In this episode of Outbound, Mike Grimberg interviews Emily Ackerman, a director of business development at Bennett Thrasher, about building relationships and trust with prospects. They discuss being authentic, focusing on people over brands, and using stories to connect. Gain insights into developing an authentic personal brand and tips for business development success.

Guest Bios:

Emily Ackerman is a director of business development at Bennett Thrasher, an accounting firm based in Dallas, Texas. She has experience in sales roles in radio and accounting.

Mike Grimberg is the CEO of Proofpoint Marketing.

Main Discussion Points:

- The importance of authenticity in sales and treating it like building a personal relationship

- Focusing on people's interests and personalities rather than just their brands

- Using stories and humor to connect better with prospects

- Tailoring outreach to industry preferences and clients

- Building a personal brand and niche on platforms like LinkedIn

Key Quotes:

"I think it is different for every single person. I think it all boils down to life's just too short to work with crappy people." (00:00:51)

"People don't remember the tax return or the quality of earnings you did for them a couple years ago. They're going to remember how you made them feel." (00:05:00)

"I would tell people, whoever I manage, I am not going to judge you based on your closing ratio in the beginning. I'm going to judge you on your activity." (00:16:12)