Break down the best sales strategies and then teach you how we use them to close more deals.
Break down the best sales strategies and then teach you how we use them to close more deals.
"One of the biggest realizations we had is that building an audience takes time. It's not an overnight success story."
Today Luigi Prestinenzi & David Fastuca, the creators of How to Sell - Master B2B Sales & Revenue Growth share his story of sales podcast.
► Tell us about you and your podcast
The 'How To Sell' Podcast by Growth Forum is hosted by: Luigi Prestinenzi and David Fastuca.
Luigi Prestinenzi: A Sales Visionary with a Golden Touch
Luigi is not just a deal-maker; he's a creator of unforgettable experiences and lasting connections. Known for securing deals ranging from $50,000 to a staggering $100 million, Luigi's approach transcends mere transactions. He's a maestro in the art of negotiation, turning every opportunity into a success story.
David Fastuca: The Architect of Revenue Growth
Meet the man who crafted a $1.5 billion sales pipeline at Locomote, David Fastuca. A two-time excited founder with over $30 million in success stories, David is a wizard in transforming challenges into lucrative opportunities. His insights and strategies are invaluable for businesses aiming to flourish, regardless of the economic climate.
Together, We're a Force to Reckon With
With a combined impact of generating a colossal $7.5 billion for our clients across 387 industries, we're here to share our treasure trove of sales strategies. Our podcast is more than just a series of discussions; it's a masterclass for founders, managers, and salespeople eager to conquer the B2B world.
Tune in to Learn, Grow, and Win
Every episode is packed with actionable insights, drawn from our rich experiences and successes. Whether you're looking to refine your sales approach or seeking inspiration to close your next big deal, our podcast is your go-to resource for all things sales.
► Why & how did you start this podcast?
Our primary motivation was to give back to the community of sellers. We've been fortunate enough to gain a wealth of knowledge and experience in sales, and this podcast felt like the perfect platform to share that wealth with others striving to excel in this field.
Absolutely, we're huge fans of podcasts! We find the podcast format not just engaging but also incredibly fun. It allows for a more personal and direct way of sharing insights and stories. We listen to a ton of podcasts ourselves, so it felt natural to use this medium to reach out to our audience.
When we first conceptualized the podcast, our goal was clear: to empower sales professionals. We wanted to create a resource that wasn't just informative but also inspiring. Our motivation has always been to help others in the sales community to grow, learn, and achieve their full potential.
Our journey into podcasting began back in 2019 where Luig first started the podcast, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in our mission to revolutionize sales strategies.
From the initial idea to releasing our first episode, it was a journey filled with planning, recording, and fine-tuning content to ensure we delivered the best value to our listeners, and it only took three days for the first episode to hit the podcasting waves.
Listen411.com: Lightning-fast, Cost-effective Podcast Transcription and Summarization - Crafted with Passion by Listen Notes.
► How'd you find the time and funding to do this podcast?
We're committed to a weekly release schedule. Each episode takes about 4-6 hours to produce. This includes everything from recording to editing. We believe in delivering quality content consistently, and this schedule helps us stay on track and keep our audience engaged.
The podcast isn't just a side project; it's an integral part of our job. We treat it like its own business entity. This mindset helps us allocate the necessary time and resources to it, ensuring it receives the attention and dedication it deserves.
Our monthly budget for the podcast ranges from $3,000 to $7,000. This covers hosting, editing, marketing, and other associated costs. We fund the podcast ourselves. It's a significant investment, but we believe in the value it brings to our listeners and the sales community at large. It's our way of contributing and making a difference.
► What do you gain from podcasting?
We've taken a different route with our podcast. Instead of seeking sponsorships, we use our platform to promote our main sales coaching and training offering. This approach aligns perfectly with our mission and values, allowing us to focus on providing maximum value to our listeners while supporting our business.
Initially, we did explore the idea of sponsorship. However, we quickly realized that the time and effort involved in securing and managing sponsorships could be more effectively spent on enhancing our primary business offering. This decision has allowed us to maintain a clear focus and deliver content directly benefiting our audience and business.
While we don't actively seek out sponsors, our podcast has grown significantly in terms of audience reach. Our growth is a testament to the quality of content we provide and our strong connection with our listeners.
Podcasting has been incredibly rewarding for us. It's not just a platform to share our expertise; it's a powerful tool for articulating our thoughts and ideas. It has opened doors to engaging with special guests, enhancing our learning, and building meaningful relationships. Professionally, it's been a fantastic way to showcase our expertise and connect with a broader audience, positively impacting our business.
► How does your podcasting process look like?
We're committed to delivering top-notch quality, both in audio and video. For our recordings, we use 4K Sony cameras, which are essential since we also leverage our podcast content for YouTube. Our audio is captured using the classic Rode microphones, known for their exceptional sound quality. And we can't forget Stephan, our in-house editor, who works wonders with the Adobe suite of editing tools. His skills bring our content to life and make us sound better than usual, haha.
Our approach to finding guests is a mix of proactive and organic strategies. We utilize LinkedIn extensively, tapping into our network and also welcoming inbound requests. It's a dynamic process, and we're always on the lookout for guests who can bring valuable insights and experiences to our audience.
Preparation is key, but we also embrace spontaneity. For each episode, we have a clear topic in mind. However, we let the conversation flow naturally. This approach keeps our episodes fresh and dynamic, allowing us to explore ideas and insights that arise organically during the discussion.
We use Riverside for our recordings. It's a fantastic platform that allows us to record high-quality audio and video, even when our guests are not physically present with us. This flexibility is crucial, as it enables us to connect with a wide range of guests from different locations.
► How do you market your show?
Our listeners primarily discover our podcast through a variety of channels. We have a strong presence on our website and actively engage with our audience through our newsletter. Referrals have also played a significant role, as our listeners often recommend us to their peers. Social media, particularly LinkedIn, is another key channel for us. Regarding platform breakdown, 68% of our listeners tune in via Apple Podcasts, 22% through Spotify, and the remaining 10% are spread across other channels.
Email marketing has been our most effective channel. It allows us to directly communicate with our audience, keeping them informed about new episodes and exclusive content. We've found that our emails not only help in retaining our existing listener base but also in attracting new listeners through forwards and recommendations.
► What advice would you share with aspiring (new) podcasters?
One of the biggest realizations we had is that building an audience takes time. It's not an overnight success story. Also, the initial vision you have for your show is likely to evolve significantly. What we thought our podcast would be like at the beginning is nothing like what it has become. This evolution is a natural part of finding your niche and voice, and it's been an incredibly rewarding process.
Absolutely! While it might seem a bit meta, we actually found great value in another podcast titled 'Why Your Podcast Isn't Growing.' It provided us with insightful perspectives and practical tips that were instrumental in shaping our approach and strategy. It's a resource we'd highly recommend to anyone in the podcasting space, whether they're just starting out or looking to grow their existing podcast.
► Where can we learn more about you & your podcasts?
https://www.growthforum.io/
https://lnkfi.re/growthforum
https://www.growthforum.io/newsletter
Listen411.com: Lightning-fast, Cost-effective Podcast Transcription and Summarization - Crafted with Passion by Listen Notes.
Lightning-fast: Transcribe a 1-hour audio file in 1 minute.
Pay-as-you-go: USD $0.06 per minute + $1 per file. No subscription required.