Jamaine Pulat’s Post

“Jamaine, are you really genuinely interested in the person you are selling to?” 99% of sales trainers teach this to their students. Including me. I recently had a coffee with a friend (we are both in sales, so business talk was inevitable) when he asked me that question. Chapeau, good one. I felt caught red-handed, as I instantly remembered a buyer I encountered during a discovery process a few years back. The potential deal was promising (= happy boss), so it was crucial to make it work. However, it felt impossible to connect with this person. There was simply no connection, and I had to admit, I wasn’t genuinely curious about him, his day-to-day, or his weekend activities. It felt like being back in school, trying to make friends with this annoying cool kid just to fit in. This is the hard truth for many salespeople who struggle to be genuinely curious about others all the god dang time. Now, some sales leaders might say: “Yeah well, we are not here to make friends, but to drive revenue.” Fair. But please do not underestimate the power of human connection in a business relationship. Normally, this is where I would have to share groundbreaking advice on mastering the sales mindset in these situations… (and yes, I will be talking a lot about charisma and the power of building connections soon) …but, to be fully transparent, in order to close this deal, I had to dive deep into my charisma toolbox 😮💨 The result? I didn’t sell to him. But my colleague did. Because for some unexplainable reason, they connected much better than we did 😉 My advice? Accept that we cannot sell to every qualified lead. If there’s no one else to introduce those to, try this mantra: “What can I learn from them and from this conversation?” #charisma #valuesales #coffee

Facilitation skills as sales supercharger? Jup. Since this year I am experiencing a strong influx of group sessions (yay! I personally love co-creating). This is why, I met my friend and business partner Marc Jaspers last week, an experienced facilitator and content creator, for a joint learning session around workshop facilitation. Bit late to the party, but our session made me realise that my own facilitation skills were crucial for my past sales success. How so? It's pretty simple: facilitation is about creating a neutral, inclusive space where everyone feels safe to contribute. In sales, this skill is indispensable. It allows us to: 1. Create problem awareness by using questioning techniques to uncover and distill key issues. 2. Guide decision-making to support prospects in making informed decisions by understanding group dynamics. 3. Unlock creativity by listening actively and fostering an environment where innovative solutions are welcome. 🤯 Frankly, it empowers us to lead conversations, ensure every voice is heard, and collaboratively find the best solutions. What are your thoughts on the role of facilitation in sales? ____ PS. the video I’m sharing was created by Marc using his Ray-Ban META smart glasses. My personal favorite when it comes to accompanying my in-person workshops and events 😍 PPS. At hyrise we just launched new group training formats 🤩 Go check them out or let me know if this is something for you and your team.

Social selling is dead. A statement from one of my peers recently got me thinking 🤔 But wait, is it really dead? I don't think so. Instead, we are transitioning towards a community-driven approach. By becoming super connectors and truly understanding our peers within these communities, we gain deeper insights into what our target audience actually values. It’s about creating value by engaging with them through new avenues—connecting through peers and earning referrals from those they trust. This simply emphasizes the importance of in-person interactions. I think, today, it’s all about building communities around stakeholders and decision-makers in specific fields. By understanding current trends and making them more apparent, we add stronger value. Agree? Let's collect some great examples of community-centric engagement! Anyone?

This goes to the e-com bubble 🫧 toern is transforming the way we manage returns today 📦 ...and they are looking for go getters to co-create their trajectory! For those that are looking for a new challenge, are able / open to work from Hamburg and, as a cherry on top, have previous experience in e-com or fashion, check them out 🔥 They are a great team and I highly enjoy working with them!

"Do we have to start all over again?" 🤯 It depends, but generally speaking: yes. This week, I had the great honor of joining the #StartupWelcomePackage program (powered by Pioniergeist GmbH, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH, STEYG, and GoToMarket.Ninja) as a mentor for aspiring international startups from all over the world. 🔹 Their quest: enter the German market. 🔸 Their findings: the regulatory environment, cultural differences, consumer preferences, as well as the language barrier, require a lot of patience and rethinking every approach that worked so nicely before. 'cause se Germans just hit differently 🥊 Spending so many hours and learning about their challenges, but also feeling their drive and dedication, demonstrated, that entering a new market can mean starting all over again. The way forward? Taking a step back. Shifting into the early-stage mindset again. Getting to know the market and the people in that market. Sharpening the value message specifically for this market. It's as simple as that. Bearing in mind that they already have secured pole positions in their home markets such as Brazil, Estonia, Ireland, or Switzerland, makes it even juicier. 🎩 Chapeau to those, who do it anyway. We can learn a lot from you! Leonardo Joseph Gustavo Gabriel Oliver Hans 🇧🇷 🇪🇪 🇨🇭 🇮🇪 Also big thanks to Winfried, Anke, and Mujib for welcoming me so wholeheartedly and sharing your community home with me. I had a blast!

Embracing the entrepreneurial journey, yet not so solo...🌱 Our 2nd edition of the Solo Salon proved once again, that solopreneurship does not necessarily mean working in solitude and instead of buzzing around, let's reconsider our titles to true business owners once more. Co-hosting alongside Alexander Klebe, we welcomed a inspiring bunch of individuals in the beautiful space of Ocean Studio Berlin last Thursday! 🤩 My highlight? Witnessing my esteemed mentor Alex T. Steffen, dedicating his time to share insights out of 9+ years in positioning, speaking and value-creation: 1. Niche Positioning: Dare to carve out a niche so unique that others question its market viability. 2. Timing: Recognize that timing often trumps apparent need. 3. Visible Value: Creating value is paramount, but showcasing it effectively is what truly matters. Heartfelt thanks to Alexander Klebe and Dennis Sprute for curating this much needed forum and Marc Jaspers for capturing the essence 📸 And of course, many thanks to our participants Katja Kiessler-Funken MBA 🎱 Levi Yosef Riccardo De Gasperin Philipp Kallenbach David Meyer Atom Seven and many others. ✨ That said, last week's salon also officially marks the start of my very own journey of value-creation, niche positioning as well as my most favourite of all: building authentic relationships in sales!

See you tomorrow, dear Solopreneurs? 💥

Round #3 it is 🔥 Yesterday we kicked-off our new Dinner-To-Connect series in #hamburg. Grateful for the opportunity to exchange new ideas and personal highlights in #ecommerce with experienced and new faces. Thank you for the good chats! ➡ ...and for those, who missed it: Good news, we will meet again TONIGHT in #berlin (registry in the comments). #munich and #cologne coming in September ✨ Hope to see you there!

Powerful.

"In the past years, many companies hired Innovation Managers for the true purpose of exploration. To show: “we are innovative”. Not a fact, but our perception when talking to businesses in the German “Mittelstand”. Many times these positions were neither equipped with their own budget nor a tech team backing them up with support. In Germany, it is common to say “zahnlose Tiger”. This is changing dramatically. Many companies allow their innovation and digitalization managers to do their own investments and the C-Level really starts to listen. A huge step in the right direction." Thank you Robert Kaletsch for this very insightful AI trend overview. Can't wait to see whole industries changing! #innovation https://lnkd.in/ePeMrJ4