Contributed by Higgle: The B2B Sales Club
Are outdated discovery tactics and fear of rejection quietly killing your enterprise deals?
Alex Sobol, co-founder of The Millennium Alliance, is here for part 2 to unpack what’s really happening in B2B C-suite sales right now. We dig into why so many companies are hiring the wrong types of salespeople (even when their resumes look perfect) and what actually separates average performers from elite sellers. Alex challenges the obsession with polished credentials and explains why traits like tenacity, emotional resilience, and comfort in discomfort matter far more than pedigree. We also explore why traditional discovery tactics often fall flat with executives and how sellers unintentionally sabotage their own credibility.
The conversation then shifts to what’s changed in enterprise selling over the past five years, and what hasn’t. We talk about why over-relying on email cadences and marketing automation is a losing strategy, why speed matters more than ever when executives frequently change roles, and how fear of being “too salesy” holds people back. Alex shares sharp insights on negotiation mistakes, especially the dangerous habit of discounting too quickly just to secure a win.
Topics covered during this episode include:
- The shift that Alex has seen in B2B selling over the last five years.
- How and why companies consistently hire the wrong salespeople.
- Why prestigious backgrounds don’t guarantee selling success.
- The traits that separate elite sellers from average performers.
- How rigorous interview processes can stress test candidate resilience.
- Why likability and emotional toughness matter more than polish.
- The illusion that every tech seller uses a “unique” approach.
- How executive turnover shortens real selling windows dramatically.
- Why over-delicate follow-ups waste critical buying momentum.
- How excessive generic questions quickly erode executive credibility.
- Why traditional SPIN selling tactics feel outdated and make Alex cringe.
- The importance of face-to-face engagement over digital noise.
- How marketing automation cannot replace real relationship building.
- How premature discounting weakens long-term client relationships.
- Why sellers must focus on outcomes, not personal comfort.
If growth feels harder than it should, this episode might change your perspective. Listen to the full episode now on Higgle’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube Music.
About Higgle: The B2B Sales Club
This is Higgle: The B2B Sales Club Podcast, where we bring you actionable insights about sales RFPs, sales negotiations, and difficult procurement discussions. It’s all about helping you win more deals and hit your sales quota.
We talk to sales leaders, brand leaders, and procurement leaders about lessons learned on their journey to win more sales deals and achieve better negotiated outcomes.
The podcast is hosted by Mike Lander, an ex-procurement director and entrepreneur, talking to guests about their experiences – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
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