Samantha McKenna

Founder @ #samsales l Sales + Cadences + Executive Branding on LinkedIn l Ex-LinkedIn l Keynote Speaker l 13 Sales Records l Early Stage Investor l Overly Enthusiastic l Swiss Dual Citizen l Creator, Show Me You Know Me®

I had my first exposure to competitive "sales" in sixth grade when my school raised money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.  Knocking door to door and delivering a pitch was the start of my education; I still have the portable TV that I won for second place, which fuels my competitive spirit.

I’ve spent my career in sales doing a few things – breaking records, putting others first, creating global sales programs, educating through peer interaction, and going to great lengths to make people feel valued.  I’ve launched new verticals, overseen the GTM strategy for some of the most successful initiatives in company history, and put in processes across businesses that redefine how each company works and succeeds.

As the founder of #samsales, I oversee an all-women team of 14 who believe in a manners-first and buyer-first approach. We:

•	Run sales trainings that cover prospecting via your likely under-utilized LI Sales Nav licenses, how to write great email copy, Show Me You Know Me™, perfect discovery calls, etc. all while being sales methodology agnostic

•	Speak at 100+ annual events - keynoting for SKOs, international conferences, and podcasts alike re: sales, social selling, and women in tech/sales/leadership

•	Write the content you have in Outreach.io, etc using our proprietary techniques + the most up-to-date data on what works to drive opens + replies

•	Teach social selling - as an LI influencer, ambassador of Sales Navigator, and former LI leader, I understand how to use the ecosystem to truly SELL. I've personally trained tens of thousands on the platform, ranging from 10-person teams to Fortune 500 brands. 

•	Build brands for C-Suites on LinkedIn.  If you want to build a brand on LI but don't know what to write, don't understand the algorithm, and don't have the time to manage, our full-service strategy will manage it exclusively like we do for some of the most prominent/highly visible execs you see on LI.

As a founder, I have one goal - to make as much positive impact as we can.  Since our inception, we’ve raised over 120K via personal donations + our annual charity events for incredible causes, and have given away hundreds of our trainings to the military and transitioning teachers, free of charge.

When you hire us, you're not just hiring a team, but rather investing in one who constantly puts good into the world.

Who am I, otherwise - 

Philanthropist, investor, dog lover, die hard competitor, writer, former Nickelodeon game show contestant, extrovert, expert in self-deprecating humor, and willing to walk through fire to make you laugh.

Limited Partner

Sign up for our newsletters, webinars, and all our content here www.samsalesconsulting.com 

Phyllis: Thanks for your email! I'm not the right person, Rebecca Taylor is.
Rep: Hi Rebecca, Phyllis suggested I reach out to you...
😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑

A few ways to level up your replies to these kinds of referrals:

A. Always reply to these emails. This person did the unthinkably kind thing - they replied AND gave you the name of the contact. Gratitude FTW.

B. In the email, ask, "I'll send her a note in just a minute - do you mind if I reference your name or would you prefer I not?"

"in just a minute..." signals your hope for a quick reply

C. Change your subject line 

"Training Inquiry - Referred by Phyllis Nefler" (with permission)

"Training Inquiry - Referred by a colleague" (without permission)

Bonus points if you add a little Show Me You Know Me here and really make an effort.

D. Don't bury the lede 

The reason you want to change the subject line is that you worked to get the most powerful thing: a piece of information that will exponentially up the odds of an open, but also a reply. 

I most often see this info pop up in the body or in a PS, which robs us of using that really great piece of data right in the subject line.

E. "Suggested" isn't exactly truthful, right? 

Be super careful with language as "suggested" ...well, suggests...that the person thought it was a good idea for you to reach out when, in fact, they simply gave you the correct name.

Imagine if Rebecca asks Phyllis who says, "I didn't suggest anything, I simply pointed them in the right direction", and now we've lost trust, and potentially the reply/meeting.

Bonus?

Connect with all parties on LinkedIn, especially Phyllis. Just because she wasn't the buyer this time, doesn't mean she won't be down the line.

This and about 12 other plays for proactive and reactive referrals is part of our Show Me You Know Me masterclass, and with 91% of buyers willing to offer referrals, one of the easiest ways you can set your pipeline on fire for 2026. 

#samsales

85% of sellers use spreadsheets to manage their books and deals. I know because...I'm one of them. What? Who said that? 

But, I can tell you why: because it's maddening to not have a single pane view of all our deals, next steps, contacts, client data, etc. 

As a seller, moving between countless tabs and products to remind myself of status and next steps, was inefficient, so I built something that made sense for how I think...the ever-so-modern-Google spreadsheet 💁‍♀️

If you're like me, what ZoomInfo launched with their GTM Workspaces solution should stop you in your tracks. 

One home for complete buyer context and even a way to help scale your Show Me You Know Me with automated research, making it even easier for you to stand out with your buyers. 

We know that sellers still spend more time admin'ing than selling, but I don't think we consider as much how the inefficiencies of running through all these different tabs and platforms costs us in pipe and deal progression. 

This product happens to be one step in the very right direction. https://lnkd.in/eQP9g3ee

#samsales

Volunteer Child Care

I cared for my first grandchild to keep him safe from Covid.

Childcare Assistance

Ball State University

Managed all departmental office operations & work flow 
Maintained security & key control for all offices & labs in the department
Managed 6 computer lab classrooms (with 50 computers each) to ensure equipment is functioning properly for classes 
Recruited, hired, trained, scheduled, & supervised undergrad student tech specialists & teachers' assistants 
Recruited, hired, & trained staff members
Entered & processed payroll information for all department employees
Approved timecards for faculty, staff, & students to ensure accuracy 
Managed budgets including faculty travel, student wages, & supplies 
Processed travel authorizations, receipts, & reimbursed faculty members for travel expenses
Scheduled all classes for the department & coordinated use of computer labs
Assisted with recruiting graduate assistants, communicated with grad school, verified eligibility
Assisted in recruiting of faculty members including:  placed job advertisements, reviewed applications to ensure all required materials submitted,  communicated schedules with candidates, made reservations, coordinated responses to faculty job postings by creating files & spreadsheets, & reimbursed travel expenses
Planned & managed various events for the department: reserved rooms, invited guests, supplied parking permits, ordered food, created schedule & signage, & communicated schedule
Assisted students & faculty with enrollment including special permission & overloads
Coordinated with student orientation, academic advisors, & extended education for student access
Processed payroll for faculty, staff, graduate assistants, & undergrad students
Maintained personnel files for all faculty members, graduate assistants, & student employees 
Communicated with transportation department & supplied documentation including drivers’ licenses for approval of use of university vehicles & scheduled reservations

Administrative Coordinator/Computer Lab Classroom Manager

Developed & integrated new processes for managing disability claims, orientation, & communication 
Conducted bi-weekly onboarding for all staff & service including enrollment for all benefits
Managed short term and long term disability benefits for all levels of employees 
Resolved conflicts with health insurance, flexible spending, health savings, dental, pension, and voluntary benefits 
Developed an understanding of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA); FSA and HSA regulations 
Computed years of service and total wages  for Indiana Public Retirement System (TRF/PERF) 
Assisted employees with federal regulations of 401K, 403(B), 457(B), and ROTH voluntary pension contributions 
Collaborated to resolve conflicts with corporate vendors for pension, disability, and health insurance 
Maintained an understanding of and complied with federal, state, and Internal Revenue Service regulations 
Organized & conducted events open enrollment, new employee orientation, retirement preparation 
Collaborated as part of a team to prepare & mail printed materials to all active employees & retirees 
Educated employees to facilitate a better understanding of all benefits plans
Analyzed disability contracts to ensure fulfillment of proper procedures & mediated disputes with vendors 
Tracked benefit amounts paid for self-funded short term disability claims 
Monitored, maintained, and funded bank account for all short term disability payments 
Utilized computer systems & programs such as IBM Mainframe, Banner Higher Ed (Oracle), Kronos 
Proficiently used Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, & PowerPoint 
Verified employment eligibility, provided accurate salary information & job descriptions to vendors 
Calculated billing, mailed bills, & monitored payments of insurance premiums owed during disability

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Samantha McKenna

Loretta Smith, PHR

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taplio

The Battle

Samantha McKenna

Loretta Smith, PHR

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Samantha McKenna's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreSamantha McKenna's LinkedIn Performance