Episode Details

Our host, Donald Kelly, speaks with Carlos Oquendo Jr., a business application specialist at Microsoft. He shares his insights and experiences in developing strong relationships with internal buyers to increase sales success.

Carlos provides valuable strategies and examples to help sales reps navigate large organizations and achieve their sales goals. Listen to this week’s episode of the Sales Evangelist Podcast to help you become a better sales representative.

Understanding the Role of Internal Partners in the Sales Process

●     Carlos emphasized the significance of internal buy-in before making a sale.

●     He highlighted the challenges sales reps face when deals fall through due to the internal team's lack of support and understanding.

●     Carlos explained how, as a specialist, his role involved working closely with internal partners to build trust and gain customer introductions. Doing this increased his chances of closing deals and achieving sales targets.

Developing Trust with Internal Partners

●     Carlos shared his firsthand experience from his early days as a field sales rep at Bank of America, selling merchant services.

●     He recognized the importance of cultivating relationships with the financial centers he was assigned to to receive referrals and warm leads.

●     Carlos proactively approached the center managers and asked about their expectations, indicating his commitment to meeting their needs.

●     As a result of consistently delivering excellent customer service, Carlos earned the trust of his internal partners. The faith of his internal partners helped him gain an increase in referrals and success.

The Power of Follow-through and Integrity

●     Carlos stressed the importance of following through on commitments made to both customers and internal partners.

●     He shared his approach of promptly contacting customers who referred to him, ensuring a seamless experience and building trust.

●     Additionally, Carlos made it a practice to inform the referring partner about the referral's progress. This proactive communication helped maintain transparency and avoid surprises.

Maintaining Consistency and Repeating Successful Strategies

●     Carlos's success was not just limited to one instance. He shared how he replicated his approach in different financial centers, consistently showing up and establishing partnerships based on mutual expectations and trust.

●     By repeating these successful strategies, Carlos achieved remarkable results, earning recognition and accolades, such as being inducted into two Platinum Clubs at Bank of America.

Building strong relationships with internal buyers is crucial f