Sales is NOT a Dirty Word

There’s a question I hear more than almost any other from business owners: “How should I compensate my salesperson?” It sounds simple. It isn’t. Get it wrong early and you create a situation that’s hard to fix. You either end up with a salesperson negotiating from a position you can’t push back on, or a top performer reconsidering their role after a change to commission. Both are expensive. Both are avoidable.   In this latest episode of Sales is NOT a Dirty Word, I break down how to build a compensation structure that works for you and your salesperson, without guesswork, frustration, or unintended leverage. Here’s what I cover: The Sales Diva Problem and how to avoid it The base + incentive structure that actually drives performance.  The three tiers every comp plan needs.  Why monthly and quarterly bonuses outperform annual ones.  The most expensive mistake in sales leadership   A strong compensation plan should be a win/win. If it doesn’t, it will show up in your results.   If you’re not sure how to structure compensation, start with your margins, identify what you need off your plate, and build from there. And if you want support doing exactly that, including building a repeatable and predictable sales process your salesperson can actually run, book a Sales Level Up Call with me: 👉 https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup [00:55] Real client story: Inheriting a salesperson with a comp plan that does not work[01:55] The Sales Diva phenomenon and why salespeople are very good at internal sales[02:45] What a win-win compensation plan actually looks like and why profit margins matter[03:35] Designing incentives around the behaviors you want: paid-in-full contracts, month-to-month tradeoffs[04:00] The base salary principle: cover cost of living, drive everything else with commission[04:45] Tiered commission structures and why unlocking levels beats a flat rate[05:30] The three goal tiers: minimum viable, excited, and "gobs of money"[06:00] Why you need to get comfortable with your salesperson being the highest paid person in the company[06:45] The CFO trap: why cutting a top performer's comp is a short-term gain with a long-term cost[08:00] Do not mess with a salesperson's money. Period.[08:45] How to use KPIs to make performance conversations objective, not subjective[09:15] Monthly vs. quarterly vs. annual bonuses and the 90-day brain science behind it[10:05] Annual team goals as a retention and culture-building tool[10:40] Why salespeople fail: no process, no training, no direction[11:15] Outbound vs. inbound roles and how that changes the base #SalesCompensation #SalesTeam #SalesLeadership #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #BlackSheepSales #HiringASalesperson #SalesStrategy #CommissionStructure #SmallBusinessSales #BusinessOwnerTips #SalesManagement #ScalingYourBusiness #RevenueGrowth #SalesProcess #EntrepreneurMindset #B2BSales #SalesCoach #WinWinSales #SalesPerformance #AleashaBahr 

Most demos don’t fail because of the product. They fail because no real conversation ever took place. What should be a back-and-forth turns into a walkthrough. Feature after feature, then: “Does that make sense?” “Any questions?” They nod. They say they’re good. And then nothing happens. That’s not clarity. That’s someone being polite while checking out. In this latest episode of the Sales is NOT a Dirty Word, we break down what strong demos do differently and where most reps lose the room. Because the second you stop getting a reaction, you’re in the dark. You don’t know if it fits. You don’t know if they care. You don’t know if they’ve already decided it’s a no. The demos that move deals forward tend to share a few things: They ask for real input, not courteous agreement They adjust in real time based on what they hear They give the buyer space to push back early They make it clear, quickly, whether this is a fit or not You’re not walking someone through your product. You’re working through a decision with them. Hit play and see what shifts when the demo starts doing that job. 01:05 – The issue with “does that make sense?”02:00 – Why prospects say yes even when confused03:05 – Why deals stall or disappear04:00 – Treating demos like discovery calls05:00 – Tailoring to the buyer’s situation06:10 – Matching features to real use cases06:50 – Better questions to ask07:20 – Using pre-demo content08:30 – Setting context before the call09:10 – Small changes, big impact #SalesDemos #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #SoftwareSales #SalesProcess #ClosingDeals #SalesTips #SaaSSales #RevenueGrowth #SalesLeadership #SalesIsNOTADirtyWord  If your demos feel solid but deals still don’t move, there’s a gap in how the conversation is being run. Book a Sales Team Audit here:https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

Most service providers think the goal is to impress the CEO because they’re the decision buyer.  However in more complex deals with larger companies, you rarely get the CEO first.  You speak with the CMO, the ops lead, the SEO manager, or the HR director.  In other words, there is a person standing between you and the final yes. If you approach them the same way you would the CEO, there’s a bigger chance that you will lose the deal. In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, you’ll learn one of the most overlooked and costly sales mistakes and how to fix it. You’ll learn how to shift your conversations so internal stakeholders feel supported, not threatened or like you want to bypass them. Because the truth is, they are not focused on company-wide growth.  They care about how your solution impacts their role. They are deciding if you make them look effective or replaceable. When you understand this, everything changes. Inside this episode: Why internal decision makers have different motivators than CEOs How to position your offer as support and relief instead of competition The questions that reveal what actually matters to them How to turn internal stakeholders into advocates who sell for you Why helping someone look good accelerates the close This is the shift that separates average sales conversations from ones that convert 6 figure deals with big companies.  You are not just closing a deal.You are building an internal ally who helps you win it. If you’re ready to stop losing deals in the middle of the process and start closing with confidence, book a Sales Team Level Up Call and let’s build a strategy that actually works for your sales conversations:👉 https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 01:30 – Who you’re actually selling to first (and why it matters)02:15 – Why internal stakeholders think differently than CEOs03:10 – The mistake: pitching company-wide results too early04:05 – What CMOs and internal teams really care about05:10 – How to position your offer without threatening their role06:20 – The “make them look good” strategy explained07:15 – Discovery questions that change everything08:20 – Turning internal stakeholders into advocates09:10 – How to equip them to sell you internally10:00 – Getting in front of the CEO (the right way)11:00 – Creating a collaborative “team” dynamic11:45 – Final takeaway: treat them like their own buyer #SalesStrategy #B2BSales #SalesCoaching #ServiceBasedBusiness #AgencyGrowth #ConsultingBusiness #SalesTips #CloseMoreDeals #DiscoveryCall #SalesProcess #EntrepreneurSales #HighTicketSales #LeadConversion #BusinessGrowthStrategy #SalesTraining #ClientAcquisition #SalesPsychology #BlackSheepSales #WomenInBusiness #SalesIsNotADirtyWord

Most people can describe their target audience. Very few can clearly articulate who they are not for. That blind spot is expensive. It shows up as nightmare clients who drain your energy and income more than adding to it.  In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, you’ll examine what I call your anti-audience. The patterns, expectations, and behaviors that consistently signal misalignment with your work. This requires discernment. You have to be willing to walk away from revenue that looks good in the moment but quietly erodes your standards over time. When you identify who actually thrives inside your process and who consistently strains it, your decisions get cleaner. Your messaging sharpens. Your sales conversations feel steadier. You stop trying to accommodate everyone and start protecting the conditions that produce results. It also makes the people who are a fit for you want to work with you more.  Inside this episode, you’ll learn: - How filtering makes more people want to work with you- How to spot patterns in who buys, who stalls, and who succeeds- The difference between ideal demographics and psychographics- How to structure intake forms that ensure alignment- What to say when someone isn’t a fit- Why long-term positioning compounds faster than short-term commission When you’re clear about who you’re not for, the right people feel it. Conversations get easier. Expectations rise. Conversions strengthen. If you want help identifying your patterns and putting language around them, book a Sales Level-Up Call and we’ll map it out together: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 01:15 – Why mainstream manipulation tactics miss the point02:30 – The real reason misaligned clients cost you more than they pay03:40 – Patterns: who says yes and who doesn’t05:00 – Identifying readiness indicators beyond demographics06:20 – Using intake forms to filter before the call07:30 – Why specialization builds desire08:45 – The Facebook ads example: short-term commission vs long-term trust10:00 – How transparency increases referrals11:00 – Transitioning into your offer with clarity and confidence For more ways to sell without pressure, pretending, or psychological games: Website: https://aleashabahr.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #BlackSheepSales #AntiAudience #TargetAudienceStrategy #SalesClarity #HighIntegritySales #SalesWithoutPressure #ServiceProviderSales #SalesCoaching #ClientFit #DiscoveryCall #SalesStrategy #EntrepreneurSales #SellWithIntegrity #SalesMindset #BusinessGrowth #AlignedClients #SalesPodcast

You are in a phase most people do not talk about honestly. Your offer works. People are buying.  You are busy enough to feel stretched but not stable enough to feel safe. So the idea of hiring a salesperson or team of them starts to sound like relief. It could be! But it can also create crippling pressure that causes hasty decisions.  And there are often many other things that need to happen first before that step. Listen in to discover:  Why selling at a higher price requires a different approach - and how to do it How hiring too early creates urgency that prospects can sense (and run away from) The risks of leadership stress compounds when profit margins are thin If you are considering scaling, raising prices, or building a sales team, this episode helps you slow down and make the decision in the right order. If you want help increasing your prices, strengthening your sales messaging, or building a sales structure that works without pressure, you can book a Sales Team Level-Up Call with me here: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 01:05 What happens when you hire in anticipation of growth02:10 How payroll pressure affects sales conversations03:00 Why price increases expose weak messaging04:15 Deliverables versus outcomes in sales05:10 Why you cannot educate and sell in the same call06:05 The leadership stress no one talks about07:20 Why higher prices first create more space08:15 The correct order for scaling09:00 How sales teams should be structured to succeed #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesPodcast #BusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurPodcast #WomenInSales #EthicalSales #SalesStrategy #SalesMessaging #HighTicketSales #SalesWithoutPressure #PricingStrategy #RaiseYourPrices #Underpricing #ProfitOverVolume #SustainableBusiness   For more grounded sales strategy and honest conversations about scaling your business:Website: https://aleashabahr.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr