149: Learn to Love Selling: The 4-Part Framework for Sales Success | Mark Cox

Research shows that high-performing sales teams drive up to 80% of a company’s revenue (Harvard Business Review). Yet most teams are flying blind and relying on outdated sales plans, inconsistent outreach, and a lack of new leads for their business. pipelines. 

In this episode, we’re joined by author and leading expert in B2B sales coaching, Mark Cox. Whether you're new to sales or a seasoned sales leader, Mark offers invaluable insights and practical tools to help you master the art of selling in today's world.  

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• Why great salespeople are made, not born 
• The four (plus one) elements of a high-impact sales playbook 
• Why discovery is the most underrated stage in sales 
• How to avoid the “cycle of doom” in demand gen 
• When to reassess your value prop and how to find your competitive edge 
• Why promoting your top seller might kill your team if you’re not careful 

Timestamps: 

00:01 – Intro to Mark Cox 

00:15 – Are salespeople born or made? (Hint: It’s a skill) 

01:21 – Reigniting a love for learning through an Executive MBA 

03:35 – Why senior leaders often stop learning 

05:29 – What inspired Learn to Love Selling 

06:58 – Who the book is for 

07:34 – Why most sales plans gather dust 

08:55 – The 4 Core Elements of a Sales Playbook 

12:23 – The “fifth” element: Awareness campaigns 

13:44 – What makes a value prop terrible (and how to fix it) 

15:29 – How often should you reassess your value prop? 

18:09 – What makes In the Funnel different? 

20:02 – Ask your clients for your differentiation 

22:48 – Client interviews as a learning tool 

24:58 – Demand Gen: The “X-Factor” skill in B2B sales 

27:58 – Ranking modern demand gen tools: phone, email, LinkedIn 

31:54 – The “hat trick” approach to outreach 

34:12 – Working conferences like a pro 

38:26 – Discovery meetings: the most important sales phase 

43:36 – Why discovery never ends 

45:44 – Helping sales reps kill zombie deals 

49:23 – The 3 key stakeholders of a sales leader 

51:49 – Coaching vs. Telling: What great leaders do differently 

54:54 – Avoiding the “hero” trap as a new manager 

58:49 – Should you promote your top rep to sales manager? 

01:01:59 – What makes a great sales leader 

01:04:20 – Closing thoughts & where to find Mark 

Resources Mentioned: 

• Book: Learn to Love Selling by Mark Cox 
• Website: In the Funnel 
• LinkedIn: Connect with Mark Cox 
• Book: Mindset by Carol Dweck 
• Book: Social Selling by Tim Hughes 
• Book: Multipliers by Liz Wiseman 
• Book: