Active Listening, Intent Data, and Events as Pipeline Game Changers with Leslie Venetz of The Sales-Led GTM Agency

This week on the Revenue Insights Podcast, we are joined by Leslie Venetz, Founder of The Sales-Led GTM Agency, and active listening, intent data and events.

In this episode, Lee and Leslie explore the impact of intent on win rates, including how to effectively use data and intent signals throughout the sales process, the role of events in sales, and the importance of active listening.

Leslie is Founder of The Sales-Led GTM Agency, providing B2B Sales training and GTM consulting for organizations with 10+ reps or 10M+ revenue. She is also Founder of Revenue Revelry, Advisor & Evangelist at Regie.ai, and a GTM Partner at Common Room and SetSail. 

• Leslie Venetz on LinkedIn
• The Sales-Led GTM Agency Website
• Ebsta Revenue Insights Newsletter  
• Leslie’s Book Recommendations: The Challenger Customer by Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon and You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy
• Business Book Club

Time Stamps:

• 02:17 – About Leslie Venetz
• 03:46 – Intent and win rates
• 06:49 – Leveraging data signals within the sales process
• 11:01 – Building repeatable processes before scaling
• 16:09 – Increasing appetites for events 
• 22:48 – Creative approaches to sales
• 29:03 – Leslie’s book recommendations: The Challenger Customer by Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon and You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy
• 30:21 – The Importance of Active Listening
• 33:30 – Where to Find Leslie

Highlights of Active Listening, Intent Data and Events

Leveraging Intent Data Signals 

When you are using intent data, Leslie recommends asking, “Does this piece of intent actually relate to what I’m selling? Can I use this piece of intent data to share something of value with them?” She specifically recommends looking for a non-obvious insight to share, such as a relevant infographic or case study, as these are more likely to encourage a sales conversation than a simple, “We see your problem; here’s the solution.” Pull in multiple signals and tell a broader story that will engage them, rather than just repeating what they already know.

Increasing Appetites for Events

In 2024, there is far more appetite for sales leaders to understand that events are an outbound sales led motion than ever before. Many organizations under-utilize events, only seeing them as a marketing activity, sitting and waiting for people to come to them rather than being actively engaged. Events can actually be part of a broader sequence of outreach, but only if you take a strategic approach and create a game plan that will facilitate a face-to-face interaction with the 20 contacts who would be the most valuable to meet. 

Active Listening

Many sellers are often so busy thinking about their next question in a sales call that they miss the most important parts: what the other person is saying. It is critical for sellers to actually learn how to actively listen, as this can make sales calls far more effective. Leslie recommends Kate Murphy’s book You’re Not Listening as a starting point for this journey.

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