{"id":45383,"date":"2021-08-08T06:36:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-08T10:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=45383"},"modified":"2026-04-23T14:03:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T18:03:27","slug":"new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/","title":{"rendered":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is <em>New Sales Simplified<\/em> about? What solution does the author Mike Weinberg offer to stifled sales progress? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>New Sales Simplified<\/em> by Mike Weinberg demystifies <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/prospecting-strategies\/\">sales prospecting<\/a> for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople.&nbsp;At the core of his sales advice is the three-stage model he calls the &#8220;New Sales Driver.&#8221; The stages of the model are 1) targeting, 2) developing sales weapons, and 3) planning and executing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is a brief overview of Mike Weinberg&#8217;s <em>New Sales Simplified: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-new-sales-simplified-the-essential-handbook-for-prospecting-and-new-business-development\"><em>New Sales Simplified: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Generating new business as a salesperson is essential to a company\u2019s success, yet few salespeople are good at it. Many reps are intimidated by making \u201ccold calls\u201d (first-time calls to potential customers to ask for their business), and therefore, they make only half-hearted attempts or none at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/new-sales-simplified\/preview\" rel=\"nofollow\">New Sales Simplified<\/a><\/em> by Mike Weinberg offers the solution to companies&#8217; and sales reps\u2019 struggle to grow new business: his \u201cNew Sales Driver\u201d model:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Targeting: strategically selecting potential customers to pursue<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Developing your weapons: creating powerful sales tools and using them effectively<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Planning and executing: determining which tools to use and when, then executing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-new-sales-step-1-select-prospects-to-target\"><strong>New Sales Step 1: Select Prospects to Target<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Look for potential new customers with a profile similar to that of your best current customers<\/strong>. Ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Who are the company\u2019s best customers?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do they have in common?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What do these companies and their markets look like?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where or how can we find potential customers who resemble our best customers?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-resources-for-finding-prospects\"><strong>Resources for Finding Prospects<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you know what kind of sales prospects you\u2019re targeting, there are many resources for coming up with specific names. Local business journals compile and publish annual lists of businesses in the region by size, business sector, and so on. For instance, a journal might list the 10 largest architectural firms in the market, largest employers in the region, or top 25 banks. Another resource is Hoover\u2019s, an online source for business data. With a subscription, sales teams can research potential targets. Other tools include LinkedIn, trade shows, social media, and referrals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-target-list-parameters-nbsp\"><strong>Target List Parameters&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to being strategic, a target list should be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fixed:<\/strong> Zero in on a fixed or limited number of targets that you\u2019ve chosen for solid reasons. Then work the list and keep working it. Don\u2019t give up and move on if you don\u2019t succeed on your first try with a prospect. Most importantly, stay focused on your prospect list and don&#8217;t start pursuing other, non-strategic targets, which won\u2019t be productive. With persistence, you\u2019ll gain traction and begin building new relationships.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Focused<\/strong>: Focus intensely on the category of customers that\u2019s produced sales for you in the past. By doing so, you\u2019ll become conversant in the industry\u2019s or sector\u2019s language, opportunities, and challenges. This, in turn, will help you ask smart questions that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/credible-communication\/\">build credibility<\/a> with prospects. With each success, the next will be easier to achieve.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Written: <\/strong>Have a written, one-page target list literally at your fingertips to keep you focused on your mission. It\u2019s faster and easier to pull out a paper list or spreadsheet than to boot up and scroll through digital pages of a CRM (customer relationship management) system, or to page through an industry directory. Even the act of writing, printing out, and posting a new-business target list on your wall inspires action and ultimately results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Feasible: <\/strong>Keep your prospect list short enough that you can give each account enough attention, and long enough to be challenging so you don\u2019t get bored and waste time on other things. Determining the right number of accounts to include depends on the type of business being targeted, how easy it\u2019ll be to gain access to each customer, the sales rep\u2019s other responsibilities, and so on. For instance, if you\u2019re selling complex enterprise-level IT software, you\u2019ll need to keep your account list small, perhaps a few dozen accounts, so that managing it will be feasible. However, a telesales rep could handle many more, perhaps hundreds, of accounts for a simple product or service.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-new-sales-step-2-develop-your-sales-weapons\"><strong>New-Sales Step 2: Develop Your Sales Weapons<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have your target list, you need three key sales weapons: a compelling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/sales-story\/\">sales story<\/a>, an effective cold call, and a structured <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/face-to-face-sales\/\">face-to-face sales<\/a> call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-sales-story\"><strong>1) Sales Story<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Your sales story is the response you give when someone asks you to tell them about your business.<\/strong> It\u2019s the core of your initial face-to-face <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/sales-meeting\/\">sales meeting<\/a> with a potential customer. In addition, you\u2019ll use pieces of the sales story in phone calls, voicemail messages, emails, marketing materials, presentations, and proposals. An effective sales story:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Explains the customer issues you solve\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Briefly states the solutions and services your company offers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Differentiates your offerings from those of competitors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-sales-story-format\">The Sales Story Format<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The sales story should be a one-page encapsulation of how your company helps clients that can be presented or read in two or three minutes.<\/strong> Here\u2019s what it should look like, using the example of a company that provides security services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Headline<\/strong>: A sentence or two introducing your company so potential customers can quickly categorize it. This provides context for the sales story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> Safety First Inc. is the top provider of security services in the Northeast. We work with businesses and property managers to provide comprehensive, integrated security.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2) Transitional phrase and client issues<\/strong>: An introductory phrase intended to pique the prospect\u2019s interest. It names the type of businesses you serve or client <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/job-titles\/\">job titles<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> Building owners choose Safety First Inc. \u2026 or Senior marketing executives look to Taylor Communications \u2026<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>After the introductory phrase, list a half dozen client issues that you address in bullet-point format.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Example<\/strong>: Building owners choose Safety First Inc. when \u2026 they\u2019re concerned that their current security firm isn\u2019t projecting a professional image.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3) Your company\u2019s offerings<\/strong>: A few short, unembellished sentences ticking off what you sell. This part of your story is the least compelling to the client, so don\u2019t dwell on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> We provide an integrated service of professionally trained security guards, mobile response, and up-to-date electronic monitoring and alarm systems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4) Your differentiators<\/strong>: A concluding statement or phrase followed by about five compelling reasons your company does a better job than anyone else at solving the problems you\u2019ve presented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Example:<\/strong> Safety First Inc. dominates the security market in the Northeast because we offer the best comprehensive service available. We provide integrated solutions. We handle crisis situations quickly and professionally. We provide fully qualified and vetted security officers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-putting-the-pieces-together\">Putting the Pieces Together<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a condensed example showing how Weinberg weaves the pieces together into a story for his sales coaching business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cI\u2019m a sales coach who specializes in training sales teams to develop new business. CEOs turn to me when current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/sales-methods\/\">sales methods<\/a> aren\u2019t working and the sales team isn\u2019t getting the results the company needs. I coach sales reps and team managers in my proven <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/sales-prospecting-strategies\/\">prospecting methods<\/a>.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-effective-cold-calling\"><strong>2) Effective Cold Calling<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Your next weapon is the cold call\u2014a first-time call to potential customers to ask for their business. Many salespeople are intimidated by cold calls. So, they make only half-hearted attempts or don\u2019t try at all. But with a strategic prospect list and a structure for the call, cold-calling isn\u2019t difficult. Here are the key steps for planning and conducting cold calls:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1) Create a call outline and talking points:<\/strong> <em>Don\u2019t<\/em> use a canned call script or you\u2019ll sound like a telemarketer with a phony \u201csales voice.\u201d But <em>do<\/em> know what you want to say and plan to say it in a logical order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2) Focus on the objective:<\/strong> Always keep in mind why you\u2019re calling and the outcome you want\u2014to get a face-to-face meeting with the prospect. Keep steering the conversation toward your objective and don\u2019t get sidetracked when the prospect raises questions or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hub\/professional\/business\/sales\/how-to-handle-rejection-in-sales\/\">objections<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3) Develop an effective introductory phrase:<\/strong> Weinberg likes to use \u201cLet me steal a minute\u201d as an introductory phrase. When you say, \u201cLet me steal a minute,\u201d you\u2019re acknowledging, but not apologizing for, interrupting. Other introductions\u2014for instance, \u201cMay I have a moment of your time?\u201d\u2014give the prospect a chance to say no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After your introductory phrase, identify yourself by saying, \u201cI head up the western region for Acme company\u201d or \u201cI head up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/strong-client-relationships\/\">client relationships<\/a> for Acme.\u201d Saying that you \u201chead up\u201d an area of responsibility underscores that you\u2019re an important person who\u2019s worth listening to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4) Write a mini-sales story: <\/strong>Start the dialogue with a condensed version of your sales story that will pique the prospect\u2019s interest in having a face-to-face meeting with you. To <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/career-progression-plan\/\">position yourself<\/a> as someone who people in the prospect\u2019s industry turn to for help, focus on a few client issues and one differentiator from your sales story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Present the issues and differentiator in a conversational way\u2014for example: \u201cRight now many property managers are looking for a security team that projects a professional image.\u201d Pause and wait for a response. Based on the response\u2014for instance, nodding in agreement\u2014you\u2019ll know whether the issue resonated. If it didn\u2019t, mention another issue. Then describe a differentiator, or ask for a meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5) Ask three times for a meeting: <\/strong>There\u2019s a good chance the prospect will say no to the first request for a meeting. It\u2019s automatic, so don\u2019t take it personally. The important thing is, <em>don\u2019t hang up. <\/em>If you give up on a prospect after one rejection, you\u2019ll fail and keep failing. <strong>The third time you ask is usually when you\u2019ll be successful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-structured-face-to-face-sales-call\"><strong>3) Structured Face-to-Face Sales Call<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve secured a face-to-face meeting\u2014your third sales weapon\u2014you must take ownership of it from start to finish by structuring the call in stages that you follow in order:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-create-rapport-and-learn-the-customer-s-style\">1. Create Rapport and Learn the Customer\u2019s Style<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>First, use small talk to connect with the customer and make them comfortable. Also, assess the person\u2019s personality and conversational style\u2014for example, are they quiet, talkative, or impatient? As the meeting continues, you\u2019ll want to adapt your approach to the customer\u2014for example, to cut to the chase if they get impatient. When you adapt to their style, they\u2019ll be more comfortable with you and therefore, more amenable to what you offer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-introduce-the-agenda-and-get-buy-in\">2. Introduce the Agenda and Get Buy-In<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Share your planned agenda for the meeting, then ask the customer what they\u2019d like to get from it. Sharing your agenda:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Differentiates you from competitors (most reps don\u2019t prepare call agendas in the first place)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shows respect for the customer\u2014executives want to know where a meeting is going, so sharing the agenda is a professional courtesy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Signals that the meeting will be a dialogue, not a typical one-sided presentation the buyer can tune out<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of how to handle the first two stages:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cThank you for inviting me. Since we set up this meeting for 30 minutes, I\u2019ll make sure we\u2019re done by 10:30. I\u2019ll start with a two-minute introduction to the company and how we help clients, then I\u2019d like to ask a few questions about how you\u2019re dealing with the challenge of late deliveries. Depending on your situation, I can show you some ways we ensure on-time delivery. Then we can discuss whether our services might be a good fit for you and the next step. That\u2019s what I had in mind for the meeting\u2014what were you hoping to get from it?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-tell-your-sales-story\">3. Tell Your Sales Story<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>In three minutes, tell your client-focused sales story, highlighting why customers turn to you, what you offer, and how you\u2019re different from competitors. Be alert to the prospect\u2019s reactions to the client problems and opportunities you list\u2014for example, a nod or a wince indicates you\u2019ve hit on a relevant issue. If the customer asks a question, answer briefly but don\u2019t sidetrack your story. Make a note so you can discuss the question further in the next phase of the call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-ask-discovery-questions\">4. Ask Discovery Questions<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Ask several types of probing questions to gather information, discover problems and opportunities, and demonstrate expertise on issues relevant to the customer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Personal<\/strong>: Ask questions to discover what\u2019s important to the customer personally\u2014for example, what their goals are, what results they\u2019re seeking, and how you can help them. The more trust and understanding you can build, the more successful your relationship will be.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategic<\/strong>: Ask strategic questions to understand the customer\u2019s big picture: about the market, industry, corporate goals and strategies, and internal and external pressures such as cutting costs. Do your research so you can ask specific, relevant questions. Otherwise, your ignorance and laziness will be apparent and make a poor impression.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Issue-focused questions: <\/strong>After learning about the customer\u2019s environment, ask questions to uncover the specific ways your offerings can help. Convert the client issues highlighted in your sales story (what you\u2019ve done for past clients) into open-ended probing questions. For example: \u201cHow are you handling (X challenge)?\u201d What you learn will help you address the issues in the selling phase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales process questions: <\/strong>Ask questions about the company\u2019s processes to avoid running into internal roadblocks later. For instance, ask who has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/methods-of-decision-making-crucial-conversations\/\">decision-making<\/a> authority and who will influence the decision, what the timelines and budget are, what criteria the decision will be based on, and what alternatives to your offer are being considered.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-sell\">5. Sell<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>With the information you\u2019ve gleaned, deliver a sales pitch that incorporates what matters to the prospect. Show that you\u2019ve listened by focusing only on the points relevant to the buyer, and connecting their needs with your offerings using the buyer\u2019s words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-confirm-fit-and-explore-objections\">6. Confirm Fit and Explore Objections<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the time to comment, \u201cFrom this conversation, it looks like we might be a good fit for your needs. What do you think?\u201d If the customer is hesitant to confirm you\u2019re a fit, you may need to ask more sales process questions to determine whether there&#8217;s an obstacle somewhere. If you sense there\u2019s an issue the client isn\u2019t mentioning, ask: \u201cI have a feeling something is concerning you \u2026 What are you thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-agree-on-and-schedule-the-next-steps\">7. Agree on and Schedule the Next Steps<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply ask: \u201cWhat do you propose as a logical next step?\u201d Listen to the response, then summarize the next steps for each of you\u2014for example: \u201cBased on what you\u2019re saying, how about if I do X and you do Y?\u201d Open your calendar and schedule the tasks. Confirm the date and next step with the client one more time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-new-sales-step-3-execute-the-sales-effort-nbsp\"><strong>New-Sales Step 3: Execute the Sales Effort&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The final step in the new-sales model is planning and executing by pursuing the prospects on your list. Many salespeople like to talk about selling, but when it comes to prospecting, fewer actually do it. Three ways to make prospecting a priority and get it done are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/time-block-schedule\/\">time blocking<\/a>, creating a personal business plan, and maintaining a balanced \u201cpipeline\u201d or portfolio of active accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-block-time-for-prospecting\"><strong>Block Time for Prospecting<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Time blocking is reserving stretches of time for activities that are priorities. Schedule blocks of 90 minutes to two hours at least twice a week for prospecting. (Three hours is probably the maximum you can concentrate and be free of interruptions.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you\u2019ve done little or no prospecting, consistently devoting four hours a week to it should significantly improve your results.<\/strong> If you have aggressive business <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/examples-of-development-goals\/\">development goals<\/a>, scheduling eight or nine two-hour blocks a week\u2014still only a third of your working hours\u2014will get superior results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The keys to successful time blocking are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Putting the time blocks in your calendar (don\u2019t just mentally reserve time).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Treating the time as inviolable and using it only for prospecting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/stay-on-task\/\">Staying on task<\/a> during the reserved time. Don\u2019t check email or take phone calls.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-develop-a-personal-business-plan\"><strong>Develop a Personal Business Plan<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Write a personal business plan annually that places a great emphasis on prospecting. <\/strong>Include the following components in the plan:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Goals<\/strong>: Identify your personal goals for the year\u2014for example, total revenue, revenue from existing versus new accounts, revenue by account, and number of new accounts gained.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strategies<\/strong>: Determine how you\u2019re going to reach your goals\u2014for example, cross-sell (sell additional services to existing customers), grow specific accounts, or use methods such as team selling, social media, and events.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Actions<\/strong>: Commit yourself to specific sales activities, which you can quantify and track by key activity metrics\u2014for example, number of hours committed to cold calls and face-to-face meetings and number of presentations and proposals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hurdles<\/strong>: Determine what potential hurdles you should address preemptively\u2014for example, lack of sales support or too many competing responsibilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Personal development<\/strong>: Identify areas in which you\u2019ll develop your skills and the steps you\u2019ll take to develop them\u2014for instance, improving your writing and social media skills by attending training or seeking a mentor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have a business plan, share it with your colleagues to create accountability and get feedback. Also review it regularly to make sure you\u2019re on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-maintain-a-balanced-pipeline\"><strong>Maintain a Balanced Pipeline<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Your pipeline is the accounts you\u2019re working on. <strong>Spread your sales efforts over many accounts that are at various stages in the sales process so that hitting your sales goals won\u2019t hinge on one or two accounts that could stall.<\/strong> You should have three types of prospect accounts in your pipeline:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Targeted<\/strong> accounts are those you\u2019re working on converting to active accounts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Active<\/strong> accounts are those where you\u2019ve started a dialogue, and you\u2019re working to convert them into urgent accounts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urgent<\/strong> accounts are those with momentum; you\u2019ve provided a proposal or are about to.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s natural to focus on urgent accounts, but you should be working in all categories simultaneously. Allocate about a third of your prospecting time to each. In addition, make sure all accounts are progressing from one category to the next rather than stagnating.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is New Sales Simplified about? What solution does the author Mike Weinberg offer to stifled sales progress? New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople.&nbsp;At the core of his sales advice is the three-stage model he calls the &#8220;New Sales Driver.&#8221; The stages of the model are 1) targeting, 2) developing sales weapons, and 3) planning and executing. Below is a brief overview of Mike Weinberg&#8217;s New Sales Simplified: The Essential Handbook for Prospecting and New Business Development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":17393,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,103],"tags":[456],"class_list":["post-45383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-sales","tag-new-sales-simplified","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople. Here&#039;s a brief overview.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople. Here&#039;s a brief overview.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Shortform Books\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-08-08T10:36:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-23T18:03:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1709\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Darya Sinusoid\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Darya Sinusoid\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Darya Sinusoid\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0421cce75bc249b11e2517b3a91f9c46\"},\"headline\":\"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-08T10:36:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-23T18:03:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/\"},\"wordCount\":3036,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"New Sales Simplified\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Books\",\"Sales\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/\",\"name\":\"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview - Shortform Books\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-08T10:36:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-23T18:03:27+00:00\",\"description\":\"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople. Here's a brief overview.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1709,\"caption\":\"A little boy with a surprised look holding a book\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"description\":\"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Shortform Books\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":74,\"caption\":\"Shortform Books\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0421cce75bc249b11e2517b3a91f9c46\",\"name\":\"Darya Sinusoid\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Untitled-design-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Untitled-design-1.png\",\"caption\":\"Darya Sinusoid\"},\"description\":\"Darya\u2019s love for reading started with fantasy novels (The LOTR trilogy is still her all-time-favorite). Growing up, however, she found herself transitioning to non-fiction, psychological, and self-help books. She has a degree in Psychology and a deep passion for the subject. She likes reading research-informed books that distill the workings of the human brain\/mind\/consciousness and thinking of ways to apply the insights to her own life. Some of her favorites include Thinking, Fast and Slow, How We Decide, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/darya\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview - Shortform Books","description":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople. Here's a brief overview.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview","og_description":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople. Here's a brief overview.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/","og_site_name":"Shortform Books","article_published_time":"2021-08-08T10:36:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-23T18:03:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":1709,"url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Darya Sinusoid","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Darya Sinusoid","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/"},"author":{"name":"Darya Sinusoid","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0421cce75bc249b11e2517b3a91f9c46"},"headline":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview","datePublished":"2021-08-08T10:36:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-23T18:03:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/"},"wordCount":3036,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg","keywords":["New Sales Simplified"],"articleSection":["Books","Sales"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/","name":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview - Shortform Books","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2021-08-08T10:36:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-23T18:03:27+00:00","description":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg demystifies sales prospecting for both veterans and inexperienced salespeople. Here's a brief overview.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1709,"caption":"A little boy with a surprised look holding a book"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/new-sales-simplified-by-mike-weinberg\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg: Book Overview"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","name":"Shortform Books","description":"The World&#039;s Best Book Summaries","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Shortform Books","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/logo-equilateral-with-text-no-bg.png","width":500,"height":74,"caption":"Shortform Books"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/0421cce75bc249b11e2517b3a91f9c46","name":"Darya Sinusoid","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Untitled-design-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Untitled-design-1.png","caption":"Darya Sinusoid"},"description":"Darya\u2019s love for reading started with fantasy novels (The LOTR trilogy is still her all-time-favorite). Growing up, however, she found herself transitioning to non-fiction, psychological, and self-help books. She has a degree in Psychology and a deep passion for the subject. She likes reading research-informed books that distill the workings of the human brain\/mind\/consciousness and thinking of ways to apply the insights to her own life. Some of her favorites include Thinking, Fast and Slow, How We Decide, and The Wisdom of the Enneagram.","url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/author\/darya\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/stephen-king-early-life-on-writing-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45383"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":148346,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45383\/revisions\/148346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17393"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}