show notes

show notes

show notes

AI has made many changes within the sales industry, including the SDR role. Those in the role will need to focus more on personalization over sequences, but how? Joining us for this episode is Kristie Jones, author and sales professional, to answer that question. She also shares how forward thinking sales education is adapting to keep up with tech savvy and highly informed buyers.

From Process to Personalization

• We open the conversation by talking about the decreasing importance of templated outreach and rigid sales sequences.
• Kristie explains why deep personalization and customization are becoming essential in every buyer interaction.
• Today’s buyers gather so much information on their own that generic messaging simply does not work the way it once did.

The Buyer’s Journey Has Changed

• We also discuss how buyers now expect to self educate before ever speaking with a sales rep. They download content, attend webinars, and even use AI tools to research solutions.
• Because of this shift, companies must lead with transparency, and the roles of SDRs and BDRs look very different than they did just a few years ago.

Redefining the SDR and BDR Role

• We explore how entry level sales roles are evolving. It is no longer just about dialing and sending emails.
• These professionals now need strong critical thinking skills, the ability to interpret intent signals, and the confidence to step into conversations that are already well underway.
• Kristie shares why she sees a move toward a junior AE model and emphasizes creativity and value driven engagement.

The New Sales Curriculum

• We also talk about what this means for sales educators. Kristie encourages professors to shift classroom activities away from memorizing scripts and toward understanding use cases, creating value, and developing soft skills.
• Trust building, objection handling, industry knowledge, and strong alignment between marketing and sales are more important than ever.

Practical Classroom Applications

• To make this practical, Kristie suggests using real world scenarios in the classroom. She recommends challenging students to analyze buyer behavior and craft personalized, high value outreach strategies that reflect how modern sales actually works.

“Buyers are so much further along that you cannot rely on email templates or generic voicemails. So the question becomes, how do you use the information you have to reach out in a way that is customized, gets their attention, and makes them say yes?” - Kristie Jones

Resources

Find Kristie Jones on LinkedIn or visit kristiekjones.com.

No one likes role playing, but it is a necessary part of becoming a successful seller. The good news is there are ways to make it more fun and engaging for students. In this episode, BJ Allen and I share practical tactics to help students get more comfortable with role playing and show professors how to turn it into a meaningful learning experience.

Why Role Plays Matter

1. Even though students may resist role plays at first, they often become one of the most valuable parts of the course.
2. Based on student feedback, BJ and I have seen role plays rank highly in evaluations.
3. Introducing them early, sometimes as soon as the second day of class, helps lower anxiety and build confidence over time.
4. Role plays give students a chance to apply what they are learning right away, helping them move from theory to real conversations.

Effective Strategies for Role Plays

1. Here’s how we design and run role plays in class:
2. Teach, Demonstrate, Practice: We follow a simple approach. First, we teach the concept. Then we demonstrate what it looks like in action. Finally, we give students time to practice so they can build comfort through repetition.
3. Start Simple: We keep scenarios familiar and relatable, such as selling well-known products in a B2B setting. This helps students focus on the skill instead of getting stuck on the scenario.
4. Clear Structure: Students know exactly where the conversation starts and ends. Each role play has clear steps and a set time limit so expectations are clear.
5. Feedback That Evolves: Early in the semester, the focus is simply on practice. As students gain confidence, we introduce more specific feedback using clear criteria so they can continue improving.

Tips for Professors: Start Small and Improve Over Time

1. If you are new to using role plays in the classroom, the advice BJ and I share is simple. Just start. Your first few role plays do not need to be perfect, and it is normal for both you and your students to feel uncomfortable at the beginning. That discomfort fades as everyone gets more reps and confidence grows.
2. As you continue using role plays, you will naturally see what works and what does not. Each class gives you an opportunity to adjust your approach and improve how you structure the exercise.
3. Keep things simple and give both yourself and your students room to learn. With a clear structure, limited scope, and supportive feedback, role plays become less awkward and more valuable over time. By the end of the semester, students consistently say they appreciate the experience and the confidence it builds.

“Let the students give feedback, but give them very specific points to focus on.” — BJ Allen

“Giving them clear criteria for how they’ll be evaluated helps fine-tune the role play. I’ve seen it be very effective.” — Donald Kelly

After our last conversation on sales competitions, we decided to invite someone who is often behind the scenes of them. In this episode, Detra Montya, a sales professor at Arizona State University, joins us to share what it really takes to pull sales competitions together. She also offers coaching tips for professors on helping students work through challenges, along with useful tools to prepare for the rivalry.

How the Competition Got Started

1. We asked Detra how the Arizona Collegiate Sales Competition began, and it all started with a simple conversation over coffee between three universities.
2. What began with about 25 students has grown into a competition with 15 schools and more than a decade of impact.

Why Sales Competitions Matter

1. We talked about why sales competitions are so valuable for students. They give students real world experience, exposure to recruiters and different markets, and the confidence that comes from practicing their skills under pressure.
2. Detra and BJ Allen shared how these competitions often lead to internships, full time roles, and lasting relationships.

What It Takes to Run a Competition

1. Detra pulled back the curtain on what goes into organizing a sales competition. From securing sponsors and managing logistics to handling last minute challenges, she emphasized the importance of teamwork and adaptability.

Coaching Students to Perform

1. For professors and coaches, Detra shared practical strategies that work.
2. She talked about being intentional with student selection, running timed practice sessions, using tools like Second Nature AI, and focusing on closing skills, cultural awareness, and time management.

Adjusting to Each Environment

1. Detra reminded us that success depends on more than knowing the sales process.
2. Understanding the industry, judging style, and competition culture is key, and preparation should always reflect that.

“When you do a role play in Spanish, you have to think about the culture. Building relationships and connections matter, especially when judges or buyers are Spanish speaking.” - Detra Montoya

Resources

Connect with Detra Montoya on LinkedIn or via her email: detra.montoya@asu.edu to learn more and exchange best practices.

Put these ideas into practice by using tools like Second Nature AI and Matrix to prepare for your next sales competition.

Did you know that sales reps spend 60% of their day on tasks that don’t directly generate revenue? Much of this time is eaten up by planning and other non-sales activities.

In this episode, BJ and I discuss how sales professors can teach students to plan their day effectively. This helps them stay productive and focus on the activities that drive results.

Why Planning Matters

· In sales, everyone talks about closing techniques and prospecting hacks, but I want to shine a light on a less glamorous but crucial skill: planning.

· Learning how to manage your time effectively is one of the most important foundations for early sales success, and it can make a real difference in how students perform once they hit the field.

Student Insights: Planning’s Real-World Impact

· Over the years, I’ve been surprised by how much students value planning exercises.

· Many of them tell me that these lessons have had more impact than trendy topics like LinkedIn prospecting.

· BJ and I have seen students consistently rank planning skills as the most transformative lesson, both for their careers and their personal productivity.

Teaching Time Management: From Principles to Practice

· We break down how to embed planning into a sales curriculum in a practical way:

o Principles First: Students learn the difference between activity and productivity. We use exercises and psychological studies to bust multitasking myths and show the power of focused work.

o Time Blocking and Color Coding: Techniques like batching similar tasks and visually organizing a calendar help students understand where their time really goes.

o Weekly and Daily Planning: We walk students through breaking weekly targets into actionable daily routines, ensuring prospecting and customer-facing work happens consistently rather than by chance.

Making Planning Measurable

· We also emphasize the importance of metrics. Tracking calls, outreach efforts, and alignment with KPIs turns planning into a measurable skill.

· This approach moves students and new sellers from just staying busy to actually being productive and results-driven.

"Good salespeople know how to use their time effectively...People who can kind of plan their day and do more revenue generating activities are the ones that succeed." - BJ Allen

"Focus on the activity and the results will come as a natural byproduct. But if you don’t plan at a day-to-day level, you might say, ‘I did some prospecting this week,’ but how much time did you really spend on it?" - Donald Kelly

Most sellers are seen as untrustworthy because of their methods, but those are not professional sellers. Real sellers are problem solvers. How can professors get their students to see them this way? Our guest, George Denman, a sales leader and educator, is here to tell us how he does it. He also shares sales closing techniques and other tips professors can use to help their students prepare for the real world.

Breaking Down Sales Stereotypes

• Too often, people think of sales as pushy, manipulative, or just plain sleazy. George shares how those same misconceptions shaped his early view of sales, including opinions from people close to him.
• He explains why real sales success looks very different, with a strong focus on listening, authenticity, and solving problems instead of forcing a pitch.

Bringing the Real World Into the Classroom

• George walks us through how he brings real industry experience into his teaching. He uses role plays, guest speakers, and real client scenarios to help students see the human side of sales.
• We talk about how techniques like his “spin” approach shift the focus away from closing deals and toward uncovering needs and creating real solutions.

Preparing Students for What Comes Next

• We also dig into the challenge of moving from corporate sales into academia. George shares what surprised him most, including slower feedback and the work it takes to turn experience into effective lessons.
• His advice is simple and practical: do not reinvent the wheel. Start with a solid curriculum, then adapt it over time. At the end of the day, his goal is the same as ours, to prepare students with real world skills they can use long after the classroom.

“The goal is to prepare students for real life. You can share your successes and failures, but students have to close the deal themselves. Your job is to get them ready for the real world.” - George Denman

Resources

Reach out to George Denman at his Miami email: denomang@miamioh.edu