Channel Partners Conference fixture Mike Schmidtmann will return in 2026 with his April 15 session, 10 Sales Nuggets that Produce Immediate Results. The esteemed business coach will dispense advice to help technical advisors and consultants overcome their top sales challenges: price resistance, buyer procrastination, competition, appointment setting, and ghosting.

We spoke with Schmidtmann about what you can expect from his session.

Without giving too much away, can you share a sneak peek into how you identified these 10 sales challenges? Are they based on trends, data, or personal experience?

Schmidtmann: I probably view five sales calls a week, either in person or via video recording. Salespeople make the same dumb mistakes again and again. It drives me crazy because they’re so easy to fix. I thought I’d grab the top ten sales challenges and give simple, actionable ways to be more effective.

What makes this session different from other sales training programs or discussions?

Schmidtmann: There are a lot of good sales training out there. Most of them aren’t led by someone who built several multi-million dollar businesses and developed over a dozen seven-figure income salespeople.

Price resistance is a common challenge for many salespeople. Can you share a quick example of how tech advisors can effectively address this objection?

Schmidtmann: Most salespeople and customers treat products and services as costs. Everyone wants to minimize costs. I position tech products and services as investments. Everyone wants to maximize return on investments. It’s not words, it’s mindset.

Mike Schmidtmann

Buyer procrastination is a frustrating hurdle. What are some early warning signs that a buyer might delay their decision, and how can salespeople counteract this?

Schmidtmann: If you don’t give someone a good reason to take action now, they won’t.

You’ve coached elite salespeople who earn over $1 million in commissions. What are some common traits or habits that set these “rainmakers” apart from others?

Schmidtmann: I’ve been asking that same question for many years. We all want to know the magic formula that predicts massive success. I’ve come to the realization there is no one magic formula. Some achievers are introverted, some are extroverted. Some are technical, some are not. And so on. What I can say is every rainmaker possesses one superpower that sets them apart. I can give you a dozen examples, all different in significant ways.

What’s the most surprising sales challenge you’ve encountered in your 20+ years of training and coaching?

Schmidtmann: How little time salespeople spend investing in their skills. When recruiting new salespeople, I used to ask “what sales programs have you been through?” Later, I started asking “what sales books have you read?” Now I ask “what sales videos have you watched?” It’s the dumbification of the sales profession. Imagine becoming a doctor or an accountant by watching 10-minute videos.

Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

What’s the key takeaway you hope attendees will leave with after your session?

Schmidtmann: Ten tools they can use the minute they walk out the door

(Schmidtmann led sales teams for more than 20 years before founding his current practice. He now works with Solution Providers and MSPs across North America on sales recruiting, new business development, and profit growth. You can read his blog at Trans4mers.)