SalesTechStar Interview with Cody Manning, Chief Sales Officer at Yooz

Cody Manning, Chief Sales Officer at Yooz talks about the state of B2B technology sales while sharing a few process and optimization tips in this catch-up with SalesTechStar:

Can you tell us about your B2B sales journey and more about your role at Yooz?

My journey in sales began in the service industry, where I worked in various roles, including waiting tables and even some construction work. Through this, I discovered my passion for connecting with people. It was incredibly fulfilling to help people find a solution or fix a problem they faced. Seeing the positive impact I could make led me to sales. I liked that I could reach more people and more diverse problems through sales.

I currently lead the North American sales team at Yooz. In my role, I adopt a sales philosophy that revolves around value-based selling, which aligns well with our company’s overarching goals. I implore our team, at all levels, to deliver value at every interaction.

What are some of the top broken B2B sales elements that you feel B2B technology sellers need to address more urgently today?

I think the influx of data has posed an operational challenge in B2B sales. More data can be helpful, of course, but if it’s not analyzed properly, it can create more disorganization and “clutter” to sift through. It’s imperative to invest in technology that can dissect and contextualize the data.

Fortunately, advancements in artificial intelligence make it possible to take in more information, faster, to offer tailored solutions to each individual prospect and customer.

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What are some of the typical sales strategies and processes you often rely on to drive growth and ROI, as well as the salestech that helps powers it all?

In addition to delivering value at every stage, starting with the first touchpoint, we take customer feedback very seriously and have created a robust process for integrating it into our sales strategy for continuous improvement opportunities. We share feedback with our R&D team and work together to implement changes that improve our solutions, ultimately making our jobs to “sell” them a little bit easier.

Salestech that enables us to make data-driven decisions and easily pivot for our customers based on their feedback is key.

Can you highlight the ways in which you as a sales leader have used AI powered salestech to drive pipeline and opportunities?

This is top of mind for all sales teams–AI advancements change how we process and utilize data, enabling us to provide clearer answers and solutions to our customers.

Investing heavily in this technology and training enables us to provide a more personalized experience for our customers and ensure that we stay ahead of the curve.

Five final thoughts you’d like to share with us about the state of B2B tech sales? 

I’m most excited about the trend of increasing focus on data-driven environments. More data, when contextualized, can help sales teams drive more personalized conversations.

Speaking of personalization, we’re seeing that prospects and customers are increasingly seeking personalized, trustworthy relationships with companies, and we believe this trend will continue to grow.

While customer acquisition is important, retention should be of equal value–if not more. Build trust and loyalty with customers by providing personalized guidance and advice on a frequent basis.

Focus on long term relationships, not just the transaction. There are so many options and competitors to choose from, so be open to sharing unbiased advice and “consult” prospects, even if it doesn’t result in a sale. They may come back to you later.

Build a team that values meritocracy rather than seniority. A culture of fairness and a positive workplace is expected in today’s work environment. You and your team should take pride in creating a culture that fosters equity and enthusiasm on all levels.

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