In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Andrew Romeo chats with Graham Robinson, the Principal Consultant and Founder of DCE Sales Management Consulting. With over 40 years in sales, Graham shares how the industry has evolved from traditional selling to a modern, empowerment-driven approach. He offers insights on building trust, strategic communication, and the importance of genuine relationships in today’s sales landscape.

Graham shares insights from his extensive sales career, which began in 1983. His journey, from selling consumables for cash registers to dealing with Apple products, highlights the importance of resilience and adaptability in sales. He emphasies that success in sales is rooted in building trust with clients, as people are more likely to buy from those they know, like, and trust.

Graham critiques the outdated practice of feature-benefit selling, which he describes as a "dinosaur." Instead, he advocates for empowerment selling, where the focus is on helping customers build a business case for change. He stresses the importance of genuine relationships, integrity, and active listening in modern sales. A notable anecdote shared by Graham involves taking responsibility during a government sales pitch, which left a lasting positive impression on his clients.

Further into the discussion, Graham explains the concept of empowerment selling, highlighting the need for a deep understanding of the customer before any outreach. He discusses the importance of creating an ideal customer profile, identifying key factors such as the problem to be solved and the company's growth stage. He also underscores the value of speaking to the right decision-makers and building a strong business case that addresses critical drivers like revenue, profit, risk, and compliance, all while being mindful of how global events impact businesses.

Graham also emphasises the significance of strategic communication in sales. He explains that salespeople have very limited time to make an impression—7 seconds on a phone call or 18 words in an email. He warns against jumping straight into product demos without first establishing a relationship or understanding the buyer’s needs. Graham advises that demos should be used as proof points only after confirming that the product can solve the client's problem. Effective selling, he asserts, involves standing out from the noise and building trust before presenting solutions.

Lastly, Graham touches on the importance of adding value through content and becoming a key influencer in the market. He advocates for genuine relationships and authenticity, noting that real impact comes from building honest, human connections, rather than just focusing on profit. Graham shares emotional stories about helping clients in Western Australia, such as the Department of Child Protection, where his team successfully addressed trust issues rather than just technical specifications. These stories highlight the importance of solving real problems and creating value, which are the true hallmarks of successful sales efforts.

Graham Robinson on Turning the Sales Game Around | Ep 163 | DevReady Podcast

Hey, I'm Deepak Shukla! Today, I’m sharing how to build a data-driven sales process for better results. In this video, I’ll walk you through essential steps to analyze and optimize your sales strategy using data. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your current process or start fresh, these insights will help you make informed decisions and drive better outcomes. Let’s dive in and transform your sales approach!

How To Build A Data-Driven Sales Process For Better Results

In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, host Harry Kendlbacher speaks with Tim Bruins, VP of Sales at Maritz, about the key factors that drive sales success today. Drawing from over 35 years of experience, Tim shares his perspective on the importance of preparation in sales, building strong relationships with clients and procurement professionals, and effectively navigating complex negotiations involving multiple stakeholders.

Tim emphasizes how doing your homework, asking the right questions, and clearly articulating value can set salespeople apart in competitive environments. He also discusses the evolving role of procurement in business and offers practical strategies for establishing credibility and closing deals.

Whether you're new to sales or a seasoned professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights that can help you build better relationships, negotiate more effectively, and drive meaningful results in your sales process.

Tune in to discover strategies that can transform your approach and boost your sales success!

36. Sales Success Through Preparation and Relationship-Building

Hi my name's Deepak. This podcast is about Love, Life and Entrepreneurship.

These are all matters close to my heart.  

But I'll be talking about life in general and matters that are important to us all. I believe this podcast will change your life:

I have lived a very unorthodox life and want to share my learnings I've picked up along the way:

20 Marathons (in 20 different cities; 15 countries).
3 ultramarathons (all trail up to 120km).
2 Ironmen on 2 different continents.
1 Fight Won TKO Muay Thai.
Former Deloitte Consultant, Warwick Literature Graduate.
2x Funded Tech Startups.
Backpacked to 50+ countries.
Lived in 8.

If it interests you. 

Subscribe :)


We started the DevReady podcast to help non-techs build better technology. We have been exposed to so many non-techs that describe the struggle, uncertainty and challenges that can come with building technology.

The objective for the DevReady podcast to share these stories and give you the tools and insights so that you to can deliver on your vision and outcomes.

You will learn from non-tech founders that have invested their time and money into developing technology. We will discuss what worked, what didn’t and how they still managed to deliver real value to their users.  These stories are inspirational – demonstrating the determination, commitment and resolve it really takes to deliver technology.

Throughout the DevReady Podcast we also invite subject matter experts to the conversation to give you proven strategies and techniques to successfully take your idea through to delivery and beyond.

Enjoy the Podcast, it will challenge you, inspire you and provide the tools you will need to deliver real value with technology.

This podcast is dedicated to sales leaders in the B2B space, where we share conversations about innovative and successful sales transformations to keep you up to date on the latest trends that will help you to effectively tackle the challenge of constructing and executing a profitable and sustainable sales process.

New tracks tagged #SalesInsights