November 28, 2022

How to motivate sales teams with Larry Long Jr. at LLJR Enterprises

Fresh off a 12-city tour, Larry Long Jr. joins the pod to share how motivate sales teams in the current climate. If you feel like they're tuning you out, then tune in to this interview for answers.

Show Description

Where B2B marketers come to talk sales. 15-minute interviews published every Monday morning. For heads of marketing and founders who support a sales team.

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Show Notes

Larry Long, Jr. founded LLJR Enterprises to help people, teams, and organizations go from good to great. He regularly speaks to organizations of all sizes, and he has been coaching sales organizations for 16+ years.

He recently concluded the Flip the Script 12-city, 18-day tour across the United States speaking directly with hundreds of sales professionals. Our conversation touches on the event, his book, motivating salespeople in the current environment, and timeless principles about sales.

If you want to learn how to motivate sales teams, listen to Larry Long Jr.'s interview on the Pipeline Meeting podcast. Hear lessons here for founders, marketers, and sales managers looking to engage sales reps, help them hit their numbers, and meet their personal goals.

Learn more about Larry Long Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/longjr7/
Learn more about LLJR Enterprises: https://larrylongjr.com/

Transcript

[00:00:00] Harris Kenny: Welcome to Pipeline Meaning where marketers come to talk about sales. Whether you're the head of marketing or a founder who's supporting your first sales hire, we'll talk about qualifying your inbound leads and finding new ones with cold outreach. Learn more at introcrm.com/podcast.

[00:00:20] Harris Kenny: It seems like sometimes, or oftentimes salespeople seem disengaged to their internal folks, not to their customers, their prospects, but to their marketing team, to their executive level team, to maybe IT or other departments.

[00:00:32] Harris Kenny: Is that generally true?

[00:00:33] Larry Long, Jr.: Sometimes. Sometimes. I mean, every case varies, but I can tell you when it definitely happens. Sales people are asking what's in it for me?

[00:00:42] Larry Long, Jr.: If you're in marketing and you can't answer that question, you're in sales enablement and you can't answer the question of what's in it for me?

[00:00:49] Larry Long, Jr.: What do you do to, to solve my pains, to solve my problems, to help eliminate some of the roadblocks? If you don't have a, a good, solid answer. Ain't nobody got time for that.

[00:01:01] Larry Long, Jr.: That's sweet. Georgia Brown. Ain't nobody got time for that.

[00:01:04] Larry Long, Jr.: Now the companies that do it, great, they're engaging, they're able to show value and we, we use this term value loosely, but they're able to deliver to the exact needs that a sales professional might have, whether it's growth, whether it's networking, whether it's product knowledge, industry knowledge, whether it's leads.

[00:01:25] Larry Long, Jr.: Where are the leads!? They're able to support and really provide some significant answers to sales professionals. You got my attention.

[00:01:33] Larry Long, Jr.: Think about it. If someone has something that gives you value, that delivers to what you're looking for, I think you're going to devote time.

[00:01:41] Larry Long, Jr.: Now, if they don't, I don't think you're gonna go back. You're gonna avoid them like the plague.

[00:01:46] Harris Kenny: Sounds like you're saying, God forbid, think like a salesperson, a little bit.

[00:01:50] Larry Long, Jr.: Yes. We're all, we're all salespeople. I don't care what your title is. Here goes my definition of, of sales. Number one, it's a transfer of energy. If you're not energized, if you're not passionate, you don't enjoy what you do, people can smell BS from a mile away. You're not gonna be able to transfer anything but funk , no one wants be around funk.

[00:02:10] Larry Long, Jr.: Number two, we're playing matchmaker. Are you matching your product, your service, your thought, your idea with your sales professionals, with their wants, their needs, their desires, their challenges, their hopes, their dreams, their aspirations, what they're thinking about all day, every day, what they're dreaming about all, all night.

[00:02:31] Larry Long, Jr.: Whether they're having nightmares about are you able to, to to, to make that go away? If you can't make that match, then Uhoh Houston, we have a problem.

[00:02:40] Harris Kenny: Mm. So you do coaching, you've got the book, you do public speaking. When you connect with sales people, when you get a chance to hear from someone one on one, what, what are their pains right now? What are things that you're hearing sales people confide in you?

[00:02:52] Harris Kenny: Maybe an example from the Flip the Script tour that you just MCed, what's ailing them in the sales profession that you're hearing?

[00:02:59] Larry Long, Jr.: Harris, it's mean out on these streets. We're going through some turbulence and some chaos. And if you're not, just wait or if you're not, let me know. Cause I've yet to see where it's smooth sailing. The economic landscape is changing. The way that buyers buy is changing.

[00:03:16] Larry Long, Jr.: The buyer's landscape is changing. There's a book, what got you here won't get you there. And a lot of times folks put on the blinders and they try to do what they did. Two years ago. What they did pre pandemic, what they did six months ago, and it's not working. That that's kind of frustrating right there.

[00:03:36] Larry Long, Jr.: It's like, shoot, I'm, I'm not good at Rubik's cubes, but trying to figure out this conundrum of how can I achieve success? And be consistently successful that's the big thing. Hey, we might have a great quarter. I'm talking to reps that had success earlier this year, but we're in Q4 right now and the outlook is looking a little bit tougher.

[00:03:57] Larry Long, Jr.: As we look into 2023, it's like, Hey Larry, how do I fit fo? How do I. Figure it the F out. I do I figure it the freak out. So I mean, I'm hearing that, that the landscape to sell is being more challenged.

[00:04:10] Larry Long, Jr.: I'm also hearing, I hear this a lot, where folks don't feel like they can talk to their to their manager, to their director about what's going on with them.

[00:04:21] Larry Long, Jr.: I will say mentally mental healthwise, but also just how their, their general wellbeing is it, it seems, and there's some, there's some organizations that actually give a damn, pardon my French, no parlez-vous français, but there's others that really do not care about their people and they show it through their actions.

[00:04:43] Larry Long, Jr.: I'm not just talking about the layoffs, but I'm talking about the folks that are still in your organization. How are you serving their needs? Yeah. You have pipeline reviews. You meet with the one on one. It's all about the numbers. All about we hitting quota, but what about them? Hey, Harris, how's the family doing?

[00:05:03] Larry Long, Jr.: Hey, Harris, how is the little one doing? And, and essentially showing people that you care by actually even virtually looking them in the eye when you ask the question. Not asking the question because you just gotta check that box. Hey, Harris. Hey, hey Harris. How you doing man? I don't really care. By, by the way I'm asking.

[00:05:19] Larry Long, Jr.: I don't really care. But I'm gonna ask you just cuz I gotta ask you. Okay, so how's the pipeline looking? Where are these deals? Where are we at on these deals? No, I'm a real person with real needs, with real challenge. Show me that you care.

[00:05:33] Harris Kenny: So if you're a salesperson, you're in that environment and or you're in a good environment. You know, one of the things you talk about with the book that I think really ties in here is the stories that we tell ourselves amidst uncertainty externally and uncertainty internally, or lack of support internally.

[00:05:47] Harris Kenny: How do you feel that storytelling ties into this? The stories we tell ourselves, why, why does that matter? Why does that matter to that narrative that we, that we have in our own?

[00:05:56] Larry Long, Jr.: Well, Harris, it was there in Denver. Bernadette McClellan, who's a transplant from Australia. What's up, Bernadette? I know she's tuning in. She calls it story selling, and she's not the only one to call it story selling, but I love her concept because she talks about what story are you telling yourself?

[00:06:15] Larry Long, Jr.: What story are you telling your prospects and clients, and then what story are they telling themselves? But for. It starts with you, it starts from within. And a lot of times that narrative that there's been studies about how many thoughts go through our mind and how many of those are negative, and I'm Exhibit A, Larry, you're not good enough.

[00:06:35] Larry Long, Jr.: Right now I'm going through some 2023 planning, and you hit me in a timely manner because I just had my coaching call about an hour ago. And I'm going through some significant growth. If you can imagine kinda like a what do you call it, a bullseye. Like you got the bullseye. That's the comfort zone.

[00:06:52] Larry Long, Jr.: You're surrounded, you're comfortable. Well, as you move to the outer edges, that's what we call growth. And when you get to the outer edge of growth, you're not surrounded. Growth is tough. Growth is, Ooh, it'll challenge you even if you know it.

[00:07:08] Larry Long, Jr.: I encourage people to really get crystal clear on what it is that they hope to. What are those steps that they need to get there, and then how can they encourage themselves by also surrounding themselves with encouraging people?

[00:07:24] Larry Long, Jr.: It's teamwork really does make the dream work. You can't do it all alone. Good luck with that. Now it starts with you, but who are you surrounding yourself with? What are you watching? What are you listening to? Hopefully you're listening to the Pipeline Meeting podcast to get some of this great, great gems.

[00:07:43] Harris Kenny: I love that. It's funny, I follow you on LinkedIn and I feel like it's like a pep rally, not just for you, but for people you're connected with, and it just feels good. It's just a lot of good energy.

[00:07:52] Harris Kenny: I feel like there's room to look outside of your organization, looking on places like LinkedIn, going to events, you know, to get that type of support and comradery, because it may not be within your organization, but that doesn't mean you can't get it, right?

[00:08:06] Harris Kenny: I mean, you can seek it out elsewhere, can't you?

[00:08:09] Larry Long, Jr.: It, it's out there, but you gotta be intentional and, and it's a choice. It's one of those things where if you want to be in the game, you gotta get in the game.

[00:08:17] Larry Long, Jr.: Now I know Harris, you made the effort and you came out and joined us at. Flip the Script. That was a choice. You could have been anywhere in the world.

[00:08:24] Larry Long, Jr.: I know you've got family obligations. And in addition to that, you said, Hey, I'm gonna make a choice to come out here, see if I can get some content, see if I can build community and see if there's any opportunities to collaborate, maybe help someone else out, and in return, maybe they'll be able to help me out.

[00:08:42] Larry Long, Jr.: I respect that and I encourage other folks to be intentional to get out there even if it's not in person. There's a ton of resources, virtually remote, but you've gotta, you've gotta seek it out. My coach always says, healthy people ask for what they want. If you want a mentor right now, I'm going through this.

[00:09:03] Larry Long, Jr.: I've got, I've got one name at the top of my list. I see you Mark Hunter. I'm gonna be reaching out to the sales hunter to ask him if he'll be my mentor. I respect what he's, what he's done. I respect what he's doing. I love the way that he goes about his business.

[00:09:18] Larry Long, Jr.: And I wanna learn. I, I wanna learn and I wanna provide him with value as well. I wanna give him something in return.

[00:09:25] Larry Long, Jr.: I encourage folks to go out there and be proactive to get what it is that you want. And if you don't know, try, try different things outta your comfort zone.

[00:09:36] Larry Long, Jr.: I'm looking through my notes right now and here goes some of the feelings when when I get outta my comfort zone, I have feelings of fear, feelings of being scared.

[00:09:46] Larry Long, Jr.: When in actuality, I want to be excited. I, I want to be hopeful. I want be expecting, I wanna be dreamy about it, and that's a choice. The good thing is that I can choose to knock the voice on my shoulder. His name is Cletus and I don't know if you've ever seen the movie with Eddie Murphy. Come on, Cletus.

[00:10:05] Larry Long, Jr.: You're gonna walk over, but you're gonna limp back. That's why I gotta tell that voice every day. Come on Cletus. I'm gonna knock you out, so that I can then make space for that voice that says, yes you can, and yes you will. And give my space to actually step into my inner greatness. Everyone's got inner greatness errors.

[00:10:23] Larry Long, Jr.: Everyone that's listening right now has inner greatness, whether you know it or not, but you've gotta give yourself space to step into it.

[00:10:30] Harris Kenny: Thinking about the next year, any reflections on the event or any feedback about the book that you're hearing from people that you wanna put out?

[00:10:38] Larry Long, Jr.: Yeah, both of them. So really with, with the event, it's important for sales professionals to step into the professional part of that. We're all in sales, but let's be true professionals. And by that I mean working on your craft, working on your game. Right now it's timely. We've got the World Cup. It's a showing of individual soccer players from around the world that have put in the hard work.

[00:11:05] Larry Long, Jr.: They've overcome obstacles. When everyone said you can't do it it can't be done while they're doing it. I encourage that with sales 2023, they're saying it's gonna be a down year. Well, don't believe the hype. You don't have to subscribe to that.

[00:11:22] Larry Long, Jr.: But it's gonna take hard work. What are you doing to grow your skills around your company, around your product, around your, your, your prospects and clients, the problems that you solve?

[00:11:33] Larry Long, Jr.: What's going on within the industry? Are you a learner? Intentionally learning? Are you growing your network, your ecosystem? Are you growing your sales skills? If the answer is no, it's okay. No judgment zone. But that's an opportunity for you to start right now.

[00:11:51] Larry Long, Jr.: In terms of the book, I, I've really gotta go down to, to, to the chapter that talks about you are what you. I encourage you to do an audit of who are you surrounding yourself with?

[00:12:02] Larry Long, Jr.: Are you around negative Nancys? Negative Nellys, negative Ns, which in sales, we get a lot of people that are yapping talking about, oh, it's so terrible. Oh, I can't believe, ah, you gotta get yourself, you gotta PR them out.

[00:12:13] Larry Long, Jr.: You wanna get around people that are inspiring, that are uplifting, that are encouraging, and that will challenge you.

[00:12:19] Larry Long, Jr.: Well, they'll encourage you, Hercules, Hercules, but they'll also give you a, a kick in the, in the rear when you need it. Like, Hey, hey Harris, let's go snap out of it. Man, you're better than that. Let's go ahead and do the daggone thing. I'm gonna challenge you and I expect you to challenge me so that we can both be the best that we can be.

[00:12:36] Larry Long, Jr.: I didn't, I didn't mean for that to rhyme, but it. But yeah, let's take it to the top. It's always fun taking it to the top with other people. Let, let's, let's go ahead and do that thing. Let's, let's lock up lock arms and let's do it together. Let's achieve that greatness that no one. Ever expected, let's surprise ourselves.

[00:12:54] Larry Long, Jr.: As we look into 2023, I'm trying to do some things that would be unimaginable, so that that would be my encouragement. That's kind of top of mind coming off of that 12 city 18 day bus store across the us.

[00:13:06] Larry Long, Jr.: And then just reflections from my book.

[00:13:09] Harris Kenny: I love it. If people wanna get that positive energy from you, where can they find you online? Where can they learn from you? Where can they find your.

[00:13:16] Larry Long, Jr.: Yeah, best way to find me is on LinkedIn, Larry Long, JR. Smile for a Mile. I've also got a website, larrylongjr.com. That's larrylongjr.com, and my book is on Amazon. It's called Jolt, get zapped into intentionality, rediscover and believe in your inner greatness. We're trying to get everyone jolted, so make sure you pass it along. It's electric.

[00:13:38] Harris Kenny: I love it. Thank you, Larry.

[00:13:40] Larry Long, Jr.: I appreciate you Harris. Thank you.

[00:13:44] Harris Kenny: That's all for now. You can find show notes at introcrm.com/podcast. The theme music for pipeline meeting is by Neighborhood Vandal and it's shared under a Creative Commons attribution or CC buy license. If you learn something, consider sharing this show with a friend. Thanks.