Episode 13 - Jon Selig Unleashed on Humor in Sales and Prospecting

Industrial Growth Institute

Jon Selig on the Power of Humor to Improve Sales and Prospecting - Industrial Growth Institute Podcast Episode 13

Summary

Episode 13 starts with Jon Selig and Ed Marsh lamenting the fact that sales can be less fun than it was a decade ago. Salespeople and prospects feel overwhelmed by repetitive sales cadences and stale tactics.

John Selig, a stand-up comic and former salesperson, shares his journey from enterprise sales to comedy and how he found overlap between the two. He emphasizes:

• the importance of injecting humor into sales and marketing messaging to create a connection with prospects
• the process of creating comedy material and how it can be applied to content creation in the industrial space
• techniques for crafting effective cold openers
• the value of humor in sales and the benefits of mastering business acumen
• the importance of humor in sales and marketing
• how humor can build trust, break through the noise, and evoke emotion, making consultative sales more effective.

Jon also shares his process for helping companies incorporate humor into their messaging and sales strategies. He emphasizes the need for understanding the buyer's challenges and being able to have meaningful conversations. Jon shares his belief that the biggest problem in business is the increasing dependence on screens and the lack of human communication. He encourages companies to get back to basics and prioritize genuine interactions.

Takeaways

• Sales can be less fun than it was a decade ago, with repetitive sales cadences overwhelming both salespeople and prospects.
• Injecting humor into sales and marketing messaging can create a connection with prospects and make the sales process more enjoyable.
• The process of creating comedy material can be applied to content creation in the industrial space, allowing for the development of engaging and relatable content.
• Crafting effective cold openers can help salespeople make a strong first impression and initiate meaningful conversations with prospects.
• Mastering business acumen is essential for sales success, and incorporating humor can help sales reps develop a deeper understanding of their target audience. Humor can build trust, break through the noise, and evoke emotion in sales and marketing.
• Understanding the buyer's challenges and being able to have meaningful conversations is crucial in consultative sales.
• The biggest problem in business is the increasing dependence on screens and the lack of human communication.
• Companies should prioritize genuine interactions and get back to basics.
• Incorporating humor into messaging and sales strategies can help companies stand out and connect with prospects.

Takeaway Quotes from Jon Selig

• "This connection request is colder than a manufacturing sales exec's sweat during unplanned downtime."
• "The process of crafting humor to specifically make your target persona smile will force your reps to master the business acumen they need to increase their subject matter expertise."
• "Humor is empathetic, it connects with the audience."
• "When it's packaged up properly, there's an element of surprise."
• "Humor helps build comfort and rapport, breaks through the noise, and evokes emotion."

Check out Jon's website

LinkedIn: Jon Selig and Ed Marsh

Twitter: Jon Selig and Ed Marsh

Instagram: Jon Selig and Ed Marsh

YouTube: Jon Selig and Ed Marsh

Show Transcript

Chapters

00:00 B2B Sales: More Work, Less Amusement 09:29 The Overlap Between Comedy and Sales 16:07 Crafting Effective Cold Openers 29:58 The Importance of Genuine Interactions 39:56 Incorporating Humor to Stand Out 49:52 The Psychology of Humor 01:00:07 The Process of Incorporating Humor 01:09:56 The State of B2B Sales and Marketing 01:18:32 Wrapping Up / Just Getting Started

#HumorInSales #HumorAndSarcasmInSalesCalls #HumorInSalesCalls #HowToUseHumorInSales #SalesJokes #UsingHumorInSales #SalesHumorJokes #JonSelig #ProspectingTips #Trust #B2BSales #IndustrialSales #SalesProspecting #TradeShows #EdMarsh