Episode 255: Ryan Kugler

Ryan Kugler believes you have to embrace both digital selling and old-school ways of selling, such as sending emails and making cold calls. How does he find success with both strategies? Why does he believe persistence pays off? Listen to this episode of Sales Reinvented for a completely different take on digital and social selling.

Outline of This Episode

• [1:10] How are digital and social selling different?
• [1:36] Why is digital selling so important?
• [2:04] Ryan’s blueprint for digital sales
• [3:01] The attributes of a great salesperson
• [3:44] Tools + techniques + strategies
• [4:59] Ryan’s digital selling dos and don’ts
• [8:35] Why persistence pays off

Ryan’s blueprint for digital sales

Ryan has found that email is the easiest way to connect with someone—as long as you do it right. He always asks a question in the subject line so the prospect wants to open your email. Then you give them the answer to the question you asked in the subject line. It can be a few simple sentences, then you pitch your product. He’s also a huge fan of jumping on the phone.

Ryan notes that social networking depends on what product or service you’re pitching. If it’s to a consumer, Ryan recommends Instagram or Facebook. If you’re in the B2B space, LinkedIn is the way to go. Ryan has three businesses, none of which are consumer-based, so he doesn’t spend a lot of time on Instagram or Facebook.

What are the attributes of a great salesperson? Listen to hear Ryan’s thoughts.

Motivation begins with you

Ryan believes something as simple as listening to great podcasts and being able to hear others’ experiences is extremely helpful. Secondly, you need to educate yourself on sales and find a way to motivate yourself. You have to have the intention to sell.

If you are a true salesperson, you want to read books about sales, find a coach, a mentor, or something that motivates you to wake up every day and do it. It’s all about investing in personal development. After that, it’s a numbers game: get your name out there. Make sure your product or service is something that people want.

Ryan’s digital selling dos and don’ts

What rules does Ryan follow to find success with digital sales? He shares some thoughts:

• When you send an email, your email platform is saving those email addresses. That gives you an address book of people you’ve connected with. Ryan recommends that you go through those contacts once a month and email each person to check-in.
• Make sure you’re keeping every email address.
• Call and set up an email blast so they get a monthly email pitching your product.
• Always reply to every email you get (by the end of the day or within 24 hours). If you don’t return a call or reply to emails, that customer will assume you’re too busy for them and you’ll lose their business.
• Don’t just sit on your laurels. Just closed a big deal? Great. Celebrate, and get back at it again the next morning.
• Always be creating. Don’t get distracted by social media or other tasks. When you’re at work for those 8–10 hours, do the work.

Why persistence pays off

Ryan points out that sales involve prospecting, right? You need a base of customers to call. Ryan has a customer he’s been calling for 15 years (leaving messages and sending emails). This person would see his email or hear his name somehow. In March of 2020, COVID hit. This person finally called him back and said “I need this right now.” That phone call led to the biggest sale he’d ever made—it was the same amount of sales he’d done for 25 years. The moral of the story? Don’t give up. The persistence will pay off eventually, even if it takes 20 years.

• Connect with Ryan Kugler

  • Connect on LinkedIn
  • Follow on Twitter

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Learn More About Ryan Kugler

Are there any great Digital or Social Selling books that you highly recommend? Grant Cardone 10X

What do you most admire in the sphere of Digital or Social Selling and why?  That it is a whole new vertical/way of promotion your image, your company, etc.  Unlike anything else over the last 100-200 years.

Are there any aspects of your own Digital or Social Selling skills that you are working on improving at the moment? To promote more using these new avenues, it’s always changing, the tech to post, etc.  so always learning.   

Hobbies, Interests? Movies, playing with kids, travel.

How can our listeners contact with you? Any of my websites: www.aplanbc.com, www.a5events.com, www.idealcontent.com, or www.ryankugler.com.