The Jake Dunlap Show

Jake explores the essential elements of optimizing sales processes by emphasizing the balance between technology and human intuition. Drawing inspiration from leading brands like Tesla, he underscores the transformative power of integrating advanced tools with human precision to drive innovation across industries. He delves into strategies for achieving scalability through data-driven decisions and fostering continuous learning within sales teams. This session promises valuable insights into implementing effective tactics for enhancing sales team performance in 2024 and beyond, emphasizing personalized approaches to system and process optimization.

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If you use Outreach, you need Performance Pulse: https://skaled.com...

Jake Dunlap discusses the evolving B2B sales landscape, underscoring the critical factors of speed and convenience that modern buyers prioritize. Drawing parallels to Blockbuster's fateful decision regarding Netflix, he stresses the imperative for businesses to embrace digital transformation. Jake critiques outdated methodologies like MEDDIC in today’s era of abundant information, advocating instead for his innovative NTENT framework. This approach aims to synchronize sales strategies with contemporary buyer behaviors, enhancing efficiency and delivering superior customer experiences.

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If you use Outreach, you need Performance Pulse: https://skaled.com/services/performance-pulse/

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What wi...

In this episode, Jake engages in a conversation with Mike Kavanagh, the RVP of SMB Sales at Zendesk, recognized for his deep expertise in technology sales and GTM strategies. They discuss the evolving challenges of outbound sales, highlighting common pitfalls such as overly product-centric messaging rather than customer-centric solutions. Together, they explore the necessity of strategic planning adaptations, the impact of AI tools like CustomGPTs, and the crucial role of data-driven optimization in boosting outbound effectiveness in today's competitive B2B sales landscape.

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Jake explores the critical aspects of sales personalization by addressing key strategies for successful organizations. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on individual prospects rather than adopting a broad approach and suggests celebrating successful meetings and sharing personalization tactics within teams. Jake introduces the use of advanced technologies like LinkedIn Sales Navigator, generative AI tools, and sales engagement platforms to gather insights and tailor communications. He also highlights the need for hyper-customized touchpoints, balancing AI with human interactions, and consistently optimizing personalization strategies to adapt to changing buyer behaviors and achieve sales success.

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If you...

Jake analyzes the transformative impact of "Predictable Revenue" in early 2010s outbound sales, emphasizing its structured approach while cautioning against its overemphasis on automation and volume metrics. He identifies hidden costs such as inaccurate success indicators and decreased team morale stemming from ineffective strategies. Jake promotes a shift towards quality over quantity metrics, leveraging AI tools to track meaningful engagement metrics like positive reply rates and content conversion types. This approach aims to enhance personalized customer interactions while maintaining the efficiency of automated processes, aligning sales strategies with evolving buyer behaviors for sustained success.

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Jake examines the evolution of outbound sales strategies, beginning with the early 2000s' emphasis on personal connections through cold calls and email campaigns, which fostered strong customer relationships and high conversion rates. However, with the advent of over-automation in the 2010s, characterized by tools like automated Sales Engagement Platforms focusing on quantity over quality, engagement and conversion rates declined significantly by 2022. Acknowledging these challenges, Jake advocates for a return to personalized outreach in modern sales strategies. He emphasizes leveraging advanced AI tools to tailor messages based on individual prospect data, aiming to strike a balance between efficiency and effectiveness...

Jake dives into the critical aspects of client engagement and retention by addressing key issues in client management. He emphasizes the problem of using monthly check-ins and QBRs solely for updates and suggests enhancing these interactions with industry insights to support professional growth. Jake introduces a strategy for initiating renewal discussions 120 days in advance and highlights the importance of building multiple relationships within a company to avoid dependence on a single point of contact. He also shares insights on setting and tracking SMART goals to ensure clear, impactful business outcomes, aiming to strengthen client relationships and prevent churn.

Jake dives into the importance of tailoring the sales process to meet buyers where they are in their journey. He emphasizes the problem in B2B sales of using a one-size-fits-all approach and explains how this can slow down the sales cycle. Jake introduces the VECS framework—Vetted, Educated, Cold, and Self-Service—designed to personalize the sales experience based on the buyer's stage. He shares practical tips for implementing this approach, aiming to close deals faster and improve customer satisfaction. Don't miss his insights on creating an ideal customer journey and the benefits of the Innovative Seller Community.

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Jake discusses the evolving landscape of B2B sales, emphasizing the importance of speed and convenience for modern buyers. He recounts a pivotal story about Blockbuster's missed opportunity to acquire Netflix, highlighting the shift towards digital and the need for businesses to adapt. Jake critiques traditional sales methodologies like Medic, arguing they are outdated in today’s information-rich environment. He introduces his innovative "NTENT" framework, designed to align sales processes with buyer behavior, ultimately aiming to streamline sales cycles and improve customer experiences.

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If you use Outreach, you need Performance Pulse: https://skaled.com/services/pe...

Jake welcomes Davyeon Ross, a pioneering entrepreneur and the co-founder of ShotTracker. Davyeon shares his journey from Trinidad and Tobago to founding tech companies, raising over $40 million in capital, and revolutionizing sports analytics with AI. They discuss the transformative impact of AI in sports, including enhancing player performance and coaching strategies. Davyeon elaborates on how ShotTracker's sensor-based technology provides real-time basketball statistics and analytics, streamlining coaching processes. They also explore the future of AI in sports and Davyeon’s excitement about upcoming developments in the field.

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Jake sits down with Ian Koniak, founder, and CEO of Untap Your Sales Potential, and former #1 Enterprise AE at Salesforce globally. Ian shares his extensive sales experience, highlighting the importance of mastering mindset, method, and authenticity. They delve into how an outward-focused mindset, the practice of stoicism, and genuine authenticity can transform sales performance and client relationships. Ian’s journey from top performer to coach provides invaluable insights for anyone looking to excel in sales.

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Connect with Ian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iankoniak/

Untap Your Sales Po...

Jake is joined by Bryan Caplin, CRO of Thoropass and a founding member of Pavilion, to discuss the intricacies of moving upmarket. With over 20 years of experience in leading and scaling high-performing revenue organizations, Bryan shares his insights on the common mistakes companies make when targeting mid-market and enterprise clients. They delve into the evolution of go-to-market strategies, the importance of cross-functional alignment, and the need for a dedicated approach to successfully transition from SMBs to larger markets. Bryan emphasizes the significance of planning, proper talent management, and the value of iterative learning in this complex but rewarding journey.<...

In 2020, around 306 billion emails were sent and received each day globally. This number is expected to rise to 376 billion emails per day by 2025.  In this episode, Jake emphasizes the necessity of understanding and segmenting audiences meticulously, crafting messages that strike a balance between templatization and customization, and utilizing a multi-channel approach to cut through the noise. He underscores the importance of ongoing testing and adjustments to optimize outbound strategies effectively. Jake stresses that genuine customization and relevancy in messaging, tailored to the specific needs and jargon of the industry, are key to making an impact and not just adding t...

A staggering 81% of sales professionals are not meeting their outbound targets. Addressing this issue, Jake emphasizes the necessity of shifting from traditional quarterly optimization to a dynamic, bi-weekly process, potentially increasing results by 25%. He advocates for measuring meaningful sales activities—conversion rates and pipeline coverage—over mere volume, and introduces tools like "Performance Pulse" from Skaled for faster, data-driven optimizations. Next week’s episode will explore hyper-customization in outbound strategies to further enhance engagement and conversion rates.

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What will it take to innovate your sales organization for the modern buyer and consistently stay at the forefr...

Jake delves into the critical role of technology in modern sales strategies, focusing on optimizing ROI through smart tech investments. He underscores the need for companies to align technology with evolving customer behaviors and streamline processes to ensure both are working harmoniously. Jake emphasizes the importance of moving beyond mere automation to achieve scalable personalization, advocating for technology that enhances the customer experience rather than just internal efficiencies. Throughout the episode, he challenges sales leaders to foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptability, ensuring their teams remain at the cutting edge of sales technology and processes.

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In this episode, Jake dives into the concept of "moonshots" in sales, equating them to ambitious goals that push the boundaries of innovation and resource allocation. Jake discusses the importance of creating a culture that welcomes new ideas and periodic reviews to challenge and optimize current sales methodologies. Through real-world examples and strategic advice, the episode outlines tactical ways sales teams can incorporate moonshots into their routines, thereby future-proofing their operations against a rapidly evolving marketplace. 

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What will it take to innovate your sales organization for the modern buyer and consistently stay at the forefront w...

It's here!! "The Innovative Seller" has officially hit the shelves. In this episode, Jake celebrates the much-anticipated release of the book by diving into the crucial role of AI and customer-centric strategies in redefining sales. He underscores the transformative impact of AI on sales processes, from enhancing rep efficiency to reimagining strategic planning, highlighting that the adoption of these technologies is not just an upgrade but a necessity for staying competitive.  Jake delves into the essence of creating customized sales journeys, arguing that understanding and adapting to the modern buyer's needs is key to sales innovation. ______________________________________________

What w...

In today's episode, we dissected the transformative approach of Consistent Performance Optimization (CPO) in sales, advocating for a shift from rare, significant overhauls to frequent, incremental improvements. By adopting this methodology, sales teams can achieve significant gains, with a potential 26% increase in pipeline generation over a year through bi-weekly optimizations. We highlighted the critical need for a clear process, data-driven decisions, and the assembly of a dedicated team to implement these consistent adjustments. This strategy not only enhances efficiency and agility but also aligns sales efforts closely with rapidly changing market demands and buyer behaviors.
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What...

Jake unpacks the NTENT framework from "The Innovative Seller," designed to revolutionize sales processes. Jake breaks down NTENT's components—Next Steps, Team dynamics, Education of the buyer, Numerical priority, and Time to impact—explaining how they cater to complex buying behaviors. Learn how to implement NTENT for faster, more efficient sales outcomes, with insights on integrating this framework into current sales strategies.

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What will it take to innovate your sales organization for the modern buyer and consistently stay at the forefront with technology and AI?

Pre-order the book for access to exclusive content and...

Navigating the complex world of B2B sales, where a staggering 77% of buyers report overwhelming purchase processes, calls for a radical rethink of sales strategies. In this episode, Jake spotlights the transformative potential of Customized Sales Journeys, focusing on the power of optimizing customer pathways and the pivotal shift towards allowing buyers to explore independently. This exploration serves as a blueprint for businesses aiming to pivot to a buyer-centric approach, promising not just to meet but exceed the evolving expectations of modern consumers, thereby securing a competitive edge in the market.

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What will it take...

In this episode, Jake discusses two critical pillars of the current Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy, emphasizing the need to focus on outcomes rather than just volume metrics and the importance of implementing hyper-customized touch points in outbound strategies. He argues against the traditional belief that more activities automatically lead to more meetings, advocating for a shift from quantity to quality in sales efforts. Jake underlines the significance of meaningful conversations and outcome-focused sales strategies for improving conversion rates and aligning sales activities with broader business objectives. He also highlights the necessity of personalization in customer interactions, supported by data showing...

In this episode, Jake dives deep into the intricacies of the second 'C' of his 4 Cs framework: Current Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy, emphasizing the crucial role of aligning marketing and lead generation teams. He highlights the stark reality that only 9% of teams hit their outbound targets last year, and more than half of sales reps expected to miss their quotas, underscoring the urgency to address this "bleeding neck problem." Jake sheds light on the importance of strategic integration between marketing and lead generation efforts, ensuring that both teams work towards common objectives with aligned strategies, messages, and metrics. He explores...

In this episode, Jake sits down with David Quartemont, CEO and Founder of RevSearch, to delve into the transformative journey from a "fixed culture" to a "growth culture" within organizations. David shares his experiences and insights from his career in executive recruiting and the founding of RevSearch, emphasizing the pivotal role of RevOps in facilitating growth and change management. They discuss the nuances between fixed and growth mindsets, highlighting how a growth culture embraces continuous improvement, strong emotional intelligence, and sees failure as an opportunity for learning. The episode is rich with strategies for instilling a growth mindset at...

As the world of sales changes, with buyers getting more knowledgeable and connected, Jake introduces a clear guide for sales teams looking to innovate and lead the way. The book, "Innovative Seller," is built around the 4Cs of innovative selling and shares practical strategies to take businesses to the next level. It highlights the importance of updating sales approaches in today's digital and AI-driven world. In this episode, we start to unpack the book and look at how to stay ahead in sales innovation, with tips on using AI and leading your team to great success.

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In this episode, Jake invites Anupam Satyasheel to discuss the transformative impact of AI on the workforce, navigating through job creation versus displacement, AI-human collaboration, and the indispensable human touch. Reflecting on the past five years and projecting into the next decade, they explore AI's significant reshaping of job markets and envision future trends. This episode covers strategies for supporting employees through transitions, emphasizing retraining and the shared responsibility between companies and individuals. They also delve into the essential skills and educational adaptations needed for an AI-integrated future, offering insights for navigating the evolving employment landscape.

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It's official. Jake's new book, "The Innovative Seller" is available for pre-order. As the sales landscape evolves with more informed and connected buyers, Jake introduces a blueprint for sales organizations to innovate, adapt, and lead. Grounded in the 4Cs of innovative selling, the book offers tried and tested strategies to propel businesses to new heights, emphasizing the necessity of adapting sales strategies in a digital and AI-powered landscape. In this episode, we begin to breakdown the book and explore how to be at the forefront of sales innovation, with insights on harnessing AI, and leading your team to unprecedented...

In this episode, Jake Dunlap delves into the transformative world of generative AI, shedding light on its pivotal role in reshaping sales and marketing strategies for a more efficient business model. Much like the often misunderstood yet critical role of RevOps in ensuring streamlined operations, generative AI is emerging as a game-changer, yet many are still navigating its practical applications. Jake takes listeners through a journey of discovery, highlighting the innovative use of custom GPTs in sales onboarding and demonstrating the power of personalized content creation at scale. He intricately discusses the art of crafting compelling cold emails and...

In this episode, we are joined by Ruari Baker, Co-Founder & CEO of Allegrow, to navigate the complex terrain of Google and Microsoft's updated spam rules for 2024, underlining their significance for both B2C and B2B email communications. We unravel the nuances of these policy changes, addressing common misconceptions and providing a strategic roadmap for businesses to adapt their email marketing and sales strategies effectively. Ruari and Jake emphasize the importance of compliance, suggesting tools and processes for monitoring, and advocating for a proactive stance in improving email deliverability and engagement. The episode is a call for businesses to...

Diving into the transformative trends reshaping the RevOps landscape in 2024, this episode sheds light on the escalating significance of RevOps as an essential element in orchestrating intricate customer journeys. It centers around fostering team synergy, transitioning towards real-time metrics for dynamic decision-making, and leveraging the burgeoning capabilities of ML & AI to streamline data processes. As we navigate these pivotal shifts, a critical checklist is presented, pinpointing the strategic role of RevOps, the adoption of real-time metrics, and the enhanced utilization of ML & AI tools as the key drivers poised to redefine organizational dynamics and operational efficiency.

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In this episode, Jake welcomes Max Elster, Co-Founder of Minoa, to delve into the art of effective ROI storytelling in sales. Max highlights the evolving landscape of enterprise sales, emphasizing the need for collaborative business case development and quantifying the impact of products in partnership with buyers. The conversation kicks off with a critical examination of value selling, underscoring the shift from a one-sided approach to a more collaborative, customer-centric method. Max points out the increasing scrutiny CFOs are placing on spending, necessitating a deeper and earlier engagement in understanding and quantifying product value for buyers.

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In this episode, Jake kicks off 2024 by outlining four strategic priorities crucial for businesses. He emphasizes the need to make Revenue Operations (RevOps) a strategic role, serving as a through line to align sales, marketing, and customer service, thus avoiding the common pitfalls of siloed problem-solving. Jake highlights the benefits of real-time metrics and analysis, stressing the importance of measuring sales movement frequently to adapt strategies promptly. The episode underscores the necessity of taking outbound optimization seriously, addressing the low success rates and advocating for consistent, real-time optimization practices.

Jake concludes by delving into the deployment of...

Today's episode is set to ignite a riveting conversation on the dynamic world of AI and its effects that are reshaping both the B2B and B2C landscapes, creating an urgency for businesses to embrace this digital change.

Jaci Russo, the brain behind a top-tier brand management agency, joins Jake in discussing the dynamic intersection of AI, marketing, and consumer decision-making. She shares her insights on why companies should not fear the rise of AI but rather recognize how to harness its growing power, and the common skepticism surrounding AI—fears of job insecurity and the ev...

AI technology keeps improving, and there are new developments every single week. We know it can be overwhelming, but this 2024, it’s crystal clear that those who embrace it in their organization will gain a massive advantage over those who don’t.

As with any other tool, implementing chatGPT in your tech stack is more than signing up and turning it on. It will likely cause a profound change in your processes. But given the increasing capabilities of AI, it may very well turn into the biggest leverage for your business next year.

In this epis...

Reporting is retrospective. Data is proactive. There’s only so much we can gain by analyzing a report, but taking a holistic view on all the data available can be the difference between a struggling business and a thriving one.

Some of the insights your business desperately needs might already be buried in your data, assuming you’re willing to look closely enough. And now with AI, this process is becoming much faster and smoother. So there’s no excuse not to embrace a data strategy.

In today’s episode, we are joined by Evan Nelson...

More and more organizations are realizing that RevOps plays an important role in ensuring their business runs efficiently. However, many don’t understand it or tend to be stuck in their old ways, failing to implement it effectively.

With its holistic methodology, RevOps helps you build a much more efficient organization. Unlike sales teams, RevOps has a birds-eye view of the processes and technology involved in the whole customer journey.

In today’s episode, we are going to go through five reasons why RevOps should own the creation and optimization of your sales cycle. Let’s dive...

If you’ve been thinking about implementing AI into your org but are overwhelmed with so many opportunities, let’s pause and step back for a moment. What are the things where chatGPT could move the needle in your sales process, today?

Enterprise selling is a more complex game than regular sales, usually with 2X to 3X the stakeholders and intricate internal processes you need to navigate. With that in mind, in today’s webinar we’ll cover how enterprise sales orgs leverage ChatGPT as soon as possible, by specifically focusing on these points:

Whether you are a sales rep or have a sales team, you should know how the activities you perform affect the bottom-line of your company. But how exactly do you measure that? That’s where Revenue Operations comes in—to give you a bird-eye view of your entire value chain, identify the constraints in your sales cycle and optimize your system based on those findings.

How efficiently are your prospects moving through the sales process? What percentage of them are converting? And how can we keep them for longer? These are the sort of questions you should be a...

Revenue Operations is often misunderstood, overshadowed by sales operations, or wrongly reduced to the implementation of new software. But Revenue Operations goes far beyond that—it’s about creating unified experiences for customers that drive revenue growth, from beginning to end. Embracing a RevOps approach will impact your company in a way implementing a new piece of software never will, improving key performance metrics like sales velocity, conversion rates, average deal size, or team productivity.

Today, we’ll dive deep into four key areas that will help you drive revenue in 2024 and create end-to-end visibility into yo...

Believe it or not, our understanding of the impact of AI is still very limited. Although we’re becoming more familiar with AI, somehow we see more and more sales teams struggling to hit their outbound goals. If they are already using chatGPT, what are they doing wrong?

For one, as with any other tool, they might not be using it properly. But for another, they might not be aware of all the ways it could be helping them to grow their business. And so, for those of you who like to stay ahead of the curve, to...

The sales prospecting landscape has seen a dynamic shift over the years. Remember when the full-cycle sales model gave way to the SDR/AE split? It was a game-changer - at the time. Fast forward to today, and we're witnessing a resurgence of full-cycle AEs.

With the rise of digital tools, will full-cycle AEs reclaim their spot as the “best” approach to prospecting and sales? While they offer significant advantages in streamlining processes and enhancing customer relationships, challenges like time constraints for prospecting remain. However, certain industries and organizations find this approach more fitting and less problematic than...