Sales [UN]Training

Hosted by Kelly Riggs & Pod About It Productions

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160

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Your weekly sales strategy guide that will rewire your sales brain to bust bad habits and crush your number. The way that companies train salespeople is broken. Host Kelly Riggs discusses what ACTUALLY works in sales with leading experts in our industry. Forget what you think you know about sales. It's time to train hard and play to win. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. His third book is the award-winning Counter Mentor Leadership: How to Unlock the Potential of the 4-Generation Workplace, co-written with his Millennial son, Robby Riggs. It was selected as the 2019 Gold Medal winner in the leadership category by Axiom Business Books Awards. Note: No trophies were awarded during the writing of this book. For more information, visit www.BizLockerRoom.com.

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October 19, 202628 min

The 3 Rules of Coaching Salespeople (That Nobody Follows)

Why isn't sales coaching producing better results? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs explains why effective coaching is one of the most important responsibilities of a sales leader—and why so many managers fail to make it a consistent priority. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Research cited in the episode points to a significant opportunity: effective sales coaching can lead to substantial performance improvements. Yet many sales managers spend their days buried in CRM maintenance, pipeline reviews, forecasting, meetings, and administrative work. When does coaching happen, and what does it cost your organization when it doesn't? Kelly explains why telling salespeople what to do, reviewing deals, helping with pricing, and providing product support are not the same as coaching. Real coaching changes behavior and builds the skills reps need to perform better, even when their managers aren't there. You'll learn the three essential rules of effective sales coaching: Be Present: Observe live sales calls to understand how reps interact with prospects, ask questions, listen, and identify customer needs. Coach what you actually see rather than what you assume is happening. Be Persistent: Consistency matters. Occasional ride-alongs and sporadic feedback won't reliably replace bad habits with better ones. Salespeople need regular observation, reinforcement, and guidance. Practice With Purpose: Help reps improve through intentional practice, from role-play to real conversations at trade shows. Identify the specific skill to work on, prepare before the interaction, repeat the behavior, and look for measurable improvement. Kelly also challenges sales leaders to reconsider their priorities, make time for coaching, and take responsibility for developing their people. If you're a sales manager, director, or V.P. of Sales looking to build stronger skills, improve team performance, and create lasting behavior change, this episode offers a practical framework for making coaching count. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

October 14, 202628 min

Why Your Sales Team Is Underperforming And How to Fix It

Why Is Your Sales Team Underperforming, and How Can You Fix It? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training, Kelly Riggs explains why sales managers struggle to address performance issues and how effective leadership, clear expectations, and accountability can transform sales team performance. 🎧 Follow the audio podcast and watch or listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Sales performance problems are inevitable, but ineffective management can make them worse. From micromanagement and frustration to unclear expectations and inconsistent accountability, many sales leaders rely on approaches that fail to create lasting behavior change. In this episode, Kelly Riggs breaks down the three major causes of performance problems: aptitude, attitude, and access. He explains how to identify the real issues affecting your salespeople and why simply telling employees to improve is not the same as effective coaching. Kelly also explores why micromanagement damages trust, how anger and frustration fail to correct performance issues, and why many managers struggle to hold employees accountable. One of the most important lessons in this episode is the power of setting crystal-clear expectations. Sales managers must define the desired results, communicate deadlines, and establish consistent consequences when expectations are not met. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ The three major causes of sales performance problems, aptitude, attitude, and access. ✅ Why micromanagement can damage trust and push high-performing salespeople away. ✅ How to set clear expectations for sales activities, responsibilities, and results. ✅ Why frustration and anger are not effective leadership strategies. ✅ How accountability and consistent consequences influence employee behavior. ✅ Why effective sales coaching and training are essential for improving performance. ✅ How to build a stronger sales culture through better leadership and communication. Whether you're a sales supervisor, sales manager, regional manager, director of sales, or VP of Sales, this episode offers valuable insights into sales management, performance improvement, leadership development, and building a high-performing sales team. 📘 Get Kelly Riggs's new book, Five Power Moves: How Struggling Sales Managers Become Transformational Sales Leaders. Visit: https://the5pmbook.com 🌐 Get more Kelly Riggs: https://www.BizLockerRoom.com Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant who works with executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He is widely recognized for his expertise in sales, management leadership, performance coaching, and strategic planning. A former sales executive, two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, and business owner, Kelly has also been a member of the Forbes Coaches Council since 2019. His books include 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. 👍 Enjoying Sales [UN]Training? Like this episode, subscribe to the channel, and share it with a sales manager who wants to improve their leadership skills and sales team performance. Music and Editing by @dougbranson and Pod About It Productions

October 5, 202628 min

Best Of: What Can Salespeople ACTUALLY Control?

In this episode of Sales [UN]Training , Kelly Riggs challenges sales leaders to confront one of the most damaging patterns in sales organizations: focusing on what's outside their control. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Economic headwinds. Marketing gaps. Customer service issues. Tariffs. Competition. While all of these factors are real, Kelly makes the case that allowing them to dominate conversations creates a culture of excuses. And once excuse-making permeates a team, performance declines and accountability disappears. Instead, Kelly outlines four critical areas every salesperson and sales leader can control: decisions, influences, habits, and circumstances. From daily prospecting choices to the people your team surrounds themselves with, these controllable factors shape mindset, skill development, and ultimately win rates. He explains why role play matters, why learning initiative should be non-negotiable in hiring, and why improving win rates even slightly can dramatically impact revenue. But the responsibility doesn't stop with the sales rep. Kelly emphasizes that the sales leader is the "thermostat" of the culture. If leaders commiserate, make excuses, or tolerate negativity — even from top producers — they risk being held hostage by poor behavior that erodes the team. This episode is a practical blueprint for sales V.P.s and frontline managers who want to eliminate excuse-making, reinforce accountability, strengthen culture, and build a team capable of performing regardless of external conditions. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

September 28, 202634 min

3 Reasons Why Sales Managers Struggle in the Hiring Process

Why do so many sales managers struggle to identify and hire truly effective salespeople? In this episode of Sales [UN]Training , Kelly Riggs examines the hiring mistakes that can lead to costly turnover, poor performance and disappointing new hires. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly begins by exploring why salespeople can look like "can't miss" candidates during an interview only to become a completely different story months later. He discusses the role of hiring bias, gut instinct and inconsistent processes, and explains why relying on resumes and surface-level impressions can create serious problems. The conversation also examines the importance of having a repeatable hiring process. Instead of simply asking candidates about their experience, sales managers need to understand how candidates actually sell. Kelly shares specific questions designed to uncover a salesperson's approach to managing opportunities, prospecting and developing new business. One key theme is curiosity. The same curiosity that makes someone effective in sales can also help a manager become a better interviewer. Finally, Kelly introduces a powerful question every sales candidate should be prepared to answer: "Why should I buy from you?" The question reveals whether a salesperson can articulate meaningful differentiation rather than relying on generic claims about quality, service or experience. For sales leaders, this episode offers practical ways to improve interviews and make hiring decisions based on better evidence. Mike Weinberg podcast: https://mikeweinberg.com/podcast/episode113/ Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

September 21, 202635 min

5 Power Moves: Jeff Bajorek Interviews Kelly Riggs

What does it take to become a transformational sales leader? In this episode of Sales [UN] Training, Kelly Riggs turns the microphone over to Jeff Bajorek for a candid conversation about his brand new book, The Five Power Moves: How Struggling Sales Managers Become Transformational Sales Leaders. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining Kelly explains why he wrote the book, how his years of experience working with sales leaders shaped its five power moves, and why he chose a narrative approach to make the lessons relatable and practical. The discussion explores the challenges sales managers face every day, including accountability, unclear expectations, and the difficulty of getting salespeople to execute consistently. Kelly breaks down the five power moves: creating clarity, conducting effective one-on-one meetings, using the coaching conversation, developing individual sales plans, and radically transforming onboarding. He explains how these practices connect, why accountability must be built into the leadership process, and why sales managers need courage to establish standards and address performance issues. The conversation also examines the relationship between trust, accountability, and culture, along with the importance of helping salespeople understand what is expected of them and how to execute. Kelly shares why managing a plan is more effective than simply managing numbers and why onboarding should consistently and predictably create successful salespeople. If you're a sales manager, sales VP, or sales leader looking for practical ways to improve team performance, this episode offers valuable leadership insights from Kelly's latest book. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

September 14, 202636 min

Teaching Sales Leaders to Coach

Host Kelly Riggs explores why 90% of sales managers struggle with coaching and distinguishes actual skills-based coaching from routine deal reviews . The episode breaks down how sales leaders can master behavioral observation, overcome fundamental coaching mistakes, and build an ironclad mindset in their sales reps . Why do three out of four salespeople fall short of their revenue goals ? In this episode of Sales Untraining , host Kelly Riggs dives deep into the critical difference between managing daily transactions and actually coaching salespeople to perform autonomously . Backed by Objective Management Group data, Kelly highlights a startling reality: 90% of sales managers are weak in coaching competencies, and 72% of what leaders label as coaching is merely deal reviews, pricing assistance, or administrative support . When executed effectively and consistently, true coaching can unlock top-line revenue increases between 28% and 43% . Riggs outlines the practical framework sales leaders need to bridge this gap . You will learn why true coaching requires direct behavioral observation, effective questioning using "what" and "how" instead of accusatory "why" prompts, and focusing on one core skill at a time rather than overloading reps . The conversation also covers key traps to avoid, such as using criticism as a substitute for coaching or expecting reps to master new skills without ongoing roleplay and repetition . Finally, the episode tackles the often-ignored concept of coaching mindset . Selling is inherently tough, and reps frequently struggle with rejection, failure, and corporate friction . Learn how sales leaders can stop validating excuses, build accountability, and foster the mental resilience required to hit targets consistently.

September 7, 202629 min

BEST OF: 3 Principles of Effective Sales Training

Sales training remains one of the largest investments organizations make, yet sales performance data continues to show disappointing results. Why are so many salespeople missing quota despite the abundance of training programs, technology, and sales tools available today? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN] Training, Kelly Riggs examines the disconnect between sales training investments and actual sales performance. Drawing on research, real-world examples, and years of experience helping organizations improve sales effectiveness, Kelly outlines the three bedrock principles that separate impactful sales training from programs that fail to create lasting results. First, Kelly explains why context must come before product knowledge. Rather than overwhelming salespeople with information, effective leaders help them understand how customers use products, the problems they solve, and the outcomes they create. Next, Kelly explores the importance of confirmation. Learning doesn't happen simply because information was presented. Through assessment, testing, and active recall, sales leaders can dramatically improve retention and identify learning gaps before they become performance problems. Finally, Kelly addresses consistency—the most overlooked component of sales development. From role play and coaching to call reviews and preparation, consistent practice is what transforms knowledge into habits and habits into results. Whether you're onboarding new salespeople, developing experienced reps, or leading an entire sales organization, this episode provides a practical framework for building a training culture that improves performance, strengthens retention, and creates better sales outcomes over time. If you're a sales leader looking to get more from your training investment, this episode offers a clear roadmap for doing exactly that. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

August 29, 202632 min

6 Sales Mistakes Hurting Your Team: STOP Selling Too Soon and START Coaching Better Salespeople

Sales is hard. Salespeople operate in a highly competitive environment, face constant pressure to perform, navigate different customers and opportunities, and deal with rejection and uncertainty. So why make the job even harder with avoidable mistakes? Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN] Training, Kelly Riggs identifies six common "bonehead mistakes" that can create friction, resistance, and lost opportunities. He explains why salespeople often mistake rapport building for a real relationship, talk too much in an effort to control the conversation, and fail to ask the questions that uncover meaningful customer challenges. Kelly also examines the tendency to sell on the first call, lead with product too quickly, and jump on the first perceived opportunity before understanding whether there is a genuine fit. Another frequently overlooked mistake is failing to secure the next appointment before leaving the current conversation, allowing momentum to disappear. But the problem isn't only technique. Kelly explores how a salesperson's mindset can dramatically affect performance, particularly when rejection, fear, and pressure begin to influence how they approach customers. He challenges salespeople to stop treating customers as if they are inherently more important and instead recognize the value they bring to the conversation. For sales leaders, this episode offers an important reminder: developing salespeople means more than product training. Coaching, confidence, professional behavior, curiosity, and a consultative approach all play a role in helping salespeople perform at a higher level. If you lead a sales team, this episode will give you plenty to consider—and plenty to coach. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

August 24, 202624 min

What Salespeople Can Learn from Attorneys (Good and Bad)

What can sales professionals learn from trial attorneys? Quite a bit—especially when it comes to influence, discovery, trust, and the way customers perceive us. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN]Training , Kelly Riggs examines the uncomfortable similarities between attorneys and salespeople. Both professions operate in the business of influence, but the way information is presented can have a major impact on trust. Kelly explores what happens when salespeople emphasize the positives of their solutions while minimizing problems, limitations, delivery issues, or competitive weaknesses. When customers discover something their salesperson failed to disclose, the resulting perception can damage the relationship and potentially cost the deal. Kelly explains why transparency and proactive communication are critical to sales velocity, particularly when customers are making high-value decisions. He also challenges sales leaders to teach their teams how to avoid looking, acting, and sounding like stereotypical salespeople. The episode then turns to one of the most important skills in professional selling: discovery. Kelly explains why assumptions can destroy opportunities, why great salespeople remain tactically curious, and why asking follow-up questions is often more valuable than accepting a prospect's first answer. He also addresses the importance of role-play and coaching salespeople to develop better sales dialogue. The final lesson: don't turn discovery into an interrogation. Great questions require practice, curiosity, and genuine focus on the customer. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson

August 17, 202627 min

Avoid Selling CHAOS! How To Turn "Change" Into Better Sales Performance.

Leading a sales team through change is one of the toughest responsibilities in sales leadership, yet it's a challenge every manager faces. Whether it's a new CRM, revised compensation plan, updated sales process, or organizational restructuring, change often creates uncertainty, resistance, and a temporary decline in performance. The question isn't whether change will happen—it's whether you're prepared to lead your team through it successfully. Follow the audio podcast and watch OR listen wherever you are: https://linktr.ee/salesuntraining In this episode of Sales [UN] Training , Kelly Riggs explains why change creates friction inside sales organizations and why even experienced sales leaders often underestimate its impact. Drawing from personal experience, Kelly shares a real-world example of how a poorly communicated compensation plan nearly tore apart a high-performing sales organization, illustrating how leadership—not the change itself—often determines the outcome. Kelly also outlines practical strategies every sales leader should use before introducing significant change. Learn why having a communication plan matters, how gaining the support of your top performers can influence the rest of the team, why pre-selling change reduces resistance, and how ongoing conversations help keep performance on track throughout the transition. Finally, Kelly discusses one leadership mistake that can permanently damage trust during periods of change: blaming the company instead of leading with confidence. If you want your sales team to embrace new initiatives faster, maintain productivity, and build stronger trust during organizational change, this episode offers practical leadership lessons you can begin applying immediately. Kelly Riggs is an author, speaker, and business consultant for executives and companies throughout the United States and Canada. He has written two books: 1-on-1 Management: What Every Great Manager Knows That You Don't and Quit Whining and Start SELLING! A Step-by-Step Guide to a Hall of Fame Career in Sales. Get more Kelly: www.BizLockerRoom.com. Widely recognized as a powerful speaker and performance coach in the areas of sales, management leadership, and strategic planning, Kelly is a former sales executive, a two-time national Salesperson-of-the-Year, a business owner, and a member of the Forbes' Coaches Council since 2019. Music and Editing by Pod About It Productions @dougbranson