The Sales Evangelist

Sales and marketing are supposed to work together, but in most companies, they don't. Not to the level your revenue actually needs. In this episode, I sat down with Mark Kapczynski, co-founder of Kontrol Media and author of Everyone Sells, to talk about practical, sometimes unconventional ways to get these two teams pulling in the same direction.
Why Sales and Marketing Still Don't Work Together
Traditional marketing was built around brand awareness, not revenue. That history still shapes how a lot of teams operate today.
Marketing budgets are getting cut because leadership now expects marketing to prove its impact on revenue, not just visibility.
Sales and marketing need to see each other as one team working toward the same goal, not two departments with separate scorecards.

Give Sales and Marketing One Shared Goal
Most companies still measure marketing on traffic and awareness, while sales is measured strictly on closed revenue.
Mark says both teams need a shared goal tied to revenue, whether that's new logos, higher customer lifetime value, or overall revenue growth.
Marketing pay structures need to change too. Straight salary with a small year end bonus doesn't give marketers the same stake in closing deals that commission gives salespeople.

Meet on the Pipeline Two or Three Times a Week
Sales and marketing can't just hand off leads and hope for the best.
Mark recommends meeting regularly, two or three times a week, to review the pipeline together.
These meetings should cover what made one lead higher quality than another, and what's holding up deals that are stuck.

Track the Metrics That Actually Matter
Customer acquisition cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV) should be shared numbers between sales and marketing, especially for enterprise deals.
Return on ad spend (ROAS) shows whether marketing's paid spend is actually working. Mark looks for four to five times return.
Time to close and number of touch points are also worth tracking together.

Let Marketing Support the Close, Not Own It
Marketing shouldn't be responsible for closing deals. Contracts, legal terms, and pricing sit outside their lane.
But marketing can stay involved right up until the customer gives a verbal yes, supporting the salesperson the whole way.

Use What Marketing Is Already Great At
Marketers are natural storytellers. Salespeople tend to be more transactional and want to close fast.
Marketing can help build trust and consistency across every touch point, so a prospect hears the same story from sales, marketing, and leadership.
Nurturing is another area marketing can own. Not every prospect is ready to buy today, and marketing has the tools and patience to stay engaged until they are.

The Big Takeaway: Everyone Sells
Mark's core message ties back to his book, Everyone Sells. Every person in a company plays a role in the sales process, not just the sales team.
When only one department is expected to carry the entire revenue goal, the business underperforms.

"Sales and marketing are peanut butter and chocolate. They have to work well together, otherwise you just have two silos going two different directions with two sets of goals." — Mark Kapczynski
Resources
Learn more about Mark's company, Kontrol Media.
Connect with Mark Kapczynski on LinkedIn.
Check out Mark's book, Everyone Sells (Including AI): How to Influence Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime.
Join our LinkedIn cohort and learn to prospect the right way.
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

This wraps up our four part LinkedIn Response Series. Over the last few episodes, I covered your headline, your banner, and how to turn profile views into real conversations. In this final episode, I'm showing you how to take those conversations and turn them into booked appointments.
Never Pitch First
The fastest way to kill a new LinkedIn conversation is to pitch right away.
When someone replies to you, keep the conversation focused on them before you bring up your product or service.

Make The Conversation About Them
One of the easiest ways to find something to talk about is to look at what the person posts on LinkedIn.
I'll drop a prospect's profile link into Claude or ChatGPT and ask for ideas on how to start a natural conversation with them.
If they post about something like running marathons or self improvement, use that as your opener. Ask a real question about it.

Use Voice And Video Messages
Voice and video messages inside the LinkedIn app get far better replies than plain text.
Record them natively in the LinkedIn app, not through Loom or another video tool. It feels more real, and prospects respond to that.
Always end your voice or video message with a question. That question is what pulls the reply out of them.

Give It A Day Or Two
Don't ask for anything the same day someone replies to you.
Wait a day or two, then ask a permission based question tied to something specific about them or their company.
This is what turns small talk into a real business conversation.

Message The Right People
None of this works if you're messaging random people.
Build your outreach around people who fit your ideal customer profile. Target the accounts and titles you actually want to work with.
Relevant messages get relevant replies.

Turn It Into An Appointment
Once someone shows interest, ask if they're open to a five to seven minute conversation.
If you can't explain what you offer in five to seven minutes, that's a sign to tighten up your pitch first.

"If you can't explain what you offer in five to seven minutes, you don't have a right to ask for someone's time." — Donald C. Kelly
Resources
Learn the full system inside the LinkedIn Prospecting Course.
Email Donald directly at donald@thesalesevangelist.com to ask about joining the next cohort.
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

show notes

Getting a notification that someone viewed your LinkedIn profile can be exciting, but most sellers don't know what to do next.
In this episode of the LinkedIn Response Series, I am sharing how to turn profile views into meaningful conversations that can lead to appointments and new business.
Instead of ignoring those notifications or sending an immediate sales pitch, I'll show you a simple process that helps you engage interested prospects the right way.
Why Profile Views Matter
A LinkedIn profile view is often a sign that someone is interested in learning more about you or your business.
They may have found you through your content, received a connection request from you, or be researching your company before reaching out.
In many cases, prospects are doing their homework before booking a meeting. That makes profile views an early buying signal that should not be ignored.

Avoid the Wrong Response
It is tempting to react in one of two ways: send an immediate sales pitch or do nothing at all.
Neither approach is effective. Instead of rushing the conversation or letting the opportunity pass, use the profile view as a reason to start a genuine connection.
The goal is to build a relationship before discussing your product or service.

Start the Conversation Naturally
A simple, honest message can open the door to a meaningful conversation.
If someone views your profile, take a moment to review theirs. If they look like a good fit, send a connection request with a friendly message acknowledging that they visited your profile.
Asking why you are not already connected feels natural and often encourages a response without sounding salesy.
Once they accept your request, continue the conversation by asking what prompted them to visit your profile. Their answer may reveal a need, an opportunity, or an interest in working together.

Focus on People Showing Interest
Not everyone who views your profile will become a customer, and that's okay.
Some people will decide you are not the right fit, while others are already interested in what you have to offer.
Focus your time on the people who are engaging with your profile, content, or connection requests. Those are the conversations that are most likely to turn into appointments and future business opportunities.

Make Profile Reviews a Weekly Habit
Following up on profile views does not have to take a lot of time.
Set aside time each week to review who has visited your profile.
Reconnect with people you've already engaged with, and send connection requests to new prospects who fit your ideal customer profile.
A consistent follow-up process helps you start conversations before your competitors have the chance.

"The profile view gets overlooked, and it is a critical spot." — Donald C. Kelly
Resources
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.

Your LinkedIn headline is one of the first things prospects see, yet many salespeople waste it by listing their job title and company name. In this first episode of the LinkedIn Response Series, I explain why your headline should focus on the problem you solve instead of who you work for.
A strong headline tells prospects immediately how you can help them, increases profile views, and encourages more conversations before you ever send a sales message.
Why Your LinkedIn Headline Matters
Your headline is more than a job description. It helps prospects quickly decide whether you're relevant to them.

A well-written headline can:
Increase profile views by making your profile stand out in LinkedIn searches.
Encourage more inbound conversations from interested prospects.
Clearly communicate the value you provide before someone reads the rest of your profile.
Improve your visibility by using keywords your ideal buyers are already searching for.

Stop Leading With Your Company Name
Most buyers don't care where you work unless your company is already widely recognized.
Instead of using your company name or job title as the main focus, use your headline to explain the problem you solve. When prospects immediately recognize a challenge they're facing, they're far more likely to view your profile and engage with you.

Focus on the Right Audience
A great headline only works when it's seen by the right people.
Rather than trying to appeal to everyone on LinkedIn, narrow your focus to your ideal buyers. This could include people who:
Recently changed jobs.
Are active and posting on LinkedIn.
Match your target industry or decision-maker profile.
The more relevant your audience, the more effective your headline becomes.

Use a Simple Formula
One effective approach is to build your headline around three parts:
Identify a specific problem your ideal customer is experiencing.
Make the problem feel immediate and relevant.
End with a question that points toward the result they want.

This approach sparks curiosity and encourages prospects to learn more about you.
Keep Your Message Simple
Avoid technical language, company jargon, or long descriptions.
Your headline should be short, easy to understand, and immediately clear. Prospects should know within seconds whether your profile is relevant to them.

Real Results From a Better Headline
Even small changes can make a noticeable difference.
After updating one team member's LinkedIn headline to focus on customer pain points instead of company information, connection requests began turning into real conversations.
Prospects started asking buying questions and booking appointments without being pitched directly.
The change wasn't in the outreach. It started with the headline.

What's Next?
In the next episode of the LinkedIn Response Series, I explain how to increase LinkedIn profile views so more qualified prospects actually see your profile and your headline.
"Address the problem your prospect is already thinking about, then show them the outcome they're looking for."
Resources
Keep track of your sales activity and boost your results with the Prospect Pro sales tool.
Step up your sales game with Sales Mastermind. Get accountability, stay motivated, and tackle the blockers keeping you from hitting your goals.
Visit Blue Mango Studios for help in creating podcast production content.

Sponsorship Offers
This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.
This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.
This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.
Credits
As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and produced by Brightseed and Hill.