Illustrate

d by
Martin Barnes
ISBN 2435 7373 6467 84856
Written by Josh Braun
© 2022
www.joshbraun.com

Illustration and Design by Martin Barnes

 Table Of Contents
Hello ........................................................................................................3

Commission Breath ................................................................................4

Boo .........................................................................................................6

Carla Is So Controlling ...........................................................................8

Comparing Yourself to Others ..............................................................10

Generic Jane ........................................................................................12

Flaunt Your Flaws .................................................................................14

Asking Killer Questions .........................................................................16

A Bad Case of the “I’d Love To’s” .........................................................19

The Zone of Resistance (ZOR) .............................................................22

Let Go of What You Don’t Control .........................................................26

Blame Yourself ......................................................................................29

Why Assuming Doesn’t Go Well ...........................................................32

Do You Want Dessert? ..........................................................................34

“Waiter, There’s a Blade in My Bowl” ....................................................37

All Cars Must Go ...................................................................................40

Pitch Slapping .......................................................................................43

Time Zones ...........................................................................................46

Attached vs. Detached ..........................................................................48

Your Price Is Too High ..........................................................................52

Let People Connect the Dots .................................................................55

Trust Before Transaction .......................................................................58

Hello
Please meet some snakes struggling with sales.

If you’re saying to yourself, “Good heavens, Josh, I’m no

snake!” I’d say “You’re correct. You’re not.” However,
sometimes we all do snaky things to get a sale.

We create false urgency. We don’t take no for an answer.

We press too hard.

So, I started captioning snakes doing salesy things as a

reminder of what not to do (and what to do instead).
Thus, Snakes Struggling with Sales was born.

A few of these snakes sound like me sometimes.

Do any of them sound like you?

(Signature???)

3
 Commission Breath

Sam has ‘commission breath’—he puts his best interests

before yours.

4
4
 The Problem
When your intent is to sell to everyone, you behave in ways that feel “snaky.”

You follow up seven times in seven days. You don’t take no for an answer.

Whenever prospects feel the push, they pull away.

Same intent. Same snaky behaviors. Same results.

The Way Out

Detach from the outcome. Let go of assuming you’re a fit for everyone.

When you detach from the outcome, prospects lower their guards because
they don’t feel “sold” or “manipulated .”

Your job? Help people make a decision even if that doesn’t involve you.

Sorting not selling.

Your mantra? You’re for some people, but you’re not for everyone.

Different intent. Different behavior. Different results.

5
 Boo
Circling
back.

I’m sure
you’re busy

After being ghosted, Gus sent six follow-up messages in six days.

6
 The Problem
Nobody likes a needy snake.

Why?

We're hardwired to protect our hard-earned money against needy

salespeople. It's called self-preservation.

The Way Out

People buy on their timeline and for their reasons, not yours.

Send a one-sentence email and move on. Here are a few examples:

“Kim, have you deferred the project?”

“Kim, have you put the cold email workshop on hold?”

The psychology?

People have a strong desire to act in ways that are consistent with their words.
We want to be in homeostasis.

When your actions aren’t consistent with your words, it doesn’t feel good. It’s
called cognitive dissonance.

If you don’t get a response, it’s a gift because you can focus on people who
are motivated to talk with you.

Selling is about having conversions with an “s,” not a conversion.

7
 Carla Is So Controlling

Carla is trying to stop worrying about things she can’t control, but
it’s not going too well.

8
 The Problem
“I want a meeting.”

“When will I get the sale?”

“When will I catch a fish?”

Focusing on things you don't control (catching fish) is a recipe for being
anxious and stressed out all the time.

The Way Out

Only focus on things you control.

“I’m going to know my cold call talk track.”

“I’m going to know what to say when prospects raise five common objections.”

“I’m going to write 35 thoughtful cold emails per day.”

“I’m going to ask five customers a day for a referral.”

The joy of selling (and life) happens when you let go of things you don't
control.

Detach from the outcome.

Outcomes are byproducts of getting a little better at fishing every day and
being patient.

When your mind thinks about the fish, bring it back to fishing.

Fishing is the path to happiness.

9
Comparing Yourself to Others

These resentful snakes are keeping score.

10
 The Problem
Whenever you compare yourself to others, all you see are your shortcomings.

The Way Out

Brains tend to be negatively biased.

Focusing on other people’s success or strengths and ignoring your own is a

recipe for being pissed off all the time.

Here are four things you can do to turn the comparison switch off:

1.Be aware that you’re comparing yourself to others. The simple act of thinking
about your thoughts will turn down the volume. Remind yourself to stay in
your swim lane. Thinking about your thinking starts to reprogram your brain,
so comparing isn’t your default.

2. Be happy for other people’s success.

3. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, focus on what you do have.
Write down all the awesome qualities about yourself and what you’ve
accomplished. Read the list. I promise you’ll be blown away.

4. Encourage yourself.

When was the last time you encouraged yourself? Pump your fist and tell
yourself you’re doing great from time to time.

Turning off the comparison switch is an important skill to master.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to yourself.

11
 Generic Jane

“We’re saving people time.” “We’ve saving people money.” “We’re

increasing sales.”

12
 The Problem
Generic phrases put people in the Zone of Resistance (ZOR) because
that’s what salespeople always say. So, their reflex reaction is to say, “I
already have an accountant.”

The Way Out

To stand out, you need to ask a question that illuminates a big expensive
problem your prospect might not know about.

In other words, you need to poke the bear.

Here’s what that might sound like on a cold call:

“I have no idea about your situation, but we’re seeing that many solopreneurs
in Florida are overpaying $6K-$11K in taxes every year due to deductions most
accountants miss, so I was hoping I could ask a couple of questions to see if
this might be relevant . Would that be okay?”

That would make my ears perk up because the last thing I want is to lose $6K-
$11K every year.

The psychology?

People tend to prefer avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains. It’s called
loss aversion.

What does it cost your prospect to do nothing?

Ditch the pitch.

Poke the bear.

Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to yourself.

13
 Flaunt Your Flaws

Pam is so proud of her perfect product. The problem with

being perfect is that people smell her BS from a mile away.

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 The Problem
Of course, Pam is going to tell you her product is perfect.

She has a vested interest. She’s biased.

Prospects know Pam is cherry-picking stats to prove a point.

She’s telling part of the story to get a sale, so people are skeptical. No trust, no
transaction.

The Way Out

Tell people the entire story, instead of part of the story.

Nothing is perfect. Saying, “Here are the benefits and here are the drawbacks”
builds more trust than saying, “Our product is perfect.”

When people see that your product isn’t perfect, they’re more included to see
you as trustworthy.

Look for opportunities to point out your product’s weaknesses. Flaunt your
flaws.

15
 Asking Killer Questions

Tina wants to impress prospects during a discovery call. However,

her questions put people into a sleep-induced coma.

16
 The Problem
“How’s the weather?”

“How many offices do you have?”

“What’s your current process for transitioning people to work remotely?”

Everyone asks those questions, so you don’t stand out.

Vanilla, emotionally devoid questions don’t hit prospects on an emotional level.

Humans are drawn to people who are experts. The opposite is also true.

The Way Out

Nailing your questions is critical when talking with people that have a higher
social status than you do.

Chances are they’ve been asked the same questions by countless

salespeople over and over again.

Here are some examples of killer questions that will help you stand out.

Example to quickly build rapport

“Triathlons. Can you tell me why you love such a grueling physical
experience? And use as much detail as possible.”

Why this question? It's visceral. If you can make people feel something—humor,
angst, passion, desire—they’ll want more of you.

17
This is for someone who does triathlons, but you can easily apply the
underlying psychology to your prospect.

Here’s another killer question:

“Remote work has exploded almost overnight as the pandemic struck.
Companies like Twitter, Microsoft, and Square have embraced working from
home, with some proposing a “hybrid” working model. As someone who’s
spent about 20 years in HR, what do you see as some of the highlights and
lowlights or most frustrating things about working from home?”

Why is this question killer?

Having a grasp of your prospect’s industry shows that you have expertise.

Expertise opens doors.

Prospects subconsciously think, “This person is sharp. What do they know that
I don’t know?”

When you ask questions that demonstrate that you’re an insider, you separate
yourself from everyone who hasn’t done their research.

People are drawn to people that have expertise. It’s why you hire certified
personal trainers.

Be a personal trainer, not a waiter who takes orders.

18
A Bad Case of the “I’d Love To’s”

Lucy has a bad case of the “I’d Love To’s.”

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 The Problem
When you have a case of the “I’d Love To’s,” prospects know you’re putting
your best interests before theirs—so they pull away.

The Way Out

Prospects don’t care about what you’d love to do. They care about what they
would love to do. Those two things sound similar, but they are two
completely different things.

Here’s how to turn Lucy’s “I would love to…” question into “What you can
do…” questions.

I Would Love To
“I would love to meet for 20 minutes. How’s Tuesday at 3?”

What You Can Do

“Would you be open to investing 20 minutes later this week so you can review
what your options are for improving forecast accuracy?”

If you receive ano, try this: “Sounds like I’m jumping the gun. Where would you like to
go from here?”

I Would Love To
“I would love to meet your VP of Sales.”

20
What You Can Do
Would it make sense to set up a demo for your VP of Sales so you can get
their take?”

If you receive a no, try this: “Sounds like I’m jumping the gun. What next
step, if any, would you like to take?”

21
 The Zone of Resistance (ZOR)

Whenever Bob tries to talk people into something, they want out.

22
 The Problem
Nobody tells this to salespeople who are beginners.

I wish someone had told me.

It's not your job to talk other people into buying.

When your intent is to talk people into things, you behave in ways that create
pressure.

Whenever people feel pressure, they enter the Zone of Resistance (ZOR).

Your ZOR is a reflex reaction to salespeople who put their best interests first.

Your ZOR protects you from being sprayed with perfume when you're walking
through Macy's.

It's why you tell department store associates you're "just looking.”

Same intent.

Same behavior.

Same results.

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 The Way Out
So, your first job when reaching out to skeptical prospects is to lower the ZOR.

How?
Change your intent.

Detach from the outcome.

You're for some people, but you're not for everyone.

Imagine that you're sorting, not selling.

Detaching from the outcome changes what you say and how you sound.

Your new intent?

Be curious about how your prospect is currently getting the job done to
determine IF there's a problem; rather than assuming there's a problem.

Here's what that might sound like on a cold call for a triathlon coach:

Permission
"Hi Josh, Coach Anna. We've never spoken before. And I know you weren't
expecting my call. Do you mind if I ask you a question?’

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Context
"Thanks. I came across your name because I'm working with several athletes
in the Boca Tri Club.”

Be Curious Without Having Expectations

"So, I was wondering, do you have any races coming up, or are you sitting this
season out?"

Conversation started.

Ditch the pitch.

Different intent.

Different behavior.

Different results.

25
25
 Let Go of What You Don’t Control

The problem with controlling everything is that it makes you unhappy

and pissed off all the time.

26
 The Problem
Attachment to the outcome is the root of sales anxiety.

If your intent is to book a meeting with everyone, you’re attaching your self-
worth to an extrinsic reward (the meeting).

So, when you don’t a meeting you feel rejected and afraid.

There’s a popular neuroscience phrase that describes this, “Neurons that fire
together wire together.”

Same intent.

Same feelings.

Here’s the thing...

Focusing on things you don’t control is a recipe for feeling rejected and
anxious all the time.

You don’t control how people interpret your message or if they book a
meeting.

You do control:
Who you call.

How many people you call.

What you say.

How you sound.

How you respond to what prospects say.

How patient / consistent you are.

27
 The Way Out
What if you *gasp* did away with the idea of talking people into booking a
meeting?

What if you started by understanding instead of assuming?

What if you were open to the idea that prospects might be able to make
progress without you?

What if you focused on getting better instead of booking meetings?

What if after every conversation you asked yourself these two questions:

What’s one thing I did well?

What’s one thing I’d like to improve?

You might not feel a difference immediately. But what about seven months
from now? You’d have far less anxiety.

Be patient.
Instant gratification destroys so many sales careers.

It takes four years to master any

money-making skill.

You’re exactly where you should be. You’re doing great.

Different intent.

Different feelings.

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 Blame Yourself

Honestly, sometimes Mamba likes blaming more than hissing.

29
 The Problem
Our default is to blame others—the sneaky co-worker who “stole” your job, the
manager, the company, your territory. You get the idea.

There’s always a better car.

A better house.

A better job.

Even if you “fire” your current job and “hire” a new job, you’re probably going
to end up with the same fear of missing out on a better job in eight months.

It’s a vicious cycle.

The Way Out

Focus on “getting better” rather than chasing “better.”

How?
Observe when you’re chasing “better.”

The simple act of thinking about your thinking will turn the volume down.

Write down the positive things about your current job. You’ll be surprised by
how many there are.

If you’re fantasizing about something you want but aren’t getting at work, talk
to your manager.

30
Say something like this:
“Ms. Manager, I know I’m responsible for getting better at my job, but was
wondering what resources you recommend for getting better at cold calling.”

“My bad. Thanks for letting me know. Next time I'll do X to avoid this from
happening again.”

“Who's a top performer I can shadow?

31
Why Assuming Doesn’t Go Well

Assuming isn’t going very well for Max.

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 The Problem
If you assume you know why people want a “sunroof,” then the information
you give might not fit with what they want.

To the customer, when you assume, it feels like you’re selling them instead of
serving them.

The Way Out

Switch from assuming to understanding. Like this:

Prospect: "Does the car have a sunroof?"

Salesperson: “It sounds like you have a reason for asking that?”

Prospect: "I don't want a sunroof because they make the car noisier.”

Salesperson: "Noise bothers me too, especially on the highway. if you'd like, I

can show you a few cars with your spec that don't have sunroofs."

Prospect: “That sounds good.”

People don’t buy because they understand you; they buy because you
understand them.

33
Do You Want Dessert?

Desserts are down for Don.

34
 The Problem
Everyone says, “Do you want dessert?” so you don’t stand out. “No thanks” is
a reflex reaction to messages that prospects don’t perceive as being
meaningfully different.

The Way Out

I had lunch at the Tin Muffin in Boca Raton, Florida. Here’s what Jennifer, my
server said:

“We have many desserts, but there’s one standout—it’s our homemade
banana cake. I have two kids and two cats, and this cake is my favorite thing
in life. It’s life-altering, and I don’t like bananas. I think we have a few slices
left, but I’m not sure.”

I said yes.

People buy confidence.

I told Jennifer that she was one of the best salespeople I’ve ever met. Jennifer
said, “I’m not a salesperson; I just like serving great food.”

Profound sales lesson. Serving, not selling.

35
36
“Waiter, There’s a Blade in My Bowl”

“What’s the big deal? It’s just a sharp blade.”

37
 The Problem
Jean-Louis Gassée, who used to run Apple France, describes this situation as
the choice of the two tokens.

When you deal with someone who's upset, you can choose to take a token
that subconsciously says, "It's not a big deal," or the token that says, "It's the
end of the world." Whichever token you pick, they'll choose the other.

The Way Out

If the owner chose the "It's the end of the world" token, he might have said
something like this:

"OH MY GOD! I'm so sorry. Are you okay? I'm so embarrassed. You probably
never want to come back here again. Here's a punch card for five bowls. I
know this doesn't make up for the trauma this caused you. I'm going to make
sure every blender passes an inspection test. I'm also going to bring this to
the manufacturer's attention. Again, I am so sorry about this."

If the owner said that, my friend wouldn't have been so pissed because she
would have chosen the "It's not a big deal" token.

The takeaway?

38
Knowing how to make people feel heard and understood is a good skill to
master.

39
 All Cars Must Go

Sam’s commission breath gets particularly pungent at the end

of the month.

40
 The Problem
When you ask questions that are in your best interests, prospects can smell
your commission breath.

Of course, you’re going to say the Volvo is amazing; you have a vested
interest.

Whenever prospects feel you’re leading them to a desired answer they pull
away.

The Way Out

My wife (Jenna) and I pull into the Volvo dealership.

The salesperson (Balvin) notices Jenna’s car and says:

“What do you like about your Audi?”

Here’s my wife:

“The tech is easy to use.”

“The steering is tight.”

“It’s cute.”

Here’s Balvin:

“Sounds like it’s the perfect car for you. What are you doing here?”
(Smiling)

41
Here’s Jenna:

“I don’t feel safe.”

“I just spent $50 filling my gas tank. I want electric.”

“I don’t want to be so low to the ground.”

With two simple questions, Balvin tailored his pitch to what Jenna liked and
didn’t like about her car.

Here’s Balvin:

“The first thing I want to show you is how easy the tech is to use.”

“The high seating position provides a great overview and a feeling of

control.”

“Look how cute it is from the side.”

“Supportive driver assistance helps you maintain a safe distance to cars

in front by adapting your speed.”

“Notice how tight the steering is.”

“You get a $7,500 tax credit for having an electric car.”

When you ask people what they like about their current “car,” you will find
out what they want.

42
 Pitch Slapping

I’m not
interested.

Susy’s face is so red from being pitch-slapped.

43
 The Problem

“I’m not interested.”

If you make cold calls, you probably hear this objection all the time.

It typically happens after your pitch.

Here’s what a pitch sounds like:

Pitch: "We help you streamline prescribing with a preauthorization process that
increases efficiency."

Prospect: "I’m not interested.”

Of course, your prospect isn’t interested.

They’re making progress without you. If they were interested, they'd be calling
you and your competitors.

The problem is there’s no problem. :)

Pitches are statements.

And statements are easy to object to.

I say, “It’s so hot.”

You object and say, “It’s not that hot.”

44
 The Way Out

Ditch the pitch.

Ask a question that shines a light on a problem your prospect might not know.

In other words, poke the bear.

Example for AcariaHealth:

Salesperson: "We’re seeing that nurses spend 20% of their time dealing with
prior authorizations. How are you handling prior authorizations today?
Are you using a specialty pharmacy, sending it to Walgreens / CVS,
or doing it yourself?"

Feel the difference?

Questions don't lend themselves to “I’m not interested” because they’re not
statements. When you’re curious, you aren’t pitching.

Statements are door closers.

Questions are door openers.

Ditch the pitch.

Poke the bear.

45
 Time Zones

Ug, I’ll convert this to

my time zone later.

Does 3 pm MST
work?

Always convert times to the prospect’s time zone, not yours.

46
 The Problem

If your prospect is on the East Coast, they have to burn a few calories by
converting the time zone from PST, MST, or CST to EST. Sometimes this tiny
barrier is enough to make them secretly think, "I'll come back to this later” and
they never do.

The Way Out

When asking for time, convert times into the prospect's time zone.

47
Attached vs. Detached

Fixing on outcomes is stressing out Sue.

48
 The Problem

When you're attached to booking a meeting (aka external validation), it means

there's a part of you that feels you're not worthy when you don’t get a meeting.

Since your thoughts affect your actions, you go into a downward spiral. You
behave like a needy snake. Nobody likes a needy snake.

Same thoughts.

Same feelings.

Same behaviors.

The Way Out

Here’s the good news. You can change with a simple mindset shift. Detach
from the outcome. Here’s some phraseology for shifting your mindset:

Attached
I need to talk everyone into booking a meeting.
Detached
I’m for some people, but I’m not for everyone. I’m going to see if people have
an issue I can potentially help with rather than assuming they do.

49
Attached
I need my boss to see my name at the top of the leaderboard.
Detached
I don’t need to prove my self-worth to anyone. I’m the captain of my own ship.

Attached
Why are some prospects rude to me when I cold call them?
Detached
I don’t need to know why people are rude. A world without rude people isn’t
possible. I don’t control how other people behave. I’m going to tune out what I
don’t control.

Attached
The prospect canceled on me three times. That hurts. I’m going to keep
chasing.
Detached
I need to tighten my boundaries. If a prospect cancels on me three times,
they’re out. I’m not going to invest time with people who don’t invest time with
me.

Attached
I missed quota, I suck.
Detached
I don’t suck. I’m the prize. I don’t control quota (aka a guess). I’m getting a little
better each day. The path to happiness is progress.

Attached
I have to overcome this objection so I can move the sale forward.
Detached
I want to understand the prospect’s concern to get to more truth.

50
Attached
My job is to persuade.
Detached
It’s not my job to talk people into things. I’m going to shine a light on a
potential problem or opportunity and let people decide for themselves if
they’d like to continue the conversation.

Different thoughts.

Different feelings.

Different behaviors.

51
 Your Price Is Too High

Jamba is trying to justify the price and it’s not going very well.

52
 The Problem

Whenever you explain why your price is worth it, prospects subconsciously
think, “Of course you’re going to say that, you have a vested interest.”
Whenever prospects feel the pressure, they enter the Zone of Resistance
(ZOR). The ZOR is a reflex reaction to pressure. Pressure is perceived as a
threat.

The Way Out

View objections as something to understand, not overcome.

There could be any number of reasons why prospects think your price is too
high. So, what you need is an approach that helps you uncover the reason why
your prospect thinks your price is too high.

Here’s what prospects really mean when they say you’re too expensive:

1.“I haven’t allocated a budget for this.”

2. “You’re more than my current solution.”

3. “You’re no different from a lower-cost competitor.”

4. “The big pile of money is greater than the cost of inaction.”

5. “I don’t trust you.”

6. “I don’t believe your solution will work for me.”

53
7. “I’m making progress without you.”

8. “I’m afraid I’ll get fired if your solution doesn’t deliver.”

9. “I don’t think people will adopt it.”

10.“I don’t have the bandwidth to roll this out.”

11.“You’re more than I expected.”

Here are some labels (Chris Voss) you can use to get to the truth.

Isolate:

“Sounds like the price is your only concern.”

Discover (Labeling - Voss)

“It seems like there’s a reason you think we’re too expansive.”

“It sounds like you’re comparing this to something else.”

“It seems like there’s a ceiling to what you want to pay.”

54
Let People Connect the Dots

Iggy has a bad case of the ‘Ijustwannttos.’

55
 The Problem

Whenever you try to talk people into buying, they want out. Nobody likes being
persuaded.

The Way Out

Let go of assumption. Sure, you think you can help, but you don’t know until
you discover IF your prospect has a problem.

Switch from persuading to discovering.

Persuading sounds like this:

"This is Mandy with ACME. I wanted to reach out because we've been helping
SaaS companies like yours achieve auditable commission calculations at
scale."

Here's what discovering sounds like:

Question 1: Understand Their Current Way

"Many RevOps teams I speak with use Excel or Google Sheets to determine
payouts. How are you calculating and running payouts—are you using
spreadsheets or is it automated?"

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Question 2: Shine a Light on What's Possible (Poke the Bear):

"Since you've had a long and successful career in RevOps, I’m curious,
what's your take on using automation to determine payouts?"

Switch from making statements to asking questions.

Switch from persuading to listening. Understand how the prospect is getting

the job done first.

Then ask a question that makes prospects think differently about their current
solution.

Then shut your mouth and listen without having an agenda.

Let people connect the dots.

The best way to persuade is to let people persuade themselves.

57
Trust Before Transaction

Dan’s prospects are playing hard to get.

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 The Problem

Complete strangers are playing “hard to get” because they don’t trust
salespeople. When there’s no trust, prospects duck and dodge you.

The Way Out

Pop quiz.

Which prospec t is more likely to take a meeting that converts into a sale?

A complete stranger or a former customer who’s now working for a different

company?

The former customer, right? They’re familiar with you. You have credibility
and trust.

Imagine if you were notified every time a customer joined a new company.

You don’t have to imagine it; you can set it up.

Here’s how:

1. From the Sales Navigator homepage, click Lists.

2. Select Lead Lists from the dropdown that appears.

59
3. Click create. Enter your list name. For example, “Switchers,”

Add every customer to the ‘Switchers” list.

Now when a customer switches companies, you’ll be notified.

Here’s an email you can send to Switchers:

“Hey John - Looks like you used X at ACME to {desired outcome}. Worth
exploring for Z? Not that I have a vested interest or anything :-).”

Trust before transaction.

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 Comments

Disssssssapointing
It’s not just that Snakes Strugglingwith Sales is sssssssso bad.

It’s bad in ways that made me ssssshed my skin.

Pssssssychological pressure appealing to fear, greed, and pride will 10X your
revenue. Carefully study and coldly prey upon these weaknesses if you want to
be rich.

Stanley, Bush Viper, Western Africa

Disssssssapointing
It’s not just that Snakes Struggling with Sales is sssssssso bad.

It’s bad in ways that made me ssssshed my skin.

Pssssssychological pressure appealing to fear, greed, and pride will 10X your
revenue. Carefully study and coldly prey upon these weaknesses if you want to
be rich.

Stanley, Bush Viper, Western Africa

61
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