Sales strategies that worked in the past are no longer enough in today's rapidly evolving market. By the time a buyer engages with a sales team, they’ve often already made up their mind. So how do you break through the noise and stand out in a crowded, info-overloaded world?

Em Holldorf, Director of Demand Generation at Integrity Solutions, joins host Hayley Parr to explore how sales teams can adapt to the dramatic shifts in buyer behavior. Em explains why relying on outdated tactics, like generic sales pitches and "info dumps," won’t cut it in 2026, and shares the tools and strategies that modern sales teams need to succeed.

Em dives into the concept of the ‘dark funnel,’ where buyers do all their research and make decisions behind the scenes, and shares how marketers can spot the signals that show when a buyer is ready to engage. She joins Hayley to discuss the importance of human connection and why shifting from transactional sales approaches to trust-based partnerships is key— not just for sales, but for marketing teams looking to stay relevant and aligned with how buyers actually make decisions.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The Dark Funnel: Why buyers are forming opinions without your involvement and how to get in front of them before they exclude you.
• The Info Dump Trap: Why overwhelming prospects with too much information leads to disengagement and how to foster authentic, human conversations instead.
• Intent Signals: How to recognize the subtle signs that show a lead is ready to buy and how to act on them before they even reach out.
• Personalized Outreach: How to break through the noise with quality, personalized messages that resonate with today’s self-educated buyers.
• Sales and Marketing Alignment: How to create seamless communication between teams to deliver the right messages at the right time and close more deals.

Resources:

• Em Holldorf’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-holldorf/
• Learn more about Integrity Solutions: https://www.integritysolutions.com/

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) Meet Em Holldorf
(02:05) Understanding the dark funnel and its impact on sales
(06:19) Why the "info dump" is hurting your sales approach
(10:33) Key signals that indicate buyer readiness
(14:00) How personalized messaging leads to better engagement
(18:45) Aligning sales and marketing for success in 2026

This year brought constant change to the sales profession and to Mental Selling itself. Throughout 2025, communication, purpose, and culture stood out as the forces that set strong teams apart. The year also marked a new chapter for the podcast, with Hayley Parr stepping into the host role and building on the foundation established by those who helped shape the show from the start. In this year-end reflection, Hayley looks back on the conversations that defined Mental Selling in 2025 and the lessons that continue to resonate.

Throughout this year, sales leaders, industry experts, practitioners, and coaches shared their perspectives on what drives meaningful performance. This special end of year recap episode looks back on some of the key themes that emerged in 2025, including: how storytelling and clarity build trust and connection, why purpose fuels resilience in high-pressure environments, and how training, coaching, and culture support long-term success.

Together, these insights show how sales professionals strengthened communication, stayed grounded in purpose, and built teams that perform over time.

In this episode, you’ll revisit some of these key podcast themes that emerged in 2025:

• Communication as a Competitive Advantage: Understand how storytelling and clarity shape relationships.
• Purpose as a Steadying Force: How aligning with purpose helps navigate pressure.
• Building Strong Sales Teams: Discover why culture, coaching, and consistent training are the keys to sustained growth.

Resources:

• Lauren Deal’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tvhostlaurendeal/
• Jacob Hicks’ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-hicks-5ab068ab
• Jen Mueller’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenmuellertalksporty/
• Brad Farris’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfarris/
• David Hammond’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhammond/
• Donna Horrigan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnahorrigan/
• Patty Gaddis’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattygaddis/
• Em Holldorf’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-holldorf/
• Garin Hess’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garin-hess/
• Gearoid Cox’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gearoid-cox-b20b73104/
• Derek Roberts’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekroberts1/
• Duncan Taylor’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanjtaylor/
• Brett Shively’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettshively/
• Danita High’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danita-high-257a5a1a3/
• Brad Jung’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradjung/
• Learn more about Integrity Solutions: www.integritysolutions.com/

Jump into the conversation:
(00:00) The year in review
(01:58) Theme 1: Communication as a Competitive Advantage
(05:37) Theme 2: Purpose-Driven Performance in a Chaotic Market
(10:57) Theme 3: Training, Coaching, and Culture as the Engine of Sales Success
(17:027) Key lessons and takeaways for the future

Revenue Operations is one of the most strategic drivers of growth, even if many organizations only notice it when something breaks.

Jess Rose, the newly hired Director of Revenue Operations at Integrity Solutions, joins Mental Selling to emphasize a discipline that many organizations undervalue but rely on every single day. In her first weeks with the company, she is already bringing clarity to the systems, processes, and decisions that fuel predictable performance. Jess explains why Rev Ops is the connective tissue across sales, marketing, and customer success, and why clean data, transparent processes, and human-centered systems create the conditions for scalable growth.

She shares lessons from her career leading operational strategy, including how minor workflow adjustments can create meaningful lift, why sellers need clarity rather than more noise, and how human habits can either strengthen or derail even the best-designed systems. Listeners will gain a grounded view of how Rev Ops strengthens alignment, improves decision-making, and creates the conditions for consistent, confident performance.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Operational Excellence Starts with the Basics: Clean data, clear ownership, and simple enablement power confident, consistent performance.
• Process as a Growth Lever: Standardized stages and documented workflows create a shared path that drives predictable results.
• Technology That Works for People: Tools designed with a human-first lens remove friction and help reps stay focused on selling.
• Adoption Through Trust: Teams commit to operational change when the process feels supportive, transparent, and genuinely helpful.

Resources:

• Jess Rose’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-rose-2b482122/
• Learn more about Integrity Solutions: https://www.integritysolutions.com/

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Jess Rose

(02:31) What revenue operations really means

(04:42) Jess’s path into Rev Ops

(06:39) Misconceptions that hold teams back

(08:40) Why data hygiene influences revenue health

(11:37) Simple fixes that create measurable impact to the bottom line

(16:21) The human habits behind operational success

(22:01) Building trust across sales, marketing, and customer success