There’s a question I hear more than almost any other from business owners: “How should I compensate my salesperson?”

It sounds simple. It isn’t.

Get it wrong early and you create a situation that’s hard to fix. You either end up with a salesperson negotiating from a position you can’t push back on, or a top performer reconsidering their role after a change to commission. Both are expensive. Both are avoidable.

In this latest episode of Sales is NOT a Dirty Word, I break down how to build a compensation structure that works for you and your salesperson, without guesswork, frustration, or unintended leverage.

Here’s what I cover:

• The Sales Diva Problem and how to avoid it
• The base + incentive structure that actually drives performance. 
• The three tiers every comp plan needs. 
• Why monthly and quarterly bonuses outperform annual ones. 
• The most expensive mistake in sales leadership

A strong compensation plan should be a win/win. If it doesn’t, it will show up in your results.

If you’re not sure how to structure compensation, start with your margins, identify what you need off your plate, and build from there. And if you want support doing exactly that, including building a repeatable and predictable sales process your salesperson can actually run, book a Sales Level Up Call with me: 👉 https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

[00:55] Real client story: Inheriting a salesperson with a comp plan that does not work
[01:55] The Sales Diva phenomenon and why salespeople are very good at internal sales
[02:45] What a win-win compensation plan actually looks like and why profit margins matter
[03:35] Designing incentives around the behaviors you want: paid-in-full contracts, month-to-month tradeoffs
[04:00] The base salary principle: cover cost of living, drive everything else with commission
[04:45] Tiered commission structures and why unlocking levels beats a flat rate
[05:30] The three goal tiers: minimum viable, excited, and "gobs of money"
[06:00] Why you need to get comfortable with your salesperson being the highest paid person in the company
[06:45] The CFO trap: why cutting a top performer's comp is a short-term gain with a long-term cost
[08:00] Do not mess with a salesperson's money. Period.
[08:45] How to use KPIs to make performance conversations objective, not subjective
[09:15] Monthly vs. quarterly vs. annual bonuses and the 90-day brain science behind it
[10:05] Annual team goals as a retention and culture-building tool
[10:40] Why salespeople fail: no process, no training, no direction
[11:15] Outbound vs. inbound roles and how that changes the base

#SalesCompensation #SalesTeam #SalesLeadership #SalesIsNotADirtyWord #BlackSheepSales #HiringASalesperson #SalesStrategy #CommissionStructure #SmallBusinessSales #BusinessOwnerTips #SalesManagement #ScalingYourBusiness #RevenueGrowth #SalesProcess #EntrepreneurMindset #B2BSales #SalesCoach #WinWinSales #SalesPerformance #AleashaBahr 

Most demos don’t fail because of the product.
They fail because no real conversation ever took place.

What should be a back-and-forth turns into a walkthrough.
Feature after feature, then:
“Does that make sense?”
“Any questions?”

They nod. They say they’re good.
And then nothing happens.

That’s not clarity. That’s someone being polite while checking out.

In this latest episode of the Sales is NOT a Dirty Word, we break down what strong demos do differently and where most reps lose the room.

Because the second you stop getting a reaction, you’re in the dark.
You don’t know if it fits.
You don’t know if they care.
You don’t know if they’ve already decided it’s a no.

The demos that move deals forward tend to share a few things:

• They ask for real input, not courteous agreement
• They adjust in real time based on what they hear
• They give the buyer space to push back early
• They make it clear, quickly, whether this is a fit or not

You’re not walking someone through your product.
You’re working through a decision with them.

Hit play and see what shifts when the demo starts doing that job.

01:05 – The issue with “does that make sense?”
02:00 – Why prospects say yes even when confused
03:05 – Why deals stall or disappear
04:00 – Treating demos like discovery calls
05:00 – Tailoring to the buyer’s situation
06:10 – Matching features to real use cases
06:50 – Better questions to ask
07:20 – Using pre-demo content
08:30 – Setting context before the call
09:10 – Small changes, big impact

#SalesDemos #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #SoftwareSales #SalesProcess #ClosingDeals #SalesTips #SaaSSales #RevenueGrowth #SalesLeadership #SalesIsNOTADirtyWord 

If your demos feel solid but deals still don’t move, there’s a gap in how the conversation is being run.

Book a Sales Team Audit here:
https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

Most service providers think the goal is to impress the CEO because they’re the decision buyer. 

However in more complex deals with larger companies, you rarely get the CEO first. 

You speak with the CMO, the ops lead, the SEO manager, or the HR director. 

In other words, there is a person standing between you and the final yes.

If you approach them the same way you would the CEO, there’s a bigger chance that you will lose the deal.

In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, you’ll learn one of the most overlooked and costly sales mistakes and how to fix it.

You’ll learn how to shift your conversations so internal stakeholders feel supported, not threatened or like you want to bypass them.

Because the truth is, they are not focused on company-wide growth. 

They care about how your solution impacts their role.

They are deciding if you make them look effective or replaceable.

When you understand this, everything changes.

Inside this episode:

• Why internal decision makers have different motivators than CEOs
• How to position your offer as support and relief instead of competition
• The questions that reveal what actually matters to them
• How to turn internal stakeholders into advocates who sell for you
• Why helping someone look good accelerates the close

This is the shift that separates average sales conversations from ones that convert 6 figure deals with big companies. 

You are not just closing a deal.
You are building an internal ally who helps you win it.

If you’re ready to stop losing deals in the middle of the process and start closing with confidence, book a Sales Team Level Up Call and let’s build a strategy that actually works for your sales conversations:
👉 https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

01:30 – Who you’re actually selling to first (and why it matters)
02:15 – Why internal stakeholders think differently than CEOs
03:10 – The mistake: pitching company-wide results too early
04:05 – What CMOs and internal teams really care about
05:10 – How to position your offer without threatening their role
06:20 – The “make them look good” strategy explained
07:15 – Discovery questions that change everything
08:20 – Turning internal stakeholders into advocates
09:10 – How to equip them to sell you internally
10:00 – Getting in front of the CEO (the right way)
11:00 – Creating a collaborative “team” dynamic
11:45 – Final takeaway: treat them like their own buyer

#SalesStrategy #B2BSales #SalesCoaching #ServiceBasedBusiness #AgencyGrowth #ConsultingBusiness #SalesTips #CloseMoreDeals #DiscoveryCall #SalesProcess #EntrepreneurSales #HighTicketSales #LeadConversion #BusinessGrowthStrategy #SalesTraining #ClientAcquisition #SalesPsychology #BlackSheepSales #WomenInBusiness #SalesIsNotADirtyWord

Most people can describe their target audience.

Very few can clearly articulate who they are not for.

That blind spot is expensive. It shows up as nightmare clients who drain your energy and income more than adding to it. 

In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, you’ll examine what I call your anti-audience. The patterns, expectations, and behaviors that consistently signal misalignment with your work.

This requires discernment. You have to be willing to walk away from revenue that looks good in the moment but quietly erodes your standards over time.

When you identify who actually thrives inside your process and who consistently strains it, your decisions get cleaner. Your messaging sharpens. Your sales conversations feel steadier. You stop trying to accommodate everyone and start protecting the conditions that produce results.

It also makes the people who are a fit for you want to work with you more. 

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

- How filtering makes more people want to work with you
- How to spot patterns in who buys, who stalls, and who succeeds
- The difference between ideal demographics and psychographics
- How to structure intake forms that ensure alignment
- What to say when someone isn’t a fit
- Why long-term positioning compounds faster than short-term commission

When you’re clear about who you’re not for, the right people feel it. Conversations get easier. Expectations rise. Conversions strengthen.

If you want help identifying your patterns and putting language around them, book a Sales Level-Up Call and we’ll map it out together:
https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

01:15 – Why mainstream manipulation tactics miss the point
02:30 – The real reason misaligned clients cost you more than they pay
03:40 – Patterns: who says yes and who doesn’t
05:00 – Identifying readiness indicators beyond demographics
06:20 – Using intake forms to filter before the call
07:30 – Why specialization builds desire
08:45 – The Facebook ads example: short-term commission vs long-term trust
10:00 – How transparency increases referrals
11:00 – Transitioning into your offer with clarity and confidence

For more ways to sell without pressure, pretending, or psychological games:

Website: https://aleashabahr.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #BlackSheepSales #AntiAudience #TargetAudienceStrategy #SalesClarity #HighIntegritySales #SalesWithoutPressure #ServiceProviderSales #SalesCoaching #ClientFit #DiscoveryCall #SalesStrategy #EntrepreneurSales #SellWithIntegrity #SalesMindset #BusinessGrowth #AlignedClients #SalesPodcast

You are in a phase most people do not talk about honestly.

Your offer works. People are buying. 

You are busy enough to feel stretched but not stable enough to feel safe.

So the idea of hiring a salesperson or team of them starts to sound like relief.

It could be! But it can also create crippling pressure that causes hasty decisions. 

And there are often many other things that need to happen first before that step.

Listen in to discover: 

• Why selling at a higher price requires a different approach - and how to do it
• How hiring too early creates urgency that prospects can sense (and run away from)
• The risks of leadership stress compounds when profit margins are thin

If you are considering scaling, raising prices, or building a sales team, this episode helps you slow down and make the decision in the right order.

If you want help increasing your prices, strengthening your sales messaging, or building a sales structure that works without pressure, you can book a Sales Team Level-Up Call with me here: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

01:05 What happens when you hire in anticipation of growth
02:10 How payroll pressure affects sales conversations
03:00 Why price increases expose weak messaging
04:15 Deliverables versus outcomes in sales
05:10 Why you cannot educate and sell in the same call
06:05 The leadership stress no one talks about
07:20 Why higher prices first create more space
08:15 The correct order for scaling
09:00 How sales teams should be structured to succeed

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesPodcast #BusinessPodcast #EntrepreneurPodcast #WomenInSales #EthicalSales #SalesStrategy #SalesMessaging #HighTicketSales #SalesWithoutPressure #PricingStrategy #RaiseYourPrices #Underpricing #ProfitOverVolume #SustainableBusiness

For more grounded sales strategy and honest conversations about scaling your business:
Website: https://aleashabahr.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr

One of the phrases that can put many on the defense is, “We’re also talking to a few others.”

Sometimes it’s said plainly. 

Other times it’s softened into something like, “We’re still exploring our options.” 

Either way, it tends to trigger the same reaction: the urge to explain, justify, or subtly compete. You start thinking about how to stand out, how to defend your pricing, how to make sure you’re not the one who gets cut.

The trouble is, that instinct almost always works against you. Over-explaining erodes confidence. Competing in comparison pulls you into someone else’s frame. And trying to prove your value in that moment often does the opposite.

In this episode of Sales Is NOT a Dirty Word, I break down how to handle competition talk without tightening up, avoiding it all together or overexplaining. 

Instead of reacting, I walk through how to slow the conversation down, stay anchored, and lead it in a way that builds trust rather than pressure.

This episode covers:

• Why conversations about competitors don’t have to feel awkward, transactional, or forced
• How to redirect comparison talk with clarity, confidence, and intention
• The kinds of questions that help prospects think more clearly about what they actually need
• Why being genuinely comfortable with “this might not be the right fit” often increases your close rate
• A real client example where filtering out the wrong fit protected both the deal and the relationship

If you’ve ever wished you had better words when someone brought up your competition, this episode gives you language that feels natural and authority that doesn’t need to be announced.

Want help crafting what to say in your specific situation? Book a Sales Level-Up Call and we’ll build it together: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

01:00 – What NOT to do when your prospect mentions other options
01:40 – How to empower instead of persuade
02:30 – Using client pain points with other providers to guide the convo
03:20 – Real example: ad agencies and account access red flags
04:15 – The difference between guiding and convincing
05:00 – When to gently suggest they're looking for a different kind of support
06:00 – Sample questions that highlight gaps in your competition
07:20 – Why trust comes from transparency, not perfection
08:00 – A simple phrase to offer value without attachment
08:45 – Final reminder: You’re not here to win a debate. You’re here to help them choose the right fit.

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesWithIntegrity #BlackSheepSales #ProspectEmpowerment #CompetitionInSales #SalesStrategy #SalesConversationTips #SalesBoundaries #TrustBasedSelling #AleashaBahr #ClientFitMatters #DiscoveryCallTips #SalesConfidence #ServiceProviderSales #SalesMessaging #HighIntegrityBusiness #SalesPodcast #HandlingObjections #NoMorePressureSelling

For more insights on selling without pressure, pretending, or performative tactics:

📌 Website: https://aleashabahr.com/
📌 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/
📌 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr

Repeat after me - some money is NOT better than no money. 

In this Sales is NOT a Dirty Word episode, I walk through a real client situation that exposes how easy it is to agree too quickly, stay vague to preserve harmony, or assume clarity will come later. 

Those small boundary lapses rarely feel urgent in the moment, but over time they erode trust, damage mental health and compromise results.

What this conversation keeps returning to is a simple but often resisted truth: boundaries are not performative self-care. They are structural. They make responsibility, scope, and value explicit, which is what actually protects working relationships.

Inside this episode, you will learn:

• Why exceptions and special arrangements tend to fail without shared context
• How to articulate scope clearly without defensiveness or rigidity
• What to say when requests drift beyond what was originally agreed upon
• Why betting on future potential creates misalignment rather than goodwill
• The language and reframes to use to prevent difficult conversations later, rather than managing them after the fact

If you have ever felt uneasy about an agreement but moved forward anyway, or worried that naming your limits would damage the relationship, this offers a more grounded way forward.

If you want support developing clear, humane boundary language or navigating complex client dynamics without escalation, you can book a Sales Level-Up Call and we will work through it together in real time:  https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

01:18 – The “special rate” client story that sparked this episode
02:40 – When assumptions backfire: budget complaints and blurred lines
04:05 – The danger of betting on potential instead of present reality
05:15 – Why clients can’t value what you don’t name
06:30 – Three ways to respond to out-of-scope requests
08:10 – How to frame boundaries with confidence and clarity
09:50 – Why no boundaries = lost clients and revenue
11:00 – The myth of “some money is better than no money”
12:10 – A powerful reframe: boundaries make you more referable

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesBoundaries #PeoplePleaserRecovery #ClientCommunication #HighIntegritySales #ServiceProviderLife #ScopeCreep #ClientExpectations #SalesWithoutPressure #BlackSheepSales #AleashaBahr #SalesMindsetShift #PricingWithConfidence #SalesCoaching #SalesStrategy #EmotionalIntelligenceInSales #ClientRedFlags #SalesPodcast #NoMoreDiscountDeals #BoundariesBuildTrust

Connect With Aleasha:
Website - https://aleashabahr.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr 

After reviewing hundreds of sales calls, there are phrases people use in sales conversations that quietly sabotage the sale.

The intention is usually to be polite. However, on an unconscious level, they erode trust, clarity, and authority.

Buyers do not need more politeness. They need clarity. And a confused mind always says no.

In this episode of Sales Is Not a Dirty Word, I break down the most common language patterns I hear people unintentionally use on sales calls that make buyers hesitate or mentally check out. 

These are habits people use without realizing it, and once you hear them, you cannot unhear them.

Phrases like “I think,” “kind of,” “maybe,” and “does that make sense?” weaken credibility and create confusion. 

You will also learn why the fear of overpromising often causes service providers to undersell themselves. That fear shows up in language, and buyers feel it immediately.

Inside this episode, discover:
• How uncertain language creates buyer doubt
• Why confusion, not price, stops sales from closing
• What confident, experience-based authority sounds like
• How to ask check-in questions that create clarity

If you want direct feedback on where your language may be costing you sales, book a Sales Level Up Call:
https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

Because the problem many times isn’t your offer - it’s your language. 

03:10 Why saying “I think” undermines authority

04:25 How soft language creates buyer hesitation

05:40 Why “does that make sense?” causes confusion

06:55 Confusion vs price as the real reason deals stall

08:05 Opinion language vs experience based authority

09:15 How fear of overpromising leads to underselling

10:25 What buyers actually need instead of politeness

11:30 Final thoughts on clarity, confidence, and trust

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesConversations #SalesLanguage #SalesCommunication #AuthenticSelling #SalesCoaching #ServiceProviderSales #HighTicketSales #SalesConfidence #SalesStrategy #SalesPsychology #BlackSheepSales #EthicalSelling #SalesSkills #ConversionOptimization

Connect With Aleasha:
Website - https://aleashabahr.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aleashaba

Most people are not bad decision makers. They are just repeating the same decision pattern (without realizing it) and wondering why nothing changes.

In this new Sales is NOT a Dirty Word episode, I break down one of the most overlooked responsibilities in highly effective, ethical selling. 

Helping someone recognize the decision pattern that is keeping them stuck. Not through pressure, information dumping, or manipulation.

Instead, it’s about clarity, asking better questions, reflecting behavior honestly, and allowing someone to examine their own choices without shame or force.

If you sell a product or service that genuinely helps people, this will change how you think about sales conversations, objections, and what it actually means to serve someone well.

What You’ll Discover When Listening:

• Why repeating the same decision always produces the same result
• How to identify decision patterns that keep buyers stuck
• The difference between telling (which creates resistance) and questions that create insight
• Getting clearer on qualification that protects you from nightmare clients
  
  

If this resonates, there is a strong chance decision patterns are already showing up inside your sales process.

Your messaging.
Your qualification.
Your close.

Each one either reinforces clarity or quietly allows the same stuck loops to repeat.

If you want a clear, honest look at what is really happening inside your sales conversations, book a Black Sheep Sales Audit.

This is not a pitch.
It is a diagnostic.

👉 Book your audit here:
https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

Key Moments
[01:40] Why pushing for a yes creates refunds, resentment, and regret
[03:55] Why telling is selling and why it never works
[04:30] How to reflect someone’s priorities back to them without confrontation
[05:10] The mindset shift that unlocks a different decision
[06:00] Why clarity feels relieving, not salesy
[07:20] How breaking decision patterns improves more than just sales

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #EthicalSales #SalesMindset #DecisionMaking #ConsultativeSelling #SalesLeadership #BusinessGrowth #BlackSheepSales #SalesPsychology #BuyerBehavior #SalesConversations #DecisionPatterns #SalesStrategy #FounderSales #ConsultativeSales #SalesCoaching #ClientAlignment #SellingWithIntegrity

Connect With Aleasha:
Website - https://aleashabahr.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleashabahr/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@aleashabahr

Most salespeople spend their time perfecting their pitch, memorizing scripts, and thinking about how to close. 

But here’s the truth: what separates a top performer from someone average in sales is not what you say - it’s what you ask.

When you lead with curiosity, you stop guessing. You stop assuming. 

Instead, you uncover what your prospects really want, what they truly need, and what they mean beneath the surface.

In this episode of Sales is Not a Dirty Word, I break down exactly how to leverage curiosity at the center of every sales conversation to close more. 

You will discover:
✔ How curiosity builds trust faster than any sales pitch
✔ How to uncover the real reason behind surface-level questions
✔ What to say when a buyer asks for pricing or packages too early
✔ How curiosity can dissolve objections before they even appear
✔ The mindset that creates clarity, confidence, and focus in every sales conversation
✔ Why assumptions on both sides often lead to lost deals

If you want to close more clients without pressure and turn every conversation into a partnership, this episode gives you the exact mindset and approach to make it happen.

Sales teams struggling with listening, rushing scripts, or losing deals too quickly will benefit enormously from this episode. If you want to take your full sales system to the next level, book a Black Sheep Sales Audit today: https://calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #CuriosityInSales #SalesSkills #ActiveListening #SalesStrategy #AuthenticSelling #SalesLeadership #BlackSheepSales #SalesConversations #SalesTraining #HighTicketSales #EthicalSelling #SalesCoaching #BuyerPsychology #FitFirstSelling

One of the most expensive mistakes founders make happens the moment a salesperson starts performing. 

Revenue rises.

Momentum builds.

…and then the first large commission check appears. 

Instead of celebrating the growth, the owner panics. They see the payout instead of the profit.

Here’s the thing: a big commission check is not the problem. It is proof your business is scaling and that’s something to celebrate! 

If your sales person is making good money - that means you’re making good money. You should definitely be making more than when they weren’t there. 

And if you’re not - that’s a problem with the plan - not the rep.

In this episode of Sales is Not a Dirty Word, common comp plan issues, how owners unintentionally sabotage their best performers and the ripple effect that can end up costing you a lot more money than you save. 

Listen in to discover: 

✔ Why flat commission plans cap performance
✔ The mindset shift that makes big commission checks feel good, not scary
✔ How changing a working plan destroys trust and pushes talent out
✔ Why competitive compensation attracts the top 1 percent of salespeople
✔ How to create a tiered monthly ladder that encourages performance
✔ Why reducing commission always costs more through turnover and lost deals
✔ The real financial impact of replacing a salesperson and why sales has the highest churn rate

You’ll learn how to design a comp plan you never resent paying and how to use incentives to shape the behaviors that move your business forward.

If you want a compensation plan that matches your margins and growth strategy, book a Black Sheep Sales Audit at calendly.com/aleasha/salesteam-levelup 

#SalesIsNotADirtyWord #SalesCompensation #SalesLeadership #CommissionPlan #SalesStrategy #SalesTeamSuccess #BlackSheepSales #SalesManagement #SalesHiring #SalesCoaching #SalesCompensationPlan #BusinessGrowth #FounderTips #SalesRetention #AuthenticSelling