Thomas Jones

Most mid-market companies don’t have a marketing problem. They have a structure problem. Here’s what I see over and over again working with $25M–$250M companies: • Marketing is “doing a lot,” but sales can’t tell what’s working • Leads exist, but the pipeline feels unpredictable • Everyone wants more demand, but no one owns the full journey So the instinct is to add more. More channels. More tools. More agencies. That usually makes it worse. The companies that scale cleanly do something different: They stop treating marketing as a set of tactics and start treating it like infrastructure. Clear ownership from first touch to closed deal. Defined handoffs between marketing and sales. Content, paid, and website all built to support the same pipeline motion. When that’s in place, growth becomes repeatable instead of reactive. If your team is “busy” but growth feels fragile, that’s the signal. Marketing isn’t broken. The system around it is. Curious how other founders are thinking about pipeline ownership right now.

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Sellers aren’t selling spreadsheets.  They’re handing over their life’s work. The loudest buyer rarely wins.  The prepared one does. Once you understand that, negotiation stops being aggressive and starts being strategic. Follow me if you want sellers choosing you! #buyabusiness #entrepreneurship #financialfreedom #negotiation #howtomakemoney #businessideas #makemoneyonline #wealth #investing #money

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Pipeline slumps don’t start in sales, they start when buyers don’t even think of you. If you’re not on the shortlist, you’ll never know. No deal in the CRM. No “closed lost”. No data to review. You simply never existed in the buying process. The shortlist is invisible. Nobody owns it. Missing it costs more than any lost deal you’ll ever track. Your brand positioning, demand gen, case studies, reputation that’s what earns you a place. That’s where pipeline really begins. So ask yourself: Who in your business owns the shortlist? How do you know if you’re making it? What would change if you treated it like a funnel stage? Until you do, blaming “pipeline slumps” on sales execution is noise.

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Deals die when sellers sprint instead of pausing. They feel momentum and mistake it for control. Most sellers end meetings like this: “So… what do you think?” Or worse: “I’ll send over the contract.” No clear next step or real commitment. Here’s what to do instead: Summarize: “George, let me make sure I’ve got this right - [prospect’s pain + agreed next steps].” Validate: “That’s accurate, right?” Test: “If we fast forward to [next agreed date], are we aligned on [desired next step]?” This approach accomplishes what endless follow-ups can’t: • Forces both sides to slow down • Makes the buyer feel heard • Surfaces blockers early • Creates a natural close to the meeting Want fewer follow-ups and faster decisions? Comment CLOSE and I’ll send you the 10-step blueprint.

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Everyone’s screaming the old GTM playbook doesn't work anymore... But Jason Lemkin just dropped the best reality check I’ve heard all year: “If you think GTM is dead… it’s you.” He’s right. Outbound isn’t dead. Cold email isn’t dead. Pilots, webinars, events, SEO... all still work. What’s dead? -> Poorly executed outbound -> Boring events & follow up -> Lazy content and low-energy campaigns The top AI companies (OpenAI, Anthropic, Notion, Dialpad) aren’t inventing new GTM motions. They’re just running the same playbooks we've been running... just, better Better targeting. Better creative. Better energy. It’s not your channel that’s broken. It’s your execution.

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Want to eliminate ghosting and stalled deals? Here are 5 steps to expose hidden objections and create instant urgency, giving you the fastest path to closing deals that would otherwise stall. See comments for video link #B2BSales #SalesTraining #SalesStrategy #SalesSkills #SalesLeadership #BusinessGrowth

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Most agents think their lead problem is volume. It’s not. It’s strategy. You don’t lose deals because there aren’t enough leads in the market. You lose them because you treat every lead the same way. Here’s where most agents go wrong. They follow up only when they have time. They depend on scripts instead of conversations. They chase new leads while ignoring the ones they already have. They hunt for transactions instead of building relationships. A lead isn’t a shortcut to a sale. It’s the beginning of a pipeline. The most consistent agents aren’t the ones with the most leads. They’re the ones who know how to nurture interest into trust. And trust into business. You don’t need more leads to grow. You need better habits when you get them.

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Seller notes get a bad reputation in SMB deals.   Buyers hesitate to ask for them. Sellers hesitate to offer them. And deals that could close fall apart.   So where does the stigma come from?   𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻” 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗱. Fake dealmakers push 100% seller financing. Sellers hear it and think: “Why should I take all the risk while the buyer puts in nothing?” That mindset has soured many sellers on notes altogether.   𝟮. 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀. Plenty of lawyers, brokers, and consultants preach: The only money a seller can count on is what’s paid at closing. The message: seller notes are risky and unreliable.   Both views miss the point.   A well-structured seller note: • Aligns incentives, keeping the seller invested post-closing. • Bridges valuation gaps without stalling the deal. • Protects sellers with clear remedies if payments aren’t made.   Yes, it isn’t cash on the table. But they can give sellers more leverage than sitting behind the bank. And in a strong company, with a capable buyer and good terms, the odds of default are far lower than the myths suggest.   Seller notes aren’t “dirty.” They’re one of the most practical tools to align interests and get deals done.   Good dealmakers don’t run from them. They use them to close gaps, manage risk, and finish the deal.   𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳? #SellerFinancing #MergersAndAcquistions #SMB #BusinessBuying  

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A sales rep refused to close an $8 million deal. Jon Adam asked him why, genuinely confused. He smiled and said: “If you tell the truth and give up deals when you’re not the right fit, it’ll come back to you tenfold.” He wasn’t chasing commissions, he was building trust. And that’s the kind of long game most people never play. Sometimes the best close is the one you walk away from. Listen to the full episode with Jon Adams on the Case Studies Podcast.

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🔴 Focus Not “do more”. → Cut 80% of noise. → Choose 1 constraint. → Align product, GTM, pricing around it. If everything is priority, nothing compounds. 🔴 Clarity Not motivation. → Know your real leak. → Know your real ICP. → Know your real North Star. Busy ≠ growing. Activity ≠ leverage. AI ≠ intelligence. 🔴 Let’s Go Execution only makes sense after alignment. AI lowers execution cost. That means wrong decisions scale faster. The real edge now? Better thinking before faster action. #startups #builders

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Your sales team hears the same objections 10x a day. The good reps know what prospects don't get. Where deals stall... What questions keep coming up. So before you build your next video, talk to your sales team. Ask them what they need. They'll tell you: "Give me a 30-second clip that explains THIS." "Help me answer the question I get on every call." "I want to show my prospects this cool feature I love!" Then go build that. Give them tools they'll actually use. Not flashy hype clips that just look good in meetings. Build videos for the people who are actually on the ground.

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There’s one question sellers ask that makes me cringe: “If you do nothing, what’s the impact?” Buyers know exactly what that means: “Please hand me something I can use to sell you.” That’s why they shut down. Not because they’re difficult. Because they feel cornered. Instead shine a light on a problem they might not even realize is hurting. Like this: “Many vets tell me they lose 6 to 8 percent of revenue every year because clients buy preventatives online or at pet superstores instead of through the clinic. How are you dealing with that?” That question doesn’t manipulate. It illuminates. It gives the other person a chance to look at something they may have overlooked. It lets them decide if it matters. It keeps the pressure low and the truth high. Because the faster something’s bleeding, the quicker people drive to the hospital. Don’t force pain. Reveal reality. And let them lean in.

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If you’re still cold calling 50 leads just to get 1 answer, you’re wasting time. Text blast the whole pipeline first. It’s faster, creates urgency, and gets the yes out of hiding. Their intent shifts the moment they reply, now it’s a warm convo, not a chase. The CRM doesn’t matter. What matters is if you’re actually working it daily 👊🏻 #SpeedToLead #TextBlastStrategy #WholesaleRealEstate #InvestorMindset #DoTheWork

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How I'd buy a Laundromat for $0 down & make $100k/year: 1: Go to SMBmarket(.com) & search for Laundromats ($10k+/mo min. cash flow) 2: Check for consistent revenue growth 3: Contact the seller & make an offer 2-4x the yearly cash flow 4: Apply for an SBA loan at sba(.gov) 5: Finance 90% of the deal using the SBA loan 6: Find a private investor to pay 10% down for 15% equity in return 7: Now you're $0 out of pocket & you own a Laundromat I recently found a Laundromat doing $171k/year in cash flow… You could do a few things to add value & increase its cash flow past $200k/year: • Offer wash and fold for additional revenue • Install a small micromart to sell snacks & drinks • Offer WiFi & TVs & a child play area to attract more customers (more sales) After purchase, hire a General Manager, so you never work day-to-day. Use the cash flow to pay off the loan & take the remaining for yourself. If you dedicate enough time and research to this… There’s a huge payoff for all the hard work. The question is, will you give it a go?

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CPS Growth Institute video full of value for business owners. Most business owners buy insurance the wrong way. And it quietly limits their options. Here’s the common logic: “Why pay more if $500 a month gets me $2M of term?” On the surface, it feels efficient. For employees, it often is. For anyone running a business, it’s usually the wrong lens. Because the real issue isn’t the premium. It’s where the money ends up. --- Most policies are funded with after-tax dollars. They expire. They leave no residue on the balance sheet. Twenty years of payments… and nothing remains. --- They also do nothing while you’re alive. If cash flow tightens. If a health event interrupts operations. If an opportunity appears at the wrong time. If banks decide to pull back. --- Everything usually sits in a personal name. Which means visibility. Which means exposure. Which means zero separation between business success and personal risk. High income without structure is fragile. --- There is another way business owners quietly operate. They stop treating insurance as a product. They treat it as infrastructure. Company dollars are routed into protected, indexed structures that: • preserve capital during market declines • compound without annual tax drag • create liquidity without penalties • remain off personal balance sheets • exist permanently, not temporarily • transfer instantly, without court or delay Same dollars. Completely different outcome. --- This isn’t about chasing returns. It’s about control. Control over liquidity. Control over timing. Control over exposure. Control over legacy. The real question isn’t how cheap coverage can be. It’s where capital will come from when timing actually matters. DM for more. #money #business #insurance #taxes #finance #family #legacy

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Scaling isn’t about more leads… it’s about better systems. In California (Insurance)👇 $28,402 spent → 2,350 qualified applications Avg CPL: $12.08 588 appointments booked Might closed deals around 20–30% of booked appointments depending on their sales process. Leads don’t make you money… your system does.

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Sales decks don’t lose deals…  They just fail to move them forward. 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧.  But they don’t persuade. Your buyer doesn’t need more slides.  They need a story they can believe…  and retell internally. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩. So here’s a 𝟕-𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 we use to turn decks into deal-closing narratives:  → Start with their current reality   → Show why it stopped working   → Expose the confusion they’re stuck in   → Make the stakes impossible to ignore   → Show why existing solutions fall short   → Paint the transformation clearly   → Back it with undeniable proof If your story isn’t easy to retell…  it won’t survive the room. And if it doesn’t survive the room…  you don’t win the deal. 𝐀 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬.  𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬. DM me “𝗦𝟱𝟭” if you want your deck reviewed. 

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If you want to sell more software, stop pitching your solutions. Instead, sell your discovery process. Here’s why this works 10x better than pitching products 👇👇👇 Most reps are still pitching their solution on the first or second call. But enterprise buyers don’t buy like that. They can’t. There’s legal. There’s IT. There’s procurement. There’s a whole buying committee involved. The person you're talking to? Even if they want to move forward, they can’t do it alone. So why try to close them now? You're selling to someone who doesn't yet have what they need to buy with confidence. There’s a much better way. Sell the discovery process. Your job isn’t to pitch a product. Your job is to guide a structured evaluation that gives the buyer everything they need to move forward internally. What does that include?  • A business case with ROI  • A detailed implementation plan  • A custom demo mapped to their world  • A proposal tailored to their needs This is how top sellers win large, complex deals. They don’t pitch to buyers. They help buyers sell internally. Here’s how to do step by step:  1. Clearly articulate that your team is doing most of the work. Executives don’t want to manage the process or invest too much of their time on discovery.  They are way too busy. . If they feel like it’s going to take too much of their time, they’ll back out. Try this: "My team will drive the entire process. I just need a quick intro to your right-hand person so we can coordinate the discovery meetings and deliver a business case, an implementation plan, and a demo tailored to your environment." 2. Be clear on what’s required of their team If you don’t spell it out, you’ll lose momentum. Lay out:  • Who you need to meet with  • What info you need and why  • What you’ll deliver  • The time required from their side  • How long the process takes When you're vague, they disengage. When you're clear, they commit. Selling discovery is what separates closers from pitchers. When you pitch too soon:  • You get ghosted  • You run into blockers  • You lose to higher priorities When you sell discovery:  • You ensure alignment  • You create champions  • Your build momentum Want help learning how to run this play? I just released a free video training that walks you through exactly how to sell the discovery process and get executive buy-in. It includes scripts, structure, and real-world examples from large enterprise deals. Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/gEBjetVs Let me know what stood out - or tag a rep who needs to read this.

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🚀 Mike’s Prompt: The Objection-Killing FAQ Engine Most FAQs don’t sell. They explain… then quietly lose the deal. The best FAQs do something different: They remove confusion, address fear, and guide the buyer back to “yes.” That’s exactly what this prompt is designed to do 👇 💡 Why this matters Your sales team hears the same objections every week: • “This feels expensive.” • “I need to think about it.” • “How is this different?” • “Will this actually work for us?” Instead of answering these after the sales call, this framework handles them before a prospect ever reaches out. 📋 Mike’s Prompt Act as an experienced Sales Closer in [your industry] Here is a list of common feedback and objections we receive: [Paste recent customer feedback or objections here] Transform these deal-breakers into a proactive Educational FAQ for our website or sales deck. [you can include a link to your ABOUT page of your website here] For each objection: • Clearly acknowledge the concern • Reframe the problem from the buyer’s perspective • Explain the value in simple, customer-first language • Lead the prospect naturally back to a confident “yes” Ask any clarifying questions needed to improve accuracy and clarity. 🎯 The real win This turns your FAQ into: • A silent salesperson • A trust-builder • A clarity engine • A time-saver for your reps When your message is clear, buyers feel safe moving forward. When it’s not, they default to no — even if you’re the right solution. Clarity closes. Every time. If you want, I can: • Turn real objections into conversion-driven FAQs • Adapt this for a sales deck or website • Customize it for outbound or LinkedIn *** BONUS - turn this into an objection handling cheat sheet for the sales team. Just say the word 👊 #SalesStrategy #B2BSales #HighTicketSales #LinkedInMarketing #SalesEnablement #RevenueGrowth #CustomerClarity #MessagingMatters #BuyerJourney #GoToMarket

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