Sales is NOT a Dirty Word

Aleasha Bahr
  • 5.0 (23)
  • Business
  • Updated Semimonthly

Are you a DFY service provider who wants to convert over 50% of your sales conversations without acting like a douchebag? Then this is for you. In this value packed podcast, creator of the Black Sheep Sales Method™, Aleasha Bahr, brings her signature humor and ”keeping it real” sass to deliver a powerful blend of actionable solo sales episodes and expert interviews. In her solo episodes, she shares easy-to-implement sales strategy that will catapult your sales without pressure, pitching or pretending to be someone else. In her expert interviews, she carefully curates only the most bad ass black sheep guests to share their refreshing, unconventional approaches to all things business, mindset and life. Aleasha and her clients regularly convert 80% of their calls and show you how to do the same with the Black Sheep Sales Method™ - ”Because if it’s a fit, it’s a fact and there’s no selling involved.”

  1. 5d ago

    Objection Handling Techniques That Build Trust

    There’s a point in almost every sales conversation where the energy changes.  A prospect hesitates or a concern comes up and most salespeople immediately move into persuasion mode. They reassure, justify and defend.  Because they’ve been taught that objections are obstacles to overcome instead of signals to understand. In this episode, I unpack why trying to convince someone out of their concern creates MORE of the very resistance you're trying to avoid.  The moment a prospect feels managed instead of understood, the conversation stops feeling safe. And when safety disappears, so does honesty. The real job of a salesperson is not to force certainty. It's to help someone make an informed decision. One of the most effective frameworks I teach is surprisingly human: handle objections the same way you'd help a close friend think through whether to end a relationship. You wouldn't pressure them toward a conclusion just to relieve tension. You'd ask thoughtful questions, explore the nuance, and help them untangle what's actually true. That's the difference between transactional selling and Black Sheep selling. The strongest sales conversations are rarely the most persuasive. They're the ones where the prospect feels safe enough to tell the truth. And when you approach objections with curiosity instead of control, people stop defending themselves and start thinking clearly. In this episode, you'll learn: Why traditional objection handling damages trust even when your logic is sound Better questions to ask when someone says "it's too expensive" or "the timing isn't right" How to stay unattached to the outcome without becoming emotionally disconnected Why clarity, not pressure, is what actually moves people toward a decision If you've ever left a sales call replaying the conversation and wondering where things went sideways, this episode will completely change how you think about objections. Ready to stop leaving sales on the table? Book a free Sales Team Audit Call and find out exactly where your conversations are breaking down and how to fix it: 👉 https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup [01:00] — The psychology behind dismissing concerns: why it kills trust [01:45] — Real client example: a divorce attorney and the fear of asking hard questions [02:30] — Why withholding hard truths is the real disservice to your prospect [03:30] — What informed decision-making actually looks like in a sales conversation [04:00] — The "Friend Framework": handling objections the way you'd help someone decide to break up [05:00] — The questions you should be asking instead of pitching [05:45] — Your real job in a sales conversation: not to get a yes, but to ensure full clarity [06:30] — How to stay detached from the outcome while still being fully present [07:00] — What it feels like when you don't ask the right questions (and why it haunts you) [08:00] — When a prospect truly isn't ready — and how to handle that with integrity [08:45] — Making prospects feel safe, grounded, and confident #SalesObjections #ObjectionHandling #SalesStrategy #SalesTips #ClosingTechniques #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #BlackSheepSales #AleashaBahr #BlackSheepSales #EthicalSales #ConsultativeSelling #SalesWithIntegrity #SalesPodcast #BusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurPodcast #WomenInBusiness #SalesTraining

    10 min

  2. May 21

    How to Handle Discount Conversations in Sales

    Someone asked for a discount and suddenly your entire nervous system lit up. Do you hold the line? Negotiate? Cave? Risk losing the deal?   That single moment exposes how most service providers really feel about their pricing and prospects can sense it immediately.   In this newest Sales is NOT a Dirty Word episode, I break down one of the most emotionally loaded moments in sales conversations: the request for a discount.    Because the way you respond does more than impact revenue. It shapes trust, positioning, profit margins, and the entire client relationship moving forward.   What most people think is “being flexible” is often communicating something far more dangerous: that the original price was never real to begin with.   Here’s what you’ll hear in this: Why discounting without reducing scope destroys pricing credibility and makes buyers question your integrity. The four questions you should answer before changing price because most discount requests are not actually about money. How to restructure scope in a way that protects margins while still creating a genuine win-win for the client. Why adding strategic value is often far more persuasive than lowering your rates. The mindset that turns discount requests from a threat into one of the highest-leverage moments in a sales conversation.   If every discount request immediately makes you question your pricing, your value, or whether the deal is about to disappear, there’s a deeper sales problem underneath the conversation itself.   The strongest salespeople are not the ones who cave the fastest or hold the line the hardest. They know how to navigate pricing conversations without damaging trust, positioning, or profitability.    If that’s a skill you want to sharpen, this episode is for you.   [01:00] — The critical question most sellers skip: why is this person asking for a discount? [01:45] — The emotional reactivity trap and how assumptions kill deals [02:15] — The contractor story: how a $22K-to-$13K drop signals something deeply scammy [03:30] — The golden rule: never discount without reducing scope [04:00] — The cybersecurity client case study - real results from reframing the conversation [06:00] — How to make the "add-back" conversation easy and profitable [07:00] — When you can't remove scope: how to add value instead of cutting price [08:00] — Building your "throw-in" list and your "removable scope" list [09:00] — The reframe: a discount request is an opportunity, not an attack Ready to build a sales framework that handles these moments predictably without the stomach drop? Book your sales team audit call with Aleasha at calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup and let's find the gaps costing you closes.    #SalesStrategy #DiscountRequests #PricingConfidence #BlackSheepSales #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #ServiceProviderSales #SalesConversations #CloseMoreDeals #ConsultativeSelling #ValueBasedSelling #SalesCoaching #EntrepreneurSales #ProfitMargins #WinWinSales #FractionalSales #SalesTips #SmallBusinessSales #BusinessDevelopment #SalesFramework #NoDiscounts

    10 min

  3. May 7

    The Tiered Commission Structure Every Business Owner Needs to Know

    There’s a question I hear more than almost any other from business owners: “How should I compensate my salesperson?” It sounds simple. It isn’t. Get it wrong early and you create a situation that’s hard to fix. You either end up with a salesperson negotiating from a position you can’t push back on, or a top performer reconsidering their role after a change to commission. Both are expensive. Both are avoidable.   In this latest episode of Sales is NOT a Dirty Word, I break down how to build a compensation structure that works for you and your salesperson, without guesswork, frustration, or unintended leverage. Here’s what I cover: The Sales Diva Problem and how to avoid it The base + incentive structure that actually drives performance.  The three tiers every comp plan needs.  Why monthly and quarterly bonuses outperform annual ones.  The most expensive mistake in sales leadership   A strong compensation plan should be a win/win. If it doesn’t, it will show up in your results.   If you’re not sure how to structure compensation, start with your margins, identify what you need off your plate, and build from there. And if you want support doing exactly that, including building a repeatable and predictable sales process your salesperson can actually run, book a Sales Level Up Call with me: 👉 https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup [00:55] Real client story: Inheriting a salesperson with a comp plan that does not work [01:55] The Sales Diva phenomenon and why salespeople are very good at internal sales [02:45] What a win-win compensation plan actually looks like and why profit margins matter [03:35] Designing incentives around the behaviors you want: paid-in-full contracts, month-to-month tradeoffs [04:00] The base salary principle: cover cost of living, drive everything else with commission [04:45] Tiered commission structures and why unlocking levels beats a flat rate [05:30] The three goal tiers: minimum viable, excited, and "gobs of money" [06:00] Why you need to get comfortable with your salesperson being the highest paid person in the company [06:45] The CFO trap: why cutting a top performer's comp is a short-term gain with a long-term cost [08:00] Do not mess with a salesperson's money. Period. [08:45] How to use KPIs to make performance conversations objective, not subjective [09:15] Monthly vs. quarterly vs. annual bonuses and the 90-day brain science behind it [10:05] Annual team goals as a retention and culture-building tool [10:40] Why salespeople fail: no process, no training, no direction [11:15] Outbound vs. inbound roles and how that changes the base #SalesCompensation #SalesTeam #SalesLeadership #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #BlackSheepSales #HiringASalesperson #SalesStrategy #CommissionStructure #SmallBusinessSales #BusinessOwnerTips #SalesManagement #ScalingYourBusiness #RevenueGrowth #SalesProcess #EntrepreneurMindset #B2BSales #SalesCoach #WinWinSales #SalesPerformance #AleashaBahr

    13 min

  4. Apr 23

    How to Turn Sales Demos Into High-Converting Conversations

    Most demos don’t fail because of the product. They fail because no real conversation ever took place. What should be a back-and-forth turns into a walkthrough. Feature after feature, then: “Does that make sense?” “Any questions?” They nod. They say they’re good. And then nothing happens. That’s not clarity. That’s someone being polite while checking out. In this latest episode of the Sales is NOT a Dirty Word, we break down what strong demos do differently and where most reps lose the room. Because the second you stop getting a reaction, you’re in the dark. You don’t know if it fits. You don’t know if they care. You don’t know if they’ve already decided it’s a no. The demos that move deals forward tend to share a few things: They ask for real input, not courteous agreement They adjust in real time based on what they hear They give the buyer space to push back early They make it clear, quickly, whether this is a fit or not You’re not walking someone through your product. You’re working through a decision with them. Hit play and see what shifts when the demo starts doing that job. 01:05 – The issue with “does that make sense?” 02:00 – Why prospects say yes even when confused 03:05 – Why deals stall or disappear 04:00 – Treating demos like discovery calls 05:00 – Tailoring to the buyer’s situation 06:10 – Matching features to real use cases 06:50 – Better questions to ask 07:20 – Using pre-demo content 08:30 – Setting context before the call 09:10 – Small changes, big impact #SalesDemos #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #SoftwareSales #SalesProcess #ClosingDeals #SalesTips #SaaSSales #RevenueGrowth #SalesLeadership #SalesIsNOTADirtyWord  If your demos feel solid but deals still don’t move, there’s a gap in how the conversation is being run. Book a Sales Team Audit here: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

    11 min

  5. Apr 9

    How to Win the Deal Before You Even Meet the CEO

    Most service providers think the goal is to impress the CEO because they’re the decision buyer.  However in more complex deals with larger companies, you rarely get the CEO first.  You speak with the CMO, the ops lead, the SEO manager, or the HR director.  In other words, there is a person standing between you and the final yes. If you approach them the same way you would the CEO, there’s a bigger chance that you will lose the deal. In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, you’ll learn one of the most overlooked and costly sales mistakes and how to fix it. You’ll learn how to shift your conversations so internal stakeholders feel supported, not threatened or like you want to bypass them. Because the truth is, they are not focused on company-wide growth.  They care about how your solution impacts their role. They are deciding if you make them look effective or replaceable. When you understand this, everything changes. Inside this episode: Why internal decision makers have different motivators than CEOs How to position your offer as support and relief instead of competition The questions that reveal what actually matters to them How to turn internal stakeholders into advocates who sell for you Why helping someone look good accelerates the close This is the shift that separates average sales conversations from ones that convert 6 figure deals with big companies.  You are not just closing a deal. You are building an internal ally who helps you win it. If you’re ready to stop losing deals in the middle of the process and start closing with confidence, book a Sales Team Level Up Call and let’s build a strategy that actually works for your sales conversations: 👉 https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 01:30 – Who you’re actually selling to first (and why it matters) 02:15 – Why internal stakeholders think differently than CEOs 03:10 – The mistake: pitching company-wide results too early 04:05 – What CMOs and internal teams really care about 05:10 – How to position your offer without threatening their role 06:20 – The “make them look good” strategy explained 07:15 – Discovery questions that change everything 08:20 – Turning internal stakeholders into advocates 09:10 – How to equip them to sell you internally 10:00 – Getting in front of the CEO (the right way) 11:00 – Creating a collaborative “team” dynamic 11:45 – Final takeaway: treat them like their own buyer #SalesStrategy #B2BSales #SalesCoaching #ServiceBasedBusiness #AgencyGrowth #ConsultingBusiness #SalesTips #CloseMoreDeals #DiscoveryCall #SalesProcess #EntrepreneurSales #HighTicketSales #LeadConversion #BusinessGrowthStrategy #SalesTraining #ClientAcquisition #SalesPsychology #BlackSheepSales #WomenInBusiness #SalesIsNotADirtyWord

    12 min

  6. Mar 26

    Define Your Anti-Audience and Increase Your Sales

    Most people can describe their target audience. Very few can clearly articulate who they are not for. That blind spot is expensive. It shows up as nightmare clients who drain your energy and income more than adding to it.  In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, you’ll examine what I call your anti-audience. The patterns, expectations, and behaviors that consistently signal misalignment with your work. This requires discernment. You have to be willing to walk away from revenue that looks good in the moment but quietly erodes your standards over time. When you identify who actually thrives inside your process and who consistently strains it, your decisions get cleaner. Your messaging sharpens. Your sales conversations feel steadier. You stop trying to accommodate everyone and start protecting the conditions that produce results. It also makes the people who are a fit for you want to work with you more.  Inside this episode, you’ll learn: - How filtering makes more people want to work with you - How to spot patterns in who buys, who stalls, and who succeeds - The difference between ideal demographics and psychographics - How to structure intake forms that ensure alignment - What to say when someone isn’t a fit - Why long-term positioning compounds faster than short-term commission When you’re clear about who you’re not for, the right people feel it. Conversations get easier. Expectations rise. Conversions strengthen. If you want help identifying your patterns and putting language around them, book a Sales Level-Up Call and we’ll map it out together: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 01:15 – Why mainstream manipulation tactics miss the point 02:30 – The real reason misaligned clients cost you more than they pay 03:40 – Patterns: who says yes and who doesn’t 05:00 – Identifying readiness indicators beyond demographics 06:20 – Using intake forms to filter before the call 07:30 – Why specialization builds desire 08:45 – The Facebook ads example: short-term commission vs long-term trust 10:00 – How transparency increases referrals 11:00 – Transitioning into your offer with clarity and confidence For more ways to sell without pressure, pretending, or psychological games: Website: https://aleashabahr.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #BlackSheepSales #AntiAudience #TargetAudienceStrategy #SalesClarity #HighIntegritySales #SalesWithoutPressure #ServiceProviderSales #SalesCoaching #ClientFit #DiscoveryCall #SalesStrategy #EntrepreneurSales #SellWithIntegrity #SalesMindset #BusinessGrowth #AlignedClients #SalesPodcast

    12 min

  7. Mar 12

    Why Hiring a Sales Team Too Early Can Kill Your Profit

    You are in a phase most people do not talk about honestly. Your offer works. People are buying.  You are busy enough to feel stretched but not stable enough to feel safe. So the idea of hiring a salesperson or team of them starts to sound like relief. It could be! But it can also create crippling pressure that causes hasty decisions.  And there are often many other things that need to happen first before that step. Listen in to discover:  Why selling at a higher price requires a different approach - and how to do it How hiring too early creates urgency that prospects can sense (and run away from) The risks of leadership stress compounds when profit margins are thin If you are considering scaling, raising prices, or building a sales team, this episode helps you slow down and make the decision in the right order. If you want help increasing your prices, strengthening your sales messaging, or building a sales structure that works without pressure, you can book a Sales Team Level-Up Call with me here: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 01:05 What happens when you hire in anticipation of growth 02:10 How payroll pressure affects sales conversations 03:00 Why price increases expose weak messaging 04:15 Deliverables versus outcomes in sales 05:10 Why you cannot educate and sell in the same call 06:05 The leadership stress no one talks about 07:20 Why higher prices first create more space 08:15 The correct order for scaling 09:00 How sales teams should be structured to succeed #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesPodcast #BusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurPodcast #WomenInSales #EthicalSales #SalesStrategy #SalesMessaging #HighTicketSales #SalesWithoutPressure #PricingStrategy #RaiseYourPrices #Underpricing #ProfitOverVolume #SustainableBusiness   For more grounded sales strategy and honest conversations about scaling your business: Website: https://aleashabahr.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr

    11 min

  8. Feb 26

    The Smart Way to Increase Sales Without Trashing the Competition

    One of the phrases that can put many on the defense is, “We’re also talking to a few others.” Sometimes it’s said plainly.  Other times it’s softened into something like, “We’re still exploring our options.”  Either way, it tends to trigger the same reaction: the urge to explain, justify, or subtly compete. You start thinking about how to stand out, how to defend your pricing, how to make sure you’re not the one who gets cut. The trouble is, that instinct almost always works against you. Over-explaining erodes confidence. Competing in comparison pulls you into someone else’s frame. And trying to prove your value in that moment often does the opposite. In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, I break down how to handle competition talk without tightening up, avoiding it all together or overexplaining.  Instead of reacting, I walk through how to slow the conversation down, stay anchored, and lead it in a way that builds trust rather than pressure. This episode covers: Why conversations about competitors don’t have to feel awkward, transactional, or forced How to redirect comparison talk with clarity, confidence, and intention The kinds of questions that help prospects think more clearly about what they actually need Why being genuinely comfortable with “this might not be the right fit” often increases your close rate A real client example where filtering out the wrong fit protected both the deal and the relationship If you’ve ever wished you had better words when someone brought up your competition, this episode gives you language that feels natural and authority that doesn’t need to be announced. Want help crafting what to say in your specific situation? Book a Sales Level-Up Call and we’ll build it together: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 01:00 – What NOT to do when your prospect mentions other options 01:40 – How to empower instead of persuade 02:30 – Using client pain points with other providers to guide the convo 03:20 – Real example: ad agencies and account access red flags 04:15 – The difference between guiding and convincing 05:00 – When to gently suggest they're looking for a different kind of support 06:00 – Sample questions that highlight gaps in your competition 07:20 – Why trust comes from transparency, not perfection 08:00 – A simple phrase to offer value without attachment 08:45 – Final reminder: You’re not here to win a debate. You’re here to help them choose the right fit. #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesWithIntegrity #BlackSheepSales #ProspectEmpowerment #CompetitionInSales #SalesStrategy #SalesConversationTips #SalesBoundaries #TrustBasedSelling #AleashaBahr #ClientFitMatters #DiscoveryCallTips #SalesConfidence #ServiceProviderSales #SalesMessaging #HighIntegrityBusiness #SalesPodcast #HandlingObjections #NoMorePressureSelling For more insights on selling without pressure, pretending, or performative tactics: 📌 Website: https://aleashabahr.com/ 📌 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/ 📌 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr

    8 min
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5
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Are you a DFY service provider who wants to convert over 50% of your sales conversations without acting like a douchebag? Then this is for you. In this value packed podcast, creator of the Black Sheep Sales Method™, Aleasha Bahr, brings her signature humor and ”keeping it real” sass to deliver a powerful blend of actionable solo sales episodes and expert interviews. In her solo episodes, she shares easy-to-implement sales strategy that will catapult your sales without pressure, pitching or pretending to be someone else. In her expert interviews, she carefully curates only the most bad ass black sheep guests to share their refreshing, unconventional approaches to all things business, mindset and life. Aleasha and her clients regularly convert 80% of their calls and show you how to do the same with the Black Sheep Sales Method™ - ”Because if it’s a fit, it’s a fact and there’s no selling involved.”

Information

  • Creator
    Aleasha Bahr
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Sales is NOT a Dirty Word