In this episode of In-Sights, Lance Tyson breaks down one of the core principles behind high-performance selling: selling is an away game. Most salespeople prepare as if the game is played on their terms. But the truth is, every deal is won or lost on the buyer’s field — their needs, their environment, their rules, and their buying process. Lance unpacks what it really means to step into the buyer’s world, how top sellers adapt their approach, and why mastering the “away game” mindset leads to more trust, stronger conversations, and better outcomes.
👉If you’re looking to elevate your selling strategy, shift your perspective, and compete where the decision actually happens, this episode is a must-listen.
🎧 Tune in as Lance shares the mindset, behaviors, and tactics that separate average reps from elite performers.
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Listen to the podcast here
In-Sights: Selling Is An Away Game
I would definitely write this down. I am not an email marketer. Yes, not. I would not even argue with one bit that your buyers ask you to send stuff all the time to them. Your first sale is the sale of time. Your KPI is to present. Abe’s comment about Norman was like, “Look, you have a place to sell. You have a beautiful building to sell to, and that visual’s there.”
If you can’t convince somebody to take 15, 20, 30, or 40 minutes of their time to meet with you, how are you ever going to sell them a dollar product? That’s the first sale, but you have to have ways that you do that. No pun intended. I promised Jennifer I would actually bring in another concept. My first book I ever wrote, was called Selling Is An Away Game.
Selling Is An Away Game
Selling is an Away Game: Close Business and Compete in a Complex World
Does anybody here play sports? Would you prefer you played high school or college sports to play at home or would you prefer to play an away game? Why? You got home-field advantage or something. You know where the divots are on the field. You know where to bounce the basketball, where to hit the puck off the boards.
Our premise is that selling isn’t a way of the game. It ties back to something we talked about earlier, because it actually happens in the mindset of the buyer. The way the game happens in their mind. Your ability to engage the mind of buyer willingly. Now they’re profiled. You know who buys from you. You know what that profile is, or you have a few different IBO prospect profiles.
People who can afford it, like Abe said, maybe they’re writing a check, maybe there are other types of buyers that buy from you, but ultimately, you know who they are and what they’re about. Their ability to share with you their opinion, their thoughts, their agreements or disagreements allows you to advance the ball.
Does that make sense? Selling’s no way you can get into what happens to the milder buyer. I’m going to share some concepts from this that will give you a pathway, like a Waze or Google Map would. There’s not a lot new in sales processes. I would tell you the sales process that you follow. I’m a history major.
Selling only begins when you can get into the buyer’s mind.
The Original Sales Process
All my sons are history majors. I don’t know what that got us, but I am standing up on the stage giving business advice to do something new or something. I like studying business. The first sales process ever rolled out was the one that founded NCR, National Cash Register. That’s the sales process you all should follow.
Picture this. Some dude invents this giant machine that’s about this tall. You put your money in it, and then it calculates the ledger. Now imagine that happening in the late 1800s. You’re not going to advertise this monster machine in some catalog. I don’t even think the mail system was working that good at that time.
There’s no internet, there’s no phone. It was all show and tell. Think about this. You’re a salesperson for National Cash Register. Should you load this up in your horse’s buggy? You’re heading out to Walnut Grove to meet Mr. or Mrs. Ingalls. Nellie’s parents, who run the local, whatever you call that, the mercantile. They’re running a mercantile.
Don’t even call mercantiles. You’ve got to go in and open and say, “Do you spend a lot of time balancing your books? Are you always recounting your money?” Somebody would pull out a shotgun and go, “Why are you asking me about my money?” That’s the process you still follow. It was some kind of introduction, some presentation, some objections, and a close. You follow a very similar process. Nothing’s really changed.
A lot of people are throwing things and making side bets, but there’s really only one game happening. Everything else is just a side bet. That’s what sales really is.
We get leads a little bit quicker and stuff like that, but there are some parts of the process that we spend time with, like we talked about earlier, you would actually increase your odds, like you would on the casino floor, because we actually want you playing craps. Does anybody here play craps? See, look, I got one person who plays craps. Who plays sluts? Who goes with the slots? They’ll get all the hands now. Who plays poker?
Little poker, blackjack? Less. Not as many as craps or not the least amount of craps. See, the problem with craps, if you were up to the craft table, you’d sit there. I play craps, I don’t gamble a lot, I like odds, but I’ll gamble every once in a while. We do a lot of stuff in Vegas. I even have to spend a little time taking the game in for a moment because there’s a lot of action.
There’s so much action at the craps tables. I was with my brother one time at the ARIA in Vegas. He’s rolling his dice. He goes, “Mama needs a new pair of shoes.” I’m like, “Who? What is it? Where’d you get that?” He’s buying people free drinks and stuff like that. There is all kinds of stuff going on. A lot of action is going on.
The Craps Table Analogy (Action Vs. Game)
A lot of people are throwing things and making side bets. There’s really only one game going on. They’re all side bets. That’s really what sales is. There’s a lot of action going on right now. A lot of noise. You’re getting a lot of emails. You’re getting a lot of texts. You’re getting fragmented phone calls. You’re getting half information here, half information there. You end up presenting and dealing with things on different medium.
You’ve got to take the cruxes of what you do, they’re the intersections, and make sure you’re really disciplined in intersections. For instance, I was talking to Joel as a break. We got to spend a lot of time in maybe what you would call discovery or needs analysis. There are a lot of words for it. I go back to the Starbucks stuff. Let’s call it what they are. Language is important there. You get pulled in a lot of directions, and you’re distracted, so it becomes like a craps game. You need to understand the game to get your best odds.
Every sales cycle brings pressure. Prospects demand proof. Competitors push harder. Buyers seek lower prices. Strong negotiation skills help sales teams thrive during these moments. The right mindset turns difficult conversations into revenue opportunities. Margin protection starts with confidence, clarity, and control. When reps understand how to guide conversations, they close deals that support profit and long-term relationships.
Discounts aren’t negotiation. Your reps learn how to hold value, handle pressure, and close deals without giving away profit just to ‘get it done’.
Great negotiation requires structure and discipline. Reps win when they stay grounded in value instead of rushing toward discounts. Buyers test boundaries. They push limits. Skilled reps guide these moments and recover control quickly. They defend pricing without sounding rigid. They influence outcomes through clarity, not concessions. These skills drive margin growth and close larger deals consistently.
Strong Negotiators Understand the Real Problem
Every obstacle in a deal hides something deeper. Buyers often ask for price cuts when the real issue involves risk, uncertainty, or unclear value. Effective negotiators uncover the motive behind each objection. They ask stronger questions. They read tone shifts. They look for emotional drivers behind the buyer’s words. This approach builds trust and reveals new angles to move the deal forward.
However, not every team learns these methods naturally. Many teams benefit from structured development like sales negotiation training USA programs. These programs introduce frameworks that help reps understand buyer psychology and respond with confidence.
Why Negotiators Must Hold Value Under Pressure
Sellers lose margin when pressure rises. Discounting feels easier than fighting for value. Yet constant discounting weakens deals, brand position, and profits. Skilled negotiators protect their numbers by controlling conversations and reframing objections. They highlight outcomes, not prices. They shift focus from cost to long-term impact. They use clear, confident language that strengthens the offer instead of weakening it.
This mindset grows with consistent practice. Many organizations choose sales negotiation training USA programs to build habits that stick. The training helps reps develop resilience, fast thinking, and strategic communication.
Coaching Builds Stronger Negotiators
Negotiation grows stronger when teams receive consistent guidance. Leaders often use B2B negotiation coaching to shape their teams into strategic communicators. Coaching sharpens instincts and speeds up decision-making during intense discussions. Reps learn how to enter negotiations with a plan rather than reacting on the fly.
Although natural talent helps, structure drives results. Coaching aligns teams around frameworks that reinforce behavior. Every rep learns how to influence deal flow and move conversations with intention. This alignment improves performance and reduces hesitation during challenging sales moments.
How Reps Learn to Handle Price Pushback
Buyers test sales teams with tough questions. Strong negotiators respond with clarity. They guide discussions around outcomes and impact. They highlight value gaps that the buyer cannot ignore. They shift the focus to long-term goals that support the buyer’s success. This approach defends margin and increases credibility.
Training programs teach sellers how to handle pricing objections with confidence. Reps learn to question discounts, challenge assumptions, and control the flow of the conversation. These skills reduce unnecessary concessions and strengthen each deal.
Value Wins More Deals Than Discounts
Buyers choose brands that solve problems, not brands that drop prices. Strong negotiators know how to present solutions with clarity. They build value through insight, detail, and real outcomes. They use value-based negotiation skills to highlight ROI and long-term growth. This method attracts enterprise buyers who seek credibility, not cost cutting.
Sales teams win more deals when they anchor negotiations in value. They position pricing as an investment, not an expense. They lead conversations that inspire confidence and reduce uncertainty for the buyer.
Enterprise Deals Require Stronger Negotiators
Enterprise buyers expect depth, clarity, and maturity in negotiations. Teams need advanced strategies to compete at this level. Enterprises test communication skills, strategic thinking, and confidence. They evaluate sellers carefully. Small mistakes weaken deals and push buyers toward competitors.
Training for complex deals, such as enterprise negotiation training, equips reps with advanced frameworks. These frameworks help teams structure conversations, manage multiple decision-makers, and maintain control in long cycles. This approach supports larger deals and protects margin across lengthy negotiations.
Strong Leadership Shapes Strong Negotiators
Sales teams grow faster with the right leadership. Leaders who coach consistently create teams that think strategically. They help reps understand the root of each challenge and overcome it with practical methods. Good leadership aligns the entire team around shared goals. That alignment creates stronger pipelines, smoother processes, and tighter execution.
Leadership also improves accountability. When expectations stay clear, teams move with purpose. Metrics guide action. Feedback improves performance. Coaching builds consistency. These elements support every negotiation and strengthen margins across the entire team.
Turning Pressure Into Advantage
Pressure drives negotiation. Skilled reps use pressure as leverage. They redirect conversations. They address fears early. They read energy and adjust their approach during key moments. These skills transform tough conversations into growth opportunities.
Sales teams that complete sales negotiation training USA programs often feel more confident under pressure. They know how to control the tempo. They stay calm. They respond with intent. These habits close bigger deals and protect margin during every stage of the pipeline.
How Tyson Group Supports Stronger Negotiators
At the end of the process, strong deals rely on strong skills. Structured development creates results that last. Tyson Group provides leadership coaching and negotiation development that help teams close bigger deals with confidence. We offer training that strengthens communication, improves negotiation habits, and builds consistency across your entire team. Every program focuses on real performance and measurable outcomes that support revenue growth.
When you want a partner who understands high-stakes selling, Tyson Group gives your team the edge it needs to negotiate with confidence, protect margin, and win bigger opportunities.
Final Thought
Your sales team grows when it masters real negotiation, not shortcuts. Strong conversations protect margin, build trust, and move complex deals forward with confidence. When teams commit to consistent development through sales negotiation training USA, they gain the mindset and discipline to close bigger deals while holding firm on value.
Many sales teams start training without knowing the real problems. They spend time on skills their reps already have. This leads to wasted resources, low engagement, and slow revenue growth. Training without assessment is like guessing in the dark. Managers may focus on the wrong skills or processes, and teams often feel frustrated.
Assessing your sales team first gives a clear picture. You can find who needs coaching, who is performing well, and where revenue leaks occur. This ensures that training is targeted and effective. Reps improve faster, and managers can track measurable results. Using sales assessments in the USA helps leaders make smart decisions about training priorities. When training is guided by real data, every session becomes an investment. Teams gain confidence, skills improve quickly, and revenue grows predictably. A proper assessment sets the stage for fixing the right problems before starting any training program.
Why Sales Teams Often Train Blindly
Many teams assume all reps have the same needs. They create generic training programs for everyone. This wastes time and reduces focus. High performers may get bored, while low performers remain untrained on critical skills. Teams also rely on manager opinions instead of data. Managers may think they know the gaps, but assumptions are risky.
Generic training ignores individual strengths and weaknesses. For example, some reps struggle with closing deals while others cannot qualify leads. Without assessment, these issues are not identified. Teams end up repeating sessions without improving results.
In addition, blind training creates frustration. Sales reps may feel misunderstood or unsupported. Training may cover topics that are irrelevant to their daily challenges. This reduces adoption and engagement. It also slows revenue growth because critical issues remain unaddressed.
Using sales assessments in the USA ensures that every session is purposeful. You can separate high performers from those who need coaching. You can also identify process inefficiencies that affect the entire team. Furthermore, assessment insights help managers prioritize training. This makes training faster, more efficient, and measurable. Therefore, diagnosing before training is essential for any sales organization.
The Importance of Diagnosing Before Training
Diagnosing your team before training brings clarity. It identifies who needs coaching and what skills are lacking. Without a diagnosis, training becomes a guessing game. Leaders cannot track progress or measure results effectively.
Assessment helps uncover revenue leaks. For example, reps may lose deals due to poor qualification or weak presentations. Identifying these issues allows for precise interventions. Training then targets specific weaknesses instead of wasting time on areas the team already masters.
A diagnosis also improves engagement. Reps see that training addresses real challenges. They are more likely to apply new techniques immediately. In addition, it builds manager confidence in coaching. They can provide support based on evidence rather than opinion.
Sales assessments in the USA offer structured frameworks for diagnosis. Tools like sales team evaluation and sales competency assessment reveal skill gaps and performance patterns. Managers can then plan training that matches each rep’s needs.
Furthermore, a data-driven approach helps leaders allocate resources effectively. Training time, budgets, and coaching efforts focus on areas with the highest impact. Teams improve faster, and revenue grows predictably. Therefore, diagnosing before training is not optional. It is essential for success.
Most Teams Train Blindly — Assessments Hit Harder
Most teams train blindly. Tyson Group’s assessments reveal who can sell, who needs coaching, and where revenue is leaking. Training then delivers faster, measurable results.
When training is guided by assessment insights, teams focus on what matters. Reps improve quickly, and managers see progress immediately. Furthermore, alignment across the team increases because everyone understands priorities.
Sales assessments in the USA give leaders a clear picture of performance gaps. High performers maintain momentum while low performers get targeted coaching. This prevents wasted effort and ensures training investments pay off.
Assessment-driven training also increases accountability. Reps know they are being evaluated and coached based on facts. Managers can track improvement in real-time and adjust training strategies. Therefore, assessment is the foundation of effective sales development.
How to Assess Your Sales Team Effectively
Effective assessment requires a structured approach. Start with a skills and competency audit. Evaluate prospecting, qualifying, presenting, negotiating, and closing skills. Objective metrics and role-play exercises help identify gaps.
Next, analyze performance metrics. Look at conversion rates, deal sizes, and lost opportunities. This identifies patterns of revenue leakage. High-performing reps will show consistent success, while struggling reps reveal weaknesses.
Behavioral and motivational assessments are also essential. Understand each rep’s selling style, mindset, and engagement level. This helps determine who needs coaching, mentoring, or advanced training.
Review team processes next. Audit workflows, lead management, and deal tracking. Identify bottlenecks or inconsistencies that slow performance. Streamlining processes improves efficiency and team alignment.
Tools like diagnostic sales tools provide measurable insights. They track performance trends and highlight areas that require attention. Leaders can then design training programs based on data rather than assumptions.
Finally, combine these assessments into a unified plan. Teams get training that is customized, measurable, and targeted. Leaders gain clarity on gaps and strengths. Performance improves quickly, and revenue grows predictably. Using sales assessments in the USA ensures this process is consistent and effective.
Pinpointing the Right Problems to Fix
Not all sales problems are obvious. Many teams focus on symptoms, not root causes. Assessments help identify the real issues affecting performance.
For example, low win rates may result from poor qualification or weak closing techniques. High churn may point to process inconsistencies. Teams may also struggle due to misalignment between messaging and buyer needs.
Targeting root causes ensures training addresses the right issues. Reps improve faster because they learn the skills they actually need. Managers can focus coaching on gaps that impact revenue directly.
Using sales assessmentsuncovers revenue leakage and skills gaps simultaneously. Tools like sales hiring assessments help identify new talent needs. At the same time, res current reps sales competency assessment ensuhave the right capabilities.
Focusing on the right problems also improves ROI. Training time and resources are spent on areas that drive real business outcomes. Teams become more confident, capable, and aligned. Leaders gain measurable insights and can adjust strategies as needed.
Designing Training Based on Assessment Insights
Training should match assessment insights. Generic programs are less effective. Instead, focus on skill gaps identified in audits and performance metrics.
Custom programs help low performers improve quickly. High performers get advanced training to sharpen skills. Training should also reinforce behaviors that support revenue growth.
Assessment-driven design ensures relevance. Reps see the value of training immediately. Incorporatingsales hiring assessments helps managers identify gaps in new hires. They apply skills faster and adopt best practices more consistently.
In addition, sales assessments in the USA guide resource allocation. Managers know where to spend time, energy, and budget. This prevents wasted effort and ensures measurable outcomes.
Combining assessment with coaching improves adoption. Managers provide guidance based on real performance gaps. Training results in higher close rates, shorter sales cycles, and healthier pipelines. Diagnostic sales tools help track progress and adjust strategies as needed.
This approach creates a strong foundation for ongoing team development. Teams grow smarter, more confident, and more capable. Training investments produce predictable revenue growth and lasting impact.
Integrating Leadership Coaching
Leadership alignment is critical for training success. Managers must understand team performance insights. They need to coach effectively and consistently.
Training managers on coaching techniques improves team results. Combining this with a sales team evaluation helps leaders track KPIs and guide reps using real data. Leadership also ensures process consistency.
When managers use sales assessments in the USA, coaching becomes targeted and measurable. Reps see improvement, and managers gain confidence in decision-making.
Strong leadership amplifies training impact. Teams perform better, revenue grows faster, and processes remain consistent. Assessment-driven coaching ensures that improvements last over time.
Leveraging Technology and Tools for Assessment
Technology supports continuous evaluation. CRM dashboards, analytics, and diagnostic sales tools track rep performance over time.
Leaders can identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement. This data ensures training stays relevant and focused. Tools also allow managers to measure ROI for each session.
Using sales assessments in the USA with technology helps teams stay aligned. Reps understand expectations, and managers track progress efficiently. Training becomes smarter and results become measurable.
Building a Continuous Improvement Culture
Assessment is not a one-time task. Continuous evaluation ensures teams grow consistently.
Regular use of sales assessments in the USA helps identify emerging skill gaps. Teams can adapt quickly to market changes. Managers maintain accountability and track performance trends.
Ongoing assessment creates a culture of learning. Reps embrace coaching, apply skills faster, and focus on high-impact activities. Teams become aligned, confident, and capable.
Conclusion
Assessing your team before training is critical. It prevents wasted effort and ensures improvements are meaningful. Teams gain clarity on gaps, and managers can focus coaching where it matters most. Training becomes faster, more efficient, and measurable. Using data-driven insights and tools, organizations can target the exact issues that affect performance and revenue. This approach builds confidence, alignment, and stronger results across the sales team.
Explore how we at Tyson Group can help you implement effective sales assessments. Start evaluating your team today to identify gaps, focus training, and unlock faster revenue growth. Take action now and see measurable results.
Sales teams usually struggle when leaders focus on checking tasks instead of driving performance. Numbers rise when leaders support their teams with clarity, structure, and consistent coaching. Strong leadership guides behavior, shapes momentum, and builds direction. It steers teams toward goals with purpose, not pressure. This is why many companies now invest in sales leadership training USA to elevate both managers and sellers.
Managers often track dashboards, monitor calls, and review reports. Yet this rarely changes outcomes. Real results come from leadership that builds discipline, sharpens skill, and aligns every rep with a clear method. Strong leaders challenge their teams to think, act, and execute with intention. They help reps shift from activity to impact.
Sales leaders shouldn’t be glorified babysitters. Give your managers the tools to coach harder, set clear expectations, and lead teams that hit quota without chaos.
Teams collapse when expectations stay vague. Reps guess their next move. Managers scramble for updates. Chaos replaces clarity. However, strong leadership fixes this instantly. Leaders set standards that everyone understands. They reinforce behaviors that support the pipeline. They remove confusion with direct conversations.
Managers need tools that help them coach with confidence. Teams thrive when leaders guide decisions with purpose. Structured coaching builds stronger habits. Consistent feedback sharpens technique. Clear direction reduces emotional noise and helps reps stay grounded during tough cycles.
Here, sales leadership training USA becomes essential. Training provides the frameworks managers need to guide performance. It strengthens their ability to execute tough conversations. It shows them how to anchor their team around specific actions that move deals forward.
Coaching That Strengthens Every Selling Moment
Great leaders coach with intention. They listen without judgment. They ask questions that reveal problems. They push reps to improve daily. Strong coaching drives confidence and skill.
Many managers struggle to coach consistently. They focus on quick fixes. They rush through pipeline reviews. They overlook skill gaps. Yet coaching shapes sales behavior. Reps develop stronger habits when leaders support them with structured practice and honest guidance.
This is why sales manager coaching matters. It builds managers who understand how to challenge behavior and inspire growth without causing stress. Strong coaching turns average reps into consistent performers.
Teams rely on leaders who engage deeply. Leaders help reps navigate difficult deals. They provide guidance during negotiations. They support clarity during client conversations. These moments strengthen trust and elevate performance.
Structure That Removes Confusion
Every sales team faces obstacles. Markets shift. Competitors react. Deals stall. Structure keeps teams grounded during the chaos. Leaders guide teams with clear process steps. Reps follow a defined path. Performance stays consistent.
With structure, metrics reveal what needs attention. Leaders identify stalled deals early. They correct missteps before they escalate. Structure turns uncertainty into progress.
Companies invest in sales leadership training USA because structure drives predictability. Leaders create systems that help teams stay aligned. This alignment turns uncertainty into progress.
Building Leaders Who Shape Culture
Strong leaders shape culture from the inside. They influence behavior. They reinforce discipline. They build trust. Every conversation plants a seed. Every coaching session shapes a mindset.
Programs that help companies build sales leaders focus on mindset, skill, and accountability. Leadership grows through intention, not instinct. Leaders evolve when they receive guidance that strengthens their approach. They learn how to motivate teams without pressure. They develop coaching instincts that create real change.
Growth happens when leaders develop daily habits. They guide reps during pipeline reviews. They refine deal strategies. They reinforce proven techniques. These habits build a culture where success feels natural.
Training That Supports Modern Selling
Modern selling demands stronger skills. Reps must uncover needs with clarity. They must communicate value with confidence. They must manage complex decisions with precision. Training provides these skills. Leadership reinforces them.
Organizations strengthen their results when they invest in leadership training for sales teams. It helps managers deliver consistent guidance. It helps reps apply techniques with confidence. It aligns the entire team under one strategy instead of scattered methods.
Training sharpens awareness. Leaders understand how deals progress. Reps understand how to engage clients. Teams follow steps that lead to predictable outcomes.
Development That Drives Long-Term Success
Companies grow when leaders commit to long-term development. They build systems that support consistency, not chaos. They create environments where teams feel confident.
Effective sales leadership development sharpens instincts. It helps leaders understand the entire sales ecosystem. It strengthens their ability to guide reps with actionable insights. It builds managers who coach with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
Growth becomes sustainable when leaders drive consistent behavior. Wins become repeatable. Skills are solidified through training. Teams feel supported, not pressured. Leadership development becomes the engine behind every result.
A System That Moves Numbers, Not Just Activity
Activity means nothing without direction. Leaders move numbers when they guide reps with purpose. Teams grow when leaders challenge them with clarity. Structure turns stress into focus. Coaching turns confusion into confidence. Training turns effort into impact.
Organizations rely on sales leadership training USA to unify these elements. Training builds managers who lead with intention. It strengthens clarity across the team. It creates repeatable performance instead of unpredictable cycles. Strong leadership always drives strong results.
Why Tyson Group Makes the Difference
We focus on leadership that changes outcomes. We guide managers to coach with confidence and clarity. We help teams align under strategies that drive real revenue. When you partner with us at Tyson Group, you strengthen your sales engine with proven methods. Leaders grow stronger. Teams grow sharper. Results grow consistently. Organizations trust our team at Tyson Group because we build leadership that moves the number, not just activity.
Final Thought
Strong sales leadership training USAalways starts with clarity, courage, and discipline. Managers thrive when they coach with intention and support their teams with structure. Reps perform better when leaders guide them with direction instead of pressure. Numbers rise when everyone moves with purpose. Great leadership never happens by accident. It happens when teams commit to consistent growth, honest feedback, and daily improvement. When leaders focus on behavior, skill, and alignment, success becomes predictable and repeatable.
Sales success begins with clarity. Every team holds unrealized strengths and hidden challenges that shape daily performance. Yet many organizations struggle to pinpoint these factors with accuracy. Modern leaders now turn to data-driven insights that uncover real potential and remove guesswork. Smarter selling starts when decision-makers understand what drives top performers and what slows the rest. This shift demands structured evaluation, reliable metrics, and powerful sales assessment tools that highlight the truth behind every result.
Today’s sales environment moves fast. Buyers expect meaningful conversations, relevant solutions, and confident guidance. Sellers must operate with skill and agility, not assumptions. Data becomes the anchor that guides stronger choices and sharper strategies. With clear insight, every hiring decision, coaching plan, and performance improvement effort becomes more targeted and more effective.
Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, And Gaps With Precision
A focused approach begins with proper evaluation. Leaders gain sharper visibility when they analyze behaviors, selling styles, and decision patterns at every stage. Strong sales assessment tools deliver this clarity. They reveal strengths that shape competitive advantage. They expose weaknesses that block progress. They uncover performance gaps that impact closing rates, message delivery, and client engagement.
Talent varies from person to person. Some sellers communicate with natural confidence. Others excel at discovery. A few navigate objections with ease. However, strengths alone do not guarantee consistent results. A data-backed approach highlights the full performance picture and supports skill development that fits each individual.
Clear insights help managers guide teams with purpose. Training then becomes relevant, strategic, and targeted. Development plans shine a light on real opportunities for growth. Sellers understand their abilities at a deeper level and gain direction for improvement. When clarity drives every decision, performance becomes more predictable.
Improve Hiring Accuracy And Reduce Costly Mistakes
Strong sales teams begin with informed hiring. Yet traditional interviews rarely capture the traits that shape consistent performance. Organizations need stronger visibility during recruitment. Structured sales assessment tools deliver this advantage. They highlight natural strengths. They measure selling instincts. They reveal thinking patterns. They show how candidates respond under pressure.
These insights reduce hiring errors and support long-term team stability. Leaders identify candidates who fit the culture, adapt quickly, and learn fast. Better hiring also reduces turnover and ensures smoother onboarding experiences.
A structured sales rep evaluation process strengthens early decision-making. Recruiters gain insight into behavior, motivation, and selling discipline. Additionally, a targeted sales competency assessment highlights skills that impact negotiations, discovery calls, and client relationships. Strong hiring decisions create lasting benefits across the team.
Accelerate Onboarding And Create Faster Ramp-Ups
Onboarding sets the tone for long-term success. With the right insights, new sellers move faster and feel more prepared. Data helps managers design personalized training paths that follow each seller’s strengths and improvement areas. Strong sales assessment tools support this process with accuracy.
When new hires understand their starting point, they improve faster and retain information more effectively. They step into conversations with clarity instead of uncertainty. Managers track early progress with confidence and guide sellers with consistent direction.
A focused onboarding approach blends skill development, communication improvement, and real-world application. Additionally, targeted evaluation using sales aptitude testing highlights learning patterns that influence long-term growth. Sellers with strong adaptability move through training with greater speed. Others benefit from more structured support. Data breathes life into this process and creates measurable progress.
Enhance Every Stage Of The Sales Cycle
Modern selling requires more than talent. It demands skill depth, emotional awareness, strategic thinking, and strong communication. Each stage of the sales cycle influences final outcomes. Discovery determines understanding. Presentation shapes value. Negotiation forms trust. Closing seals direction. Data improves each stage with purpose.
Clear insights help leaders match coaching strategies to specific gaps. Sellers gain guidance that actually fits. Conversations improve. Confidence grows. Deal flow strengthens. Structured evaluation also supports scenario-based training. Reps practice real challenges. They learn how to handle objections, uncover needs, and communicate value with clarity.
Meanwhile, organizations build stronger systems by incorporating insights from sales hiring assessments during recruitment. This approach brings in sellers who not only fit the culture but also align with the sales process from day one. Consistency rises because teams share a unified standard of skill and behavior.
Transform Leadership Impact With Actionable Data
Leadership decides whether a sales system succeeds or stalls. Strong leaders set expectations clearly. They track meaningful metrics. They coach with intention. They reinforce skill growth through personalized guidance. Data enhances every part of this process.
Insights from sales assessment tools help leaders design more targeted coaching conversations. They encourage ongoing accountability. They connect performance indicators with actionable improvements. This approach builds discipline, structure, and clarity across the team.
When leaders understand what drives success, they build systems that support predictable revenue, shorter cycles, and stronger client relationships. Every part of the sales engine benefits from intentional leadership backed by evidence.
Final Thoughts
Sales success grows from clarity, structure, and insight. Data-driven assessments create a foundation for stronger hiring, targeted coaching, and predictable win rates. The sales assessment tools help organizations understand each seller’s true capabilities and build development paths that feel practical and achievable.
At the end of this journey, at Tyson Group, we deliver training and leadership development that elevates every insight into real performance gains. With our proven strategies and hands-on coaching methods, our experts at Tyson Group help teams grow faster, sell smarter, and thrive in competitive markets.
The world of selling is changing fast. Buyers are smarter and have more choices. Old sales methods no longer bring steady results. Today, companies need customized sales training solutions that build lasting success. Modern sales is not only about closing deals. It’s about understanding people, solving problems, and creating real value. Teams that rely on outdated scripts often lose trust. They struggle to connect with modern customers.
That’s why a strategic sales training program is vital. It helps teams focus on skill, structure, and results. Every team member learns how to sell with purpose and confidence. With the right guidance, your business can create a sales culture built on clarity and action. When done right, customized sales training solutions help your people grow faster, sell smarter, and perform better every day.
Understanding Sales Transformation: Beyond Skills and Scripts
Sales transformation means more than just new lessons or tools. It’s about changing how your team thinks, plans, and acts. Companies that use customized sales training solutions focus on both mindset and performance. Training alone is not enough. Real transformation builds habits that last. It starts with aligning the team to one clear process. This process connects goals, communication, and accountability.
Many businesses run sales training programs but forget about reinforcement. Without follow-up, even good training fades away. Successful transformation blends learning, coaching, and review.
Furthermore, transformation improves culture. Everyone speaks the same language and works toward shared success. When teams are united, performance improves naturally. By using structured plans, companies turn ordinary sellers into reliable performers. That’s the power of true sales transformation.
The Power of Customization in Sales Training
Every business is different. Every team faces unique challenges. That’s why customized sales training solutions make a real difference. They fit your team’s needs instead of forcing a one-size plan.
Customization builds stronger connections. It helps trainers design lessons that speak to your market, your buyers, and your goals. This approach supports continuous growth instead of temporary boosts.
In addition, consultative selling techniques help sellers focus on buyer needs. Instead of pushing products, they build trust and long-term relationships. This change turns conversations into conversions.
Custom programs also improve morale. People learn faster when the training feels useful. Teams become more confident, motivated, and ready to win.
When learning feels real, results follow. With customized sales training solutions, every lesson matters, and every sale counts.
Diagnosing the Gaps: The Foundation of Strategic Training
Before you train, you must understand what’s broken. Many sales teams skip this step. But true transformation begins with a clear diagnosis. A solid diagnostic reveals what limits performance.
When you identify the root causes, your customized sales training solutions can fix the right problems. It’s like taking a snapshot of your sales engine before tuning it.
Strong programs look at leadership, process, tools, and skills. They measure how each piece supports the big picture. This helps in planning your revenue-focused sales coaching and other learning stages.
Therefore, leaders must gather insights before they act. The data shapes strategy and shows where growth is possible.
When teams understand their gaps, they can learn smarter and faster. Diagnosis builds the foundation for true performance change.
From Inside Sales to Leadership: Programs That Drive Measurable Revenue Growth
Sales teams grow from the ground up. Each level, from inside sales to leadership, needs the right tools and training. A strong inside sales training program builds the base. It teaches reps how to qualify leads, handle calls, and connect fast.
Next comes advanced selling. Using effective sales methodologies, field teams learn how to guide complex deals. They understand value and show customers real solutions.
Managers, meanwhile, need coaching skills. That’s where customized sales training solutions work best. They help leaders coach consistently and manage performance with clarity.
At higher levels, leaders shape culture. They set goals and create energy across teams. With structured training, they drive accountability and trust.
As a result, each role supports the next. Together, they form top-performing sales teams that achieve consistent revenue growth.
Building Sales Excellence Through Data, Coaching, and Enablement
Sales growth thrives on insight. Modern leaders rely on numbers, feedback, and coaching to guide success. With customized sales training solutions, data shapes every stage of learning.
Metrics show what works and what doesn’t. This helps design the next step — better coaching. When coaching connects with data, progress becomes measurable.
Moreover, professional sales workshops give teams a safe space to practice. These workshops turn learning into daily habits. Managers can reinforce lessons with real examples and shared experiences.
Enablement tools, such as dashboards and templates, also keep the team aligned. They ensure lessons are applied in the field.
Continuous feedback builds confidence. When sellers see progress, they stay motivated. Over time, this cycle of training, coaching, and tracking creates lasting sales excellence.
The Cultural Shift: Creating a Unified Sales Language
A team that speaks one language sells faster. That’s why culture matters. With customized sales training solutions, companies create a shared approach to selling.
This alignment makes communication simple. Everyone understands the same process, steps, and goals. It removes confusion and builds teamwork.
Unified culture also improves training and sales performance. When leaders and sellers use the same playbook, results become predictable. Customers feel the difference too. They trust brands that sound clear and confident.
Furthermore, consistent language enhances brand identity. It connects every part of the sales cycle — from first call to close.
When culture supports collaboration, success follows naturally. Transformation becomes part of daily behavior, not just an occasional event.
Measuring What Matters: Tracking Sales Training ROI
Measurement drives progress. Without tracking, you can’t prove success. Every customized sales training solutions plan should include clear goals and metrics.
Teams must monitor numbers like win rate, deal size, and pipeline health. These metrics show how training impacts growth. Over time, they reveal areas forsales performance improvement.
In addition, post-training surveys and check-ins help track confidence and engagement. This feedback guides leaders in adjusting future sessions.
Dashboards make progress visible. Managers can see patterns and predict outcomes. When results are visible, motivation increases.
Therefore, measuring ROI ensures that time and money are well spent. It proves that training creates real business impact.
Overcoming Common Barriers to Sales Transformation
Every change faces challenges. Some teams resist new methods. Others lack strong leadership support. With customized sales training solutions, these barriers become easier to handle.
Resistance fades when people understand the benefits. Leaders must communicate clearly and lead by example. Regular follow-up and coaching build trust.
Another challenge is weak reinforcement. Without practice, new skills fade quickly. That’s why enterprise sales training includes ongoing refreshers and micro-learning.
Technology also helps. Tools make learning simple and track progress in real time. When companies remove these barriers, transformation becomes smoother. The result is a team ready to grow, adapt, and win.
The Future of Strategic Sales Training
The future of selling belongs to teams that learn constantly. Customized sales training solutions evolve with technology and trends. Learning never stops.
Future training will focus on flexibility, data, and personalization. With sales acceleration strategies, teams will respond faster to market shifts.
Moreover, sales process optimization will stay at the heart of transformation. Clear steps mean faster deals and better communication.
Companies will also embrace B2B sales enablement to support remote and hybrid work. Tools, insights, and collaboration platforms will boost performance everywhere.
As businesses grow, training will merge into daily routines. Continuous learning will power long-term success.
Conclusion
Success in sales begins with people who are trained to think, act, and perform strategically. With customized sales training solutions, your business can build stronger connections, improve confidence, and achieve lasting results. Every skill learned becomes a step toward consistent growth and measurable success. Focused learning empowers teams to handle challenges, close deals faster, and create long-term customer trust. The right training transforms potential into performance. Partner with Tyson Group today to explore programs that elevate your sales force and drive measurable revenue growth. Take the first step toward smarter selling and sustainable success now.
Every business wants a sales team that performs at its peak, closing deals with skill and confidence. But in a fast-changing market, traditional methods often fail to deliver results. Teams need fresh strategies, modern tools, and consistent support to stay ahead. This is where customized sales training solutions bring real impact. These programs adapt to your company’s goals, challenges, and culture. They move beyond generic lessons and create measurable change. Your salespeople learn to connect better, qualify faster, and close smarter. The focus shifts from selling harder to selling smarter. With the right training, your team can unlock potential, build stronger relationships, and achieve lasting success. True performance begins when training speaks your team’s language and turns learning into confident, repeatable action.
Why Traditional Sales Training Misses the Mark
Many sales programs look good on paper. Yet they fail when applied in real situations. Why? Because they teach everyone the same way. Every sales team faces different challenges. Some struggle to qualify leads. Others lose deals during negotiation. A few fail to show value against competition. One-size training cannot fix unique problems.
Traditional training and sales sessions often push theory without practice. They motivate but don’t transform. Reps forget most lessons within weeks. Leaders get no clear data to measure success. Furthermore, these programs often ignore your market and customer base. What works in one industry fails in another. That mismatch creates confusion, low morale, and missed targets.
Therefore, teams need an approach that adapts to them. That’s where customized sales training solutions make a difference. They are built from real data, tested strategies, and measurable outcomes. They ensure your team doesn’t just learn — it performs with clarity and confidence.
Understanding the Core of Customized Sales Training
Customized sales training solutions start with understanding your team deeply. No assumptions. Only facts. It begins with a full diagnostic to identify what holds your team back.
This is where sales team science comes in. It analyzes leadership, sales process, and enablement methods. It studies behaviors, communication patterns, and decision-making habits. The outcome is a clear map of strengths and gaps.
Then, training is built around these insights. Each module targets specific needs. For example, if reps struggle to connect with buyers, an advanced consultative selling approach helps them ask better questions and listen more.
Furthermore, metrics matter. Every custom plan includes clear performance measures. You can track improvement in conversion rates, deal velocity, and client engagement.
This approach is not about lectures or slides. It’s about real, actionable learning. Teams gain tools and frameworks they can apply the next day. Managers gain visibility into who needs support. The result is progress you can measure and replicate.
By the end, your team doesn’t just improve skills. It builds habits that last. That’s what separates customized sales training solutions from standard workshops — they work because they are made for you.
Tailored Sales Programs That Transform Teams into Revenue-Generating Machines
Every strong sales team begins with a strong training foundation. Customized sales training solutions take that idea further by tailoring programs to every role and goal.
For instance, an inside sales training program helps reps master prospecting, follow-ups, and relationship building through effective conversations. It trains them to use tone, timing, and empathy to build trust faster.
Then comes solution sales strategies — training that teaches sellers to solve problems instead of pushing products. It changes how reps think and sell. Customers start seeing value before price.
In addition, complex B2B sales training helps handle longer cycles and multiple decision-makers. It builds patience, structure, and strategic focus.
Managers benefit too. They can join an executive sales leadership program or strategic sales training program to strengthen their ability to lead and coach.
All programs include consistent coaching and real feedback. Reps learn how to turn objections into buying signals and close confidently.
These customized sales training solutions ensure your entire team performs as one. Each seller knows their role, process, and message. That’s how you build teams that close faster, retain customers, and keep revenue flowing strong.
Building a Sales Training Framework That Works
A successful training system needs structure. It’s not random workshops. It’s a step-by-step framework built to deliver results.
The first step is diagnosis. Identify your team’s real gaps. Then, create a strategy that links skills to company goals.
Next, focus on enablement. Combine learning with practical sales enablement techniques that help reps use tools better and stay efficient.
After that, introduce regular coaching. This is where change sticks. With ongoing feedback, learning becomes part of daily work.
Finally, measure results. Use data to see what improves — win rates, deal size, or conversion time.
Each step in customized sales training solutions works like a puzzle piece. Together, they create a system that drives long-term success. This structure ensures consistency, accountability, and visible progress.
When a training framework works well, it becomes part of company culture. That’s when sales performance truly peaks.
Empowering Sales Leaders Through Consistent Coaching
Great teams need great leaders. Customized sales training solutions help leaders become better coaches. They teach how to guide, motivate, and measure performance the right way.
Strong leadership begins with understanding. That’s where high-performance sales coaching plays a vital role. Leaders learn how to use structured feedback, data, and observation to improve their teams.
Furthermore, leaders should develop persuasive presentation skills to inspire confidence during team meetings and client talks. When they present with clarity, teams follow with conviction.
In addition, sales leadership development ensures managers align training goals with company vision. Coaching becomes more than advice. It becomes action that multiplies results.
By embedding a coaching mindset, leaders create accountability. Every meeting, review, or pipeline discussion becomes a growth moment. Over time, this builds a culture where learning never stops.
With consistent coaching, leaders don’t just manage — they empower. They transform potential into performance, creating teams ready to exceed goals every quarter.
Technology as a Game-Changer in Sales Training
Technology has reshaped how we train and sell. With modern tools, customized sales training solutions become smarter and more interactive.
Today, training programs use data, analytics, and automation to track progress. AI tools may show who needs help or which skill gaps exist. However, real success comes from using insights wisely.
Effective sales training programs integrate tech into daily sales work. For example, using CRM dashboards helps reps monitor tasks and follow-ups. It also helps leaders view performance in real time.
Furthermore, learning platforms make training flexible. Reps can complete modules anytime. This creates a balance between learning and working.
In addition, technology supports remote learning. Teams across cities or countries can train together through live sessions.
When used well, technology enhances every part of sales training. It connects people, simplifies tracking, and supports long-term skill growth. This balance of data and practice is what makes customized sales training solutions effective in any industry.
The Cultural Shift: Aligning Teams Around a Unified Sales Language
Sales success needs more than skill. It needs alignment. Everyone — leaders, reps, and managers — must speak the same language.
This is where a cultural shift begins. Customized sales training solutions build that unity by setting shared goals, messages, and expectations.
For example, critical account management training teaches teams how to protect and grow key clients. It promotes collaboration between departments and ensures consistent communication.
In addition, teams learn to follow the same playbook. Whether it’s strategy calls or customer meetings, everyone understands the same process.
This shared system reduces confusion and improves handoffs. It also speeds up onboarding for new hires.
Over time, this alignment builds trust within teams. When people communicate clearly, performance rises naturally.
Consistency is the true power of alignment. It turns random wins into steady success. That’s why customized sales training solutions create stronger cultures and more dependable results.
Measuring ROI: Turning Training into Tangible Business Outcomes
Any investment in sales training must show clear results. That’s why customized sales training solutions always include measurable goals.
First, teams define what success looks like. It could be more leads, higher win rates, or faster deal cycles. Then, metrics are tracked before and after training.
Performance dashboards help managers see progress in real time. They show how learning translates into numbers.
Furthermore, leaders analyze data by department, product, or individual. This gives a full picture of improvement.
Programs like strategic sales training program or enablement systems often show visible change within 90 days. Win rates go up. Sales cycles shorten. Revenue becomes predictable.
In addition, regular check-ins keep improvement on track. It’s not a one-time effort but a continuous process.
With data-backed results, leaders can clearly prove ROI. That’s the beauty of customized sales training solutions — every change can be measured, optimized, and scaled.
Choosing the Right Sales Training Partner
Choosing the right partner defines the success of any training plan. Look for a team that understands your industry and challenges.
The best partners use proven frameworks like sales team science and tailor programs around measurable outcomes. They offer guidance, not just workshops.
A good partner includes post-training support too. This means constant feedback, coaching, and updates. Programs like executive sales leadership program help align business goals with leadership growth.
Tyson Group is one example of a brand that brings deep expertise, insight, and structure to every client partnership. We help teams turn skill into performance. Therefore, find a partner that listens, adapts, and drives results. When the right partner stands by you, training turns into transformation.
Conclusion
Sales success grows through focus, skill, and continuous learning. When your team receives training that matches their real challenges, their performance improves naturally. That is the value of strategic, personalized development. Tailored training leads to more wins, faster sales cycles, and stronger customer trust. Let Tyson Group guide your sales team toward lasting growth and measurable results. Explore our expert programs, discover your team’s full potential, and turn challenges into growth opportunities. Ready to boost performance and revenue? Connect with us today to begin your journey toward excellence. Your path to peak sales performance starts now with the right partner by your side.
Sales success needs more than motivation. It needs skill, focus, and strategy. Today, buyers are smart and informed. They look for real value in every deal. Simple pitches no longer work. Every sales team must be ready to adapt fast and think smart. This is why companies now invest in customized sales training solutions that fit their needs. These programs build stronger connections between teams and clients. They teach salespeople how to listen, solve problems, and close deals with confidence. With the right training, every team member learns to manage challenges and handle complex conversations. Customized programs make learning practical and real. They focus on steady improvement that leads to measurable results. A well-trained sales team not only wins more clients but also builds long-term success for the business.
Understanding the Core of Sales Customization
Sales customization begins with understanding that no two companies sell the same way. Each business has unique goals, clients, and challenges. A generic program simply can’t deliver deep results. This is where customized sales training solutions change the game. They analyze your sales structure, identify gaps, and create targeted strategies that drive results.
Unlike standard sales training programs, customized versions are crafted with precision. They align directly with your team’s real needs. For example, a team struggling with closing deals might focus on communication and negotiation, while another may need help with lead nurturing or customer retention. Tailored training ensures time and resources are invested where they matter most.
Customization also connects sales teams to company values and customer expectations. When training reflects what your brand stands for, sellers communicate with authenticity. This leads to stronger relationships and higher win rates. Customization isn’t just a design choice—it’s a strategy for alignment.
The best programs blend assessment, practice, and feedback into one continuous cycle. That combination turns learning into measurable performance improvement, ensuring long-term success and business consistency.
The Science Behind Sustainable Sales Growth
Sales growth doesn’t happen by accident; it’s the result of well-structured learning. Every seller has a unique mindset, and understanding how they learn is key. Customized sales training solutions apply behavioral science and data to shape habits that last. This approach makes growth measurable, not theoretical.
A strategic sales training program identifies performance patterns and uses analytics to guide development. Trainers observe real selling behavior—how reps communicate, handle objections, and manage time. Then, they build modules that focus on strengthening those skills through practice. This scientific method transforms performance across the board.
Customization also brings consistency to the sales process. When every team member follows the same structured yet flexible system, it reduces confusion and improves productivity. Learning becomes focused and purposeful. As a result, teams are better prepared to adapt to shifts in markets, technology, or buyer expectations.
Science-based training isn’t about theory; it’s about transformation through evidence. It empowers sales teams to make smarter decisions and stay aligned with business goals, ensuring that every effort directly supports measurable revenue growth.
Building Blocks of a Fully Customized Sales Training Program
Building strong teams starts with the right foundation. Every organization needs a training framework that addresses its specific challenges. The first step in customized sales training solutions is assessment. Trainers evaluate performance data, talk to leaders, and identify key improvement areas. They look at sales cycles, deal size, and win ratios to create a clear picture of what needs to change.
Once gaps are identified, the next step is designing relevant training. The curriculum may focus on prospecting, communication, negotiation, or leadership. The content remains practical, engaging, and easy to apply. This hands-on design ensures that learning connects directly to daily selling situations.
The consultative selling mastery model strengthens how reps approach clients. It trains them to ask insightful questions, uncover client pain points, and offer customized solutions. This method builds credibility and trust, two essentials for long-term relationships.
By aligning learning with sales goals, companies create scalable and adaptable programs. Whether you’re onboarding new reps or improving veteran performance, these tailored strategies ensure progress is both visible and lasting.
The Power of Data-Driven Training
Sales training without data is like selling without a plan. Information guides improvement, and that’s why customized sales training solutions rely heavily on analytics. By tracking performance before, during, and after training, leaders gain a clear picture of what’s working.
Data identifies areas that need reinforcement. It helps trainers focus on specific behaviors that affect sales outcomes. For example, if close rates drop, it may reveal a need for stronger negotiation skills or better time management. Data brings precision and accountability.
In revenue growth workshops, teams use reports and dashboards to measure real progress. This helps them see how each session contributes to key metrics like pipeline velocity or conversion rate. When results are visible, motivation increases. Reps take ownership of their growth, knowing exactly how their actions translate into success.
Data-driven learning ensures that every activity contributes to performance. It connects strategy with execution and builds a foundation of trust between leaders and teams, ensuring consistent improvement across all levels.
Practical, Hands-On Strategies That Empower Teams to Close More Deals, Boost Performance, and Achieve Measurable Growth
Real transformation happens through action, not theory. That’s why customized sales training solutions focus on experience and practice. Hands-on learning helps sellers master new techniques while applying them in real scenarios. This bridges the gap between knowledge and execution.
One key technique is Real-World Simulations, where teams practice objection handling, presentations, and closing strategies in a safe learning environment. Another is Peer Coaching, which encourages collaboration and accountability within the team. Sellers learn from each other’s strengths, building unity and confidence.
Behavioral reinforcement helps convert new skills into daily habits. Consistent repetition and coaching create lasting improvement. Training also includes advanced closing techniques to help reps seal deals with precision and confidence.
Leadership support amplifies the effect. When managers reinforce lessons, the team sustains growth long after sessions end. These strategies not only increase confidence but also create measurable results, leading to stronger pipelines and better closing ratios across the organization.
Tailoring Sales Training for Different Roles
A company’s sales team is never one-size-fits-all. Each role demands unique skills and focus areas. That’s why customized sales training solutions are adjusted to match job responsibilities and experience levels.
New representatives often need high-impact sales enablement, focusing on prospecting, communication, and confidence-building. These foundational skills prepare them for early success. Experienced sellers, on the other hand, benefit from skill-based sales development, which sharpens advanced negotiation, storytelling, and consultative approaches.
Leadership-level training targets strategy, decision-making, and team motivation. Managers learn how to guide their teams with clarity and consistency. By matching training to roles, organizations build synergy across departments.
When each employee receives learning relevant to their position, overall productivity improves. Alignment between individual and organizational goals leads to seamless teamwork, higher morale, and stronger results at every stage of the sales process.
Integrating Technology and AI in Modern Sales Training
Modern training must evolve with technology. Today, digital tools enhance learning speed and retention. Customized sales training solutions now include interactive modules, virtual classrooms, and real-time feedback systems.
An inside sales training program benefits from digital simulations, CRM integration, and video analysis tools. Trainers can observe communication patterns and provide instant feedback. This makes learning more accurate and engaging.
Technology-driven programs offer flexibility too. Sellers can access content anytime, track their progress, and revisit lessons when needed. This promotes self-directed learning and continuous improvement.
Through performance-driven sales coaching, organizations use analytics to guide ongoing development. Trainers and managers can pinpoint weak spots and provide focused support. As systems evolve, technology ensures learning remains relevant, measurable, and personalized for every team member.
Measuring the True Impact of Customized Sales Training
Success in training is not about attendance; it’s about transformation. The effectiveness of customized sales training solutions is measured by performance and consistency. Teams that apply what they learn produce visible improvements in revenue and customer engagement.
Measurement involves tracking core metrics like conversion rates, lead quality, and deal velocity. Surveys and performance reports offer insight into behavioral changes and confidence levels. Workshops focusing on pipeline acceleration strategies help salespeople move deals faster through each stage.
Managers play a key role in this phase. They monitor performance regularly and compare outcomes to pre-training benchmarks. When data shows improvement, it reinforces commitment to learning.
Consistent measurement not only validates training investment but also identifies future opportunities for growth. This continuous feedback loop drives lasting performance excellence.
Leadership’s Role in Sustaining Training Impact
Leadership determines how long training results last. Without support from management, even the best customized sales training solutions can lose momentum. Leaders must reinforce learned skills and ensure consistent application.
Strong leadership begins with setting the right example. Managers should model positive behaviors, clear communication, and commitment to growth. They must act as coaches, not just supervisors. Sessions on solution-oriented sales training guide leaders in fostering accountability and resilience among teams.
When leaders encourage regular reflection and discussion, salespeople remain motivated to improve. Clear expectations and constructive feedback help them stay aligned with goals. Over time, this leadership-driven culture turns learning into a permanent habit rather than a one-time event.
Overcoming Common Challenges in Implementing Customized Training
Introducing customized sales training solutions often comes with challenges. Limited time, tight budgets, and resistance to new methods can slow progress. However, careful planning and clear communication can solve these issues.
Flexible training schedules allow sellers to learn without disrupting workflow. Modular content fits easily into busy calendars. Demonstrating measurable results also helps earn leadership support.
Top management’s involvement ensures accountability. Leadership in sales excellence creates a top-down culture that values growth and development. Once leaders show commitment, teams naturally follow.
Ongoing reinforcement prevents skill decay. When teams consistently apply learned strategies, improvement becomes a steady trend rather than a temporary spike. These small but steady adjustments deliver big results over time.
The Long-Term Payoff: Creating a Culture of Continuous Sales Excellence
The real goal of customized sales training solutions is not just short-term success—it’s long-term transformation. When learning becomes part of daily operations, it fosters commitment, focus, and progress. Teams who continuously refine their skills stay ahead of the competition.
Continuous learning encourages collaboration. It strengthens trust between employees and leadership. Programs that promote group reflection lead to better engagement and innovation.
This approach also improves morale and retention. Salespeople who feel supported are more confident and productive. With steady practice, companies achieve team productivity optimization, which enhances efficiency and consistency across all operations.
When every member contributes to learning and improvement, the entire organization benefits. The result is a culture that values growth and strives for excellence every day.
Conclusion
Strong sales performance starts with the right training. Success grows when learning becomes daily practice. Customized sales training solutions help teams sell smarter and perform better. They create confident salespeople who can close deals and grow revenue. These programs turn potential into lasting performance. Partner with Tyson Group to build a stronger, more successful sales team. Explore programs that match your goals and help your business grow faster. Take the next step toward real, measurable results today.
In today’s competitive market, sales success is more than talent or luck. It requires focus, strategy, and constant improvement. Yet many teams still depend on outdated methods that no longer bring results. Businesses that aim higher now choose sales training programs built around their own goals and challenges. Customized programs connect knowledge with action, making learning practical and results-driven. They help salespeople understand their customers better, communicate clearly, and close deals with confidence. Each session adds real value to everyday selling. Over time, this approach shapes strong habits, sharper skills, and a winning mindset. The outcome is a motivated, high-performing sales team ready to achieve lasting growth and success.
Why Customization Creates Real Impact
Customization goes beyond changing a few slides or swapping examples in a presentation. It means building the program around your company’s ecosystem—your products, services, audience, and internal culture. A strategic sales training program digs deep into these aspects to design sessions that make a real difference.
This type of sales training program starts by identifying skill gaps and performance barriers. Then, it tailors the learning modules to address them. Instead of abstract theories, your team learns methods that apply directly to their daily tasks. This personal connection keeps participants engaged and improves retention.
Furthermore, customized training unifies your entire team under one consistent approach. Everyone—from new recruits to seasoned veterans—begins speaking the same sales language. This harmony increases collaboration, sharpens communication, and strengthens your brand’s voice in the market.
Building the Mindset of High-Performing Teams
Sales success is not just about techniques; it’s about mindset. High performers approach every challenge with confidence, empathy, and problem-solving focus. That mindset can be built, and the right sales training programs make it happen.
A strong program helps salespeople understand buyer psychology—what drives decisions, how trust is built, and when to make the right move. Emotional intelligence becomes a core skill. Through the principles of consultative selling mastery, teams learn to identify customer pain points, ask the right questions, and deliver meaningful solutions instead of generic pitches.
The result is a transformation from transactional selling to consultative partnership. When buyers feel understood, they respond with trust—and trust leads to conversions, loyalty, and repeat business.
Core Elements of an Effective Training System
To create real and measurable change, training must be structured. Every successful program includes key components that work together to produce lasting improvement. Effective sales training programs typically include five pillars:
Assessment and Analysis: Understanding current performance levels and pinpointing where improvements are needed.
Customized Curriculum: Developing training modules tailored to specific roles, markets, and experience levels.
Interactive Learning: Using real-world scenarios and role-playing exercises to reinforce lessons.
Ongoing Reinforcement: Providing follow-up sessions, refreshers, and coaching for skill retention.
Measurement and Feedback: Tracking performance metrics to ensure continuous growth.
When these elements align, sales training programs turn learning into lasting habits. Every salesperson begins to approach their role with confidence, strategy, and purpose.
Practical, Results-Driven Approaches That Make Sales Training Stick and Deliver Measurable Growth
A major hurdle in corporate training lies in knowledge retention. People often forget most of what they learn in a few weeks. However, customized sales training programs use practical, results-driven strategies that ensure learning sticks.
For example, microlearning delivers short, focused lessons that fit into busy schedules and improve retention. Live simulations and role-plays make training interactive and fun while building real-world confidence. Gamified challenges add motivation through friendly competition.
But the real difference lies in reinforcement. With performance-driven sales coaching, learning continues beyond the classroom. Managers and trainers track progress, give personal feedback, and help individuals apply lessons in daily activities.
Data-driven tools also enhance results. Trainers use analytics to measure how training affects call effectiveness, deal closures, and pipeline growth. Over time, these insights allow leaders to refine the process and focus on what delivers the most value.
Integrating Learning for Sustainable Success
Sales training programs shouldn’t be isolated events; they should become part of the company’s DNA. Sustainable results happen when learning integrates seamlessly into everyday workflows.
Programs that include revenue growth workshops help teams connect new skills directly to financial outcomes. Each session emphasizes the “why” behind every strategy, ensuring sales professionals understand how their actions influence business success. This connection between learning and performance encourages accountability.
When training focuses on measurable outcomes, motivation naturally increases. Salespeople see their improvement reflected in results—higher conversions, bigger deals, and improved relationships. It creates a self-sustaining cycle of confidence and achievement.
The Measurable ROI of Customized Programs
Training is only as good as the results it produces. Customized sales training programs deliver measurable ROI that impacts every level of an organization.
Businesses that adopt personalized training often see higher closing ratios, faster sales cycles, and improved customer retention. These gains stem from stronger communication, better preparation, and more strategic execution.
Additionally, data-driven insights reveal progress at every stage. Managers can track improvements in individual and team metrics—like win rates, deal sizes, and forecast accuracy. Over time, this visibility allows leaders to make smarter decisions and continuously fine-tune their approach.
When results are tangible, investment in training stops feeling like an expense—it becomes a strategic growth engine.
Strengthening Skills for Long-Term Excellence
A successful team continuously sharpens its skills. That’s where skill-based sales development plays a major role. This approach focuses on hands-on practice rather than theory, helping salespeople master the real-world skills that drive results.
Communication, negotiation, objection handling, and presentation are practiced until they become second nature. Trainers emphasize adaptability—because markets and buyer behaviors constantly evolve.
At the same time, advanced closing techniques equip your sales professionals to identify buying signals and close deals with confidence. They learn when to lead, when to listen, and how to turn hesitation into commitment.
The result is a confident, agile, and high-performing sales force ready for any challenge.
Empowering Teams Through Sales Enablement
Even the best-trained teams need the right tools to succeed. A high-impact sales enablement framework bridges the gap between learning and execution.
Enablement provides access to updated playbooks, CRM systems, and digital platforms that support real-time selling. It ensures that every salesperson, regardless of location or experience, can deliver consistent and impactful messaging.
By combining technology with strategy, enablement enhances collaboration and accuracy. Teams spend less time searching for resources and more time engaging with customers. This blend of learning and technology makes success repeatable—and scalable.
Developing Strong Sales Leaders
No training program is complete without leadership development. Great leaders inspire confidence, foster accountability, and create a culture of success. Programs that emphasize leadership in sales excellence help managers become coaches who motivate rather than simply supervise.
Strong leaders lead by example. They communicate vision clearly, track performance diligently, and celebrate achievements publicly. Their commitment to continuous improvement sets the tone for the entire team.
When leadership aligns with training, everyone moves in the same direction—toward growth and excellence.
Improving Team Collaboration and Productivity
Sales success is rarely an individual effort. Collaboration fuels progress, especially when targets are ambitious. Programs designed around team productivity optimization teach members how to share ideas, feedback, and best practices.
Peer learning becomes a key factor. Teams that learn from each other grow faster than those who work in isolation. A culture of open communication reduces friction and encourages innovation. Over time, this unity drives higher performance and shared success.
Adapting for the Inside Sales Environment
Modern selling increasingly happens online or over the phone. Inside sales teams face unique challenges like limited personal contact and heavy reliance on digital communication. A specialized inside sales training program equips them with techniques to connect emotionally through virtual channels.
Inside sales training programs focus on active listening, tone management, and relationship building through empathy. Inside sales professionals learn how to qualify leads efficiently, manage follow-ups, and maintain consistent engagement—all without face-to-face interaction.
This digital adaptability not only boosts conversion rates but also builds stronger, more authentic client connections.
Blending Coaching and Accountability
Continuous growth happens when training and coaching go hand in hand. The integration of training and sales ensures that learning translates into action.
Regular coaching sessions help reinforce key lessons, offering real-time corrections and motivation. When managers hold teams accountable for applying new techniques, improvement becomes measurable and consistent.
Coaching keeps the spirit of training alive long after workshops end. It transforms short-term learning into long-term performance.
Accelerating Your Pipeline for Faster Wins
Every organization wants to close deals faster. That’s where pipeline acceleration strategies come into play. These methods teach sales professionals how to identify promising opportunities early and move them efficiently through the funnel.
Training focuses on prioritization, effective follow-ups, and identifying decision-makers quickly. By mastering these strategies, teams reduce sales cycles and improve forecasting accuracy.
Pipeline acceleration creates a rhythm of progress—where every opportunity is handled with precision and purpose.
Focusing on Solutions, Not Sales Pitches
Today’s customers expect value. They want trusted advisors, not pushy sellers. That’s the essence of solution-oriented sales training—an approach that prioritizes understanding and solving client problems over simply selling products.
Salespeople learn how to diagnose issues, propose tailored solutions, and communicate benefits clearly. This mindset creates credibility, builds loyalty, and leads to repeat business. When teams focus on helping rather than selling, success follows naturally.
Conclusion
Strong sales teams are built, not born. Customized training helps them grow with purpose, skill, and confidence. It turns effort into progress and learning into measurable success. When every lesson connects to real goals, teams stay motivated and perform at their best. They sell smarter, build trust faster, and deliver better results every time. Success becomes consistent and sustainable. If your goal is to unlock peak performance, the right partner can make all the difference. Tyson Group creates personalized training solutions that inspire growth and deliver real results. Reach out today and start turning your sales team into a powerful, revenue-generating force.
In this episode, Lance Tyson sits down with Ryan Norys, Chief Revenue Officer at Tottenham Hotspur, to uncover what it takes to build and lead a world-class sales organization in one of football’s most iconic clubs.
Ryan shares his journey across different organizations, the lessons learned from early challenges, and how he developed a sales philosophy grounded in integrity, curiosity, and continuous learning. He opens up about leading a high-performing team with heart, navigating his transition to Tottenham Hotspur, and driving remarkable commercial revenue growth for the club.
Whether you’re a sales leader or just starting your career, Ryan’s insights on leadership, culture, and success will leave you inspired to elevate your own game.
Leading With Curiosity: Ryan Norys On Sales, Leadership, And Success
Sales odds. I have an old friend and someone we’ve done business with for a long time. We did business together in a lot of different places. Ryan Norys is the chief revenue officer forTottenham Hotspur. The first thing I asked him was, “Am I saying that right?” My Premier League knowledge base sometimes struggles. Other than what I watch on Ted Lasso, just kidding. Ryan, thanks for coming on, man.
I appreciate it, man. It’s always good to connect with you, and glad that we’re able to do this. A bit informally, but also formally as well to learn more.
Global Vs. Regional Sales: Navigating Different Business Climates
I was telling you in the pregame that our audience is a senior leadership audience, but it’s also an audience of folks who are in sales. Give everybody some perspective with a Premier League team, what your responsibilities are, what reports up to you, what you’re trying to drive for the organization.
Effectively, I’m a part of the executive team for the football club as well as the stadium. We have the benefit of playing in arguably probably one of the best stadiums in the world, definitely in Britain, which allows us to have a plethora of different events, from we just had the NFL here this past weekend, rugby concerts, big boxing match coming on. I say that because it’s important, because it’s slightly different than maybe your traditional Premier League or even European football club.
From a responsibility perspective, effectively, anything that drives revenue across the Cleveland Stadium reports to me. This is anywhere from sponsorship to monetizing digital content to premium sales, tours, retail, major stadium events like the ones I just mentioned, our pre-season tours, and friendlies as well. Anything that drives revenue essentially reports to me across the board.
From a headcount standpoint, how big is your organization?
The whole club is probably close to 700 people now. I’d say from mine, when you factor in the global football development teams, we have global coaches all over the world, as well as the retail team. You’re probably looking at on any given day anywhere from 350 people. Give or take maybe 375. Around that range.
Real quick on the revenue stream. You started to mention that you have a partnership, you mentioned digital content, but you also have hospitality sales, tour sales, all those things. How many direct sellers report to you? I know there’s a massive group that supports the revenue efforts. What are the sales from the Seller?
If you look at all of those, I would call either revenue products or channels. I have effectively six direct reports that come to me, and each one of them is more or less responsible for that particular vertical and business unit. Obviously, they vary in size because you’re going to have a larger sponsorship team than maybe your stadium tours or your major stadium events as well.
We’ll get into this as we go through your trajectory. You, as a salesperson, or a great salesperson, and over yourself. You’ve got some big deals done that I personally know about over the years. What are you seeing? What’s the difference in the business climate between the UK and what you did in the US?
The biggest thing is that any US property that you have, let’s call it a regional limitation, as to where your marketing can go. I remember at the NFL, we had a 75-mile radius around our stadium. When you come and work for a club like Tottenham, we have almost over 620 million fans across the world. Obviously, we play in the UK, but that’s probably our 5th or 6th largest market. Just in terms of our fan base and where we’re targeting.
We’re truly operating on a global landscape. That’s been one of the things that I feel like I’ve excelled in. One of the things I enjoy the most is that I’ve done deals and done business in China, Japan, Africa, Latin America, all across multiple countries in Southeast Asia, Korea, Australia, you name it. There’s not really necessarily a country that doesn’t have an interest in the Premier League or European football. The landscape and the net that you’re extending are quite significant.
It’s a global sale.
It is. It goes anywhere from we’ll regionalize certain categories across different regions to maximize the category. In some cases, we’ll go and try to do a global deal if we find the right brand and the right partner.
From Selling Tickets To Stadium Naming Rights: Ryan’s Career Journey
That’s interesting. What I say, I’ve gotten asked earlier when we start to do how we facilitate this conversation, everybody always asks. How did you get here? Where did you start? Where are you from? Where’d you start? What was that first sales job? What’s that look like? That didn’t even have to be in sports.
World-Class Organization: At that time, the revenue and money we were asking for was larger than probably at least half of the Major League Baseball teams.
I’ll start on the sports shop. If you look at my CV, I’ve had a lot of jobs, which is, in some cases, good because I’ve had a lot of experience and I’ve met a lot of exceptional people. I’ve had the benefit of working for several, what I would call, probably the best leaders across sports and even arguably in business. My first job, and this is one of them, was at AEG. I was selling tickets for the Los Angeles Kings. It was I just passed that area where they moved into inside sales. I started as an account executive. I was a bit fortunate at that level. I spent time there.
That was at Staples Center, then?
It was, yeah. To put it into context for those that are tuning in, if you will, at that time, we were selling the Kings and the Galaxy and the venue. You were all together. This was pre-segregation, even though my main focus was on the Kings. I had the benefit of moving into CSLMG, which, at the time, was pre-legends, but they would eventually become legends.
I didn’t realize you were a CSL then.
With Ben Wrigley and Bill Rhoda.
I just talked to Bill. That must have been fun.
It was, yeah. I came in halfway through the Yankees project, and this was right after the market crashed. Your first few phone calls, you’re asking people for $850,000 for a suite or $200,000 for two seats above the dugout at a time when they’re losing their homes and the markets are going down. It’s a super difficult sales environment.
What year was that?
That was going into 2009.
When the market crashed. That was the mortgage crash.
In January of 2009, we just moved into the new stadium. I had the benefit of not having to make that transition from the old stadium to the new one. It was a super competitive environment. I did that. It was successful.
Early Sales Days: Learning To Work Smarter, Not Harder
Before you go there, a real quick question. When you were at AEG, you literally went to two major markets and two big organizations. What’d you realize about, like, what was your sales process then as you went from one team to the other? What was Ryan as a seller like when you’re hawking like sweets and tickets and stuff like that? What’d that look like?
From being completely honest, I would say it’s funny when I look back on it now, because I see some of the either the approach or the attitude or the mentality that I had at such a young age, and you wish you can go back because I see people here and across my career and I’m like, “Man, I remember when that was me.”
I would say AEG was very much like learning. I was a bit too lazy to work smarter, not necessarily harder. I utilized the tools around me, which was probably a good skill set there.
I was 1, 2, or 3. I was talking to Chad Estis, one of the first ones I went to, “Where were you on the board of the Cavs?” He goes, “I was a solid 5, 6, or 7.” I was at the point where I was going to quit. I had told so many people I was going to succeed, I couldn’t even quit. I appreciate you saying that you’re like, “I’m not right at the top, but I was there.”
There’s not really necessarily a country that doesn’t have an interest in the Premier League or European football. The landscape and the net that you’re extending are quite significant.
I was like, just good enough to be annoying because they’re like, “What you’re doing is what we don’t want other people to do. You’re like, you’re messing us up a bit here.”
That’s a relative success, but we don’t want people to copy what you’re doing.
That started to happen. When I look back on it now, I’m like, I know that they placed X, Y, Z person in there to basically set the tone. First in, first out. Eventually, he ended up being the top salesperson, but initially, he wasn’t, so I’d look at it and say, “This dude’s making 50 calls a day, but I’m making ten.”
“My sales are higher. My closing issue is good. What are you talking about?” I love that.
The Power Of Big Asks: Overcoming Fear Of Large Numbers In Sales
It shifted to jump back into the Yankees, because this is somewhat of a redemption story for me. When I went to the Yankees, it was because of the way the room was set up as well. We’re in this office, and we’re sitting side by side, and we had some heavy hitters in that room. When you look at today, where they are in the industry, they’ve all had great careers, but there was no hiding. You couldn’t just sit there like that, and I basically was like, mentally, I got to make 50 calls a day.
This locker room was pushing the locker room.
Yeah, it was also the youngest one in the room. The second piece of it was that I knew Bill and Ben were part of my ability was availability. You’re in the sense that I was in New York looking for a job. It happened to be at that time when I wouldn’t say I was desperate, but I knew that I needed the job certainly more than they needed me.
I had to man up in a sense and be like, “I’m just going to hit these 50 calls a day.”
Have you ever considered, because you were young then, and how that really set the tone for it’s in his big ass, and you’ve done some monster deals that probably trained you really early not to be afraid of those big numbers.
Eighteen months. It wasn’t a long time. That was you’re selling group tickets, season ticket sales, you’re not asking for big numbers. It got me comfortable, but even more importantly, it fast-tracked me into putting myself in a position to move into sponsorship. I was able to do it a few years later. I used it, and everybody is going for jobs. Just because you may have been in this one, there are a lot of things that you probably were exposed to that you didn’t. It’s all about how you adjust that to every role.
Apex Hunter Mentality: Strategic Career Moves And Capitalizing On Opportunities
It makes sense because you never shied away, even when you were working at that fundraising thing that one time. You’re never afraid to ask for big numbers, which I’ve always appreciated. It’s like Apex Hunters. I didn’t mean to cut you, go back to the matter of lands, because that was your first bump up in the leadership there, correct?
Yeah, so it was more scope and responsibility, and focused responsibility on me because I was person 1A for CSLMG on the project. Obviously, they gave me a chance. I didn’t want to let them down, but this was in an environment where, again, you’re selling for both teams. Both teams have different markets. They market to their team, to their fans, differently. They have different ways of operating. I think this helped me learn at an early age, also the politics of how to manage, I guess, two properties, but also not only the egos that come with them, but also how and what information you can and cannot share. More importantly, how they want to receive information. That was the first foray.
That’s internal politics and what the play looks like internally.
We were in Switzerland. I could go in and have a conversation with the brand, and I’m going through my needs analysis. They may be a better fit for the Giants, but the price point may be better for the Jets. How do I also not lose a sale, but find a way to make a sale, but doing so by not upsetting the Giants, but by also delivering for the other client. You had to walk a fine line, but basically, I think that’s where you also really made sure you had to do a proper needs analysis and understand the objectives from the brand and what they needed to make a decision.
Where did you go from there? How long were you at that project? That’s when Legends started to come in with CSL.
Usually, when you think about a job, you’re either running away from something or you’re running towards something.
Legends started to come in, and I’d say the whole Legends experience, if you will, was probably around a little over three years, across a couple of different projects and properties. I think what makes me probably the most unique is that we talked about it a little bit in pregame, but I think I’m coming on either just over nine years of working in Europe and the UK, across London, Rome, etc. My first foray into it was when I was being recruited to go to Manchester City.
I’ve managed to leverage, I worked at Ink Stadium, MetLife Stadium, as well as the first couple of months on Levi Stadium with Al Guido and Michael Drake, and those guys. Gina as well, who you know. I was able to turn that into, “I knew I wanted to get into the sponsorship.” I didn’t have the experience, but I think I was in the right place at the right time and was willing to make that jump to move to England, sight unseen.
I’m glad you’re on that Man City or Man United? Go back to one thing, because this gets often overlooked. No matter where you’ve been, you’ve gotten the job done. Even when you were, we’ll talk in a minute about this, but I always admired that you’ve kept your career path, also where you’ve capitalized on opportunities in the best ways, where people are like, “How does somebody get opportunities like that?” You’re playing chess. It’s not a checkers, not to use too much metaphor there, but like talk about that a little bit. Were you always eyeing some upward that came to you because you were getting the job done?
Most of the opportunities that have come to me have come organically, have come through a relationship or a network. They come, and it’s something that I’m like, “This is actually worth running into or running to. It usually accomplishes some goal that I have.” I can jump ahead quite quickly, but when I was at the Prudential Center and going into the Dolphins, my primary reason for the Dolphins was that I looked at the sports landscape.
I’m like, “There’s probably ten people who have had the opportunity to sell naming rights, and a majority of them are all in an agency. This opportunity is, they’re not hiring an agency. It’s going to be a fast fail, but if Todd and I are successful. We can now be one of the, let’s call it, almost uncountable on two hands of people that have sold naming rights. I was facing a big deal, which is why I was there.
Hard Rock Stadium: A Landmark Naming Rights Deal
Everybody here is tuning in. I just want to clarify for the audience, what Ryan’s talking about is the naming rights for Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
That’s correct.
That’s right. The corners are there, too. I’m sorry to interrupt, but people who maybe aren’t in sports follow, which is a massive deal.
We generated in less than three years, like 450 million of COI. It was a massive revenue story. In that case, going back to your question, I was chasing or running towards something. That’s what led to that. If you look at it from a career perspective, just to circle back and finalize the answer to your question, I’ve always just moved only if I was running towards something.
I love that. A lot of times, when I’m doing these, there is a strategy to it. It’s like you said, I’m trying to accomplish a goal. I see an opportunity that wasn’t there, and it could lend to my credibility, but I have to be credible to even get the opportunity. I’ll hit the rewind. From Levi’s Stadium, you get your first shot at Europe with Man City. What’s the role? Is that with Legends or is that with?
No, there’s not with Legends. In a way brought Legends into it from a catering perspective. I don’t want to say it’s probably a couple of months into it. This was back when Legends was still on the rise, right now. Obviously, they have a big European business, and they’ve managed to turn that into not only what started as maybe a catering relationship. I think they even did quite a bit of hospitality and sales with them at that time.
I actually reached out to Al, who connected me to Dave Checketts and organized a meeting with him. This dates you and goes back to where we were. I was actually hired in sponsorship, the first American to join the football club at Manchester City. They were nowhere near what they are today. I always say to people that we were wearing Umbro. It was like the right time, right place, you know what I mean, in terms of joining a club.
Looking back on it today, it was probably my favorite experience of all time in terms of my career, just because there was a sense of innocence, but just pride and collaboration and teamwork. Everyone was really just so proud of working at the club. We all just came at the right time and came together quite quickly. Initially, I was actually identified and hired to build the club in the US. Very quickly after realizing, and this was before NBC took over.
I did 2 to 3 months of research, consulting on different things, and realized, “I don’t think we’re going to find any dollars here.” I actually went back to the leadership team at the time, and I said, “If I just look at Facebook and Twitter,” and this is the time when Facebook and Twitter were like the social networks, “I was basically the top 4 or 5 markets of our fans are all in Southeast Asia.”
They were like, “You should go there.” In some cases, it was quite funny because you had an American who didn’t really know much about soccer, not an English club, but being tasked with growing the brand and driving revenue across Southeast Asia and Japan. Essentially, I was doing it with one slide. I knew the challenges that we had were a challenge club at the time. I knew how to sell against the other properties.
World-Class Organization: One thing I’m proud of in my career is going to a place and just getting the job done.
Going back to what you’re saying, one of the things that I’ve been proud of in my career is going to a place and just getting the job done. It was very similar to that. There’s no blueprint. There’s no playbook for it. No one was telling me what to do or how to do it. It was just giving me the opportunity to say, “Here’s an entire region of the world where people love football.” Man City is not one of their top 5 or 6 favorite clubs at this time, but go sort it out.
You had a lot of architecture going on there. That makes total sense. How long were you there, Ryan?
At City, known in various roles across the club, for roughly three and a half years.
I didn’t realize that you’ve been nine now, but I didn’t realize you had a stint before.
I didn’t realize that at all.
From there, you went where?
Building A High-Performing Culture: Leadership Lessons From The Devils
I had the opportunity, which I’m very fortunate to have, to work for Scott O’Neill. He had just bought, I guess they just closed in on Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. I think they were maybe on day 30 of buying the Devils, if you will, and met with Adam Davis and effectively were like, “I’m City here. They have me in the New York office. They’re now in this position where they’ve created City Football Group. They want me to move to Singapore. I’m in New York. I got my friends. I’m living in Tribeca.” The dating scene is in the right place.
“My life’s in a good situation right now.”
Like, “I don’t need to go to Singapore.” I also knew what I needed from taking it back somewhat seriously. I knew what I was lacking in my career. At this point, I had said, “I got my foray into sponsorship. I’ve done deals in 6 or 7 different markets. I have this unique selling point from a personal brand perspective. I’ve always been trying to be very conscientious about that.” The one thing I lacked was that I had no leadership skills or experience.
Maybe I have the skills, but I don’t have the experience. I saw this as an opportunity where they were building a team. I got to learn under Scott O’Neill and Adam. At that point, you’re looking at it, you’re like, “There’s probably not a better scenario in sports.” In terms of this time of opportunity, where I was in my career, and what I need to do. I always say that I was very grateful. I think I was only there for maybe 15 or 16 months because this is what drove me to Miami.
That’s where I look back and I’m like, “I got my MBA there.” I learned how to build a team and manage that team. In fact, if you look at those three people that I first hired, I’ve either hired them again, they’re still best friends with them, and/or still consulting with them and helping them navigate their career. I’m trying to always pay it forward in that sense. I also really learned how to manage up. Wholeheartedly, I struggled at the beginning because I was thrown into an executive team.
That is where Scott’s sharing is at this point. At times, we’d have to present to the owners. Very quickly, I had to learn this. I think it probably took me 2 to 3 meetings, where I think one of the last ones, Scott was like, “You’ve got to sort this out.” Through that time period is that’s where I learned, one, how an organization should run.
This goes to earlier in the conversation, when you go to Miami, with the name rights there, and then you hook up with Todd Klein. He’s in a similar role you’re in.
He’s in a similar role you’re in. He’s the president of the commercial. We have a valuable list currently there and then figure out what we need to build to be successful. Not only that, when I described that experience, you have to be able to chew gum and walk at the same time. We’re driving down a freeway, while I’m also trying to change our tires, because you have the current team and property deals that you have to do.
You also have, what I estimated and discussed previously, around the new stadium, which is not a new stadium, it’s basically, they rebuilt, reinvested into new areas of the stadium in the building. You had to do both. We very quickly, because we had not worked together, I think you’re looking back on it, Todd was like, he’s got international experience, he was trained by AG.
World-Class Organization: Develop a high-performing culture with heart. We need incredibly high standards and expectations, and with the right people in the right direction, we can achieve it.
He spent some time with Scott, so I know he’s going to come in well-coached. Now it’s about how quickly we can gel and then how quickly we can work together to say, “how do we divide and conquer to make sure we’re successful? The biggest takeaway is that there was no ego involved.
Very quickly, we aligned what we needed to accomplish. Either I would take a meeting or Todd would take a meeting. We quickly identified that we cannot be in the same place at the same time. I was responsible for trying to set the organization up for success. Those trains run on time, while we are also always keeping an eye on how we drive revenue in these big assets.
Leading With Empathy: Fostering Growth And Success In Your Team
You talked about before, and we haven’t touched on this, but I think it’s interesting for the next couple of stops as we start bringing some for a landing. You talked about managing up. You definitely have a sales philosophy that if you’re not paying attention to what Ryan’s saying, it’s to establish credibility, create opportunities where they didn’t exist, or capitalize on opportunities in front of you. What did you start to realize about your leadership philosophy, and how did it start to evolve, because that carries you into where you are right now?
I think very quickly, I realized like, I touched on the ego thing, but I never move with ego. I try to move with purpose. Everything that I do comes from a place of growth or with an eye on growth. I obviously want what’s best for myself. Most importantly, I want what’s best for everyone around me. Sometimes that can be uncomfortable if you don’t have people on board. The thing I enjoy the most about my job, more than doing a big deal, going into a game or a match, is really trying to empower the people around me and put them in positions to be successful and watching them grow.
Watching them develop those skills. A lot of times, like, “I’m not afraid, I’m a doer by nature.” I’m not afraid to roll my sleeves up and also do the work. Also, I try to lead with empathy. I’m going to steal something from a couple of different people. I always say I try to develop a high-performing culture with a heart in the sense that we need to have an incredibly high standard and high expectations. I also believe that if you can get the right people going in the right direction, you can achieve that.
That’s really well said. As you look at your next like quartile of like experience, you went from Miami. You guys got the job done there. Anybody flying over Miami or going to Hard Rock, that’s Ryan and getting that deal done. Where’d you go from there? What did it look like, because now you’ve got the last ten years almost from there?
I’d say some people may look at it and say it’s a slight left turn, which is probably true, but also, when I bring it back to today, there are some things that I’ve been able to implement at Tottenham that have stemmed directly from that experience. I went to work for a company called Omaze.
Please describe for those who don’t know.
It’s essentially a company that raises money and awareness for charity. They do so by creating experiences. Initially, with athletes, celebrities, we moved into cars, houses, travel, sneakers, etc. We could do a whole podcast just in that experience alone. The irony of it is, I was there for a little bit. I was doing quite well, making some waves and some moves around there. At the same time, one was at the Dodgers. They had like $80 million or something up for renewal. He was like, “Come and help me do this.” I was like, “I really want to keep this job as well for a while.” I was doing both.
I remember that.
I don’t know that I’d recommend it, but I was able to manage through it. Obviously, something had to give, and then Omaze asked me to come and basically lead their entire business development piece. When I look at it now, one, I surrounded myself with people who were significantly smarter than me, coming from Harvard, from Penn with MBAs and masters and various assets of things.
The biggest thing when I take it back on is the way they solved and approached problems. I brought a lot of that with me. Also, I’ve learned the value of a customer and not only what it costs to acquire them, but what it means to assess or assign a value to a customer. As we enter now into this cookie list world, the importance of a CRM, or let’s call it first-party data, because that it funnels your cycle across every revenue channel and product.
It helps sponsorship, helps premium, helps retail, helps e-commerce, and helps everything in your ecosystem. It really was a nice combination of tying that in, along with when you look at a sports property and you’re like, actually, they’re not too much different. We just need to view it as a fan because they’re going to care about slightly different things. At the end of the day, we cannot forget that they are a customer.
The Customer Is King: Understanding Value In A Cookie-less World
It’s a great perspective. I remember that time with you, too, because I was like, “I’m already trying to explain to myself.” Like, “I’m here and I’m there. It was vague.” I’m like, “Okay.” The Omaze thing was interesting. I remember being out there and the way they had to tell the story and things like that. It was almost like a reverse sail from what I can remember.
Transparency was key. You had to learn how to very quickly explain what you do. This is where I perfected the elevator speech, whereas now, from all the different things I learned, someone asked me, “What’s the proposition at the top?” I could do it in seconds. I learned it because I had to take a very complex, unheard of project and be able to explain it to someone as if speaking to a kindergarten class in a way.
Have the discipline to do it every day. Keep trying to get better — that’s what learning is.
I remember because you spent a lot of time with me. After all, I’m like, “Huh?” We had a reverse engineer. I go, “Now I get it.” From there, at that point, that’s when you start to move back overseas again. You went to Italy for a minute.
I had a brief stop at WME, which would probably have been significantly longer had COVID not hit, just because Todd and I rejoined to basically build a property sales team. We also had the talent sales in terms of as well of the team that was selling across some of the athletes that reported into us. That was the primary focus of the role.
Obviously, a lot of events shut down. We were in a lot of ways very fortunate and lucky to be able to still have a lot of talent and athletes and celebrities to sell for because that’s when those personal endorsements and creating content and tying brands into it and integrating it were really hot. It was very much on topic. We ended up doing, not just myself and Todd, but across the team, almost like 300 plus deals that year.
It’s very transactional, but you were doing the high frequency. About it’s almost a combination of premium sales and suites and stuff, but doing it in that area. Through that experience and while at WME, I started consulting for AS Roma under the IMD umbrella. I’d moved from LA to Austin, where my wife now was, but at the time wasn’t my wife, where she was living and working for Metta.
Basically it’s just a bit of a coincidence and just being in the right place at the right time again, where The Freakins, which are Dan and Ryan who own AS Roma, they were based, their family office and just overall infrastructure was based in Houston, short drive from Austin, had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with them and a guy called Brian Walker who’s on the project. About 6 or 7 months, they’re like, “You should really come and be the CRO for the club.”
Fast forward, and it took a few months to get there. I got married and then, within two weeks, had moved to Rome. A big experience. Again, only American at the club, reporting for American owners, living and working in Italy was two different things. Working had its challenges, living in Rome and Italy is an experience that I’ll never forget and never take for granted. It was unbelievable.
You remember you’re getting a Lamborghini with Omaze.
Yeah, with Omaze.
I remember talking one time, and you’re pitching Lamborghini at the Italian club.
The first one at Omaze was when I met the Pope.
That’s what it was.
That’s what it tied together.
That was amazing. I remember talking to you right before that, too. You’re like, “I got a meeting with the Pope and it’s with Lamborghini.” I’m like, “Huh?”
That was one of those deals that, like always remember for so many reasons, but it was a great experience
We get back to now, you leave there and then bring it to like where you’re right now. What was that from there? You stayed in Europe pretty much since.
It’s very hard to beat someone who doesn’t stop and doesn’t quit.
I did. I went from there to Tottenham. Again, I’ve been here a little over three years. I think we were talking about before, this was very much a club that had tremendous success in terms of, from a history and heritage perspective, it moved into a beautiful new building, somewhat impacted by COVID, but really, they were a club on the rise.
They were always in this sixth position, even from a commercial perspective. There was a tremendous opportunity. I had the opportunity to come in and basically start from scratch. I built a phenomenal team. I would say, probably, in my entire career of the most talented team now. Again, as we’re talking about, we’ve gone in phases.
I’ve learned that some of the people I initially hired were amazing in getting us to this point. When we needed to level up, we needed to change the formation, the dynamic. The same way that a football coach says, “We’re going to be a run-pass offense, where now we need to be a bit more defensive. You need to change personnel. You need to change information on how you’re going to market, what’s needed, what’s required.”
The architecture.
Yeah. That’s where we are. I’m very pleased to say that we are, we have the fourth highest commercial revenue now across the Premier League. We’ve surpassed both Arsenal and Chelsea. Also, in the past three years, we’ve had the highest percentage growth against any other Premier League club, including Manchester City, Liverpool, and United. It’s a massive accomplishment. Again, I’d love to take credit myself. Again, as I said, I have a phenomenal team, and we’re again in one of the best buildings in the world. We have the benefit of being able to leverage that.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Rise: A Philosophy Of Competitive Growth And Coachability
As you look across the last nine years in Europe, how would you sum up your philosophy of leadership, and then you definitely have a philosophy of sales. Speak to those two things. I love the move with purpose. High-performance culture with heart. How does that tie into your leadership philosophy? Break that down a little bit.
I’ve touched on a lot. I would say one of the things that I look for and try to build across the team is maybe a slightly different position I would take. I want people who are competitive and have discipline, but have their own self-determination. They know we’re not competing against the Chelseas and Arsenal’s of the world, even though I named them or F1. We’re essentially competing with ourselves, and how do we get better every single day?
I think that’s something that I just tried to instill. The second thing is, everybody needs to be coachable, including myself. That teachable spirit, questions before answers. I want people to be good teammates. I always go back to portraying it as friends. If you have a good friend, you want to be a good friend to them, and you want them to be a good friend to you. It’s no different. Be the team.
The biggest thing, TK and I have talked about this a lot because I think it’s one of the things we keep going back and for reference, TK is Todd Klein, those who know him well. Basically, it’s having the discipline to just do it anyway. We’re going to do it. Every day, you just have to try to get better. That’s learning. Never stop learning.
Don’t listen so much to what people tell you. It was a lot of times that people told you what to do. Those people don’t have the results you have. Usually, if you follow that, it’s a terrible decision. We’ve just talked about it consistently. We call it a test day. There are test days that come, and those days come, and you have to just get through them and do it tired. I’d say that’s probably the biggest thing.
I think from a personal perspective, and this is particular to sales as well, is that like every emotion is okay, and then we lose it. We get upset. It’s okay to mess up and make a mistake. Every behavior is not. As I look at what I consider myself or try to become, let’s call it an elite performer, it’s not acting on impulse. It’s how do I regulate that? How do I reset? How do I make a plan and go with intention?
I love that. So much insight. As I bring this down for a landing, I love how you look at opportunities. Move with purpose, move toward the opportunity. You’re thinking of the result you have to get, of course, for whoever you’re working with, but also at the same time, that personal brand building. It’s so important, and you have to see the whole field. How can I benefit somebody that I’m going to work with?
What can I bring to the table? I wrote that down three times. The last couple of things that you and Todd talked about resonate with me because I need to be around competitive people, and you have to be a good teammate. In sales, sometimes it takes a team to make a sale, but at times somebody has to run the ball or win that heat.
We all know that. I always look at you like that, Apex Hunter, man. You just always have been, you talk about the big deals, and if you’re listening to Ryan right now, I’ve seen him in different spots. His calmness in this is exactly who he is. Even when we would have tough conversations in Miami about talent, that’s exactly who he and I always are. I always remember working with you when he says he’s coachable. I’ve coached him directly. I know when I’m getting resistant versus people resisting coaching, you’ve never resisted.
I would always say probably the word I use with you, you’re always more curious than anything else. Why do you say that? Tell me more about that. There was always more of that. I was thinking of the boardroom. Later questions as we bring this bird down for landing. If you had to play any song in your head before you’re going to get big, if you had to go redo that naming rights deal in Miami or wherever, what song are you playing in your head? What’s that music? It’s always an interesting question.
It’s a good one. I don’t know that there’s a song. I know that’s a bit of a cop out. I don’t know that there’s a, there’s a specific song. I definitely listened to much more hip hop music, so it can be a bit much at times, but it’s more about getting into that vibe. It’s one of those things, like it’s more of that. I listened to it to prepare for confidence because it’s the most confidence you can have, and it’s that self-belief.
World-Class Organization: Always do the right thing. You can never go wrong by doing right and being naturally curious because it’ll always put you in the right rooms.
There are times when I literally will tell myself like, “I’m the best.” No one’s going to tell me I’m not. Even though in my mind I know, “There are certainly definitely better people than me.” You have to whatever songs or vibe or music that’s playing, that’s what I usually try to get into it, where I come out and I’m like, “There’s actually no one better than me.” It’s because it’s very hard to beat someone who doesn’t stop and doesn’t quit. That’s the mentality that I try to drive through whatever song or music I’m playing in my head.
I literally like you were like, “I cannot lose, man.” I was like, “I cannot lose.” I mean, “You’re not going to beat me.” It’s like, “I’m with you.” We don’t talk enough about that in sales. Everybody has a lot of kumbaya. It’s like, where’s that positive self-talk? You’ve got to walk in yourself. There’s a team behind you, but I’m not going to be beaten.
The Books That Shaped A Leader: Recommendations For Success
My wife and I invested in a wedding venue, and I was in the final negotiations yesterday. I’m like, “This guy’s going to have to beat me.” This is not going to happen. No way. That guy’s pretty savvy, and I’m like, “I got this.” Besides my book, of course, which I actually wrote about Ryan in my book. There’s a whole conversation about one sneakers. There is a whole section of my book about Ryan at a U2 concert. If you had to gift a book, what book would you gift?
Both are literally behind me. Good to great. I’m with you on both books. Well said.
I talk about that one a lot. We’ll reference that one quite a bit.
The enemy of the great man. Period. It’s not too good as the enemy to great or the hedgehog.
Last thing. You say you have a niece or nephew left, 7 or 8 years old, on your side. You’re sitting at the end of a dock over there in London somewhere, right on a little lake. They say, “ Uncle Ryan, what does it mean to be successful?” I remember, you’re like a 7-year-old or 8-year-old, and you got to communicate success to them at that age, go.
The biggest thing that I tell them is to have high integrity. That goes a long way. We both know a lot of people in the industry and even outside of it. I feel like you can have a lot of other things. You can be super talented. You can have enthusiasm, intelligence, etc. If you don’t have integrity, the other two are quite dangerous. It would be, be integrity.
The second thing is, and you mentioned it, is to have that natural curiosity. Those people like that are asking why, from a sales perspective, you said on the coachable side of things, that is probably why I’m good at sales. There are other salespeople who certainly are a bit more aggressive, but I genuinely try to understand how they make money, why they’re doing this.
If I know that if I unlock that, and you’ll notice, like there is no greater feeling than after you’re in a meeting and halfway through. Even when you leave, you’re like, I don’t know, I can find a reason why they shouldn’t do this. That’s when you’re playing with house money at that point. I would tell them, “Always do the right thing. You can never go wrong by doing right and being naturally curious because it’ll always put you in the right rooms.”
I love it. Ryan, I so appreciate your time today. This is one of the better interviews. I actually learned a bunch about you that I didn’t. I learned more about your mindset than anything else. We don’t talk every week, but we certainly have been around each other in different scenarios. I appreciate it.