Gap Prospecting: Keenan’s Problem-Centric Sales Fix

Gap Prospecting: Keenan’s Problem-Centric Sales Fix

Outbound is broken because sellers keep pitching products. Keenan shows how Gap Prospecting makes buyers stop and care. Marc Crosby sits down with Keenan, CEO of A Sales Growth Company, Forbes top 50 social seller, and author of Gap Selling, Not Taught, and the upcoming Gap Prospecting. This episode rips into the old sales habits that keep teams stuck: activity quotas, product-first messaging, weak discovery, generic AI sales tools, and outbound that buyers ignore. What you’ll learn: • Why Gap Prospecting is built for SDRs, BDRs, AEs, marketers, and leaders running outbound • How problem-centric selling beats product pitches in discovery, prospecting, and coaching • Why the Problem Identification Chart helps reps find business problems, impacts, and root causes • How symptoms and catalysts turn buyer intent into stronger outreach • Where AI makes prospecting worse when the method underneath is broken • Why sales leaders should track win rate, ACV, time to close, and rep behavior, not just quota Keenan also joins Burn It or Build It to take on daily activity quotas, buyer intent metrics, phone-first prospecting, multi-threading, public-post personalization, long sales emails, video messages, text outreach, gifting, and breakup emails. [00:00] Intro [00:31] Who Gap Prospecting is for [01:13] Why leaders need to understand outbound execution [02:17] Why prospecting needed a new playbook [04:17] Why Keenan brought in a coauthor [05:19] The problem-centric operating system [08:46] Skills layer, opportunity layer, forecasting layer [11:08] Why companies screw up sales enablement [13:26] What makes a good discovery question [16:17] The first question every discovery call should ask [18:33] The Problem Identification Chart [24:04] Why this process will not go away [25:06] How AI helps or hurts prospecting [31:47] The Gap Prospecting prompt [33:37] Catalysts and symptoms [35:18] Burn It or Build It [45:20] One contrarian move to lift win rate [46:47] Where to find Gap Prospecting This helps: Sales leaders trying to fix weak outbound without adding more noise. SDRs, BDRs, and AEs who need better messages, better questions, and better business context. Founders, CEOs, and marketers who want sales teams focused on problems buyers actually care about. Guest: Keenan, CEO of A Sales Growth Company, author of Gap Selling, Not Taught, and Gap Prospecting. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimkeenan/ Company: https://salesgrowth.com/ [https://salesgrowth.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Host: Marc Crosby, founder of Digital Rebels Consulting and host of Burn The Playbook. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Digital Rebels: https://digitalrebelsconsulting.com/ [https://digitalrebelsconsulting.com/] #BurnThePlaybook #GapSelling #SalesLeadership #B2BSales * Website → DigitalRebelsConsulting.com * Linktree → https://linktr.ee/digitalrebelsconsulting * Socials → Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby * Email → marc@digitalrebelsconsulting.com * Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451] * Burn The Playbook Website → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863] Views expressed are our own and do not represent any organizations © 2025 Digital Rebels Consulting. All rights reserved.

Hiring Top Manufacturing Talent Without Guesswork Today

Hiring is getting noisier. Brian Pahl breaks down what still gets people hired in technical manufacturing. Marc Crosby and Brian call out what leaders miss on succession, interviews, LinkedIn, and remote work. * Why succession planning should start before the role is open * What hiring managers actually notice in interviews * How LinkedIn keywords help recruiters find the right people * When remote work expands talent and when on-site still wins * Why networking beats resume polish in a crowded market * How leaders can look past industry boxes and hire for fit first [00:00] Intro [00:41] How Brian got into recruiting [02:14] Market shifts in chemicals, electronics, and materials [04:19] The hardest roles to fill right now [06:03] Soft skills, leadership, and culture fit [07:41] Gen Z, retention, and clear career paths [10:32] AI, resumes, and why relationships still matter [16:18] How companies stop missing strong candidates [19:17] Internal vs external succession planning [20:56] Remote, hybrid, and the return to office [24:09] LinkedIn profiles, keywords, and candidate outreach [29:45] Why some candidates get hired and others do not [32:41] Interview prep that actually helps [35:27] Brian’s advice for leaders and candidates [37:48] Where to find Brian and Critical Fit Recruiting This episode is for manufacturing leaders building a stronger bench, candidates trying to stand out without playing keyword games, and commercial or technical teams hiring into specialty markets. Hosted by Marc Crosby of Digital Rebels. Guest Brian Pahl, President of Critical Fit Recruiting, an executive search firm focused on technical manufacturing and high-growth markets. Connect with Brian Pahl on LinkedIn and explore Critical Fit Recruiting for open roles and company info. (LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianpahl?utm_source=chatgpt.com]) Follow Marc Crosby on LinkedIn and see more from Digital Rebels Consulting. (LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby?utm_source=chatgpt.com]) #BurnThePlaybook #ManufacturingHiring #ExecutiveRecruiting #Leadership executive recruiting;manufacturing hiring;industrial recruiting;technical recruiting;succession planning;LinkedIn;job interview tips;candidate experience;hiring managers;talent acquisition;remote vs onsite work;executive search;specialty chemicals;semiconductor hiring;manufacturing leadership Most candidates blend in. Brian Pahl explains what actually gets people hired in manufacturing and technical markets. #ExecutiveRecruiting Remote or on-site? Brian Pahl breaks down when each model helps or hurts your hiring strategy. #ManufacturingHiring Your resume is not enough. This clip shows why networking and interview prep still decide who gets the offer. #JobSearchTips * Website → DigitalRebelsConsulting.com * Linktree → https://linktr.ee/digitalrebelsconsulting * Socials → Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby * Email → marc@digitalrebelsconsulting.com * Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451] * Burn The Playbook Website → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863] Views expressed are our own and do not represent any organizations © 2025 Digital Rebels Consulting. All rights reserved.

Value-Based Selling: Defend Price With Confidence Now

Pricing pressure is real. Here’s how B2B teams defend price and win. Dr. Steve Laborda shares the value moves most sellers skip. On this episode of Burn The Playbook, Marc Crosby (Digital Rebels Consulting) sits down with Dr. Steve Laborda, Founder and CEO of Value Biz Booster and author of Master The Art of Value-Based Selling. Steve breaks down why “value-based selling” fails inside most companies, how to stop marketing-to-sales handoffs that die on impact, and what it takes to defend price without turning your reps into discount machines. What you’ll learn: * How to break silos with value mapping that forces real alignment (and healthy friction) * Why “discipline” beats one-time workshops, and how to set recurring checkpoints * The simplest way to add price transparency without exposing the whole P&L * How to sell services and terms without throwing the whole menu at the customer * How to differentiate in true commodities using service levels (and prove it) * Where AI helps pricing, where it hurts, and why the black-box effect kills confidence Chapters: [00:00] Intro [00:29] Steve’s background: technical to commercial, translating features to value [02:18] Stop “throw it over the fence” value props: break the silos [04:14] Discipline, routines, and why value mapping creates alignment [06:05] Ownership, sales activation, and keeping momentum after workshops [09:06] Strategy first: profit vs growth, portfolio choices, no one-size-fits-all [13:44] Price transparency: guardrails, color coding, and commercial acumen [17:04] Selling add-ons: curiosity, relevance, and helping customers sell internally [19:34] Buying centers: why one-thread selling gets played by procurement [26:30] Global value: perceived value shifts by region and culture [29:18] Commodity reality: differentiate with services (the 20% premium story) [34:38] Guardrails for service: segmentation, service catalog, and give-get trades [39:19] AI in pricing: data limits, correlation vs causality, and the black box risk [45:08] Burn it or build it: cost-plus, discounts, email-only increases, AI pricing [52:07] One move to reduce pricing headaches: curiosity [53:03] Where to find Steve: LinkedIn + Virtual Coffee Who this helps: * Sales leaders tired of margin erosion and discount reflexes * Pricing, marketing, and product teams who want sales to actually use value * Key account teams selling into procurement-heavy, complex buying centers Credits: Guest: Dr. Steve Laborda, Founder/CEO at Value Biz Booster LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelaborda/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelaborda/] Host: Marc Crosby, Digital Rebels Consulting LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccrosby/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marccrosby/] #BurnThePlaybook #ValueBasedSelling #PricingStrategy #B2BSales Stop discounting out of fear. Sell value like you mean it. #Pricing Confidence beats concessions. Here’s how to defend the number. #SalesConfidence Commodity or not, you can still win on value. #ValueSelling * Website → DigitalRebelsConsulting.com * Linktree → https://linktr.ee/digitalrebelsconsulting * Socials → Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby * Email → marc@digitalrebelsconsulting.com * Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451] * Burn The Playbook Website → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863] Views expressed are our own and do not represent any organizations © 2025 Digital Rebels Consulting. All rights reserved.

CRM Adoption Fails: Fix The Process w/ Michael Venman

CRM adoption fails when teams treat it like data entry instead of a communication tool. In this episode of Burn The Playbook Podcast, Marc Crosby sits down with Michael Venman, founder of The Sales Nerd, to break down why the sales-marketing handoff keeps breaking, what “stage zero” really is, and how to build rev ops systems teams actually use. What you'll learn * Why CRM adoption fails when departments optimize for their own goals * How to fix lead quality fights with ICP fit, persona fit, and lead scoring * The “stage zero” move that makes SDR to AE handoffs measurable * Why hope keeps deals stuck and how closing lost helps marketing re-engage * The CEO’s simplest move to improve data quality and CRM usage Chapters 00:00 CRM is a communication tool 00:58 Intro: Michael Venman and The Sales Nerd 03:10 Where CRMs break: handoffs between teams 04:33 Execs see the CRM differently than reps 06:51 Common mistake: starting with stages, ignoring handoffs 08:13 Stage zero explained: tracking SDR meetings and qualification 10:11 Defining lead vs opportunity is cultural 12:55 Fix lead quality with ICP grade, persona grade, lead score 15:05 Before and after examples: routing and closing lost 19:18 Track win reasons, not just loss reasons 22:05 Why renewals and churn risk come later 23:12 Process beats tools, and AI reflects your system 27:12 Using call transcripts for account summaries 30:23 Low-hanging fruit: email sync and click-to-call 31:07 Burn it or build it: rapid fire rev ops takes 39:19 One CEO move: actually use the CRM 40:14 Where to find Michael and the book Who this helps * CEOs and founders of PE-backed or scaling B2B companies * CROs, RevOps leaders, and sales leaders fixing CRM adoption * Marketing leaders tired of “lead quality” fights with sales Guest Michael Venman, Founder, The Sales Nerd https://thesalesnerd.com [https://thesalesnerd.com/] LinkedIn: Michael Venman https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelvenman/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelvenman/] Book: A Sales Funnel That Scales (Amazon) Host Marc Crosby, Digital Rebels Consulting https://DigitalRebelsConsulting.com [https://digitalrebelsconsulting.com/] Marc Crosby on LinkedIn crm adoption; revenue operations; revops; go to market; b2b sales; sales and marketing alignment; lead qualification; mql sql; sdr handoff; sales funnel stages; hubspot; salesforce; data quality; pipeline management; closed lost reasons; win reasons; churn risk; customer success handoff; sales process #Leadership #BurnThePlaybook #B2B #RevOps #Sales #Marketing crm adoption starts at the top: CEOs need to use it #RevOps stage zero fixes the SDR to AE handoff mess #Sales stop the lead wars with ICP + persona + score #Marketing hope is not a pipeline strategy: close lost faster #Sales AI won’t fix bad process, it will expose it #B2B CRM = Communication Tool Stop The Lead Wars Use The CRM * Website → DigitalRebelsConsulting.com * Linktree → https://linktr.ee/digitalrebelsconsulting * Socials → Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby * Email → marc@digitalrebelsconsulting.com * Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451] * Burn The Playbook Website → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863] Views expressed are our own and do not represent any organizations © 2025 Digital Rebels Consulting. All rights reserved.

Win-Loss Analysis: How to Fix It w/ Cian Mcloughlin

Win-loss analysis for B2B sales. Learn how to capture clean, candid buyer feedback, stop guessing in CRM, and turn every pursuit into future wins. Author of “Rebirth of the Salesman” Cian McLaughlin joins Marc Crosby on Burn The Playbook to share 15+ years of hard lessons from enterprise pursuits at SAP, Cognizant, and Trinity. What you’ll learn * Why seller self-reports distort win-loss data and what to do instead * How to set debrief expectations during the cycle to boost candor and participation * The “separation principle” for unbiased feedback buyers will actually share * How to triangulate truth across multiple stakeholders * Three frictions that kill enterprise deals but never show up in CRM * Why risk beats price, and how to surface value drivers that matter * A simple post-sale loop that turns insights into actions buyers notice * Where AI helps in prep and follow-up, and where humans must lead Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:31 Meet Cian + why teams guess on win-loss 01:09 The Emperor’s-New-Clothes problem in sales 04:57 Stop making AEs pick “reasons” in CRM 07:27 Set debrief expectations early 10:33 Why rigorous debriefs impress buyers 12:22 Clean intelligence in practice 15:03 5 principles: context, value, teaching, co-creation, professionalism 18:22 Professionalism as the true differentiator 19:01 3 frictions CRM misses: oral phase, risk, value vs price 23:22 How many deals die in the first meeting? 26:31 After the win: manage risk like an incumbent 29:58 AI with a human in the loop 33:29 What AI still misses 35:59 Burn It or Build It: 10 hot takes 43:32 One thing sales leaders can do tomorrow 44:42 Where to find Cian Who this helps * Enterprise sales leaders and CROs * AEs, SEs, and pursuit teams selling complex deals * RevOps leaders fixing CRM noise * Founders selling to the mid-market and up Guest * Cian McLaughlin, Founder, Trinity; author, “Rebirth of the Salesman” * Website: https://usetrinity.com [https://usedtrinity.com/] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cianmcloughlin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cianmcloughlin/] Host * Burn The Playbook Podcast — Marc Crosby, Digital Rebels Consulting * https://DigitalRebelsConsulting.com [https://digitalrebelsconsulting.com/] * 1: Your CRM isn’t truth. Here’s how to get real win-loss signals. #WinLoss * 2: Stop guessing why you lost. Ask buyers the right way. #B2B * 3: Risk beats price. Learn to surface and share it. #EnterpriseSales * 4: Make AEs stop self-reporting reasons. Create separation. #SalesLeadership * 5: Close the loop. Show buyers what you fixed. #SalesProcess * win-loss analysis, B2B sales, enterprise sales, CRM accuracy, buyer feedback, stakeholder mapping, deal risk, value vs price, oral presentations, pricing vs value; sales professionalism; co-creation; RFP response; QBR; sales risk; oral presentation phase; AI in sales; Trinity usedtrinity; Cian McLaughlin; Rebirth of the Salesman * Website → DigitalRebelsConsulting.com * Linktree → https://linktr.ee/digitalrebelsconsulting * Socials → Follow us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marcccrosby * Email → marc@digitalrebelsconsulting.com * Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/burn-the-playbook/id1828969451] * Burn The Playbook Website → https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2522863] Views expressed are our own and do not represent any organizations © 2025 Digital Rebels Consulting. All rights reserved.