Building Your Sales Engine

Mark McGraw
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A show where Mark McGraw, a top Sandler Sales Trainer and David H. Sandler award winner, interviews salespeople and sales managers to discover their successes and how they got to be the people they are today. We break down the elements of selling success and share mindsets, habits and techniques that help salespeople and managers build a proven, reliable, transferable system for sales.

  1. Why Salespeople Skip Discovery

    FEB 5

    Why Salespeople Skip Discovery

    Summary: Master the discovery call by learning why salespeople fall into pitch mode -- and how to stay focused on qualifying, not convincing. Discovery calls are where deals are won or lost, yet most salespeople skip real discovery and default to pitch mode. In this episode, Mark McGraw and Josh Pitchford break down why sellers fall into the pitch trap -- from bait questions to being too "I-centered" -- and what to do instead. Learn the Sandler behavior-attitude-technique framework for running better discovery: pre-call planning, setting the dial to "no," using reversing to redirect bait questions, and setting clear upfront contracts so buyers know what to expect. Stop trying to sell -- seek to understand. Host: Mark McGraw -- Building Your Sales Engine Co-host: Josh Pitchford -- Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: What discovery really means: qualifying pain, budget, and decision-making process Why sellers say "discovery" but actually hope prospects discover them Bait questions: how buyers pull sellers into pitch mode without realizing it The "I-centered" problem: why sellers talk about themselves instead of the buyer Fear and comfort zones: why pitching feels safer than asking tough questions Set the dial to "no" -- it is the prospect's job to convince you, not the other way around Pre-call planning: pre-decide what you will do when bait questions come Upfront contracts: setting expectations so everyone knows it is a discovery meeting The 70/30 rule: the buyer should talk 70% of the time in discovery Behavior, attitude, and technique -- the Sandler framework for better discovery calls Links: Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmcgraw/ Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

    28 min
  2. Don't Wimp: Achieve Your Goals This Year

    JAN 22

    Don't Wimp: Achieve Your Goals This Year

    Master WIMP Junction—the Sandler concept that separates top sellers from those who give away leverage—with a 5-step framework to stay in control of every deal. WIMP Junction is the Sandler concept every seller needs to master: that fork in the road where you either follow the buyer's system and lose leverage, or maintain control of your sales process. When prospects say "Can you send a quote?" or "Can we get a demo?"—these are danger zones, not buying signals. In this episode, Mark McGraw and Josh Pitchford share five practical strategies to overcome WIMP Junction: pre-deciding your response, pre-call planning, setting your dial to "no," using reversing techniques, and aligning your intentions. Learn why choosing short-term discomfort leads to long-term sales success. It's hard to prospect, and it's hard to miss your number—choose your hard. About Josh Pitchford: Josh Pitchford is a Sandler trainer and coach at Sales Engine, where he helps sales professionals and teams build predictable revenue systems. With extensive experience in enterprise sales and account management, Josh specializes in teaching relationship-building strategies, account planning, and the Sandler methodology. 🔗 Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: What WIMP Junction is: the fork in the road between following the buyer's system or your own Mark's desk drawer story and why WIMP Junction "haunted" him for years Golden Retriever Selling: why fetching every request kills deals The moment you lose all leverage (and how to keep it) The Sandler Rule: get equal or greater value for everything you give Five strategies to overcome WIMP Junction: pre-decide, pre-call plan, set the dial to "no," use reversing, and align intentions Why understanding beats "selling" every time Choose Your Hard: trading short-term comfort for long-term success Links: Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

    23 min
  3. Inversion Thinking: How to Fail Before You Fail

    JAN 8

    Inversion Thinking: How to Fail Before You Fail

    Inversion thinking helps sales professionals anticipate failure before it happens, creating prevention rules that guarantee goal achievement. What if the secret to hitting your sales goals was visualizing failure instead of success? In this episode, Mark McGraw and Josh Pitchford explore inversion thinking, a powerful three-step framework that flips traditional goal-setting on its head. Instead of imagining success, you imagine failing at your goal and work backward to identify what went wrong. The process is simple but transformative: First, set your goal. Second, imagine it is the end of the year and you have failed. Third, create prevention rules that eliminate those failure points before they happen. This pre-mortem approach leverages our natural tendency toward negative thinking and turns it into a strategic advantage. Mark and Josh dive into practical applications, from shortening sales cycles to building prospecting habits. You will learn how to "pre-decide" your actions to remove willpower from the equation and why public accountability can leverage your need for approval to keep you on track. As the Sandler rule states, you have to learn to fail to win, and this episode shows you how to fail before you fail. About Josh Pitchford: Josh Pitchford is a Sandler trainer and coach at Sales Engine, where he helps sales professionals and teams build predictable revenue systems. With extensive experience in enterprise sales and account management, Josh specializes in teaching relationship-building strategies, account planning, and the Sandler methodology. 🔗 Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: The three-step inversion thinking framework for goal achievement Why imagining failure works better than visualizing success How to conduct a pre-mortem before things go wrong The concept of pre-deciding to eliminate willpower in the moment Creating non-negotiable prevention rules Common reasons salespeople fail to hit goals: not prospecting enough, extended sales cycles Getting to the ultimate decision maker to shorten sales cycles Finding the buyer's compelling event instead of relying on your own Why humans are wired for negative thinking and how to leverage it The importance of clear next steps in every sales conversation Bulletproofing your deals to mitigate risk Public accountability and leveraging need for approval Bringing future pain into the present moment to drive action Never let how you feel determine how you act Building rumble strips as guardrails toward your goals Links: Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

    18 min
  4. The Six-Point Sales Checklist: Start Your Year Strong w/ Josh Pitchford

    12/11/2025

    The Six-Point Sales Checklist: Start Your Year Strong w/ Josh Pitchford

    Mark McGraw and Josh Pitchford reveal the six essential checkpoints every seller needs to crush their goals and start the new year with confidence. Are you ready to hit the ground running in the new year? In this milestone 50th episode, Mark McGraw and Josh Pitchford break down the six critical areas every sales professional must address to start strong and finish stronger. From setting stretch goals you'll only achieve 25% of the time (yes, really) to building your "cookbook" of controllable behaviors, Mark and Josh share the exact framework they use with clients to transform overwhelming annual quotas into manageable, motivating action plans. You'll learn about the KARE model for account segmentation, why your personal goals drive your professional success, and how to identify and crush the self-limiting beliefs holding you back. Whether you're a sales leader preparing your team or an individual contributor mapping out your year, this checklist will help you move from daunting quotas to confident execution. Plus, hear Mark's "star salesman" story and why that's not the compliment you think it is. About Josh Pitchford: Josh Pitchford is a Sandler trainer and coach at Sales Engine, where he helps sales professionals and teams build predictable revenue systems. With extensive experience in enterprise sales and account management, Josh specializes in teaching relationship-building strategies, account planning, and the Sandler methodology. 🔗 Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: The six-point checklist for starting your sales year strong Why written goals beat goals "in your brain" David Sandler's counterintuitive advice: set goals you'll only hit 25% of the time How to create a quarterly revenue map to make quotas manageable The "cookbook" concept: your recipe for consistent sales success Why personal goals drive professional motivation The KARE model (Keep, Attain, Recapture, Expand) for account segmentation Territory zoning and why being a "star salesman" isn't a compliment Using AI tools like ChatGPT to optimize your territory routes Building strategic plans for your top 10 accounts The three-by-three framework: going wider, higher, and deeper in accounts Skill development priorities for the coming year (including AI) The belief wheel: how beliefs drive actions and results Identifying and crushing self-limiting beliefs Why referral asks belong in every seller's cookbook "It's not how you feel that determines how you act, it's how you act that determines how you feel" Links: Sandler Training: https://www.Sandler.com Episode Page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show Links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Josh Pitchford LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/

    32 min
  5. Stop Failing at Goals: The REACH Method w/ Dustin Schadt

    12/04/2025

    Stop Failing at Goals: The REACH Method w/ Dustin Schadt

    Summary: A proven 5-step framework for setting and achieving goals—from removing clutter to celebrating success along the way. Description: Most people fail at goals because they start without a foundation. Dustin Schadt has developed the REACH method—a framework that helped him mentor 18 people, with 16 earning promotions, raises, or recognition as top performers. As a sales leader with 27 years in packaging, Dustin breaks down the REACH framework: Realize greatness and remove clutter, Evaluate your mission and execute your plan, Account for your time and acknowledge failures, Celebrate successes and challenge yourself, and Hone your skills while helping others. You'll learn why physical clutter creates mental clutter, how to use incremental goals, and why helping others achieve their goals makes you better at achieving yours. About Dustin Schadt Dustin Schadt is a sales leader with 27 years of experience in the packaging industry. He's passionate about mentoring and helping people succeed—considering himself a "dream manager" who helps team members set ambitious goals and achieve the next level of success. Of the 18 people Dustin has mentored, 16 have been promoted, received above-average raises, or been recognized as top performers. 🔗 Dustin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-schadt-3213794/ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: The REACH framework: 5 steps for achieving goals R: Realize your greatness and remove the clutter (physical and mental) Why you need to remove clutter before setting goals Fear of giving things up: The biggest mental block E: Evaluate your mission and execute the plan Creating a mission statement you say daily Breaking big goals into incremental steps A: Account for your time and acknowledge where you failed Blocking time in your calendar for goal activities Monthly reviews: What did you learn? How did you apply it? C: Celebrate successes and challenge yourself to do better Why high achievers struggle to celebrate wins H: Hone your skills and help others Finding coaches and mentors at every level Why helping others makes you better at achieving your own goals Links Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Dustin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustin-schadt-3213794/

    42 min
  6. ReRun: 7 Lies Salespeople Tell Themselves

    11/20/2025

    ReRun: 7 Lies Salespeople Tell Themselves

    Summary: The 7 biggest lies that keep salespeople stuck—and how to replace them with a winning mindset that closes more deals. Description: Mark McGraw sits down with Josh Pitchford to break down the 7 biggest lies that keep salespeople from reaching their full potential. From believing your job is to educate prospects to thinking you need to win every deal, these mindset traps are costing you sales—and you might not even realize it. In this episode, Mark and Josh reveal why discounting is lazy selling, how to handle price objections like a pro, and why there's never a bad time to call your prospects. You'll learn why buyers don't need to like you (they need to respect you), how emotions drive every purchase decision, and why chasing unwinnable deals has a massive opportunity cost. If you're struggling with confidence, pricing, or qualifying, this episode delivers the mindset shifts you need to win more deals without working harder. About Josh Pitchford Josh Pitchford is a Sandler trainer and coach at Sales Engine, where he helps sales professionals and teams build predictable revenue systems. With extensive experience in enterprise sales and account management, Josh specializes in teaching relationship-building strategies, account planning, and the Sandler methodology. 🔗 Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: Lie #1: My job is to educate the prospect (spoiler: it's not) Why buyers have already done their research before they talk to you Your real job: Qualify first, educate second Lie #2: I have to win every deal Why chasing unwinnable deals wastes your most valuable resource: time How to focus on winnable deals and protect your ammunition Lie #3: I have to discount in order to win The math of discounting: A 10% discount means 50% more sales to break even Why discounting is lazy selling and how to compete on value instead How to handle price objections without caving Lie #4: It's a bad time to call Why there's never a bad time to reach out (yesterday, today, tomorrow) How to stop justifying why you shouldn't pick up the phone Lie #5: I'm not ready The Sandler rule: It's not how I feel that determines how I act—it's how I act that determines how I feel How to build confidence by taking action first Starting small: Tiny goals build unstoppable momentum Lie #6: I have to do everything the buyer asks Why being a "sales golden retriever" kills your credibility Respect trumps likeability: Buyers need value, not a friend Why value triumphs relationships 9 times out of 10 Lie #7: People buy on logic, not emotion Every purchase starts with emotion, logic justifies it later How to trigger emotions and close more deals The opportunity cost of chasing every deal Why consistency is the only thing that wins in sales Links Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-pitchford-6163274/ Episode handout: https://www.buildingyoursalesengine.com/giveaway14

    31 min
  7. Winning With Indirect Sales: Driving Results Through Third-Party Partners w/ John Rosati

    11/13/2025

    Winning With Indirect Sales: Driving Results Through Third-Party Partners w/ John Rosati

    How to build a repeatable channel sales engine—from partner selection to enablement to metrics—with a 30-year channel sales veteran. Selling through channel partners without a system feels like that old vibrating football game—everyone's running around hoping to score. John Rosati has spent 30 years building channel sales engines that create predictable revenue, and in this episode, he reveals exactly how he does it. As a channel sales leader at Motorola with experience across distribution, manufacturers reps, and two-tier channels, John knows what separates successful channel programs from chaotic ones. In this conversation with Mark McGraw, he breaks down his "sales engine" framework: partner selection (willingness and ability to invest), enablement (training, co-selling, monkey-see-monkey-do), and metrics (dashboards that drive behavior). You'll learn why Sandler is the "how" that enables every channel tool, how to make it easy for partners to do business with you, and why the best partners invest in their people and infrastructure. About John Rosati John Rosati is a channel sales executive with 30 years of experience in technology sales, currently leading Motorola's channel partner business for professional communications and radio across North America. Starting his career with cold calls at Motorola (70-100 calls a day), John moved through inside sales, outside sales, and eventually into channel leadership roles managing billion-dollar partner networks. He specializes in building repeatable sales engines for channel partners, partner enablement, co-selling strategies, and using metrics to drive predictable revenue. John is passionate about Sandler Training and has implemented Sandler methodologies across his channel teams to create consistent, scalable results. 🔗 John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrosati911/ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: Why selling through channels is a force multiplier when done right The "vibrating football game" analogy: What happens without a system The sales engine framework: Onboarding, enablement, programs, metrics Partner selection: Willingness and ability to invest (the #1 indicator) Why mindshare leads to wallet share with channel partners The monkey-see-monkey-do approach: Co-selling and ride-alongs How Sandler helps channel partners avoid common selling mistakes Why traditional sellers want to "throw features and benefits" immediately Getting channel partners to qualify: Pain, budget, decision, process The challenge: Channel partners hate reporting (and how to make it easier) Dashboards and metrics: Leading indicators vs. lagging indicators Point of sale metrics: Are products moving off partner shelves? Scorecards and competitive rankings to drive partner behavior Making it easy to do business with: The holy grail of channel success How supply chain challenges during COVID tested "easy and consistent" Improving the out-of-box experience to save partners time Using AI to make information access more efficient for partners Why Sandler is the "how" that turbo-boosts other sales tools The importance of hand-to-hand combat: Getting with sellers directly Strategic selling, Miller Heiman, and how Sandler enables those frameworks Links Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnrosati911/

    43 min
  8. Dissolving Limiting Beliefs: The Neuroscience of Getting Unstuck Fast w/ Rochelle Carrington

    11/06/2025

    Dissolving Limiting Beliefs: The Neuroscience of Getting Unstuck Fast w/ Rochelle Carrington

    Why traditional therapy can make emotional triggers worse—and how neuroscience-based techniques dissolve limiting beliefs in minutes, not years. What if reliving your past trauma actually makes it stronger? Rochelle Carrington explains why traditional approaches to emotional healing can deepen the very patterns you're trying to break—and reveals a faster, neuroscience-based alternative. As a coach specializing in subconscious emotional patterns, Rochelle works with CEOs, business owners, and high achievers who look successful on the outside but are burnt out inside. In this episode with Mark McGraw, she breaks down how emotions drive actions (which create results), why understanding "why" isn't necessary for healing, and how she helps clients dissolve decades-old limiting beliefs in 3-4 weeks. You'll learn about the 95/5 rule of the subconscious mind, why managing emotions doesn't work, and real results like sleeping through the night, doubled revenue, and healed relationships—all from dissolving emotional triggers in minutes. About Rochelle Carrington Rochelle Carrington is a coach and consultant specializing in helping high achievers dissolve subconscious emotional patterns that drive burnout, stress, and self-sabotage. Using neuroscience-based protocols, she works with CEOs, business owners, and peak performers to release limiting beliefs formed in childhood—without reliving past trauma or telling their stories. Her approach combines neuroscience, somatic psychology, and quantum physics to create rapid, permanent shifts. Rochelle has helped clients sleep through the night after years of insomnia, stop procrastinating, improve relationships, and significantly increase business revenue—all by addressing the emotional patterns running 95% of their actions. 🔗 Rochelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rochellecarrington/ Host: Mark McGraw — Building Your Sales Engine In This Episode: Why high achievers with everything externally are burnt out internally The problem with traditional therapy: Reliving stories deepens neural pathways How emotions create actions, which create results (not the other way around) The 95/5 rule: Your subconscious runs 95% of your actions Why you don't need to understand "why" to heal emotional triggers Subconscious emotional patterns formed before age 7 drive adult behavior The nervous system's role: Fight, flight, or freeze responses Why procrastination is often a nervous system freeze response How emotional triggers get dissolved in 10-15 minutes (not years) The difference between managing emotions and dissolving them Why discipline and willpower are compensating for underlying beliefs Real results: Sleeping through the night, relationships healing, revenue doubling The CEO who couldn't stand his company (and expanded to Mexico after 8 weeks) How dissolved beliefs create new neural pathways permanently The reticular activating system (RAS): Seeing opportunities you couldn't see before Why "the why doesn't matter"—just dissolve the emotional charge Managing emotions vs. dissolving emotions: Which actually works? How limiting beliefs like "I'm not good enough" pile up in childhood The water jug analogy: When high achievers finally hit burnout Why this approach is becoming the future of peak performance Links Sandler: https://www.Sandler.com Episode page: https://www.BuildingYourSalesEngine.com/ Show links: https://linktr.ee/buildingyoursalesengine Rochelle's Substack: Mindset Matters

    32 min
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A show where Mark McGraw, a top Sandler Sales Trainer and David H. Sandler award winner, interviews salespeople and sales managers to discover their successes and how they got to be the people they are today. We break down the elements of selling success and share mindsets, habits and techniques that help salespeople and managers build a proven, reliable, transferable system for sales.

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