Episode 443: The Power of Precision: Brad Pearse on Data, Relationships, and Results
In this episode of Making Sales Social, host Brynne Tillman welcomes Brad Pearse, founder of Simplified Sales, whose award-winning career in B2B sales and business development spans over two decades.
Brad shares how a single mentoring experience early in his career completely transformed his approach to sales, from frustration and failure to focus and success. He reveals why clarity, structure, and strategy are the cornerstones of effective prospecting and how his concept of “Prospecting with Precision” helps teams move away from random outreach toward intentional relationship-building.
Discover practical ways to align your sales efforts, use LinkedIn and Sales Navigator effectively, and balance data-driven strategy with authentic human connection.
View Transcript
Brad Pearse (00:00)
When we think about sales, we think about doing business with other people. The number one currency behind that is trust, and the only way we can build trust is by developing authentic, real relationships—and we can do it.
Intro (00:13)
Welcome to the Making Sales Social podcast, featuring top voices in sales, marketing, and business. Join Brynne Tillman and me, Bob Woods, as we bring you the best tips and strategies our guests teach their clients, so you can leverage them for your own virtual and social selling. Enjoy the show.
Brynne Tillman (00:38)
Welcome back to Making Sales Social. I’m Brynne Tillman, and I’m excited to introduce you to Brad Pearse.
With over 20 years of award-winning experience in sales and business development, Brad has a true passion for mentoring and coaching others to excel in prospecting and new business development. As the founder of Simplified Sales, he empowers B2B sales teams to prospect with precision, utilizing platforms like LinkedIn and Sales Navigator. His unique blend of data-driven marketing strategies and relationship-building techniques has helped countless organizations increase revenue and optimize their sales process.
Brad, welcome to the program.
Brad Pearse (01:22)
Brynne, thanks for having me on. It’s great to connect again.
Brynne Tillman (01:26)
I’m really excited. I know you’re going to bring great value to our listeners today. But before we jump into your expertise, we ask all of our guests the same first question: What does making sales social mean to you?
Brad Pearse (01:42)
That’s a great question. Sales, to me, is all about developing relationships. When we think about sales, we think about doing business with people, and the number one currency behind that is trust. The only way to build trust is to create authentic, genuine relationships—and we can do that even in today’s world of AI and technology. That’s what social sales means to me.
Brynne Tillman (02:10)
I love that. It really is about relationships. Even in this world of AI, technology can’t replace relationships—it’s the one thing it can’t do. So I absolutely love that.
You’ve had a very impressive career. You’ve won numerous awards and built a phenomenal reputation in the business. Share a pivotal moment that shaped your approach to sales and mentoring.
Brad Pearse (02:40)
There was one moment that really shaped who I am. When I first got into sales, I was lost. My first B2B sales job was selling long-distance services, knocking on doors and selling to small businesses. I had no idea what I was doing. I had a decent boss at the time, but I still needed help.
I was frustrated. I had just graduated college, and over nine to twelve months, I couldn’t hit quota—so I was let go. About 18 months later, I got a call from a consumer tech firm that wanted to recruit me as a sales rep. I got the job, and what changed my career was that the owner took me under his wing as a mentor.
He taught me the importance of having clarity and structure around your approach to sales before doing anything else. When you go into a territory or call on accounts, you need to be crystal clear about your plan and strategy. It sounds cliché, but not many people truly have a clear plan or understand their ideal client profile (ICP).
That mentorship gave me confidence to take action, build momentum, and really grow my career.
Brynne Tillman (04:29)
I love that. And speaking of structure, when preparing for today, I saw that “prospecting with precision” came up quite a bit. That feels like the perfect segue from your story. How does prospecting with precision fix that “random act of sales” problem?
Brad Pearse (04:54)
Great question. When I talk about prospecting with precision, it comes down to doing the pre-call prep work before you start prospecting.
In the old days, prospecting meant cold calling—spraying and praying. It still happens today, but now people are inundated with automated, irrelevant messages. Prospecting with precision means doing the work to understand who you’re calling, what problems you’re solving, and how your product or service helps them overcome their challenges.
It’s about understanding your buyers and stakeholders and preparing for every interaction. In one word, prospecting with precision is about relevance. The more relevant you are, the more likely you are to win. The less relevant, the more likely you are to be ignored.
And we all know that today’s B2B buyers are already far along in their buying journey—about 79% of the way, according to HubSpot, probably even more now. They’re doing their own research.
Brynne Tillman (06:43)
Exactly—and now they’re using AI to do that research, not just Google.
Brad Pearse (06:47)
Absolutely. It’s harder than ever to gain access to accounts, but the more precise and relevant we can be, the more successful we’ll be at setting meetings.
Brynne Tillman (06:59)
That’s such an important point. AI shapes the way buyers think about their challenges and solutions, but AI doesn’t close the sale. That’s where marketing and sales have to come together—so when buyers are searching, it’s your content that appears and answers their questions.
Brad Pearse (07:36)
Exactly. AI provides context—it doesn’t do the work for you. We’re living in a great time to sell, because AI can make us more precise and help us build better relationships. If used correctly, it can complement and enhance what we’re already doing. But you still have to do the work and close the deals yourself.
Brynne Tillman (08:28)
Absolutely. I love that. You also have a three-step framework for a well-defined sales process. Would you share that with us?
Brad Pearse (08:38)
Sure. My framework has three main steps:
- Define your target market—identify your ideal client profile (ICP).
- Position your product or service as a solution—focus on the client’s problems first, not just on your company’s story or features.
- Leverage technology and tools—use platforms like LinkedIn and AI to execute your strategy effectively.
Those three components form the foundation of an effective, well-defined sales process.
Brynne Tillman (09:46)
That’s great. You’ve got to have that framework because it moves you from randomness to precision.
Now, you and I both work deeply in the LinkedIn and Sales Navigator world. Many people refer to that as “modern selling” or “modern B2B strategies.” How have LinkedIn and Sales Navigator transformed the way we sell?
Brad Pearse (10:29)
If B2B sales reps truly understood this, they’d realize LinkedIn is the most powerful sales tool available. Too many people treat LinkedIn like an online résumé. But as a B2B sales rep, you’re not looking for a job—you’re building business.
You should treat LinkedIn and Sales Navigator as true prospecting platforms. They’re relationship-building tools that allow you to connect, engage, and add value first.
It’s not about mass cold outreach. It’s about using LinkedIn as a networking platform. It’s the only tool that gives us direct access to second- and third-degree relationships—something no other platform can do.
Brynne Tillman (12:07)
Exactly. We often say the thing LinkedIn has that no other tool does is your relationships—the pathways to your buyers through people who already know, like, and trust you.
Now, as we look at this modern sales landscape, where do you see AI fitting into the sales and marketing process? You’ve mentioned working as an outsourced CRO—so where do marketing and sales come together in today’s B2B world?
Brad Pearse (12:55)
Great question. AI’s biggest value in the sales process is research.
Pre-call preparation is everything. AI helps you do deep research on companies, their challenges, and key stakeholders. It gives you valuable context so you can position yourself as the right solution.
I advise sales teams to use AI as a research and prep tool—it provides precision in outreach. It’s not about automation or blasting messages. It’s about using AI to strengthen relationships and personalize every interaction.
Brynne Tillman (14:00)
I love that. And Sales Navigator now has so much AI integrated into it—it’s mind-blowing what it can do. You can even input your products and services, and it will match them to relevant prospects. It’s incredible.
This has been an awesome conversation, Brad. What question didn’t I ask that I should have?
Brad Pearse (14:29)
Maybe, “What piece of advice would you give to other sales reps out there?”
Brynne Tillman (14:32)
Perfect—so what’s your advice?
Brad Pearse (14:36)
Always remember, sales is a relationship business. Lead with value first. When you focus on adding value, you show that you genuinely care about the person or company you’re working with.
That know, like, and trust factor we talk about in sales is very real—embrace it. Lead with value first. That’s the key.
Brynne Tillman (15:10)
I love it. Thank you so much. How can people get a hold of you?
Brad Pearse (15:14)
There are two ways. First, connect with me on LinkedIn—just search for Brad Pearse at Simplified Sales. The other way is through my website at simplifiedsales.com. You can book a call there, and I’d love to chat and learn more about you.
Brynne Tillman (15:36)
Terrific. Thank you so much, Brad. I really enjoyed this, and I know our listeners will get a lot of value from it. I appreciate everything you’ve shared.
And to our audience—when you’re out and about, don’t forget to make your sales social.
Brad Pearse (15:53)
Thanks for watching, and join us again for more special guest instructors, bringing you marketing, sales training, and social selling strategies that will set you apart.