Same Side Selling Podcast

Hosted by Same Side Selling Podcast

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Episodes

393

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Jun 2026

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About the show

B2B selling expert, Ian Altman hosts the Same Side Selling podcast. Organizations rely on Ian to modernize their sales approach to achieve business growth. Ian draws on his experience as a former CEO of two decades to help people and organizations dramatically grow revenue. The Same Side Selling podcast features sales and business topics, as well as insight from industry leaders with proven success. Ian interviews some of the brightest minds who share proven methods to help YOU achieve success and grow revenue with integrity. Tune-in for inspiration, entertainment, and especially actionable takeaway messages that can drive remarkable results. Discover more at http://www.IanAltman.com

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60 recent

June 2, 20266 min

AI BlindSpots

Ian Altman discusses common blind spots in the use of AI in B2B sales, emphasizing the importance of avoiding proprietary information leakage through tools like ChatGPT and Copilot. He highlights issues with using general-purpose AI for specific sales questions and the potential for AI models trained on Reddit discussions to provide unreliable answers. Altman promotes the Same Side Selling Academy's AI tool, the Same Side Coach, which is tailored to sales strategies and protects intellectual property. He encourages the use of AI for general tasks but advises using specialized tools for specific sales applications to prevent competitors from accessing valuable information.Biggest MistakesAsking detailed proprietary questions in public AI tools, exposing informationAsking general-purpose AI very specific strategic sales questions, getting generic answersCopying and pasting AI responses without reviewing or modifying themBest PracticesProtect intellectual property; avoid feeding proprietary data into broad AI systemsUse AI for transcription, note-taking, and meeting summaries as appropriateUse a domain-tuned LLM (Same Side Coach) trained on sales-specific data

May 12, 20267 min

Why “Just Send Pricing” Is a Sales Trap (And What to Do Instead)

Ian Altman discusses the common trap of assuming a client's initial request for a product is accurate. He emphasizes that clients often need something different than what they initially think. Altman advises salespeople to ask probing questions to understand the client's actual needs and problems. This approach helps build a stronger business case and ensures the product or service provided solves the client's underlying issues. He suggests questions like "What are you trying to solve?" and "What happens if you don't solve this?" to uncover the client's true requirements. This method aligns the salesperson with the client, enhancing the likelihood of a successful sale and long-term satisfaction.Biggest MistakesJumping to the solution without diagnosing the problem first.Providing basic pricing and ordering info prematurely when prospect is excited.Following up without meaningful context, resulting in weak outreach.Best PracticesSlow down to speed up: diagnose before proposing solutions.Focus on outcomes over the sale to ensure the right solution.Build the client's business case: define problem, impact, and measurable outcomes.Engage relevant stakeholders, including end users, to confirm requirements.

April 7, 20267 min

Procurement Demands vs Vendor Requirements

Ian Altman discusses common mistakes in procurement, emphasizing the importance of not commoditizing oneself. He advises vendors to focus on what's in the customer's best interest rather than succumbing to unrealistic demands for line item pricing and cost disclosure. Altman suggests engaging with line-of-business people to understand client needs and past experiences, which can help tailor services to achieve better outcomes. He recommends shifting the focus from price to results by discussing long-term success metrics with clients. Vendors should articulate their value proposition and be prepared to negotiate based on overall solutions rather than individual items.Biggest MistakesAllowing procurement to dictate pricing and require cost disclosure, leading to commoditization.Accepting unrealistic procurement demands without proposing a results-focused alternative.Best PracticesEngage line-of-business stakeholders early to ensure the solution improves outcomes.Ask and agree on measurable success metrics before selling or delivering.Offer bundled pricing tied to accountability to emphasize solution over line items.Present your success formula and collaboratively adapt it to the client's buying rules.

March 11, 20268 min

RolePlay Mistakes

Ian Altman discusses the importance of role play in sales, emphasizing that top performers practice more than they perform. He identifies three common mistakes: not role playing at all, lacking structure in role play sessions, and providing overwhelming feedback. Altman suggests a structured approach with three roles: salesperson, customer, and observer, using secret cards to introduce variability. Each 10-minute role play session involves feedback from all three roles, focusing on one key improvement area. This method, practiced consistently, can significantly enhance sales skills and confidence.

January 30, 202637 min

How One Company Doubled Revenue in 18 Months Despite Their Market Shrinking by 20 Percent

Ian Altman hosts the Same Side Selling Podcast featuring SolarInsure, highlighting their success with the same side selling methodology. SolarInsure helps contractors overcome consumer skepticism and profitability issues by offering a 30-year transferable warranty backed by Zurich North America. Despite industry challenges, including tariffs and policy changes, SolarInsure doubled their business in 18 months. Their strategy involves becoming trusted advisors, identifying mutual fit, and focusing on operational excellence. They emphasize consistent execution, role-playing, and maintaining a playbook. SolarInsure's growth is attributed to their commitment to solving customer problems and fostering a culture of efficiency and collaboration.

January 6, 202625 min

Traps and Best Practices for Integrated Communication - Susan Thomas

Ian Altman interviews Susan Thomas, CEO of Tenfold, an integrated communications firm specializing in deep tech B2B clients. Susan discusses common mistakes in integrated communications, such as focusing on budget over results, choosing vendors based on brand size rather than expertise, and negotiating by the hour or retainer. She emphasizes the importance of measuring results, including media response and web traffic, and the need for clients to be ready with assets and a dedicated team. Susan highlights Tenfold's unique guarantee of results and the importance of investing in expertise for better outcomes.

December 9, 202531 min

Offshore Deathtrap - Luis Derechin

Ian Altman discusses with Luis Derechin the challenges and pitfalls of building offshore teams, highlighting the seven common mistakes that lead to failure in 73% of projects. Derechin's book, "The Offshore Team Deathtrap," offers a framework to avoid these mistakes, emphasizing rigorous talent selection, expert onboarding, managed support, optimized team performance, transparent cost plus pricing, and enhanced scalability. Derechin shares a success story of a software company that improved its offshore team management by implementing these principles, leading to a 95% success rate. Altman and Derechin agree that offshore teams can be a strategic advantage if managed correctly.

November 9, 202528 min

Rod Neuenschwander - From Crisis to Clarity

Rod Neuenschwander discusses his new book, "From Crisis to Clarity," which details his journey after John Ruhlin's passing. Rod explains the four-part framework he developed: a clear purpose statement, a go-forward operating plan, a financial plan, and a team plan, all fitting on one page. This framework helped Giftology navigate the loss of 70% of its revenue and John's leadership. Rod emphasizes the importance of leading oneself, facing reality, and simplifying strategies. He highlights the company's commitment to excellence in handling relationships and the impact of personalized gifts, which often lead to increased business and referrals.

October 6, 202532 min

Neen James - Exceptional Experiences

Ian Altman and Neen James discuss Neen's latest book, "Exceptional Experiences," which explores creating luxury-level experiences in sales to build deeper client relationships and grow revenue. Neen identifies four luxury mindsets: Reluctant and Removed (28%), Pro Prioritizer (22%), Confident and Content (28%), and Luxury Lover (22%). She outlines the Experience Elevation Model with five luxury levers: Entice, Invite, Excite, Delight, and Ignite. Neen emphasizes the importance of personalization, customization, and anticipation in sales to create exceptional client experiences, ultimately driving revenue and client loyalty.Discover Your Luxury Mindset Self-Assessment

September 11, 20257 min

How Client Expectations Have Changed

Ian Altman discusses common mistakes in long-term sales engagements, emphasizing that sellers often focus on price concessions rather than mutual benefits. He highlights that longer engagements can attract more stable, permanent talent, benefiting both parties. Altman suggests presenting long-term deals as mutually beneficial, incorporating flexibility with rolling termination clauses. He shares a client success story where 90% of short-term clients eventually extended engagements. Altman advises sellers to align with clients' interests, reduce administrative burdens, and lock in pricing to ensure better outcomes and less hassle.Biggest MistakesRelying on outdated systems and methodologies.Not utilizing available real-time information from customers.Falling back on old procedures instead of embracing new technologies.Not implementing systems that provide real-time information to customers.Best PracticesUsing technology like AI to save time and learn from others' experiences.Providing real-time information to customers, similar to Uber and Amazon.Implementing AI systems to help customers get answers faster.Using AI to tailor content to customer needs and improve information over time.