Top performers are aligned between who they are, what they do, and why they do it. You'll never meet a very high performer who isn't driven by something purposeful.

Andy Paul is one of the world’s foremost experts on sales and sales enablement. His new book, Sell Without Selling Out, is an instant best seller.

On today’s episode, Andy joins me to tap about the different between persuasion and influence.

What is the first trait that I can identify about top performers that separates them from everybody else?

They're proud to call themselves salespeople.

I’ve long said that there’s only about a 5% difference between mediocrity and superstardom. In Season 2 of the Rethink The Way You Sell Podcast, we’re going to dig into that 5% and identify what separates top-performing sales pros from the rest.

Bonus episode!

The early feedback I’ve been getting about the new show is humbling and I wanted to take the opportunity to respond.

I’ve also recently appreciated some things that were holding me back, and given that this is a season about belief, I thought it was more than appropriate to cap it off with a personal story.

Thanks for being here with me. Season two is coming very soon!

95% of salespeople can’t answer this question correctly.

Today I’m going to ask you why your best customers buy from you, and you’re going to think about some answers. They’ll be pretty good answers, but here’s the trick…

If you haven’t asked, you don’t really know.

For years, I’ve been saying that if you lined up 100 salespeople and asked them why their best customers buy from them,

If the last question I asked you was the toughest in the series to answer, today’s question might just be the most important.

Why are your customers better off for working with you?

This question makes you to consider the outcomes that you can provide, and it forces you to differentiate them from your competitors.

Today’s episode poses a tough question…

Why do you believe in yourself?

Now, I’m not asking you if you believe in yourself. I’m asking you specifically why… (And why is this so hard for so many people to answer?)

A good 30% of people I ask respond to this question with, “because other people believe in me.”

That’s just not good enough.

Why do you believe in your products/services/solutions?

In the last episode I asked you to think about your company, now you’re going to start thinking about the things your company offers.

What problems or issues do they solve?

What kinds of results do they create?

How are they different from your competition?

Why do you believe in your company?

It’s a simple question not asked often enough.

Is this just a job working for a company willing to pay you, or do their mission, vision, and values align with yours?

That alignment is going to be crucial for you to lean in when things inevitably get difficult.

I missed podcasting. I missed the feeling of getting behind this microphone knowing I've got to do something, knowing I've got to think about something out loud for you to hear. I do most of my very best work, when I'm on the spot, thinking out loud, and behind this microphone.

Here’s a simple way to tackle this exercise because it’s critical to your sales process.

Is the cost objection to make you go away… or is there something else?

There are some real lessons salespeople can learn from this blend of chops, finesse, and attack. 

You won’t be as successful as you could be if you try to sell like someone else. 

Taking on a new sales role often feels like drinking from a firehose. Use these tips to think differently.

What it really means to take ownership, and four ways you can start, now.

Don’t equate the lack of a yes with a no. You’re projecting rejection.

A few quick things to prevent breaks in your process, and a deeper a deeper look at why prospects go dark.