Paul Self

Finance + GTM

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People don’t realize what “closing skills” are in sales, and they’re not “is persuasive.” Reps with closing skills CONSISTENTLY know, can choreograph and advise on how the deal gets signed and returned. And their forecast accuracy reflects those skills.

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What are you seeking? On Memorial Day of 1999, my wife and I witnessed what is now called the Memorial Day Miracle. We attended the San Antonio Spurs game against the Portland Trailblazers. It was game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. At the time we lived in Dallas, but we had previously spent six years living in San Antonio and if you lived in San Antonio, it was hard not to fall in love with the Spurs and love them I did! 9 seconds left in the game, Spurs are down by 2. Sean Elliot takes the pass, steps behind the 3-point line and nearly steps out of bounds, he launches the shot and he hits it! Spurs up by 1 and the place went crazy! I mean absolute pandemonium crazy that just wouldn't stop. The Spurs won the game and went on to win their first ever NBA title. Why is this moment so memorable for me? Because I had witnessed a 'moment of excellence' and to this day I still get excited when I see the video. We're all seeking something, aren't we? Some seek perfection, that can be limiting. Some seek comfort, that can become boring. At times I've sought money and things, those are temporal. I've learned that titles can be false peaks. All of these things have their place, their time and a degree of value, but what really gets me excited is seeking a life of excellence. I think its a natural human drive to constantly be seeking something bigger, something more impactful, seeking to live a life that matters. The name I give this is 'seeking excellence' and to me nothing is more beautiful than seeing someone achieve a moment of excellence or even better, to live a life of excellence. Otherwise, why would we be so fascinated with sports figures that perform in a way that captures the imagination- Michael Jordan and his 6 NBA Championships, Serena Williams and her 23 Major Tennis Tournament Titles or Sean Elliot and the Memorial Day Miracle back in 1999. I think about it this way, 'I've been called to a Life of Excellence' and to me it's the first step of leaning into my process of becoming and living toward a bigger and more impactful life. How about you? What are you seeking?

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One of the most significant topics in discussions with Chief Revenue Officers right now is the consolidation of the sales tech stack. While some of this is driven by cost considerations—especially in the current environment where budgets are tighter than ever—the other crucial factor is the impact on our sellers' productivity. Our teams are not just managing sales; they're navigating a huge amount of technology that can sometimes hinder more than help. As a result, they become overwhelmed. They're spending valuable time switching between platforms instead of doing what they do best—selling. Therefore, consolidating our tech stack isn't just about reducing costs; it's about streamlining operations to empower our teams. Now our sellers can focus on building relationships and closing deals.

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An enterprise sales kickoff (SKO) is critical for aligning the sales team with the company’s strategic objectives, energizing the team, and setting the stage for a successful sales year. Beyond alignment of company goals, product and service education, motivation and morale boost, skills development, networking and team building, marketing and competitive insights, goal setting and accountability, inspiration and vision, strategic planning, and a feedback loop from the field, there are also several consistent mistakes/NOT-to-do many organizations ignore before, during, and after their SKOs! Here is my latest post on Ten Sales Kickoff Insights shared by GTMnow - https://lnkd.in/eQxQrKuJ GTMfund Sales Community #SKO #SalesKickoff #GlobalKickoff #KeynoteSpeaker #RelationshipEconomics #CoCreate #CurveBenders #ConsequenceOfAI

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