How to Win the Deal Before You Even Meet the CEO

How to Win the Deal Before You Even Meet the CEO

Author: Aleasha Bahr April 9, 2026 Duration: 12:25
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

Ever feel like the whole idea of "selling" makes your skin crawl? You're not alone, but what if everything you've been told about sales is wrong? Sales is NOT a Dirty Word is built on the idea that genuine connection, not manipulation, is the real engine of business growth. Host Aleasha Bahr, creator of the Matchmaker Sales method™, dismantles the high-pressure stereotypes one conversation at a time. Instead of scripts and tricks, she opens up her playbook, sharing insights and strategies typically reserved for her private coaching clients-where achieving an 80% conversion rate on sales calls isn't a fantasy, but a regular outcome. Each episode of this podcast features candid talks with experts who offer alternative, refreshingly human perspectives on the process. You'll hear real stories about building trust, understanding client needs deeply, and creating agreements that feel good for everyone involved. This isn't about learning to pretend; it's about discovering a framework where your authenticity becomes your greatest asset in closing deals. Tune in to transform your approach from something you dread into a natural, even enjoyable, part of your professional life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Sales is NOT a Dirty Word
Podcast Episodes
Stop Losing Deals: The Right Way to Use Pitch Decks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:33
A pitch deck can be your strongest sales tool or your biggest sales killer. The difference comes down to strategy. Although there is a pitch deck - it’s essential to ask strategic questions - not just “make sense?”, “sou…
How to Set Up a Loyal, High-Performing Sales Team [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:48
You hired a sales team so you could focus on growing the business, not spend hours training, managing and baby sitting them. But if your team isn’t performing as well as you, the problem might not be them — it’s often ho…
The Truth About Paid Ads & AI’s Impact on Search with John Horn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:16
Ever wondered when is the right time to invest in paid advertising - or if it even makes sense for your business? And with AI shaking up search engines, is it getting harder to stand out? In this episode of Sales Is Not…
Why You're Still Getting Ghosted After Great Sales Calls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:38
Everything felt right. The call flowed. You were in sync. You leave the call feeling good. They smiled. You vibed. You follow up with your proposal and... crickets. Let’s talk about it. In this solo episode of Sales is N…
How to Sell Differently and Close More Deals with Dale Dupree [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:40
Tired of the same dated sales strategy? This podcast episode will blow your mind. In this episode of Sales Is Not a Dirty Word, I sit down with Dale Dupree, aka The Copier Warrior and founder of The Sales Rebellion, to t…
Make More Sales without Feeling Gross [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:13
If your sales strategy feels like putting on someone else’s pants that don’t fit you... that’s an important sign to pay attention to. You don’t need to become a sales bro to sell like a pro. Instead, you will naturally b…
The Power of a Hell Yes Offer with Jessica Miller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
Do you feel like you’re constantly adding more to your business - more offers, more tasks, more complexity - and still not growing the way you want? What if scaling wasn’t about doing more, and actually about doing LESS?…
Using AI in Sales - The Do’s and Don’ts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:31
If you’re alive and breathing, you probably haven’t been able to escape all the conversation about AI taking over the world. There have been some crazy predictions - including that AI will replace sales people. After 15+…