Meredith Chandler, Head of Sales at Aligned, recently joined the hosts of 30 Minutes to President’s Club to share her perspective on what separates good sellers from great ones. Her advice goes beyond theory, focusing on practical habits reps can put into play right away — from recapping calls with confidence to quantifying pain in dollars and delivering pricing without hesitation.
Here are three practices that consistently make the difference between good reps and great ones:
1. Start Calls With a “What We Heard” Recap
By the second call, you’re often dealing with new stakeholders. A quick verbal recap doesn’t cut it — great reps bring a short slide with three to four specific takeaways from earlier conversations.
Why it works:
- Shows professionalism and a white-glove approach.
- Aligns everyone on the same page right away.
- Builds credibility by demonstrating that you listen and remember details.
The key is detail. Generic notes like “want to increase ACV” won’t land. Instead, call out specifics such as “looking to increase ACV from $10K to $15K by Q4 via new product line adoption.”
2. Quantify Pain in Real Dollars
Discovery is a start, but it’s not enough. Great reps take it a step further and tie pain points to measurable business impact.
Example flow:
- Prospect says deals are slipping.
- Slips = missed quota.
- Last quarter’s quota miss = $200K gap.
- If it continues, that’s a $1M annual problem.
This transforms vague challenges into hard-dollar business issues that demand attention. It also taps into buyer psychology — people are twice as likely to act to avoid loss as they are to pursue gain.
3. Deliver Pricing With Confidence
Discounts often happen because sellers negotiate against themselves. Instead, state your price simply and confidently — then stop talking.
Avoid hedging phrases like:
- “Our list price is…”
- “It’s $50, but let me see what I can do…”
Both signal there’s wiggle room. Instead, keep the focus on value. If challenged, redirect with questions like “Compared to what?” or anchor back to the quantified business impact. Confident delivery builds trust and helps protect margins.
Bonus: Show Empathy Along the Way
Sales isn’t just about business cases and ROI. When a prospect shares something tough — like missing quota — pause to acknowledge it before moving on. Sellers who show empathy create stronger relationships and make buyers feel heard, which is just as critical as the numbers.
Final Thought
Great selling isn’t about fancy tactics. It’s about disciplined habits: recap what you’ve learned, quantify the real impact, and deliver value with confidence. When combined with the right tools — like Digital Sales Rooms or Mutual Action Plans — these habits not only win deals, but also create predictable, repeatable success.
For more insights, watch the full conversation with Meredith Chandler here:
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