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Top Sales Tips and Takeaways from the Sales 3.0 Conference

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 |

Sep 21, 2017 | Sales Training

By Amy Franko
analysis

As an entrepreneur, stepping away from work is never easy. But a good conference is well worth the time away. I just returned from the Sales 3.0 Conference in Las Vegas. It was a whirlwind of fresh insights, learning development, and strategic networking!

For those who aren’t aware of the event, it was previously known as the Sales 2.0 Conference. The name change occurred because our industry has evolved. Cutting-edge sales leaders are now building on the advances of the 2.0 decade and seeking new ways to achieve revenue growth and productivity. We have entered the era of Sales 3.0.

So while the slogan says, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” the content of the Sales 3.0  Conference is too valuable not to share. As I look back on my time at Sales 3.0, I focus on these eight highlights and takeaways.

1. High-energy Emcees.

First, a shout out to Alice Heiman (@aliceheiman) and Mario Martinez, Jr. (@M_3jr) Wow! What fantastic emcees. Thanks for bringing the energy to the Sales 3.0 Conference!

2.  Mindset Matters.

Shari Levitin (@sharilevitin) shared the four pillars of any sales learning program: Education, Entertainment, Facilitation, Coaching. All of these pillars need to be included for sustainability and mastery.

When developing learning programs, hiring sales talent or coaching, mindset matters. Carol Dweck of Stanford is a leading researcher on growth mindset. Those with a growth mindset tend to view experiences, feedback, successes, and setbacks as learning. It’s not failure, it’s the path to mastery.

(Read about mindset and how it applies to sales in our sales strategies ebook.)

3. Create and Sustain Relationships of Value.

Anthony Iannarino (@iannarino) talked about creating and sustaining relationships of value. Not only that, he had some AWESOME photos from his past life as the front man in a hair-metal band.

We’re in a world of digitial tranformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the cognitive era. But… the human element still matters most. Relationships. Value. Trust. Being that true trusted advisor.

4. Put the Emphasis on Advancement in Sales Coaching Culture.

LaVon Koerner of @RevenueStorm talked sales coaching culture and the two things it needs to focus on: talent advancement and revenue advancement.

For sales leaders, are these elements part of your 1:1 conversations? Sales professionals, are you proactively focused on your development and results? Most coaching conversations can fall into one of these two areas.

5. Use Storytelling to Your Advantage.

Bill McDermott (@BillRMcDermott) of SAP had many incredible stories to tell, and storytelling is a skill we all need to develop. Two particular comments struck me.

“The best part of you is you. Reach down and keep that, you’ll never lose. You’ll be a winner for the rest of your life.” (Words of wisdom from his mom.)

“The little guy has to do the things that the big guys aren’t willing to do or are not structurally able to do.” (Lesson from his first entrepreneurial business, a New York delicatessen.)

6. Focus on the Top.

Bill Eckstrom (@billeckstrom @EcSellInstitute) has found through his research and work that most leaders are investing waaayy too much time with their bottom performers. This of course comes at the expense of time with their top performers or middle performers.

Your investment in your bottom performers won’t pay off in the long run. Choose to invest instead in your top and middle performers – you’ll see better engagement and better results.

7. Sales Enablement Requires Sales and Marketing Alignment.

Sales enablement continues to be defined and redefined – as we discovered in one insightful Sales 3.0 Conference panel. Gerhard Gschwandtner (@Gerhard20) asked a number of us to define it, and we all provided different answers. Brandon Lee of @GoYipYip shared the perspective that sales is responsible for marketing, and marketing for revenue generation.

Modern organizations can’t afford to have sales and marketing operating in silos; the trends are pointing toward more joint responsibility and collaboration for revenue generation.

8. Sales 3.0 Requires Training 3.0.

Retention and forgetting curves were in the spotlight when David Bauders (@DavidBaudersSPA) took the stage. We forget a significant amount of what we learn in training events – without intentional strategies around retention and sustainability. How to help? Video, delivered right to a mobile device, needs to part of those strategies.

Just like marketing and sales must come together in sales enablement, so do training and sales. Training leaders and sales leaders can create the greatest impact on the success and sustainability of learning programs.

Additional Sales 3.0 Conference Resources

If you missed the event but want to catch up on other highlights, check out the #s30c hashtag on Twitter.

Intrigued enough to attend? The next Sales 3.0 conference will be held in Philadelphia this November. Hope to see you there!

Want to Learn More?

Join me October 10 for the webcast: Cultivating 5 Modern Sales Skills for a High-Value Advantage. You will learn how to apply modern selling trends to your decision making when developing sales strategy, designing skill building programs, and assessing skill gaps. This webcast is free and open to anyone. Register now.

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