In this episode of "How the Deal Was Done," Andrew Kappel and Bijay Alex Mathew discuss a major deal with a leading athleisure retailer facilitated through a key partnership. They explore the challenges faced with outdated software and how over-servicing and strong partnerships played a role in closing the deal. Background: Bijay has 20 years of experience leading sales teams and currently serves as the CRO at Art of Mentoring. The deal involved Art of Mentoring's mentoring software platform and was initiated through a referral by a key partner, targeting a large athleisure retailer with a thousand participants across two programs. Challenges: Demonstrating the capabilities of a new platform while providing access to an outdated sandbox environment. Managing complex use cases and ensuring the reassurance needed for a large-scale implementation. Key learnings: Delivering above and beyond service can differentiate and build trust with clients. Warm introductions and strong partnerships significantly ease the go-to-market challenges. Timestamps: (03:48) Bijay's background leading sellers at big orgs and now international startups plus journey to Austin (07:09) Beginning of the deal: initial contact and importance of the strategic 'thought leader' partner (08:48) Challenges faced with the sandbox environment and platform transition (10:28) Over-servicing to win the deal (13:42) Importance of reassurance and client confidence Resources: Bijay Matthew on LinkedIn Questions, comments, ideas - reach out to: [**https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkappel/**](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkappel/)

In this episode, Eric Hamilton, experienced sales leader shares insights on successfully closing a $900k total contract value transaction. And how to navigate a complex deal in the tech industry, emphasizing the importance of customer-centric strategies and teamwork. Background:

The deal involved an automotive company, took six months to complete, involved multiple stakeholders from the buying and selling side, and was selling a cloud-based software solution. Challenges: Integrating the new solution within the client's legacy systems. Navigating the complex approval processes. Key Learnings: The significance of forging strong internal alliances and understanding the client's decision-making process. The necessity of being ‘persistently pleasant ‘and resilient during prolonged sales cycles. Timestamps: (00:05:12) Introduction and Eric’s career background and journey in sales (00:08:45) Overview of the deal (00:12:30) Challenges faced during the sales process (00:16:20) Navigating internal processes (00:20:55) Competition and Strategy (00:25:40) Key learnings from the deal (00:30:15) Final thoughts and advice for sellers Resources: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erichamiltonblueprint/ Book: https://www.thesalesblueprintforsuccess.com/ Instagram: EricHamiltonSalesBlueprint Questions, comments, ideas - reach out to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewkappel/

In this episode, Bion Behdin, Chief Revenue Officer of First AML, shares insights into winning a near million-dollar deal in the financial services and regulatory tech sector. Bion highlights the importance of strategic client engagement, internal stakeholder management, and leveraging feedback loops to navigate complex sales processes.

Challenges:

• Securing buy-in amidst global company issues mentioned in the media.

• Managing internal stakeholder concerns and uncertainties about the deal's feasibility and execution.

Key Learnings:

• Structuring deals with a detailed, proactive approach, including frequent summaries and clear next steps after discussions.

• Emphasize the importance of top company leaders staying close to client interactions and demos to understand customer needs and address potential challenges effectively.

Timestamps:

(0:01:44) Background and journey of Bion and First AML.

(0:07:16) How the deal was initiated through a chance conversation at a pub.

(0:10:24) Advancing through the RFP process and addressing technical requirements.

(0:12:11) Importance of involving sales users and navigating internal stakeholder dynamics.

(0:16:01) Overcoming challenges amid global company issues and internal concerns.

(0:17:42) Learnings from structuring and negotiating large transactions effectively.

Resources:

LinkedIn: Bion Behdin

Questions, comments, ideas - reach out to: Andrew Kappel