follow him on Twitter @mattsunshine.
Where did the idea for The Center for Sales Strategy come from?
The Center for Sales Strategy was started in 1983 by Steve Marx. Click the link above to learn more about the company.
What does your typical day look like, and how do you make it productive?
I spend my days either working with our clients to help them drive revenue, develop their salespeople, or make strategic management decisions. I also help grow and run our business at The Center for Sales Strategy and LeadG2.
How do you bring ideas to life?
It all starts with listening to what our clients are struggling with when it comes to hiring better sellers, developing their people, implementing a culture of customer-focused selling, and elevating their talent-focused management culture — in general, driving sales performance. Once we hear the need enough times, we think about what role we should play in solving it. Afterward, we build a solution and work with a client.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Companies are realizing that sales training is good, but sales training focused on exactly what you need help with is AMAZING! Using our sales diagnostic process, we’re able to pinpoint exactly where there’s an opportunity to grow. Also, using marketing as the front end of the sales process is new to some industries and is a welcome improvement.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I’m highly responsive.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I’d confirm to my younger self that my concept of “outwork and outlearn everyone” is a good plan.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Ask a lot of questions and get lots of input even if you don’t always agree.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
Try something small and see whether or not it works. By “works,” I mean that it solves a problem for your customer and you can deliver it profitably. Then grow it. This is how we developed the sales playbook, the sales diagnostic, the digital sales accelerator, and the facilitator certification workshop.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
We’ve tried several things that didn’t work. We gave it our all, and when we saw it was not going to work, we moved on.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I think it’s smart to do sales diagnostic work. We do it, but anyone can do it if you have the time and expertise to build out a plan and a system. We like this idea because it really is the foundation of how to grow your business.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
HubSpot’s Sales Pro tools — the ability to know what people are reading, opening, and interacting with is critical to driving sales.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read, and why?
“Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t” by Jim Collins.
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.