Sales leaders and sales professionals: are your territories setting you up for sales success or holding your team back?

In this episode, hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey tackle the critical role of defining territories, commission plans, and account strategies. From building fair but effective territories to creating actionable plans that drive revenue generation, this conversation blends sales management insight with practical sales strategies to help you win more consistently and grow with intention.

• Defining Territories with Purpose (00:23) – Why intentional design matters more than “spray and pray” selling.
  
  

• Fairness vs. Evenness in Territories (01:27) – Sean explains why territories don’t need to be identical, but they must be logical and fair to prevent turnover.
  
  

• How Salespeople Should Approach New Territories (04:53) – Kevin outlines the mindset and business acumen required to succeed under a new commission plan.
  
  

• Planning Ahead for Sales Success (08:21) – Sean breaks down how early planning impacts Q1 results, revenue management, and long-term sales processes.
  
  

• The Power of Written Territory and Account Plans (12:23) – Kevin explains how documenting your strategies in a CRM enhances value selling and accountability.
  
  

• Sean O’Shaughnessey (01:10): “When you’re driving down the road, you’re not driving with the mirrors—you’re driving with the windshield. Defining your territory is incredibly important to know where you’re going.”
  
  

• Kevin Lawson (06:00): “A new commission plan is not an indictment of past performance; it’s your executives telling you how and where they want the company to grow.”
  
  

• Kevin Lawson (12:42): “When a plan is written, it’s real. You win more often when your goals and account strategies are captured, documented, and revisited.”
  
  

Write down your territory and account growth plan before the new year begins. Identify 20 accounts to expand, document the cast of characters (champions, blockers, decision-makers), and map a path to increase revenue generation. Then, enter this plan into your CRM to hold yourself accountable and align with your company’s sales strategies.

Defining sales territories creates opportunities for consistent sales success, fair expectations, and scalable revenue management. In this episode, Sean and Kevin deliver practical guidance on territory design, commission planning, and how salespeople can leverage written strategies to win bigger deals. Whether you’re a sales leader refining your sales management approach or a salesperson building momentum, this episode is packed with actionable business acumen and proven sales processes to elevate your results.

B2B Sales Lab is a private, member-led community for sales professionals who want actionable insights, not theory. It’s a space to ask real questions, share proven practices, and connect with others who are serious about improving revenue performance. Designed and led by veteran sales leaders, the Lab is where strategy meets execution. Join us at b2b-sales-lab.com

You can reach out to Sean at New Sales Expert, LLC - Sean@NewSales.Expert - https://www.linkedin.com/in/soshaughnessey/

You can reach out to Kevin at Lighthouse Sales Advisors & Sales Xceleration - kevin@lighthousesalesadvisors.com - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwlawson/

You can book time on Kevin's calendar at https://lighthousesalesadvisors.pipedrive.com/scheduler/JP7rZXH3/virtual-meeting-booking-time-with-kevin

You can book time on Sean's calendar at http://newsales.expert/sean-oshaughnessey-calendar/

In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey build on last week’s discussion of qualification methodologies and take the conversation further—into how these frameworks should live inside your CRM. From aligning sales processes with the buyer’s journey to enforcing accountability at each stage, this conversation offers practical strategies that every sales leader and salesperson can implement. Expect a deep dive into sales management, revenue generation, sales processes, and how value selling thrives when marketing and sales teams work in sync.

• Why your CRM is the right home for qualification methodologies (00:48)
  
  

• Best practices for embedding qualification questions into sales processes (02:01)
  
  

• How sales leaders enforce discipline and consistency across teams (03:18)
  
  

• Eliminating Excel spreadsheets and consolidating data for effective revenue management (05:12)
  
  

• Aligning marketing collateral with sales strategies to support qualification and value selling (06:00)
  
  

• Real-world stories of late-stage deal failures caused by missing buyer-side approvals (10:21)
  
  

• Kevin Lawson (05:12): “Oh, please, oh, please evacuate Excel spreadsheets from your solution guide… For the purposes of this discussion, we want to strenuously avoid having third-party apps disconnected from your system.”
  
  

• Sean O’Shaughnessey (10:40): “There is nothing worse than missing your quarterly number because you didn’t know how they were going to buy… Knowing the paperwork process is the difference between celebrating the win and missing your commission check.”
  
  

• Kevin Lawson (14:10): “Having a qualification methodology mapped into your CRM, aligned with a buyer’s journey and supported by marketing resources, gives you a fully wrapped system that prevents that dreaded CEO call asking, ‘What’s the status of that deal?’”
  
  

• HubSpot Blog: A Guide to Sales Qualification Frameworkshttps://blog.hubspot.com/sales/6-popular-sales-methodologies-summarized
  
  

• Join the B2B Sales Lab for 90 days free and access practical community discussions on sales strategies, revenue management, and messaging. https://b2b-sales-lab.com
  
  

• CRM platforms mentioned: HubSpot (https://www.hubspot.com/), Pipedrive (https://www.pipedrive.com/), Salesforce (https://www.salesforce.com/), Membrain (https://www.membrain.com/)
  
  

Embed your qualification methodology directly into your CRM, tied to each stage of your sales process.

Don’t let critical deal information reside inside spreadsheets or Word docs; configure your CRM so progression requires those qualification questions to be answered. This not only improves sales accuracy but also enhances revenue management, ensures consistency across your team, and creates alignment with marketing resources to drive value selling.

This episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales is a must-listen for anyone serious about building sustainable sales success. Sean and Kevin reveal how sales strategies such as qualification methodologies come to life when fully integrated into CRM-driven sales processes. You’ll learn why sales management must prioritize data consistency, how business acumen prevents late-stage deal disasters, and how aligning messaging between sales and marketing fuels stronger revenue generation. If you want practical insights on improving your sales processes and elevating your organization’s performance, download this episode today and start putting these best practices to work.

When your sales pipeline hits a wall—or worse, goes completely flat—it can feel like you’re spinning your wheels. In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, hosts Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep into what to do when your sales team is facing a revenue generation stall. This is a fast-paced, actionable conversation focused entirely on what sales leaders can do to recharge a stalled pipeline—without relying on marketing. Whether you’re in B2B tech, manufacturing, or professional services, this episode will equip you with practical, high-impact tactics to get your sales process moving forward again.

Key Topics Discussed

• The “Flat Tire” Sales Pipeline Analogy (00:00)
  Why pipelines go flat—even after big wins—and how leaders can reframe the issue.
  
  

• The Power of Referrals and Networking (03:00)
  Sean’s method for turning satisfied customers into a referral engine—complete with a ready-to-send intro letter.
  
  

• Expanding Through Customer Proximity and Chambers of Commerce (05:00)
  Leveraging existing accounts and local business events to rapidly refill the funnel.
  
  

• Using PESTEL for Industry-Relevant Messaging (07:00)
  Kevin shares a practical framework for creating insightful sales conversations that show business acumen and relevance.
  
  

• Requalifying Open Deals with the Right Buyers (08:00)
  How to use sales processes and CRMs to validate opportunities—and why “access to power” is non-negotiable.
  
  

• Getting to the Economic Buyer—and Asking for the Order (11:00)
  A breakdown of how to engage decision-makers, handle their buying criteria, and close with confidence.
  
  

Key Quotes

“I don’t care what you sell—coolants, software, promotional gear—if you’re not prospecting today, your pipeline will let you down tomorrow.”
— Sean O’Shaughnessey (01:07)

“We’re not a demo organization. If the demo alone sold your product, you wouldn’t need a salesperson.”
— Kevin Lawson (10:00)

“If your salespeople can’t tell you who the economic buyer is, it’s time for you to get in the car and go meet them yourself.”
— Sean O’Shaughnessey (12:00)

Additional Resources Mentioned

• B2B Sales Lab Community – A peer-led space for sales professionals and leaders to grow, collaborate, and share sales strategies. (Free 90-day trial with credit card to keep out spammers.) www.b2b-sales-lab.com
  
  

• PESTEL Framework – A structured approach for bringing value to sales conversations by focusing on Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal issues impacting buyers.
  
  

A Significant Actionable Item from this Podcast
Requalify Every Deal in Your Pipeline This Week

Sales leaders: pull your team into a pipeline review and ask a simple, high-stakes question about every open opportunity—“If you walked in with a PO today, could your contact sign it?” If the answer is “no,” that deal is not qualified. Use this exercise to reinforce accountability, focus on real economic buyers, and prioritize deals that can convert into revenue. Don't just forecast—verify.

Why You Should Listen Now

If you’ve ever looked at your pipeline and felt that creeping sense of panic, this episode is your emergency roadside kit. Sean and Kevin don’t waste time with fluff—they deliver real sales strategies rooted in decades of experience with sales management, business acumen, and revenue generation. From value selling tactics to reengaging your best customers, this conversation is loaded with sales success insights you can implement today. Plug in, take notes, and start patching your pipeline with purpose.

In this episode of Two Tall Guys Talking Sales, Kevin Lawson and Sean O’Shaughnessey dive deep into one of the most misunderstood dynamics in business: the relationship between sales and marketing. Pulled directly from a thought-provoking question inside the B2B Sales Lab community, this conversation explores how sales teams can contribute meaningfully to marketing efforts and why that collaboration drives better revenue generation. Whether you lead a sales team, run marketing campaigns, or wear both hats in a small business, this episode gives you practical strategies to align your teams, sharpen your messaging, and enhance sales success.

• The Role of Sales in Marketing & Content Development (00:00)
  How sales leaders can become strategic contributors to content and campaign direction.
  
  

• Being the Voice of the Customer Across the Business (00:02)
  Why sales must act as a conduit of market intelligence, not just for marketing but across production, delivery, and operations.
  
  

• Sales Behavior That Builds or Breaks Internal Trust (00:04)
  The importance of accountability and humility when offering feedback to other departments.
  
  

• Making Marketing a Regular Part of Sales Meetings (00:08)
  A tactical breakdown of how to engage marketing in the sales rhythm without derailing productivity.
  
  

• Field Collaboration: Invite Your Internal Teams to Ride Along (00:10)
  Why taking engineers or operations managers on customer calls creates stronger cross-functional empathy and better customer experiences.
  
  

• Marketing Assets: Create Them, Use Them, Give Feedback (00:12)
  How to close the feedback loop on content effectiveness and ensure sales uses what marketing builds.
  
  

“Sales is accountable for driving the revenue, but sales is also accountable for working with marketing to get to a market-facing message that addresses current needs.”
— Kevin Lawson (00:00)

“Your job in sales is to be the best-run department in the company. If you’re not, your opinion probably doesn’t matter.”
— Sean O’Shaughnessey (00:08)

“Please, oh please, use the tools your marketing team creates for you. If you don’t, that’s on you.”
— Kevin Lawson (00:12)

“There’s no better way to get internal teams aligned with customers than to take them on sales calls. Let them breathe your air and eat at Burger King between meetings.”
— Sean O’Shaughnessey (00:11)

• B2B Sales Lab Community: A peer group for sales professionals focused on sharpening sales processes, messaging, and revenue management. www.b2b-sales-lab.com
  
  

Hold a joint sales-marketing meeting each quarter.

Schedule a dedicated 30-minute session within your sales team’s recurring meeting where your marketing counterpart joins to review current messaging, upcoming campaigns, and voice-of-the-customer insights. Let marketing ask questions, present new content, and gather sales feedback. Use this as a structured loop to align both teams on business acumen, sales strategies, and revenue goals.

If you’ve ever wondered why your sales messaging isn’t landing or why marketing feels “out of touch,” this episode is for you. Kevin and Sean pull back the curtain on how high-performing sales organizations dissolve silos, share real-time customer feedback, and co-create assets that drive revenue. Whether you're a VP of Sales, a marketing leader, or a business owner trying to scale effectively, you'll walk away with ideas you can implement this week to align your teams for better revenue generation and sales success. Tune in now and start building the team your customers deserve.