The Advanced Selling Podcast: Episode Summary Title: Bold Move #1: Create a Sales Process That Benefits Your Prospects
Hosts: Bill Caskey and Bryan Neale
Release Date: June 5, 2025

Introduction to the 12-Week Series

[00:02] Bill Caskey
Bill Caskey kicks off a solo episode version of The Advanced Selling Podcast, announcing an upcoming 12-week series dedicated to the "12 Bold Moves" essential for sales success. He invites listeners to visit 12BoldMoves.com to download a complimentary copy of the book, initially free through May but now extended to July for accessibility.

“I want you to be with me for the next 12 weeks. Each week I will take one of these bold moves and dive into it in detail.”
– Bill Caskey [00:16]

Bold Move #1: Creating a Prospect-Beneficial Sales Process

Overview
Bill introduces the first bold move: "Create a sales process that benefits your prospect, not just you." He emphasizes the unconventional approach of focusing the sales process on the prospect's benefits rather than merely pushing for a sale.

Challenging Traditional Sales Processes
Traditionally, sales processes are designed to expedite closing deals, often leading to customer resistance. Bill criticizes this approach as being self-serving and ineffective.

“When we think of sales processes, we think of how do we create a process where I can shove people through it?”
– Bill Caskey [00:34]

Reframing the Sales Process
Bill advocates for a shift in perspective where the sales process is mutually beneficial. Instead of forcing prospects through a rigid structure, the process should help them understand and address their own needs.

“Make the process beneficial for them. They’re happy to follow your process if they knew what it was and they believed that it benefited them by following it.”
– Bill Caskey [02:00]

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Discovery Phase as Mutual Understanding

   • [03:10] Bill explains that the discovery phase should not just be about identifying the prospect's problems from the seller's standpoint. Instead, it should be a two-way street where both parties assess whether there is a worthwhile problem to solve.

   “Think of the discovery process as a mutual understanding.”
   – Bill Caskey [03:30]

2. Deep Dive into the Prospect’s Pain Points

   • [04:00] The next step involves an in-depth exploration of the prospect’s challenges, not just surface-level issues. This helps both the salesperson and the prospect evaluate the economic viability of addressing the problem.

   “Understanding their plight economically is really important. But it’s also important for them because 80% of the pains they have are undetectable.”
   – Bill Caskey [04:45]

3. Utilizing Assessments for Better Insight

   • [06:00] Bill shares a client’s strategy of using a “rapid assessment” before the initial call. This assessment consists of seven questions designed to uncover deeper issues and filter out uninterested prospects.

   “He sends them to a page that has like a seven question assessment on it… It ferrets out people who say, ‘I’m not going to answer this.’”
   – Bill Caskey [08:20]

Benefits of a Prospect-Focused Sales Process

• Increased Trust and Engagement: By prioritizing the prospect's needs, salespeople build stronger, trust-based relationships.
• Higher Close Rates: As illustrated by the client example, shifting focus can significantly improve close rates (from 15-20% to 40%).
• Efficient Lead Filtering: Assessments help in identifying serious prospects early, saving time and resources.

“It’s found time, it’s found money.”
– Bill Caskey [09:50]

Practical Applications and Next Steps

[10:30] Bill encourages sales professionals to evaluate their current sales processes over the next few weeks. He urges them to ask whether their processes are genuinely designed to help the prospect or merely serve the salesperson’s interests.

“Think about your sales process over the next couple weeks. Is am I really focused on helping them by executing and deploying my process or is this just about me?”
– Bill Caskey [10:50]

Teaser for Next Episode

[11:30] Concluding the episode, Bill hints at the next bold move in the series: "Start from a position of I don't know." He invites listeners to tune in the following week for further insights.

“Next week we’ll talk about bold move number two. Start from a position of I don't know. See you next week.”
– Bill Caskey [11:50]

Key Takeaways

1. Customer-Centric Sales Processes: Designing a sales process that prioritizes the prospect's benefits leads to higher engagement and trust.
2. Mutual Discovery: Viewing the discovery phase as a two-way evaluation fosters a more authentic connection between salesperson and prospect.
3. Effective Use of Assessments: Implementing pre-call assessments can significantly enhance understanding of prospect needs and improve conversion rates.
4. Mindset Shift: Adopting a mindset that focuses on helping the prospect rather than merely closing a sale transforms the overall sales dynamic.

Notable Quotes

• Bill Caskey [00:16]: “I want you to be with me for the next 12 weeks…”
• Bill Caskey [00:34]: “When we think of sales processes, we think of how do we create a process where I can shove people through it?”
• Bill Caskey [02:00]: “Make the process beneficial for them…”
• Bill Caskey [03:30]: “Think of the discovery process as a mutual understanding.”
• Bill Caskey [04:45]: “Understanding their plight economically is really important…”
• Bill Caskey [08:20]: “It ferrets out people who say, ‘I’m not going to answer this.’”
• Bill Caskey [09:50]: “It’s found time, it’s found money.”
• Bill Caskey [10:50]: “Is am I really focused on helping them…”
• Bill Caskey [11:50]: “Next week we’ll talk about bold move number two…”

Conclusion

In this episode of The Advanced Selling Podcast, Bill Caskey emphasizes the importance of reimagining the sales process to prioritize the prospect's benefits. By adopting a customer-centric approach, utilizing assessments, and fostering mutual understanding, sales professionals can enhance trust, improve close rates, and build long-term relationships. This foundational bold move sets the stage for the subsequent strategies that will further empower salespeople to achieve exceptional success.