Episode Overview:
Podcast: The Sales Hunter Podcast
Host: Mark Hunter
Guest: Jeff Bajoric
Episode Title: What Does 'Good' Look Like in Sales?
Date: March 26, 2026
This episode dives into the core question: “What does good look like in sales?” Mark Hunter and guest sales thought leader Jeff Bajoric explore what defines high performance for a sales organization. They examine the evolving standards of excellence, the balance between process and personality, and how companies can—and should—define what ‘good’ means based on their people, customers, and culture in a rapidly changing, AI-influenced landscape.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Longevity and Consistency: Lessons from Podcasting
- The episode opens with mutual recognition of long-term consistency in podcasting, using it as a metaphor for excellence in sales.
- Mark: “The two things that have made the podcast work…one, it's consistency. Two, it's accountability. And three, keep it simple.” (01:24)
- Jeff: “Six years of doing anything, that's what good looks like in the podcast space…There aren't very many shows that have that kind of longevity.” (01:59)
Key Insight
- Consistency, accountability, and simplicity are foundational to sustained excellence—whether in podcasting or in sales.
2. What Does ‘Good’ Look Like in Sales Organizations?
- Jeff defines “good” as a repeatable, high-profit pipeline, reliable forecasting, clear identification of gaps, and, crucially, the roadmap to close those gaps. (02:40)
- Critical distinction: Success isn’t about applying a generic template. Each organization must define for themselves what ‘good’ looks like.
Notable Quote
- Jeff: “The problem becomes when that person comes in with their own ideas of what good looks like and doesn't help them identify, codify, update, modernize, what good looks like here in the organization.” (03:38)
3. Is Good a Process, a Mindset, or Something More?
- Mark: “Is good a process or is it a mindset?” (04:32)
- Jeff: “It's both. And it goes beyond that…Good is also a set of methods.” (04:41)
- Process: The science—the steps that need to happen.
- Methods: The art—the unique, personal touches (e.g., handwritten notes, cookies).
- Mindset: The willingness to show up and do the work, even when it isn’t easy.
Real Example
- “Bob…always sends a handwritten note after a first appointment…Sally…bake[s] cookies. Almost like TED Lasso, right? It's just that little touch...” (06:00)
4. The Limits of Process and the Value of People
- The myth of plug-and-play sales processes is challenged.
- Mark: “That runs this little counter argument…if you have the right process, you can throw anybody into that.”
- Jeff: “If you had your process down to a strict science…anybody who can fog a mirror can be successful here. I think you're setting a very low bar for what success looks like. And…suggesting…any automaton can replace a sales rep.” (07:14)
- AI and automation: While powerful for background tasks, they cannot replace the distinctly human elements of selling.
Notable Quote
- “Salespeople…get paid a lot of money to understand the nuance, the humanity, the personality behind each of those [selling] situations.” (09:29)
5. The Impact and Limits of AI on ‘Good’
- Mark: “AI…should stand for authentic integrity.” (10:46)
- Has ‘good’ changed because of AI? Jeff says the bar has risen, but warns companies not to lose their special human touch in automating processes.
- Jeff: “If you…modernize, and that then unplugs you from the juice that made you so special to your customers in the first place, that's highly problematic.” (12:21)
Notable Statistic
- “If I asked 100 salespeople why their best customers bought from them, five would know the answer because they've asked. Fifteen would guess…80 salespeople would be shocked to find the real answers.” (13:21)
6. Customer-Centric Definition of Good
- Mark: “You cannot define good until you know what the customer says good looks like.” (14:03)
- Organizations frequently assume they know why customers buy, but rarely validate it.
- The process of defining ‘good’ must start with customer feedback and discovery. Outdated assumptions lead to missed opportunities and stunted differentiation.
7. Differentiation: Personal Touches and Filtering for the Right Customer
- Personalization (like handwritten notes or baked cookies) is often cited as a point of differentiation, but companies must dig deeper:
- Who gets these extra efforts—and why?
- It’s not about the action itself but the filter for identifying your best customers.
- Jeff: “You will never have a better day in sales than when you fire your worst customer…Even better, avoid them altogether.” (17:16)
8. Leadership Lessons: Recognizing & Preserving What’s Already Good
- New leaders should excavate before they fix.
- Instead of imposing change, first study what already works; validate strengths before making adjustments.
- Jeff: "I came in trying to fix before I did enough discovery on what was actually working and it blew up." (19:18)
- Mark: “Let's look at what's going on right first before you throw the baby out.” (20:35)
9. Practical Framework for Organizations
Jeff outlines a 3-step process:
- Excavate: Dig into what your team is actually doing, beyond surface-level questions.
- Validate: Take assumptions to your best customers for confirmation (or correction).
- Integrate: Weave those validated elements into training, playbooks, and standard processes.
- Jeff: "Only with that specificity do you really unlock what’s special…That’s what you train on. That’s your common language. And now everybody’s reading from the same book.” (22:36)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “There's a factor that cannot be completely accounted for when you document a process. That factor are human beings.” – Jeff (08:38)
- “If you don’t know what really drives your customer behavior…you’re at risk of losing it.” – Jeff (13:54)
- “Why did we allow ourselves to think that we could somehow turn this bad customer, this bad prospect…into a good customer? We can’t.” – Mark (17:26)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:44 — Defining “good” in the context of sales performance.
- 02:40 — What a high-performing salesforce looks like.
- 04:32 — Is “good” a process or a mindset?
- 07:14 — Why people, not just process, matter in sales.
- 09:29 — The irreplaceable human element in sales situations.
- 10:46 — AI as “Authentic Integrity” and its impact on sales.
- 13:21 — Most salespeople don't actually know why their best customers buy from them.
- 14:03 — ‘Good’ must start with the customer’s definition.
- 17:16 — The value of filtering for the right customers.
- 19:18 — Leadership error: Fixing without understanding what works.
- 22:36 — Framework: Excavate, validate, integrate.
Actionable Takeaways
- Don’t assume: Discover what ‘good’ looks like by querying your best, most loyal customers—then double down on those findings.
- Don’t over-automate: Use AI and automation for routine work, but maintain genuine human connections where they matter most.
- Codify and coach: Once you know your true differentiators, bake them into onboarding, processes, and coaching.
- Elevate internally: Leverage veteran salespeople’s internal filters to teach newer reps how to spot promising leads and avoid the wrong customers.
Additional Resources
- Contact Jeff Bajoric:
- New Book: Integrity First Selling (by Mark Hunter)
Conclusion
This high-energy discussion between Mark Hunter and Jeff Bajoric reframes the “what does good look like?” question as an ongoing, customer-driven discovery process, not a fixed formula. Both hosts vigorously advocate for keeping sales human and tailored, even in the age of AI, and urge leaders and teams to routinely excavate, validate, and integrate what makes them exceptional—with their best customers’ feedback as the north star.