Have you ever spent hours building out referral programs only to hear crickets? You are not alone. In this episode of the Sales Maven Show, Nikki Rausch dives into why formal referral programs so often fail to produce results, even though referrals are one of the most powerful ways to grow your business. On paper, incentivizing people to send clients your way sounds smart and strategic. In reality, adding structure, tracking, and compensation can unintentionally shift referrals from something generous and relationship driven into something transactional and awkward. Sales conversations are emotional, and referrals are personal. When you attach money to them, the dynamic changes.

Nikki unpacks three key reasons referral programs stall. They remove the generosity factor that makes referrals feel good. They accidentally turn your contacts into an unpaid sales team, adding pressure most people do not want. And they create extra work in the form of tracking and administration that can introduce friction. Instead of focusing on formal referral programs, Nikki encourages listeners to make referrals easy and relational. Get crystal clear on who you serve and the problem you solve so others can describe it in a sentence or two. Show genuine appreciation in ways that feel meaningful to the individual. And most importantly, nurture relationships long before you ever ask for a referral. Referrals thrive on connection, not commission. When you lead with clarity and gratitude, you create the kind of experience people naturally want to share.

Nikki invites you to join the Sales Maven Society. Take advantage of this opportunity to work together with you and Nikki. Bring your questions, concerns, and sales situations; she provides answers and guidance. Join the Sales Maven Society here, click Join Today, and then checkout and use coupon code 47trial to get your first month for $47.00!

For more actionable sales tips, download the FREE Closing The Sale Ebook.

Nikki Rausch

nikki@yoursalesmaven.com

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Sales Maven Society

https://calendly.com/salesmaven/work-with-nikki-discussion

Feeling overwhelmed in your business but unsure where to start with delegation? In this episode of the Sales Maven Show, Samantha Prestidge, founder of Auxo Business Services, shares her practical framework for identifying how to delegate tasks and find the right person before the hiring process even begins.

Most business owners approach delegation backwards. Instead of asking "What can I get off my plate?" Samantha explains why you should start by identifying what you want to keep. Her Map It, Keep It, Delegate It framework simplifies the entire process.

First, map your business into three core buckets: Sales (how you find clients), Ops (how you deliver services), and Cash (how you manage finances). Then identify what lights you up and what truly requires your expertise. Everything else becomes a candidate for delegation.

Samantha also addresses a common misconception about how to delegate. You do not need perfect SOPs before hiring. Many business owners delay getting help because they think everything must be documented first. In reality, a good assistant will improve your processes and create better systems than you would on your own.

The conversation covers essential hiring strategies, including how to identify the right person for your team, what questions to ask during interviews, and how to spot red flags early. Samantha emphasizes the importance of clarity. Knowing what you need from a team member prevents micromanagement and supports a stronger working relationship.

Key takeaways include understanding which tasks naturally group together, determining when industry experience actually matters, and being clear about your personal working style preferences. These insights help you avoid common hiring mistakes and build a team that genuinely supports your business growth.

Whether you are hiring your first assistant or refining your delegation strategy, this episode offers actionable guidance to help you delegate effectively and focus on what you do best.

In this episode of the Sales Maven Show, Nikki Rausch dives into one of the most overlooked parts of a successful sales conversation: conversation starters. Not scripts. Not pitch openers. But intentional ways to create safety, clarity, and connection from the very beginning of a sales conversation. Nikki explains why so many smart, capable professionals feel awkward or disconnected on sales calls, and why this has far less to do with skill and far more to do with pressure and mindset. When you stop trying to "say the right thing" and start focusing on building rapport, sales conversations become calmer, more natural, and far more effective.

Nikki reminds listeners that relationship selling is about flow, not performance. A strong conversation starter sets the emotional tone and direction for the entire call. It invites collaboration instead of control and curiosity instead of convincing. When you enter a sales conversation grounded and regulated, you build trust. And when trust is present, movement happens. Nikki also emphasizes the importance of managing your emotional state before the call, noting that you do not need to show up as a perfect version of yourself. You simply need to show up as the best version you are capable of in that moment.

The episode walks through three practical conversation starters designed to help prospects feel heard while giving you critical insight into their needs, readiness, and decision-making process. Nikki explains how each starter positions the buyer as the expert in their own experience, reduces pressure, and prevents overexplaining. She also shares why listening fully, pausing instead of jumping in, and taking notes are essential skills that directly impact your ability to guide the conversation and close cleanly.

Listeners will learn how conversation starters help reveal urgency, communication style, emotional drivers, and fit, all without sounding salesy or scripted. Nikki also offers coaching on how to practice these conversation starters intentionally by choosing one and testing it across multiple sales conversations. This approach builds confidence, strengthens presence, and makes sales conversations feel lighter and more effective over time.

This episode is especially valuable for consultants, coaches, and service-based business owners who want sales conversations to feel less heavy and more human. When you shift your focus from performing to connecting, conversation starters become one of the most powerful tools in your sales process.

Nikki invites you to join the Sales Maven Society. Take advantage of this opportunity to work together with you and Nikki. Bring your questions, concerns, and sales situations; she provides answers and guidance. Join the Sales Maven Society here, click Join Today, and then checkout and use coupon code 47trial to get your first month for $47.00!

For more actionable sales tips, download the FREE Closing The Sale Ebook.

Nikki Rausch

nikki@yoursalesmaven.com

Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram

Sales Maven Society

https://calendly.com/salesmaven/work-with-nikki-discussion