THE SALES DEVELOPMENT PODCAST

Episode 154: Steve Benson

With all the current madness, it’s harder than ever to stay focused and on track. Once you add in a team, the demands become even more intense. 

In this episode, veteren entrepreneur Steve Benson has been through it all, and have figured out how to run his company, Badger Maps, stay on track and find success during this difficult time. 

Join us for this wide ranging discussion! 

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Notable Quotes: 

            “An economic crisis is probably the hardest time to be a sales leader—you have to be able
                        to confront reality and be action-oriented.”

                                                            – Steve Benson

Brief Summary

             The global pandemic plunged us all into unexplored terrain. How do you keep everything in line and keep them running in the midst of everything that’s happening?

Today’s Guest: Steven Benson

                         Steven Benson is the CEO and co-founder of Badger Maps. As a CEO, he understands the importance of communication in these trying times, and he’s got his process down on how to keep your head leveled so you can keep running your company smoothly.

The episode touches on the following key topics and ideas: 

  • Introductions (00:35)
  • Steve Benson’s LinkedIn Learning course (01:05)
    • Tough times, tough changes (01:46)
  • The challenges to overcome in these trying times (02:20)
    • Competitors getting desperate (02:33)
    • Customer resistance (03:00)
  • What sales managers should be doing (04:02)
    • Negotiation training (04:20)
    • Ask the hard questions (05:13)
    • Don’t go silent—be active (05:28)
  • Ideas and diagnosing the situation (05:55)
    • Spend half of your time to help and coach your reps (06:28)
  • Inside sales rep and field sales reps (07:56)
  • Field salespeople and the importance of relationships (09:42)
  • The phone as a prospecting tool (10:51)
    • Changing the structure of the sales team (11:54)
  • SDR’s and the software industry (13:55)
  • Clickability in phone prospecting that isn’t SaaS (14:54)
    • Hunter mentality vs. Farmer mentality (15:34)
  • Leaving messages when phone prospecting (16:12)
  • Redo the playbook in this new reality (17:08)
    • Shifting the messaging to fit today’s context (18:40)
  • Advice as the team rejiggers its process (20:25)
    • How communication is so important now (21:16)
  • How often Steven communicates with his team as the CEO (22:06)
    • The importance of being transparent (22:49)
  • Overcommunicating and the channels for communication (24:07)
  • Dialing back on meetings at Badger Maps (26:10)
  • The Eisenhower Matrix (26:54)
  • Efficient systems that Steve uses to run Badger Maps (27:34)
    • David Sacks: “Finance and sales should be one cycle.” (28:58)
  • EOS: The Entrepreneur Operating System (29:54)
  • Being both the visionary and integrator: the art and the science (31:32)

List of Resources Mentioned in the Episode 

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  • From Impossible to Inevitable: How SaaS and Other Hyper-Growth Companies Create Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross

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