Haris Halkic’s Post

I used to dread sales calls. Then I learned to love going on 10-20+ a week. When I first left corporate, sales calls felt terrifying. I thought: - What if they say no? - What if I stumble over my words? - What if they realize I’m new to this? So, like most consultants, I avoided them. I hid behind LinkedIn posts, overworked my proposals and tweaked my website 100 times. But here’s the truth I learned the hard way: You don’t grow a consulting business without conversations. Sales calls aren’t the enemy they’re the engine. The breakthrough came when I stopped chasing anyone who would talk to me… And started building a system that put me in front of the right people every single day. Not “networking coffee chats.” Not “let’s circle back in 6 months.” Actual decision makers with budgets, urgency, and authority. That’s how I went from dreading one call a week… To running 10-20+ qualified calls a week. And once you have that? Sales stops being scary. It becomes predictable. If you’re still dreading sales calls, it’s not because you’re “bad at sales.” It’s because you don’t have the right system to get in the room with the right people.

Clarity is everything in sales. In a fast-moving, uncertain world, clarity creates commercial value. It’s not just about being articulate. It’s about sharing a clear vision with the buyer—and a path to get there. At the heart of clarity is mutual understanding—and that’s the salesperson’s responsibility. You’re not just delivering a message. You’re making sure it lands, resonates, and is understood. Think about it: How often have you heard (or said), “This prospect just doesn’t get it”? If you’ve been in sales for more than a month, probably more than once. When this happens, the issue isn’t the prospect’s comprehension. It’s that we’re not speaking their language—we’re speaking ours. Why does this happen? Because salespeople often rush to assert conclusions. We want to move toward a close. So we give instructions instead of insight. But here’s the truth: Buyers don’t buy conclusions—they buy reasons. They commit when they understand why a path makes sense, and how it helps them succeed. If you want to improve performance, stop trying to push your message. Start making sure it’s truly understood. 📅 I share daily B2B sales tips — follow me Tobia La Marca at 10:30 AM CET.

12 Harsh Sales Truths No One Told Me (But Should Have) 👇 1.) Your pipeline is your lifeline. If you’re not qualifying leads ruthlessly, you’re just filling it with noise. 2.) Tools don’t close deals, but they make you faster. Use every tool in your arsenal - efficiency is the name of the game. _______________ Grab our free Sales KPIs guide: https://lnkd.in/eBez9rHc _______________ 3.) Customers need honesty, not hand-holding. Sometimes the best thing you can do is challenge their thinking. 4.) Hustle ≠ Results. Working 12 hours when you can crush it in 8 isn’t impressive. It’s inefficient. 5.) Excuses don’t pay commissions. Blaming others? Pointless. Own your results, good or bad. 6.) Pick up the damn phone. Emails are safe. Calls close deals. Simple as that. 7.) Mornings make or break your day. Outbound calls first thing? It sets the pace. 8.) Your biggest blocker? Yourself. Self-doubt kills more deals than bad leads ever will. 9.) Work hard. But know when to stop. Grinding 24/7 burns you out. Balance keeps you in the game long-term. 10.) Relationships > everything. Make friends at work. You’ll need them more than you think. 11.) You’re never “done” learning. Even top closers hit the books. Stay curious, stay sharp. 12.) Every sales role is a lesson. Earn from it, learn from it, or leave it - but never stay stuck. Sales isn’t easy; but it’s simple. Do the work, own your results, and keep leveling up. Which truth hit hardest? 👇 If this helped, share it with your team ♻️ 📬 Subscribe for proven sales frameworks, daily insights & 21 free resources: https://lnkd.in/eyzYB4Jg

Sales is not just a numbers game; it's an evolving journey filled with hard truths that shape our approach and success. Recently, I came across a compelling post that outlined 12 harsh sales truths that every professional should recognize. Here are a few that resonated deeply with me: 1. A qualified pipeline is essential—a cluttered one merely hinders your success 2. Efficiency is key; tools streamline our processes, but cannot replace authentic effort in closing deals. 3. Honesty breeds trust. Sometimes, challenging a client's perspective can lead to greater outcomes. 4. Working long hours does not equate to productivity; we must be mindful of how we manage our time. Sales isn't necessarily easy, but it is straightforward. The key lies in owning our results, embracing continuous learning, and nurturing relationships. What are some of your most valuable lessons in sales? Let's continue this conversation and elevate our practices together.

“Just checking in…” might be the most expensive phrase in sales. Most reps send it because they don’t know what else to say. But here’s the truth: It adds zero new value. It feels pushy without moving the deal forward. It trains buyers to ignore you. Buyers don’t need another “nudge.” They need a reason to keep the conversation alive. Better ways to follow up: ✅ Share a quick case study or proof point ✅ Drop a relevant industry insight or stat ✅ Offer an intro or resource tied to their pain ✅ Recap ROI and next steps in plain language Example: Old: “Just checking in to see if you reviewed the proposal…” New: “Wanted to share how [similar company] cut costs 17% with [solution] - thought this might help as you plan Q4 budgets.” Value-driven follow-ups don’t feel like chasing, they feel like helping. And they close more deals. If your team’s follow-up is stuck on “just checking in,” I help B2B sales teams build outreach that gets responses and drives revenue.

I do 500+ sales calls a year. Here’s what kills deals before they even start: The call begins cold. - The client books a week out. - Nothing happens between booking and the call. - You show up and spend the first 15 minutes proving you’re credible, explaining past projects, answering the same questions you’ve already answered 100 times. You’re selling from zero instead of selling with trust. My best calls (I usually close around 70%) are the ones where the client shows up already halfway sold. They’ve seen proof. They’ve read case studies. They know what happens next. By the time we talk, I’m not selling. I’m just confirming if it’s a good fit. This is why a pre-sales call funnel matters. The emails you send between booking and the call do most of the selling for you - proof, process, FAQs, results - and they go out automatically. So when the call starts, you’re not trying to convince anyone. You’re just finalizing a deal that’s already 80% done.

Your sales title doesn’t close deals. Your skills do. _________________________________ FREE: Top 50 Sales Cheat Sheets: https://lnkd.in/em7Pg5ih _________________________________ Here are 8 skills that actually drive revenue: 1. Calm Confidence → Stay composed when deals fall through. Lead with expertise, not desperation. 2. Value Without Asking → Give insights that help their business before they buy. 3. Genuine Rapport → Build connection beyond business metrics. Remember the details. 4. Honest Feedback → Tell prospects when it’s not a fit. Credibility builds trust. 5. Strategic Curiosity → Ask questions that make prospects think differently. 6. Reliable Follow-Through → Do what you say. Over-deliver every time. 7. Active Listening → Stop thinking about your next line. Listen to understand, not reply. 8. Lasting Value Creation → Help them hit goals even after the deal closes. Titles impress. Skills sell. Which of these do you think separates the top 1% from everyone else? 📬 Subscribe for proven sales frameworks, daily insights and free resources: https://lnkd.in/ermfXHVf

Salespeople… I’ve been testing validated/high intent phone numbers from SureConnect (similar to TitanX for those familiar with those guys) for 2 weeks. Here’s 3 things I’ve learned. 1. You’ll 100% get a higher connect rate. If you thought that the posts coming from sureconnnect/titanx users were fake… they are not. You will 100% get a better connect rate if you use either of these guys. I got a 23% connect rate overall from dialing a list of 230 contacts. Most contacts were dialed 2x. Some 3x. This is crazy when you consider the average connect rate is sub 7%. 2. Make sure you’re putting a LOT of thought into the lists you send to these companies. When I first created a list and sent to sureconnect to validate - I did not do NEARLY enough research into WHO was on the list. I pretty much mass exported contacts that "looked good" in sales nav, and went wild (very big mistake). This has led to a lot of conversations with folks that are not 100% ICP, which has in turn given me a poor conversation -> meeting booked rate. So, if you ARE going to get validated phone numbers, take your time when building the list… Make sure you’re ONLY sending the contacts of prospects that are 10000% ICP. 3. Dialing sessions are so much more fun. The reason why most sales reps hates cold calling? No one answers and it sucks. Cold calling is so fun when you can count on people actually talking to you LOL. Jennifer, Eric ☎, Josh, Devanshu, Enrique, Bogomil, What do you guys think of this? Are you surprised? Are you team parallel dialer or validated numbers?

Most reps don’t lose deals because of their product. They lose them because of their words. The way you communicate can either build trust, or push buyers away. That’s why I put together this list of phrases that make or break sales conversations. Here are 11 phrases that kill deals (and what to say instead): Talking Budget ❌ “What’s your budget?” ✅ “What results are you hoping this will deliver?” Responding to Insight ❌ “Good point.” ✅ “That’s a really important perspective.” Ensuring Alignment ❌ “Does this make sense?” ✅ “How does this fit with your current goals?” Highlighting Results ❌ “We’re the best at this.” ✅ “Here’s a recent success we had. How does that match what you’re aiming for?” Planning the Next Step ❌ “Let’s set up another call.” ✅ “To keep things moving, shall we schedule a follow-up on [date]?” Addressing Doubts ❌ “Any questions?” ✅ “Is there anything we’ve covered so far that’s unclear or especially useful?” Providing More Details ❌ “Let me know if you want more info.” ✅ “Are there specific areas you’d like me to explain further?” Following Up ❌ “Just checking in.” ✅ “How have things progressed since our last discussion?” Reviewing Progress ❌ “I wanted to see how things are going.” ✅ “Last time we discussed [specific priority]. How’s that moving forward?” Adding Context ❌ “As I mentioned before…” ✅ “Here’s some additional context that might help clarify.” Confirming Next Steps ❌ “I’ll wait for your reply.” ✅ “Would it help if I follow up on [day/time] to see where we stand?” The words you use shape how prospects see you: → as a pushy seller, or as a trusted partner. Right words + right timing = stronger pipeline, better close rates. You don’t need a new script. You just need to swap out the phrases that kill trust for ones that create clarity. Which of these 11 are you guilty of using  and which one are you stealing for your next call? If this was helpful, repost so your team avoids the same mistakes. Follow for more sales strategies that actually work. Get your copy of my new book: 11 phrases that kill deals (and what to say instead): https://shorturl.at/QVOyY

Has THIS ever happened to you on a sales call? Less than 3 minutes in... You're hit with disappointment. Because you realise... "This person is a bad fit, I'm about to waste 40 minutes of my life." So... what do you do? Option A: Tell them the truth Option B: Hang up and say "the wifi went down" I like option C. It's when you qualify your prospect BEFORE the call. Here's how I avoid wasting time on a call neither person should be on (4 steps): - 1. VETTING Do they fit my ICP? This bit's easy if you know your ideal client well. - Age - Role - Years in role - Industry - Company size - etc. We use SalesNav to find the right people + build lists. THEN we start conversations. - 2. DISCOVERY Next, we run them through our auto-consultant. They: - Click the website link - Answer 25 quick questions - Get a custom report on their situation This is great for 2 reasons: - My prospect gets instant clarity + value - I get valuable info about their situation It's like an automated discovery call (before the actual call). - 3. INFO PACK Some call it a "pitch deck." I prefer "info pack." This has everything they need to know: - Our price - Our proof - Our process (no technical jargon - focus on benefits only) Side note: People don't care what your process is. They just want to know you HAVE a process. The technical bits sound like hard work (leave that for the onboarding - after they've committed). Think of it as a concise document that shows you're credible, have a process, and how much you charge for it. Keep it as simple + concise as you can. It filters out the people who were never going to pay you. - 4. APPOINTMENT If you get this far and your lead is still eager, they're 80-85% sold. Get that call booked - Sometimes there are exceptions. But this is our process most of the time. It removes 90% of the objections + surface-level discovery Qs. Which means you can actually use the call to go deeper with your prospect.