--- title: Why Change Selling Blog | Mark Gibson description: Why Change Selling blog on sales enablement, sales performance, sales coaching, and training topics. --- [![WCS LOGO-01-cropped](https://www.shift90.partners/hs-fs/hubfs/WCS%20LOGO-01-cropped.png?width=928&height=377&name=WCS%20LOGO-01-cropped.png) ![WCS LOGO-01-cropped](https://www.shift90.partners/hs-fs/hubfs/WCS%20LOGO-01-cropped.png?width=928&height=377&name=WCS%20LOGO-01-cropped.png) ](https://www.whychangeselling.com/) #### [Sales Playbook As a Service](https://www.admarco.net/as-a-service) #### [Sales On-Boarding As a Service](https://www.admarco.net/as-a-service#on-boarding-service) #### [Sales Academy-as-a-Service](https://www.admarco.net/as-a-service#academy-service) #### [Channel Enablement As a Service ](https://www.admarco.net/as-a-service#channel-enablement-service) #### [Content](https://www.admarco.net/a-la-carte-services) #### [Sales Process ](https://www.admarco.net/a-la-carte-services#sales-process-service) #### [Training and Gamification](https://www.admarco.net/a-la-carte-services#training-gamification-service) #### [Events](https://www.admarco.net/a-la-carte-services#events-service) #### [Build](https://www.admarco.net/services-by-phase) #### [Launch](https://www.admarco.net/services-by-phase#launch-service) #### [Sustain](https://www.admarco.net/services-by-phase#sustain-service) ![zoom1920](https://www.shift90.partners/hs-fs/hubfs/zoom1920.jpg?width=1920&height=1280&name=zoom1920.jpg) # Why Change Selling Blog ##### SUBSCRIBE FOR UPDATES ### Mark Gibson #### Recent posts by Mark Gibson ###### 5 min read ## [Why SaaS M&A's Fail: Strategies for Sales and Marketing Leaders](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-saas-mas-fail-strategies-for-sales-and-marketing-leaders) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Mar 27, 2024 1:27:13 PM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/DALL%C2%B7E%202024-03-27%2009.02.50%20-%20Design%20a%20graphic%20image%20depicting%20a%20red%20and%20blue%20horizontal%20light%20beam%20merging%20in%20the%20center%20to%20create%20a%20combined%20purple%20beam.%20The%20beams%20should%20start%20f.webp) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-saas-mas-fail-strategies-for-sales-and-marketing-leaders) ## Introduction The appetite for mergers in the SaaS business is hot, with dealmaking volumes predicted to grow at 13% in 2024. Yet between 70% and 90% of M&A transactions fail to meet their objectives. ###### Topics: [B2B selling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/b2b-selling) [sales enablement](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/sales-enablement) [Saas](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/saas) [JTBD](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/jtbd) [M&A](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/ma) ###### 5 min read ## [The importance of culture fit in B2B Saas selling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/the-importance-of-culture-fit-in-b2b-saas-selling) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Mar 13, 2024 2:07:23 PM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/Prime%20750.jpeg) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/the-importance-of-culture-fit-in-b2b-saas-selling) ## Introduction If you Google culture fit, you will find scant references to B2B selling and hundreds of references to the suitability of candidates in an organisation, but the concepts are related. ###### Topics: [Saas](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/saas) [B2B selling process](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/b2b-selling-process) [culture fit](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/culture-fit) ###### 7 min read ## [Five Reasons Why SaaS customers churn](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-saas-customers-churn) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Mar 11, 2024 3:29:51 PM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/growth%20levers%20cover.jpeg) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-saas-customers-churn) [This article,](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-saas-customers-churn-mark-gibson-hneze/?) first published on Linkedin has been substantially enhanced and will interest founders and sales and marketing leaders in early-stage SaaS companies. ###### Topics: [Saas](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/saas) [customer success](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/customer-success) [JTBD](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/jtbd) ###### 4 min read ## [The Future of B2B Selling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/the-future-of-b2b-selling) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Mar 4, 2024 1:40:52 PM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/jargon.png) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/the-future-of-b2b-selling) Today, AI-powered buyers have equal or greater access to information than sales professionals. It's time for your company to shift away from discussing product features and solutions and instead focus on understanding the needs, struggling moments and desired outcomes of your customers. No one cares about them... except your product team. ## Features, Benefits and solutions are Dead My first article on this topic, [buried features and benefits back in 2011](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/features-and-benefits-are-dead-what-s-your-value-proposition). Yet, they are like a [zombie apocalypse](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEJ0QNo4-1w) (a dreadful movie from the same year) and refuse to die, haunting the Website pages and .pdfs of B2B technology companies along with another artefact from the past, [solutions](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/your-prospects-arent-interested-in-your-solutions), [which my friend and colleague Bob Apollo wrote about recently.](https://www.inflexion-point.com/blog/your-prospects-arent-interested-in-your-solutions) ## Ditch the Pitch Another 20th-century relic that I cringe upon hearing is "sales pitch".  Today, we are laying sales-pitch to rest. The term "sales pitch" should be barred from the sales lexicon as it carries a connotation of manipulation and insincerity, reminiscent of sideshow spruikers or pitch-men of the 19th century, whose aim was to sell without regard for the customer's needs. Using the term "pitch" demeans the integrity of the sales profession, reducing it to a mere performance rather than a meaningful exchange of information and understanding. Today's buyers seek intelligent conversations with well-informed sales professionals who can provide valuable insights about the industry and share compelling stories of how they've helped others. This shift in buyer expectations means we must ditch the outdated PowerPoint pitch and move towards authentic, value-driven interactions that prioritise customer needs and interests. ## BANT The BANT framework, long ingrained in sales culture, is outdated and inappropriate for prospect qualification.  I shudder to think of SDRs using BANT on a first call with a prospect trying to get a commitment for an initial meeting, yet it still happens. This article from [Dave Kurlan, "Improper use of BANT will cause you to kill opportunities"](https://www.kurlanassociates.com/understanding-the-sales-force/2018/bant-as-qualifier-can-have-unexpected-results/), clearly explains the problem with BANT and why it is neither an effective qualification tool nor a valuable sales methodology and deserves to be laid to rest along with the other villains. ###### Topics: [B2B selling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/b2b-selling) [Saas](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/saas) ###### 5 min read ## [Evolving Case Studies: From Boring Product Blather to Inspiring Stories](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/evolving-case-studies-from-boring-product-blather-to-inspiring-stories) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Feb 7, 2024 6:04:25 PM [![](https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4E12AQF9BT3_kZdaAA/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1707217853631?e=1712793600&v=beta&t=WDbyOXSEfyxhIwS2kcanlor77oeV66Rp8D_lYbIl3nQ) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/evolving-case-studies-from-boring-product-blather-to-inspiring-stories) ## Introduction: The Traditional Case Study Paradigm In the technology business, the approach to creating case studies is straightforward; it's product-centric and thus uninteresting. These narratives typically place the company and its product as the hero, solving the customer's problems while pulling a couple of quotes from the customer for social proof. While these stories do their part in showcasing product capabilities, they are often impenetrable and miss a crucial aspect of storytelling: emotional engagement and relatability. ###### Topics: [consultative selling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/consultative-selling) [storytelling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/storytelling) [the heros journey](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/the-heros-journey) [JTBD](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/jtbd) ###### 2 min read ## [How to accelerate B2B saas revenue in 2024 -video](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/need-to-accelerate-b2b-saas-revenue-in-2024-video) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Jan 24, 2024 8:00:00 AM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/Pages%20from%20Video%20title%20frame.V1.2.jpg) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/need-to-accelerate-b2b-saas-revenue-in-2024-video) ## The script for the video The video below runs for 3 minutes and explores essential activities to accelerate revenue.  The place to start sales performance is with your existing customers.  All of the methods discussed build on a fundamental understanding of the jobs your customers are trying to get done and are based on proven concepts. It is read by my wife Robin. ###### Topics: [B2B selling process](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/b2b-selling-process) [marketing messaging alignment](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/marketing-messaging-alignment) [visual storytelling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/visual-storytelling) ###### 7 min read ## [Why use a sales prologue to open first meetings?](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-use-a-sales-prologue-to-open-first-meetings) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Jan 15, 2024 3:06:29 PM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/buyer-seller%20dynamic.png) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-use-a-sales-prologue-to-open-first-meetings) ## What is a sales prologue, and why use it? This post was first published on [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-use-sales-prologue-open-first-meetings-mark-gibson-auzhe%3FtrackingId=tXV1%252BVdqTWSOmuezt6NHwg%253D%253D/?) on 15 January 2024 ###### Topics: [consultative selling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/consultative-selling) ###### 4 min read ## [Why Change Whiteboard Storytelling Workshop](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-change-visual-storytelling-workshop) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Dec 12, 2023 11:53:18 AM [![](https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D4D12AQFHVoqDK9iSjg/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1701695320874?e=1707955200&v=beta&t=CbeqC0MCOSZ9Dr9MZcXT37Yv0ty8DcGpmJxIjeAoxB0) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/why-change-visual-storytelling-workshop) [Part 1. of this article, Activating Direct and Channel salespeople,](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/activating-reseller-channels-the-power-of-whiteboard-storytelling)lays the foundation for a transformative approach to sale and channel activation—a [proven](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/getting-channel-sell-through) technique that captures your compelling “why change” story in a whiteboard visual story. Combining multiple stories in a compelling hero's journey narrative that resonates with partners and customers effectively engages your direct and channel partner sales team and elevates their skills for more successful engagements. ###### Topics: [challenger selling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/challenger-selling) [whiteboard storytelling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/topic/whiteboard-storytelling) ###### 5 min read ## [Activating Direct and channel Salespeople with WHITEBOARD storytelling](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/activating-reseller-channels-the-power-of-whiteboard-storytelling) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Dec 11, 2023 4:10:36 PM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/whiteboard%20storytelling.png) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/activating-reseller-channels-the-power-of-whiteboard-storytelling) Are you a revenue leader in a B2B SaaS company charged with recruiting, activating a channel, and achieving significant sell-through in 2024? ###### 3 min read ## [How to fly a horse by Kevin Ashton - book review](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/how-to-fly-a-horse-by-kevin-ashton-book-review) By [Mark Gibson](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/author/mark-gibson) on Apr 18, 2023 9:06:17 AM [![](https://www.shift90.partners/hubfs/How%20to%20fly%20a%20horse%20cover.jpg) ](https://www.shift90.partners/blog/how-to-fly-a-horse-by-kevin-ashton-book-review) How to Fly a Horse, The Secret History of Creation, Invention and Discovery by Kevin Ashton, was published in 2016 and is still fresh today. 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