When You’re Not Talking To the Decision Maker

When You’re Not Talking To the Decision Maker

Author: Aleasha Bahr March 27, 2025 Duration: 12:48
Many times your first sales meeting is NOT with the decision maker or CEO at a company.  That means your sales strategy needs to be different in that initial meeting in order to get the final meeting with the REAL decision maker.  In this solo episode of Sales is NOT a Dirty Word, I reveal why winning over internal stakeholders - like a CMO, Ops Lead, or HR Director - is the key to closing the deal. If you want a powerful internal champion that makes the CEO say yes, you’ve got to address the unique pressures and metrics of the person right in front of you. You must uncover each stakeholder’s biggest pain points, demonstrate genuine empathy for their day-to-day challenges, and empower them with everything they need to pitch your solution up the chain.  Once you become a TEAM with your internal advocate, they will fight to internally sell you over any other solution or competitor. Listen in to Discover:  ✔️ Why simply focusing on overall company revenue won’t help you: A CMO’s or Ops Director’s success is measured differently and you must find out what that i! ✔️ How to turn an internal stakeholder into your champion: Show them you’ll make their work easier and their results stronger. ✔️ Key discovery questions that reveal specific challenges an internal team faces - so you can tailor your pitch to their daily reality. ✔️ The right way to bridge the gap to the CEO: Collaborate with your internal ally to secure buy-in from the top. ✔️ Practical tips for dealing with departmental turf wars, budgeting concerns, and multi-layered decision-making processes. 👉 Ready to create loyal internal advocates who sell your services for you? Subscribe to Sales Is Not a Dirty Word and visit aleashabahr.com to discover the best ways to customize your sales approach for every stakeholder you meet. #Gatekeeper #InternalStakeholder #SalesStrategy #DiscoveryCall #RelationshipSelling #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #B2BSales #ConsultativeSelling #InternalChampion #BusinessGrowth #CollaborativeApproach #SalesTips #SoloEpisode

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
Objection Handling Techniques That Build Trust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:31
There’s a point in almost every sales conversation where the energy changes. A prospect hesitates or a concern comes up and most salespeople immediately move into persuasion mode. They reassure, justify and defend. Becau…
How to Handle Discount Conversations in Sales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:54
Someone asked for a discount and suddenly your entire nervous system lit up. Do you hold the line? Negotiate? Cave? Risk losing the deal? That single moment exposes how most service providers really feel about their pric…
The Tiered Commission Structure Every Business Owner Needs to Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:47
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 eithe…
How to Turn Sales Demos Into High-Converting Conversations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:56
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 qu…
How to Win the Deal Before You Even Meet the CEO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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…
Define Your Anti-Audience and Increase Your Sales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:19
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…
Why Hiring a Sales Team Too Early Can Kill Your Profit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:10
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 the…
The Smart Way to Increase Sales Without Trashing the Competition [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:09
One of the phrases that can put many on the defense is, “We’re also talking to a few others.” Sometimes it’s said plainly. Other times it’s softened into something like, “We’re still exploring our options.” Either way, i…
When Being “Nice” in Sales Turns Into Self-Sabotage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:40
Repeat after me - some money is NOT better than no money. In this Sales is NOT a Dirty Word episode, I walk through a real client situation that exposes how easy it is to agree too quickly, stay vague to preserve harmony…
The Language Patterns That Undermine Trust in Sales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:59
After reviewing hundreds of sales calls, there are phrases people use in sales conversations that quietly sabotage the sale. The intention is usually to be polite. However, on an unconscious level, they erode trust, clar…