"Don't lead with the solution. This is my number one tip for agency operators. And it's my number one tip for traditional sellers, SaaS sellers—anybody who is trying to get someone to work with them." Are your sales suffering? Are you finding it harder to get calls and close deals? Are you looking for ways to run cold outreach or follow-up after an event that actually gets responses? If so, this episode of Agency Journey is for you. Jen Allen-Knuth is the founder of DemandJen, where she helps B2B sales and marketing teams build more pipeline when it might seem harder than ever before. With over 18 years of experience in sales, Jen now works with mid-market and enterprise organizations to help train their sales teams. In this episode of Agency Journey, Jen shares her insights on effective sales strategies, particularly in challenging economic times. She emphasizes the importance of focusing on the problem rather than the solution, slowing down the sales process to build trust, and using data-driven analysis to improve your approach. Whether you're looking to refine your agency's sales process, improve your cold outreach, or build stronger relationships with prospects, this episode is packed with actionable advice and real-world examples. Episode Insights: 💡 Focus on the problem your solution solves, not just the features of your offering. Help prospects understand why they need to change before pitching your solution. 💡 Use signal-based prospecting to identify potential clients who might have the problem you solve. Look for cues like new leadership, product launches, or industry shifts. 💡 Slow down your sales process when things get tough. Analyze your wins and losses to identify patterns and areas for improvement. 💡 Use "unsure tonality" in your outreach to demonstrate thoughtfulness and respect for the prospect's expertise. 💡 When following up after events or webinars, provide additional value rather than immediately pushing for a sales call. 💡 Consider reaching out to lower-level employees to test your problem hypothesis before approaching top decision-makers. 💡 Use the "five whys" technique in discovery calls to uncover deeper motivations and needs of clients. Resources Mentioned: 🌐 Jen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demandjen1/ 🏢 DemandGen website: https://www.demandjen.com?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-312-jen-allen-knuth 🛠️ Lavender (email writing tool) 📚 The Challenger Sale (sales methodology) ---------------------------------- Brought to you by ZenPilot, ClickUp’s #1 Solutions Partner with 3,000+ agency ops makeovers under our belt. 📕 Read our in-depth, 8000-word How to Use ClickUp Guide: https://www.zenpilot.com/blog/how-to-use-clickup/?utm_campaign=agency-journey-ep-312-jen-allen-knuth 👉 Don’t forget to follow and rate us on your preferred podcast platforms. We’re also on YouTube: @ZenPilot