Welcome to The Adapter’s Advantage: Breakthrough Moments that Lead to Success. In episode 23, sales strategist Colleen Francis shares how the pandemic has changed the B2B buyer experience and why teams must adapt and transform their sales strategies to sell more effectively, more profitably, and more productively in all environments.

“Salespeople have to be more multidimensional now. We can’t be one-trick ponies. We’ve got phone and email and in person—and now we have to be masters of virtual selling.” — Colleen Francis

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As the president and owner of Engage Selling Solutions, Colleen works with organizations and executives to create strong, consistent and lasting sales results. Colleen is driven by a passion for sales strategy—and results. A successful sales leader for over 20 years, she understands the particular challenges of selling in today’s crowded, confusing market, and that business leaders can no longer rely on approaches to sales based on techniques from decades ago—or even last year.

Colleen works with business and sales leaders to synergize the sales DNA of the organization to seize market opportunities. Whether designing a sales strategy to target a new market or working with a team to improve its productivity, her results have attracted clients such as Merck, Abbott, Merrill Lynch, Royal Bank, Dow, Adecco, Trend Micro, NCR, Chevron, and hundreds of other global organizations.

Time and time again, clients who work with Colleen note her frank, no-nonsense approach to accelerate sales while reducing effort and increasing profits. Colleen’s practical sales strategies deliver immediate and lasting results.

Colleen is an award-winning writer and consultant, bestselling author, and member of the Speaking Hall of Fame. She is recognized as one of the foremost thought leaders on the future of selling by leading publications worldwide, including being named the #1 sales influencer to follow in 2020 by LinkedIn.

Listen to this episode as Colleen shares how sellers can stand out in a crowded marketplace, build long-term client relationships, and avoid the boom-bust cycle.

Episode 23: Transforming Sales Strategy | Colleen Francis

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From This Episode

Host Mark Magnacca: “What do you think is the most important skill that people in sales need to either learn or improve today?”

Colleen Francis: “I think the behavior is some combination of creativity, adaptability, and recognizing that you have to put your customers’ needs and the conversations they’re having at the forefront.

“I really, truly believe that salespeople still, from a skill perspective, are not good at monetizing value and communicating value to their customers. But in order to do that well, you have to be curious. You have to ask questions. You have to not be afraid to ask questions around what it’s costing them and what their goals are and what the biggest growth opportunities are and where they’re struggling.

“And if you’re not curious from an operational standpoint or a business standpoint, it’s impossible for you to build the right value messaging to give to your clients that’s focused on them.”

About The Adapter’s Advantage

Our podcast features leaders from sales, training, and industry who share their personal journeys of transformation and how they are adapting to an ever-changing environment. As your host, I’ll introduce you to some of the most interesting and inspiring people I’ve met over the last twenty years.

The conversions dive into the ups and downs of their journey. Our guests focus on inflection points—the aha moments that, in retrospect, had a critical impact on their success. These interviews will leave you with practical, real-world advice that you can apply to your life.

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