SNAP Selling
NEW (May 2010) Fresh strategies to speed up sales & win more business with today's crazy-busy customers.
Selling to Big Companies
Award-winning book; Fortune selects 1 of 8 "Must-Reads" for sellers; Top 25 Amazon sales book for over 4.5 years.
Got some free time this weekend? If you're struggling to get prospects to understand how you can help their business, check out this free video on "Communicating Your Value." It's by Mike Schultz, president of RAIN Group and bestselling author of Rainmaking Conversations.
This video is part of a How to Turbo-Charge Your Sales series to launch Entrepreneurial Selling, a new online training program especially for entrepreneurs. I'm part of the faculty, along with some other people whom I highly respect.
Take a look now. It's well worth your time! He offers some excellent insights that can help you get more business.
If you’re an entrepreneur, salesperson at a growing company or in charge of a sales team, check this out right now.
Mike Schultz, president of RAIN Group and bestselling author of Rainmaking Conversations, just released a new free video series that focuses on how to:
It’s worth your time to watch. There are a couple more coming soon too. It’s all part of the launch of Entrepreneurial Selling, a new online training program. I’m part of the faculty, along with some other people whom I highly respect.
So click here watch the first free video in the Entrepreneurial Selling series now. I’m confident you’ll get ideas that will boost your sales.
Full disclosure: This email contains affiliate links, meaning I get paid if you sign up for the program. But I only promote things I think are worth it -- and I know this is.
If you're selling technology, you know how hard it can be to get your customers to understand the performance-enhancing business value that your company actually provides.
That's why I think you'll like Cloudy, With a Chance of Rainmaking, a new ebook by Eric Beckman, EVP at Executive Conversation, Inc. It's focused on how to translate the value of cloud computing, but its message applies to anyone selling technology.
If that's you, you'll definitely want to download it and read the whole thing. Here are a few takeaways from this new ebook that I think youll find valuable.
_________________________________
Attention Cloud Sellers: Got Business Translation?
Adoption of cloud computing presents today’s sales professionals with one of the greatest opportunities in decades. However, translating technical solutions into business value pushes many sellers outside their comfort zones.
This is particularly true with cloud computing where value often hinges on fundamentally changing an account’s operating model.
Recognizing that moving to the cloud is both a business and technical decision for your accounts, here are three considerations to keep you ahead of your competition.
1. See Growth As Your Window of Opportunity
Growth remains the decisive spark for adopting transformative technology. In fact, by 2015 some 50% of Global 1000 enterprises are expected to use cloud computing for their top 10 revenue-generating processes, according to Gartner, Inc.
Helping buyers see the connection between your technology and their growth — revenue, margins, cash flow — must anchor your every strategy. Yet far too many sellers rely solely on cost savings to financially justify their solutions.
Recognize, however, that few projects both generate revenue and reduce costs. And while cost reductions can often be predicted with greater confidence than revenue growth, the reason growth reigns superior is because it speaks to market share, new customers and winning.
2. Express Interest in Your Account’s Planning Processes
To link your value to customer growth, it helps to understand your customer’s growth plans. Be honest: Are you in your customer’s plans – or not?
Sales professionals regularly miss opportunities to insert themselves into their customer's planning cycles. They mistakenly believe that strategic planning is a process the customer alone must own. Becoming a part of your customer's growth plans positions you to:
In general, companies operate with strategic plans and operational plans. Strategic plans define the direction and character of the organization, while operational plans detail how the strategies will be accomplished. To be sure, your goal is to be recognized in both as the diagram below shows.
3. Earn the Ear of Business Decision-Makers
Any strategy to engage higher within accounts comes with a harsh reality—you’ll be delegated down to the person you sound like.
Eager to tell accounts about your cloud computing capabilities, it’s easy to lose sight of why prospects actually care. Earning the ear of business decision-makers — leaders empowered to accelerate investment decisions — requires you demonstrate how your solution will improve their business performance.
Cloudy, With a Chance of Rainmaking provides step-by-step guidance for applying these ideas to your accounts and opportunities. It's a quick read for anyone selling technology.
Recently I interviewed Susan Solovic, author of It's Your Biz (out soon) and founder of the resource-rich It's Your Biz website. Her new book is excellent for if you're thinking about starting your own business. You can start by reading my interview with her below.
And, you'll also want to check out her 10 free videos on how to avoid the common pitfalls and increase the odds of your success.
_________________________
With all the business books out there, why did you decide to write one?
SUSAN SOLOVIC: Many of the business books don't address realities of what it takes to start and build a successful business. I want to make sure people start their business journey well-equipped with a true understanding of what it takes to be successful.
Business ownership isn't for everyone. Yet in this economy, many Americans by default are jumping into their own business because they feel they have no other choice.
Others choose self-employment naively because they think it will provide a more balanced lifestyle. No more office politics. No more bad bosses, etc. So whether you are just in the start-up phase or struggling to build it's important for you to understand the realities of business fundamentals. I've been in the trenches and built a million dollar plus organization from the ground up. I want to share those fundamentals with new or struggling business owners so they can soar to success.
So what do you mean about business realities and fundamentals.
SUSAN SOLOVIC: The building blocks that it takes to build a successful business. Too many self-proclaimed small business experts tell people if you are passionate about what you do you can't help but succeed.
WRONG. Passion alone is not the key to business success. Passion is important because it gives you energy to work the kind of hours you need to work to build a company, but it takes a lot more business expertise to really be successful.
Furthermore, there is a significant difference between creating a job for yourself -- an income stream -- and building a successful, sustainable business. When you build a real business, it becomes bigger than you alone. In fact, if more small companies applied these basic fundamentals to build a business, we could begin to chip away at America's job crisis.
Can you give us some examples?
SUSAN SOLOVIC: Yes. For example, when you start a business you should have a sense of what you want it to become. Otherwise, It's like starting to build a home without blueprints. You don't know what materials to use or what direction to go. Understanding the big picture helps you make the right choices regarding steps you need to take to build a sustainable business.
What if you want your business to remain small?
SUSAN SOLOVIC: That's okay as long as you make an educated decision. As I noted, there is a huge difference between creating a job for yourself and building a business. Unfortunately, a lot of entrepreneurs don't figure that out until it's too late. If you create a job you have an income stream, but when you stop doing all the work yourself the money -- and the business - stops too.
A business is something that becomes bigger than you and can sustain itself down the road with or without your participation. And best of all it has value if you want to sell it some day, pass it on to your heirs or give your employees a chance to take it over.
What was the biggest challenge for you as you built your business?
SUSAN SOLOVIC: Learning to let go. Entrepreneurs really like to do things their own way. And we think no one can do it better than we can. But successful business owners learn how to create the processes in their companies so they can teach others how to do what they do and it can be delivered consistently. So for me, being able to step back and give others the authority and power to run with the ball was a difficult transition.
When is the right time to add employees to your team?
SUSAN SOLOVIC: There's no right answer, but in the book I talk about what I call the MYTOP Theory -- Multiple Yourself Through Other People. You can't do everything all by yourself and expect to be build a successful business. You need the right people to help you grow.
So when you find yourself in a position where the level of business is such that an extra set of hands could free you up to do what you do best for the company -- then that's a good time to start thinking about adding that first team member. Always start by looking for someone who complements your skill set.
What about funding business start-up or growth. Access to capital is a big challenge for small businesses.
SUSAN SOLOVIC: When I hear entrepreneurs talk about what they would do if only they had the money then I figure they really don't want to do it. Successful business owners know how to do a lot with very little. They are creative and innovative and most bootstrap their way to success.
Some research shows the majority of small businesses start with less than $10,000 in capital which they secure from their own personal assets or borrowing from family and friends. As my mother used to say, "Where there's a will there's a way."
What are you recommendations regarding social media and social media.
SUSAN SOLOVIC: If you aren't using social media to market your business, you are missing a huge opportunity. It is a game changer. It makes it possible for a small business owner to build its brand and identify potential customers for very little cost.
For example, one dog training service I interviewed decided to leave a franchise operation, change its name and basically strike out on their own. Because of social media they were able to alert hundreds of followers easily and the transition went smoothly. Ten years ago that would have been a very different situation.
Additionally, how important is technology in helping small businesses succeed.
SUSAN SOLOVIC: Technology levels the playing field. It gives small businesses the opportunity to grow a global business from their garage. But now with all the mobility application, small businesses are getting even greater advantages.
With advances in technology, you can literally manage your entire business from the palm of your hand -- your smart phone. Track expenses, manage inventory, manage your CRM, run credit card payments and my favorite is connecting with social media. When people tell me they don't have time for social media I ask them -- what do you do when you are waiting in line at the grocery store or in a dentist office lobby? Get out your smart phone or tablet PC and start marketing using your social media applications.
What's your final piece of advice?
SUSAN SOLOVIC: You have to take action every day to build a business. Lots of business owners talk, talk, talk about what they are going to do, but never do it. To be successful you have to be disciplined and deliberated about taking measurable actions every day to drive your business forward. Without that kind of commitment, it's difficult to succeed.
When I read Maximizing Lead Generation: The Complete Guide for B2B Marketers, I knew I had to share it with you.
In my opinion, it's the missing link for companies who know they need to do something differently, but don't know where to start. If that applies to you, it's definitely worth reading.
• See Table of Contents • Read Sample Chapter
I hope you enjoy my interview today with author Ruth Stevens. She consults on customer acquisition and retention, and teaches at Columbia Business School
JILL: Ruth, what was the impetus for writing this book?
RUTH: I thought B-to-B marketers could use an end-to-end, soup-to-nuts guide on how to generate a steady stream of qualified leads to support their sales forces and distributors. I haven’t seen a book like that on the market before.
And, truth be told, the editors in the QUE division at Pearson were looking for someone to write on this subject, so I didn’t have to go pitch the idea—it was already a done deal. Lucky me.
JILL: I don't think it's lucky. I think you had the right idea at the right time.
RUTH: Thanks! I appreciate that.
JILL: So if someone was going to take a quick look at it, where would they get the most bang for the buck?
RUTH: One thing I’ve learned in my life as a business marketer is that there are often key points of leverage out there, where, if you apply a small amount of effort, the payoff can be huge. So in my book, I focus on several of these. To whet your appetite, here are a couple:
JILL: Tell us a little-known secret of lead generation success.
RUTH: Here’s the crazy thing. Lead gen is less about marketing breakthroughs and silver bullets. It’s more about process. The company with the best process wins.
JILL: I agree with you. That's why I liked your book so well. It covers the entire process so people can make sure that they pull it all together.
What are some of the thorny problems that face marketers when they are ready to generate leads?
RUTH: The biggest problem is politics. Like when a product manager says, “Hey, just tell them how fabulous our product is, and they’ll want it!” when you know you need an incentive to motivate response in your campaign.
Or when a sales person takes a lead generated by marketing and changes the source code in the SFA system to deny marketing the credit. We all need to keep our eye on the prize.
JILL: What about the future? What are some of the trends you’re seeing in the lead generation world?
RUTH: Some wonderful new developments, like marketing automation, and mobile marketing, and maybe—just maybe—a new opportunity for sales and marketing to jointly target mutual goals. Won’t that be great!
JILL: It sure will. And thanks for joining me today, Ruth. And everyone else -- take a look at Maximizing Lead Generation. It'll answer many of your questions and give you the guidance you need.
• See Table of Contents • Read Sample Chapter • Order on Amazon
This morning I got an email from a CRM provider about a free ebook on the social sales revolution. It piqued my curiosity. Before you know it, I was registering to download it.
But -- and now I'm going into true confession mode -- I didn't use my real name or phone number on the form. Nor did I give out my easily identifiable business email address. Instead, I used a generic one.
Why do I want to remain incognito? Because I'm just interested in learning. I don't want to talk to anyone. I don't want to be a "lead." Sound familiar?
But, based on the email I received just a few short minutes after downloading the ebook, you'd think I was one a hot prospect.
Jane,
I noticed that you have recently been on our website taking a look at some information.
Many customers who have taken this initial step have found it extremely valuable to set up a brief 10 minute call with me to answer any questions they have and explain how our different products and services could bring value to their specific situation.
This typically helps shorten your evaluation process and gives you exactly the information you need to help make any comparisons or decisions.
What is the best way to get 10 minutes on your calendar in the near future?
Wait a minute. I think there's a major disconnect here. I simply signed up for an interesting ebook they promoted and suddenly they've got me in the midst of a CRM decision?
Exactly 34 minutes after the initial message, the next message arrived. They were having trouble reaching me on my clearly fake phone number. Don't they get that I want to remain anonymous?
Hi Jane,
Thank you for your interest in ourcrm.com
I am unable to reach you at: 123-456-7890. Is there a better number to reach you at?Please let me know if it makes sense to connect. I would be happy to lend you a hand to further evaluate ourcrm.com
Alternatively, if you don't see a need for us to connect, please let me know that as well.
Then just two minutes later I heard from the CRM company again. Now they're really starting to get serious with me. They want to know about my currrent CRM systems, issues, challenges and decision timelines.
Can you believe this letter?
Hi Jane,
If you feel more comfortable communicating via email, please take a moment to answer the questions listed below. To provide you with the best overall customer experience, it is important for us to understand your specific business needs and objectives.
Thanks again for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
1. What is your current CRM system?
2. What challenges are you facing with your current system?
3. How do you envision using ourcrm.com? (Sales, Marketing, Customer Service and Support)
4. Ideally, what are you looking for the CRM to do for your company?
5. How many users do you envision using the application?
6. What other CRM solutions are you looking at?
7. What is your timeline for implementation?
8. What is your HQ address?
9. How many full time employees do you have?Thanks Jane!
And to think all this started because I downloaded an ebook on the social sales revolution. I expressed NO interest in CRM systems. Yet they were pursuing me as if I was in the midst of a major decision.
Unfortunately, many companies are setting up their automated lead gen systems like this. They're misconstruing my intentions and ticking me off.
I can't imagine that that's their ultimate goal -- yet that's exactly what's happening.
Has this ever happened to you?
It's tough to reach prospects today. For many, email is their preferred way of communicating. Yet they sit with their finger on the delete button ready to blast your message into oblivion in a nanosecond.
But it doesn't have to be that way. In this session, I'll share the strategies Mark used to get a CEO to respond to his email in just 8 minutes. When Nina used these same strategies, a previously unreachable prospect replied in just 30 minutes. They really work.
During this 30-minute online seminar, you'll discover:
Can't make it then? Register anyway and we'll send you a link when the audio is ready to listen to!
When I read this article by CRM analyst Lauren Carlson, I knew I wanted to share it with you.
In an increasingly mobile business world, professionals operate day-to-day on their mobile devices. Because of this, vendors have worked to develop the best apps that can bring all the necessary business functionality to an individual on the go.
One profession that stands to benefit most from these apps is sales. We at Software Advice typically focus on customer relationship management software reviews, but we decided to focus on sales and see what is available on mobile devices to match the needs of a mobile sales force. We were honestly amazed at the great tools we found. Below we highlight some of our favorites.
Networking Hashable Mobile
With everything else going digital, why shouldn't business cards? Hashable has developed a neat app that basically allows you to track everyone you meet. If you can gather an email address or Twitter handle, the app will do the rest. It logs the individual down, along with the place that you met them. It allows you to make contact notes, set reminders to follow up, and track phone calls and meetings.
Everything can sync back to your calendar and/or email to help keep you organized. Hashable Mobile is free and available for iPhone and Android.
Presentations Soonr
Soonr brings file collaboration to your mobile device. Not only can you create and edit PowerPoint presentations, but Soonr allows you to access and share over 40 different types of files, from spreadsheets to mp3's. Because Soonr operates in the cloud, any changes made from your mobile device are automatically saved and synced back to your desktop. Another cool feature is the SMS notification.
Whenever a file is updated or edited, anyone who has access to that file will receive a text. This way, you always know what is going on with your files, even if you are thousands of miles from the office. Soonr is $9.95/user/month and is available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Android tablets.
Travel FlightTrack Pro
One of the biggest pain points in a traveling profession is, you guessed it, traveling! FlightTrack Pro was developed by Mobiata to ease some of that pain. This is probably one of my favorite apps. It allows you to sync your travel itinerary, and then sends you push notifications about any changes with itinerary - delayed flights, change of gates, etc.
It also has a really neat map feature that allows you to track your flight on a visually stunning graphic map. FlightTrack Pro is $9.99 on the App Store and is available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
CRM Sugar Mobile
Sugar is already a leader in the CRM arena, and now they have extended their capabilities to mobile devices so that you can access client-critical information from anywhere. You can run reports, set up meetings, manage cases and contact information all from your mobile device. And with their latest update to the app, the user interface has become even more intuitive and simple.
The coolest new addition to the app is the Twitter Connector. This feature essentially allows you to manage your Twitter account and Twitter streams without having to leave the app. Price is free and it's available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
These are just a sampling of the apps. For more information on each one and to see more choices for each category, check out the original article here.
Lauren Carlson is a writer and market analyst out of Austin, Texas. She focuses on enterprise technology in the area of customer relationship management. She has been mentioned on Forbes.com and other notable web sites. You can see her articles regularly on the Software Advice blog.
Click here to read the winning sales limericks.
A few weeks ago I went to Ireland to speak to a group of entrepreneurs. While there, I was inspired me to write some limericks, an Irish form of nonsensical poetry.
They were so fun to create, that I decided to sponsor the ...
Here are my attempts! I hope you enjoy them.
There once was a lady named Bella
Who was trying to sell to this fella.
When they finally did meet,
She didn't miss a beat
'Fore she put him through PowerPoint hella.
There once was a man name Peter
Who wanted to buy a new heater.
But he was so appalled
When the sales lady called
Without thinking, he quickly delete her.
_________________
SUBMIT YOUR SALES LIMERICK BELOW
Remember, limericks always have five lines and
their rhyming scheme is aabba.
If you're a marketer who buys databases for your company's lead generation initiatives, you'll be interested in this recent study: B2B Response Databases: A Comparative Analysis.
Written by Ruth Stevens & Bernice Grossman, it take an in-depth look at quality of data from three of the major "response" database providers.
What are response databases? Ones that are assembled from individuals who take some sort of action -- like subscribing to a magazine, attending a conference or buying a product.
According to Stevens, "In recent years, these response files have been assembled into large databases, giving marketers access to names based on various characteristics like title, company size, etc." In the past, response databases lacked market coverage.
But this year, the authors conclude that "these new response databases are a valuable prospecting resource for B-to-B marketers."
Download the study now to see how the different vendors compared. It's interesting.
Recently I was interviewed by Robert Jordan, author of How They Did it: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America.
It's a neat book that's filled with thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from 45 of the most successful living company founders ever to come out of the MIdwest. And, since I'm from the great state of Minnesota, of course I have a special affinity for it.
... Anyway, back to the interview. Bob asked me about the biggest mistakes that I see entrepreneurs make—and what they should be doing. Of course, I do have an opinion on the topic and it is related to sales.
If you'd like to hear my thoughts on what an entrepreneur needs to do to get off to a fast start, click here to go listen to (or download) this 16-minute podcast.
Enjoy!
In most organizations, there's a huge disconnect between Marketing & Sales. And, in today's business environment is a killer. Plain and simple.
That's why I want you to know about the upcoming DemandCon Conference in San Francisco on May 18-20.
It's the first conference ever that's dedicated to managing the complete sales funnel.
I'll be doing an opening keynotes at DemandCon. I hope you'll be able to join me. Here's what I'll be talking about.
(Pretty cool video technology too! Check out VisibleGains to learn more!)
Plus, there are tons of SNAPPY breakouts (20 minute sessions designed to get people to "net it out), panel discussions and open forums. Seriously. I could spend days listening to these people talk.
Click here to check out the DemandCon Speakers. They're industry experts, executives, actual clients, authors -- all who have extensive expertise in a piece of the sales funnel. Now they're coming together to share it.
And, check out Hugh McFarlane's (from MathMarketing) related workshop: DemandCon Funnel Plan. In it, he reveals advanced techniques and best practices for increasing revenue volume and velocity. He's making it available to DemandCon participants at big discount.
Hopefully you'll be able to make it! If we can get Marketing & Sales working together, we'll all be more successful.
.
If so, check out this new book by Chris Lytle called The Accidental Sales Manager: How to Take Control and Lead Your Sales Team to Record Profits.
When he asked me to write an endorsement for it, I was glad to because it's good AND I know how much new sales managers need help. (Been there, done that!) Maybe that's why I liked the "Fourteen Things You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way" chapter so much.
Another excellent chapter is called "Shaking Up Your Sales Meetings: 22 Ways to Add Impact, Variety and Even Suspense to Keep Your Salespeople Engaged." It's good too. And much needed if you need to develop your sales team.
One more thing, if you go ahead and buy the book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, he'll send you a link to a pass-worded web page where you can download seven Instant Sales Meetings.
Each one has an mp3 that your salespeople listen to a few days before the meeting. Then, as a sales manager, you get the tools you need (slides & questions) to lead a 15-25 minute discussion on the topic.
It's good stuff. Just e-mail Chris your receipt at chris.lytle@sparque.biz.
So I'm recommending the book -- and the bonus that comes with it!
