Jim Robertiello joins Warren Kucker to discuss "We Had No Structure to Fully Structured" — Building Sales Process in Real Time. Key takeaways include Use radical transparency to manage channel conflict — openly communicate with dealers about who's working which deals instead of competing behind the scenes and Leverage physical presence for guerrilla marketing — if you have a showroom, host themed events weekly to draw in different demographics and build relationships.
"We Had No Structure to Fully Structured" — Building Sales Process in Real Time
with Jim Robertiello
"We literally went from no structure to fully structured. It went from 'hey, I got a hot lead, mind if I transfer?' and he would just buzz it over to me, to having cadences, conversions, project managers, and everything in between."
About This Episode
Jim Robertiello, Director of B2B Sales at Poppin, has spent 12 years transforming a colorful desktop supply company into a nationally recognized workplace furniture brand. This episode explores the unique challenges of selling physical products in a software-obsessed world. Jim shares tactical insights on managing channel conflict between direct and dealer sales, launching new territories through guerrilla marketing, and how AI is starting to track furniture utilization to optimize office layouts. Perfect for anyone selling in traditional industries trying to navigate modern sales complexities.
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Use radical transparency to manage channel conflict — openly communicate with dealers about who's working which deals instead of competing behind the scenes
- ✓ Leverage physical presence for guerrilla marketing — if you have a showroom, host themed events weekly to draw in different demographics and build relationships
- ✓ Convert small relationships into big deals — Jim turned custom pen cup orders into full office buildouts by being present for broader business conversations
- ✓ Track furniture utilization with AI sensors to optimize space design — companies are using technology to see which areas get used and which are wasted
- ✓ The return-to-office trend creates new sales opportunities around making offices more compelling than the home workspace
Chapters
About the Host
Selling AI is hosted by Warren Kucker, founder of Topiq. Each week he sits down with revenue leaders, founders, and operators to unpack the strategies, tools, and stories behind selling AI products and using AI to sell smarter.
Warren Kucker
A revenue leader and entrepreneur who founded Basiq.work, focusing on conversational AI for sales teams. Previously served as VP of Sales and CRO at Series B companies, scaling revenue to $2M+ quarterly bookings. His exits include Shelly.ai (ML email automation) and Boxton (digital freight platform). Started his career at Apple managing a $100M shipping efficiency program.
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