Selling to Big Companies Blog

Can you help a poor guy out?

I got an email today from Brian Lambert, the director of Sales Development & Performance for the American Society of Training & Development.

He needs your help. As a PhD student, he's conducting a survey of the competencies required for an entry level business-to-business salesperson. He needs to have 1500 people complete this analysis ASAP.  Here's a link to the survey.

His wife wants him to graduate from his doctoral program and, time is running short. I totally understand where she's coming from.

If you're a sales rep, sales manager or sales trainer, please give Brian 25 minutes of your time. It's for the good of the sales profession and for his marriage!

What Must You Do?

I'll never forget my first Must Thinking moment. I was doing a pro bono project for the publisher of a small magazine that focused on small and emerging businesses. They wanted feedback on their media kit, so I asked for a bit of background on the entrepreneurial community.

They sent over a pile of reading material. Almost immediately, I was bowled over by the positive impact of these entrepreneurs on the economy.

But when I learned that 75% of them closed their doors because they didn't make enough money, I felt terrible. My heart went out to all the good, talented people whose dreams where shattered.

As a business-to-business sales expert, it was also clear to me that they lacked the knowledge and skills needed to acquire corporate clients. Curious, I began researching the "sales" resources available to these entrepreneurs.

Eighty hours later (on what was supposedly a 2-hour project), I concluded that most of the advice they were getting was dead wrong for the corporate market.

At that moment, a little voice inside me piped up and said, "You need to do something about this, Jill." 

"I can't make a living selling to small companies," I argued.

The voice persisted: "You have the expertise to help these people."

"They can't afford me," I argued back. "Plus, their goal would be to use me for the fewest hours possible. That's no way to build a consulting practice."

But that little voice wouldn't go away.

Sex in a Sales 2.0 World

Isn't that the best title for an article!  I wish I'd have thought of it. Unfortunately I was only the one who inspired it - but not in the way you might think. 

In his article on Sex in a Sales 2.0 World, Nigel Edelshain has some interesting commentary on how Web 2.0 technology is changing sales today. He's absolutely right when he says:

"If companies don't get the people element right, and don't motivate those people well, tools and processes won't do them much good at all."

Amen. Over the last few years, I've seen more sellers suffering from burnout than ever before. They're pushed to the brink to feed the corporation's insatiable need for increased shareholder value.

More, more, more! That's all that's important. Quotas are raised, and then raised again. Yesterday's successes are quickly forgotten. The corporation's and customers' needs take priority over a personal life and family.

As far as I'm concerned, this is totally out of whack.

It is also not sustainable. Life is not all about shareholder value. Salespeople need to feel that their work is making a difference and that they're appreciated.

Is it any wonder that one of the biggest issues facing the corporate world today is lack of employee engagement? I think not.

In the past few years I have made a deliberate choice to avoid working for companies where I "feel the greed."  I'm all for making a healthy profit, but not when it destroys people's lives. This may be controversial to some, but I will not sell my soul for the almighty dollar.

Creating a Personal Brand

If you haven't given much thought to building your own personal brand, perhaps it's time. Ron McDaniel, author of Buzzoodle Buzz Marketing and blogger extraordinaire, wrote an excellent post on Exploring Successful Personal Brands today.

He's compiled a list of 15 individuals who he feels have done a good job in creating excellent brands. They're not all rich and famous either. One young man, Tim Ferriss, was unknown up until 6 months ago. I'm on the list too.

I love the questions Ron challenges you to answer when you review the 15 sites. They really get you thinking! 

Ron also says: "You may look through this list and decide that they are mostly very successful people, and that is why they have the money to build a great brand. But they started someplace and continue building their brand even today."

So here's my story: My brand was launched 5 years ago. How did the idea come to me? For months I'd been thinking about how to help small businesses who where struggling with sales. My expertise was in helping them get into the corporate market.

Suddenly one morning I woke up with an idea that I'd start a website called Selling to Big Companies. I literally shut down my sales training business for almost a year to pull it all together. I nearly went broke in the process, but persevered anyway because I was on a mission. I bartered my sales coaching for website development. 

It was worth it! And if I can do it, so can YOU!

Sales Lessons from Dancing With the Stars

I admit it! I'm hopelessly addicted to this fluffy, feel-good show where famous men & women dare to learn something new with millions of people watching their every move.

Tonight I'll be watching the finals, cheering my favorites on one last time. Tomorrow I'll be despondent that it's over.

But before the results are announced, I'd like to weigh in on what you as a seller can learn from "Dancing With the Stars."

1. Practicing before prime time is essential.

Each week the stars not only learned a new dance, but also struggled to perfect it before they stepped on the stage. They practiced hours each day, tripping over their own two feet and worrying endlessly about mastering the intricacies of each dance.

Sellers need to take this lesson to heart. You can't "wing it" in sales today. Savvy sellers run through their presentations multiple times before standing in front of the committee. They listen to their own voicemail messages before calling real clients. In short, they stumble over their own words in private before they "perform" in front of prospective customers.

To increase your sales success, practice more.

2. You can't skip any steps.

Every dance has certain requirements that the judges expect to see. When the couples don't have enough turns or taps or whatever, they're docked points – which could ultimately lead to their eviction the following week.

Sellers who skip steps of the sales process in their attempts to get the business quickly, create obstacles that can delay or even derail their own sales efforts. Customers have their own buying process to go through. They won't be rushed. The more sellers "push" towards closure, the more likely they'll blow it.

To win more sales, don't skip any steps.

3.  The best option doesn't always win.

At the beginning of this season, actress Sabrina Bryan (Cheetah Girls) was clearly a formidable competitor. She danced beautifully and powerfully. Everyone was convinced she would be in the finals. But halfway through the competition, she was booted off the show because the viewers hadn't voted for her.

Sellers need to constantly be aware of anything that could negatively impact their sales efforts. If the right people in the company aren't advocating for your product or service, your ability to win the sale is at risk.

To stay in the game, make sure people are cheering for you.

4.  Lack of confidence doesn't sell.

Jennie Garth, actress of Beverly Hills: 90210 fame, came out week-after-week and did a yeoman's job. But she didn't believe she was a dancer and it showed. At times, it felt like she was counting steps or moving tentatively, afraid to really get into the role the dance needed from her. Instead, her niceness showed through – and it cost her.

Making a decision to change from the status quo is risky. Customers worry about what might go wrong or if they'll achieve the desired results. Sellers who are confident in their firm's capabilities often can provide the impetus to move ahead.

To initiate change, know the difference you can make.

5.  All things being equal, relationships count.

Going into tonight's finals, three contestants remain: Spice Girl Mel B, Indy 500 champion Helio and performer Marie Osmond. All have demonstrated "enough" dancing skills to be a contender for the coveted trophy. Now it all boils down to relationships.

Will the Spice Girl's fans cast their ballots en masse? Will Helio's & Julianne's chemistry pull in the votes? Or, will Marie's long-time fans carry her into the winner's circle?

When just three competitors remain in a sales situation, typically customers perceive any of them to be capable of doing the job. Then, the real question becomes, "Who do we want to work with?" Hopefully it will be you.

To win the trophy, strengthen relationships.

Tonight, at 8 pm Central, we'll find out who the actual winner is from this season's Dancing With the Stars. Fortunately, it really doesn't matter because we've already learned the sales lessons

5 Blogs That Really Make Me Think

Last week I was awarded a Thinking Blogger Award to acknowledge the "meaty" content on my blog. As an award winner, it's my responsibility to share my favorite blogs with you so here they are:

Marketing Interactions by Ardath Albee
With a focus on the marketing/sales gap, Ardath constantly explores new concepts on how to create closed loop communications systems that get results. An excellent writer (she writes novels in the evenings), her articles are always insightful.

B2B Lead Generation by Brian Carroll
While Brian writes on the topic of lead generation and generously shares innumerable resources with his readers, I like his blog for a different reason. Brian is the master of leveraging thought leadership strategies to build his/his company's name recognition & brand. I learn from him.

Life 2.0 by Nick Smith
My life is so much more than just Selling to Big Companies. Nick's perspectives challenge me to see the bigger picture, stretch my mind and continue growing as a human being. He pushes me to explore unexplored aspects of who I am and to be the best I can be.

Web Ink Now by David Meerman Scott
Like most entrepreneurs, I'm always looking for cost-effective ways to maximize my exposure and extend my reach. David's blog (and new book) continually get me thinking about how I can do more with less investment and/or less effort.

Working for Change by David Sirota
As a political independent who is extremely disillusioned with the US government, I am learning as much as I can about what's really happening in the world today. The mainstream media is no longer a good source of info, so I read several blogs like this one on a regular basis. 

Get Fresh Minds by Katie Konrath
I always appreciate fresh perspectives and this blogger's ideas are "so fresh they should be slapped." Katie, who is almost done with her Masters in Innovation, showcases her talents by finding the creative in the mundane. Her writing is sharp, descriptive and fun.  Yes, she is my daughter but when you check out her blog you'll know that this award is well-deserved! She's also the one who gave me this award in the first place.

So there you have it - a list of blogs that make me think. Some are related to sales, marketing & business development. Others reflect my interests as a woman and concerned citizen.

So tell me ... which blogs make YOU think?

Revenge of the Customer?

Winning sales in a cutthroat business environment is tough. It's especially hard when prospects have narrowed their options down to 2-3 finalists who all seem reasonably able to meet their needs. You've likely invested hours of time and company resources, if you've made it this far. Coming in second is not an attractive option.

So what can you do to avoid that outcome? One strategy that sellers have used for years involves planting "fear, uncertainty and doubt" (FUD) about the competition in their prospects' minds.

Sellers from big, well-known vendors were notorious for using FUD techniques to discredit smaller firms vying for the business. The more unscrupulous ones would even "fudge the truth" or make statements that were blatant lies.

When I worked for a struggling technology company, at various times my FUD-inducing competitors slipped in comments such as:

• Are you sure they're able to handle a project of this size?
• I'm not familiar with their services. We really never compete with them.
• Are they going to make it? I've heard they're in deep financial trouble.

Hearing this, prospects fretted and even lost sleep over what could happen if they made a bad or risky decision. After all, their careers and livelihoods were at stake.

Today the tables have turned!  Customers are now the ones who are planting feelings of fear, uncertainty and doubt in the minds of the sellers who call on them

One More Time!

In my newsletter today I featured an article by Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling.  Unfortunately, for at least some readers, the parts of the article looked like Egyptian hieroglyphics. So to clear up any confusion, here's the whole thing in English.

The Power of One

One is a very tiny number. However, it can have a tremendous impact on your revenues.  Here are some ideas to consider:

•  Make one more call every day.
One extra call a day equals 260 calls in a year. How many meetings could you set up with this number of calls and how many of those meetings could you turn into sales? Consider your current conversion ratio and think of the impact on your business.

Can a Quitter Achieve Success?

True confessions ... I'm a quitter!  And now, everyone knows. Yesterday Seth Godin, author of a gazillion popular books on marketing, "outed" me on his new blog.

That's right. I've made his List of Quitters. Fortunately I'm in good company. My name is in the same paragraph as Tom Peters, Harrison Ford, Suze Orman and Jeff Bezos.

In his new book, The Dip: The Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit (And When to Stick), Seth challenges readers to take a serious look at themselves. According to him, "Winners quit fast, quit often, and quit without guilt - until they commit to beating the right Dip for the right reasons."

Mmmmm. Get's you thinking doesn't it.

- How can you quit sounding like a self-serving salesperson?
- If you quit talking so much, would you have more customers?
- What do you need to quit doing to have more time for high value activities?

So tell me, what do you need to quit?  Or, what have you already quit that has changed your life?

Quitting can definitely be a good thing!

Making 100 Calls is Pure Bologna

Sales gurus who give bad advice really make me mad. Because of their "guru status", they're often out of touch with what it takes to be successful in today's business environment.

So here's what got me ticked off this time. The other night I was catching up on my reading. Within 30 minutes, I encountered the exact same advice from "the ultimate success expert" who's also a "leading authority on human potential and personal effectiveness."

His name is irrelevant. His advice is dead wrong.