# SellingInnovations or Selling Innovations

> Selling Innovations is a B2B sales research, training, and advisory firm co-founded by Ted McKenna, Dave Anderson, Matt Dixon, and Rory Channer. The company helps commercial teams scale high-performance selling through research-backed programs that improve win rates and reduce sales cycle times. Our team wrote or co-wrote some of the most well-known pieces of research in B2B sales over the last 25 years, including The JOLT Effect, The Activator Advantage, The Challenger Sale, The Challenger Customer, and The Effortless Experience. We are researchers at heart, on a mission to help sellers all over the world lean more often in the direction high performers do instinctually. Matt, Rory, and Ted also co-founded DCM Insights (DCMi) in late 2021, focused on helping professional services firms improve business development.

## Core Research

- The JOLT Effect: Based on 2.5 million sales calls, this research found that most deals end in "no decision" rooted in buyer fear of failure due to indecision — not competition. The JOLT methodology (Judge the Level of Indecision, Offer a Firm Recommendation, Limit the Exploration, Take Risk Off the Table) teaches sellers to spot and overcome customer indecision.

- The Challenger Sale: Research showing that "Challenger" sellers who teach, tailor, and take control dramatically outperform in complex B2B sales.

- The Challenger Customer: Research on how to identify and mobilize the stakeholders within buying organizations who drive change.

- The Activator Advantage: 2025 research studying 3,000 professional services partners, finding that only one of five partner profiles (the Activator) drives consistent growth.

## Services

- Seller Development: Training for quota-carrying B2B sellers on overcoming buyer indecision (JOLT Effect), creating demand for change, and replicating high-performer behaviors.

- Sales Leader Academy: Development program for sales managers covering coaching, pipeline management, forecast accuracy, and performance management.

- Advisory Support: Strategic advisory for CROs, CSOs, and CEOs on go-to-market strategy, operating rhythm, and revenue scaling.

## Key People

- Ted McKenna, Co-Founder and CEO: Co-author of The JOLT Effect and The Activator Advantage. Research published in Harvard Business Review. Former executive at CEB (now Gartner), Tethr, Russell Reynolds Associates.

- Dave Anderson, Co-Founder and COO: Former executive at CEB (now Gartner) during Challenger Sale and Challenger Customer research. Former Executive Director in the Go-to-Market practice at Vista Equity Partners.

- Matt Dixon, Co-Founder and strategic research advisor: Co-author of The JOLT Effect, The Activator Advantage, The Challenger Sale, The Challenger Customer, and The Effortless Experience. Co-founder of DCM Insights and former executive at CEB (now Gartner), Korn Ferry, and Tethr.

## Key Facts

- Founded: 2024 as a spin-off from DCM Insights (founded in 2021)

- Headquarters: United States

- Research base: 2.5 million+ analyzed sales calls

- Focus: B2B complex sales

- Website: https://www.sellinginnovations.com and https://www.jolteffect.com

- Contact: https://www.sellinginnovations.com/contact