Spotlight on Di Murphy, Icehouse Business Coach

Di Murphy is a Christchurch-based coach, facilitator, and author of the Intentional Salesperson released in July. We have THREE copies to giveaway. Email grow@theicehouse.co.nz

Di Murphy is most energised when a senior leadership team is collaborating or a sales team is delivering exceptional outcomes.

During a conversation at a function several years ago, a CEO told Di that he was struggling to get his team on the same page and as a result performance was sluggish.

She persuaded him to try her approach, utilising a specialist behavioural profiling tool. Eight years on, that same CEO has continued to recommend Di to others because his leadership team moved from being “an average team, to an exceptional team aligned and pumped” after a few sessions with Di.

“When you’ve got self-awareness and awareness of others - that’s what moves a team,” Di says.

As your team grows and changes, it’s a really good idea to do the profiling again and it’s a quick turnaround process she adds.

“When new people join the team, be sure to include them in the process to streamline onboarding and team culture.”

Di’s clients keep returning - many of her original clients are still with her, after 10 years running her own consultancy.

With a proven background in media sales, Di was the GM Sales at MediaWorks in Christchurch, she’s passionate about moving the dial for sales teams.

“Creating a sales methodology that everybody can follow is where I’ve seen the biggest shifts in revenue. It’s got to be worked on and written down. And if you’re not closing 70% of your sales then it’s time to look at your process!”

Di shared a few extracts from her new book below:

Extractions from The Intentional Salesperson

When we go through our day with intention we set out with purpose, we create plans and goals. The magic happens when we are done with our day and we feel a sense of accomplishment which puts us in a positive space, and therefore we feel better about ourselves.

So ask yourself in this now moment - do you get through the day, or do you get from the day? It is ok wherever you are at, as we can all change.

The Intentional Sales Mindset

Every day we have the opportunity to be better, and as salespeople we often forget that sales is a profession, we have to keep growing and adapting and changing to the environment we are in. Like all professional people we have to continue to develop our skills to make sure every opportunity that comes our way, we make full advantage of.

In the past 35 years I have adapted my style so many times, but then I always come back to making sure I do the basics well and ensure that I am selling in a way my customer wants to buy not the way I want to sell. Do you know what I mean by that? If we have been selling for a long time we can get ‘set in our ways’ and start to rinse and repeat where we go. Have you ever stopped to think of what you could change, and then change it? Or have you changed something in your process and reverted back to old ways? Only you can answer these questions with honesty.

Sales is not just about hitting numbers. It’s about creating trust, adding value, and showing up as the kind of person your clients want to work with - over the lifetime of the customer. Now let’s be clear, nothing happens until a sale is made - nothing! And that is down to you! You the salesperson, it is nobody else’s responsibility in that moment except for you, so you have to maximise, and capitalise on EVERY opportunity that comes your way, or you find.

Intentional salespeople do the work before they show up. They’re not winging it. They know their clients, they own their brand, and they lead themselves with curiosity and courage.

From the Field: Learning to Listen

When I finally started getting in front of decision-makers early in my career, I made a critical shift. I stopped trying to impress my products or services on them , and I started asking more questions about them or their business.

I listened - not just to reply, but to understand.
I took a lot of notes, wrote down their words, and focused less on presenting my solution and more on learning what mattered to them.

What I realised was this:

The deeper my understanding of what people truly needed, the easier it became to sell.

And not only that - I had better tools when it came time to handle objections or close the sale. I could return to their own words, to their goals, challenges, desired outcomes, and measures of success.

I still use this approach today – always.

Interested and want to read more? Join the waitlist here.