Heroes in Business - David Mattson CEO Sandler Training is interviewed by David Cogan of Eliances Heroes radio show amfm

Episode Date: February 16, 2024

David Mattson CEO Sandler Training is interviewed by David Cogan of Eliances Heroes radio show amfm. Sandler Training is a global corporation specializing in executive performance and sales training. The Davids discuss concepts of sales and leadership.

Up in the sky, look, it's captivating, it's energizing, it's Alliances Heroes. Alliances is the destination for entrepreneurs, investors, CEOs, inventors, leaders, celebrities, and startups. We're our heroes in business aligned. Now, here's your host flying in, David Kogan, founder of Eliance's. That's right. Good morning. This is David Kogan again with Eliance's. Thank you, Money Radio. Incredible lineup today of heroes. Remember, these are today's heroes, heroes that are creating jobs, starting and expanding

companies, mentoring others, and entertaining or adding joy to someone's life. They are leaving their mark on society. And the lineup today is we have a hero who is the king of sales training. And the lineup today is we have a hero who is the king of sales training. Also another hero who holds not one, not two, five Guinness Book of World Records. Another with new sustainable building systems like no other. And lastly, we'll be wrapping up the show with a hero who is a collegiate and professional basketball trainer. and professional basketball trainer. Now let's get started with our first hero, David Mattson, the CEO of Sandler Training. Good morning, David.

Good morning, David. How are you? Fantastic. Better now than ever that I've got you and we're able to go through an incredible interview today and talk about just how amazing, what just everything that's been going on. And now with CEO, you're the CEO of Sandler Training. And how long have you been the CEO? Since 2007. 2007. And you have how many offices? We have 265 offices in 31 different countries. Now Sandler does exactly what? Now I got to tell you too, first of all, is that one of my first jobs that I took, they actually put me through a Sandler class. Now I know things have changed since then, so share with our audience, what does Sandler exactly do? You know, actually David, I started as a client as well in our sales course way back in 1986. started as a client as well in our sales course way back in 1986. That's how I started. And so we have now two distinct models. One is where our clients come to us. So with our 265 training

centers, we target the small to medium-sized businesses who want that Fortune 1000 training experience but don't have the resources and the money to do it. So they come to our training centers, and we hold programs in sales, anything from prospecting, social selling, qualifying, presentation skills, the whole gamut, to sales management, leadership, inside sales, and customer service. So an organization that's looking for common language, common process, they'll typically use the Sandler selling system because the company that's small to medium size typically doesn't have a published sales process, so they'll inherit ours. And our trainers are really good at what they do. They're ex-salespeople and sales managers,

and we turn them into trainers because people will come to class, David, and they'll say, I'd like to see you get past the gatekeeper, and they'll jump right into role play and show you how to do it. The second market is for, let's say, the Fortune 2000, where we go to them and provide either bits and pieces of Sandler and we fit it into their model or they're looking to increase their effectiveness or efficiency in a specific area. So we're probably the largest training provider in the technology world, certainly in the financial services world.

So that's kind of what we do. Now, I got to tell you is that some people view sales, doing sales, and having that profession scary because there certainly is a lot of rejection in that. So does everyone really do, does everyone have the capability to be a salesperson? I think at some level. I think it's harder for some than it is for others. I mean, my personality profile would tell you that I'm introverted. I came from a non-sales family background. So

when I told my family I was going into sales, they thought that was code for I was unemployed and moving back home. So they were, I didn't send you to university to be a salesperson, so I was supposed to be something else. But I think when you're there, is the field full of fear, doubt, and worry? Yeah, it is. Do you have to do things that are uncomfortable? Yeah, you do. But you don't have to do them all day. You have to do them in short bursts.

I think salespeople are made, not born. Same with leaders. And if we agree on that principle, then that simply says that we can be like any sport. We could be better and better at what we do if we practice and we have a methodology and a process to do it. Otherwise, we can fall, David, in the trap to say, well, I'm not a born salesperson or that's not my personality. That's okay. It doesn't have to be for you, but I don't think, like I did, listen, my parents didn't look at me when I first came into the world and say oh my gosh first heart

surgeon in our family no you mean you just kind of figure your way out through life and sometimes you find yourself in sales but I think it takes more energy for some like me you know most people would say David you you speak in front of tens of thousands of people that's not my personality. I can do it, but it takes some patience. And those of you just tuning in, you're listening to the CEO of Sandler.com, David Manson. And this is the Alliance's Heroes on Money Radio AM 1510 and FM 99.3. Are you a hero in business? Go to alliances.3. Are you a hero in business? Go to alliances.com. That's E-L-I-A-N-C-E-S.com.

David, who is the greatest salesperson of all time? Well, for me, it was David Sandler. I had the opportunity to watch it. I had the opportunity to work with him for six years. And the biggest aha moment, because I heard the tapes, and I'll date myself because they were tapes back then. And it sounded, you know, because when you hear people, you can always, you know, they said this, you said that. But Sandler actually taught us how to think, and I watched it occur. And I have to say, David, it was just a conversation. Sales should be a conversation. And I saw it, I witnessed it, and he was really great at what he does. But I think all of us sell every single day, don't we? We sell when we go home. We sell every single day in our lives.

I think we're all salespeople. The best one I ever saw, though, was David Sandler. Absolutely. That's amazing. And the other thing, too, is that you're the best one I ever saw that was David Sandler. Absolutely. That's amazing. And the other thing, too, is that you're the best-selling author. I've got right in front of me some of your books here. Author of four books, both on Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestsellers. So, I mean, clearly you've done a number of things. What was the first product or service you ever sold? Office machines, actually.

That's how I became a Sandler client. I have, you know, I came from a family. You can have anything that you want. You just have to work for it because we can't afford it. And I went to work for a family friend who was in the office machine business. And they sold typewriters back then because, I mean, I'm aging myself, and they sold a bunch of other stuff. And I realized, oh my gosh, this is hard work. I thought you just kind of showed up and threw up all your product knowledge, but it doesn't work that way. There's really a science to this thing.

And that's when I joined Sandler. But that's what I sold up front, and it was 98% rejection. I mean, yeah, it's just amazing. And so what we've learned here too, is it's the skill, it's the practice and Sandler can certainly help with that. Again, we've had the CEO, David Mattson with Sandler.com. And I got to ask you one last question here. What is the secret power to sales? What would you say if there was one or two tips of sales that you can give? I would say work on the success triangle. There's three things you should focus in on is good technique, make sure that you're saying the right things, doing the right things. And the next two things are even more important, which is behavior and attitude.

I think if salespeople could become behavioralists and do whatever it takes to be successful in your job a little bit each and every day, because that's really what it is. If you can create a cookbook for yourself, what do I need to do to succeed in my world and do it every day? And then have the mindset, which is, hey, look, I understand fear, doubt, and worry, but I'm going to have competence and conviction. And if you just look at those three categories every time you're doing something, what should I be doing, how should I be behaving, what should I be thinking, you will be successful. Fantastic. And again, you can reach David Mattson by going to Sandler.com. You can also go to Eliances.com. That's E-L-I-A-N-C-E-S.com.

And when we return, we're going to be interviewing the Guinness Book of World Records person who holds five, five Guinness Book of World. And when you find out what it is he holds, you will also be amazed. With that, thank you again, David Mattson with Sandler.com. My pleasure, Dave. Thanks for having me.