At a certain point in a company’s growth it has to stop playing at it and become a “proper” company. For growth companies that are planned from the outset, this is from day 1. For lifestyle businesses, however, it may take several years to get to this point.

Then one day they may get the opportunity to trade with a larger organisation. Or they may decide that they need to secure a base load of business which can come from a larger player rather than continuing on knocking over small deals. This is likely to precipitate a “formality” crisis if the organisation is not prepared for it.

Because larger organisations, particularly public sector ones will expect you to behave formally.

Unless the business has someone at senior level that not only understands but likes doing process the business will not succeed at this game. There are lots of independent consultants around who are great at what they do but who are always saying- “oh I can’t be bothered to do tenders – it takes too long and they always have a preferred supplier.” While there is some truth in this there are ways round it. One is to become part of a gang which we’ll talk about later.

Another is to get someone on board if you haven’t already got one who likes doing process. Because if you haven’t you’ll go no further.

Traditionally the company accountant fulfils this role – or in a smaller company, the office dragon. Office dragons can be set up to hold the boss to account – within certain limits. This can be particularly useful in dealing with a key crisis of growth – the first salesman. Better to get an office dragon to work with the boss/salesman over a 6 month period to pioneer a strict sales monitoring regime so that the suit when finally employed can be held to account than employ and endless series of “real” salesmen who need to be liked by the customer more than they need to get a result – but I repeat the message of “Telling it face to face”.

This will force you to get organised and is probably a good thing for the future survival of the company.

You really can’t hack this unless your IT systems are up to scratch. You need to have all your evidence of policies, accreditations, financial stability and sales arguments all together in one place where they can easily be deployed. You have to write the bid in the right language and focus on what’s actually asked for. And you have to remember that monitoring the way its delivered and providing for KPI audit is actually more important in the eyes of the procurer than the content of what you offer.

Just remember it’s not going to go away anytime soon.

In our Abandoned Heroes research project, we found that compliance with the demands of government and suppliers was the biggest driver for IT installation and upgrade in small companies. When even a Sandwich Maker employing 6 part time staff has to demonstrate complete food traceability under the regulations you can see the need for system. And as for what we have to do for the Soil Association…………..Even the manure has to be certified!

Salespeople sell more if they get more commission don’t they. Right? Wrong.

Commission and most incentives reduce salespeople’s personal motivation to get things done and the quality of their work falls according to the evidence put forward by Alfie Kohn in Punished by Rewards.

It might be difficult to believe for any seasoned sales professional. However, the more you think about it, the more you realise there may be something in it.

I know plenty of people that work very hard for a pittance while others do as little as possible but get paid loads. There is certainly no correlation there between their remuneration and their effort.

The recent series of Make Me Millionaire Trader showed several talented potential share traders leave the project because they did not believe in the morality of what they were doing. They were clearly on their way to a potentially very lucrative career.

OK, so let’s suspend disbelief and say that commission does not work. This then raises the conundrum of how we DO motivate salespeople with commission.

Only the bravest sales organisation would drop a system of commission compensation and totally replace it with improved sales managers and a better sales management system.

However, experience suggests that the best sales people do their best work when they feel appreciated by their employer and love the product that they sell.

Andy Szebeni, sales training specialist

As someone that has always enjoyed networking and had considerable success with it, I have found it fascinating to see what is happening with face-to-face and word of mouth marketing as the number of clients begins to dry up. The breakfast groups in particular are seeing a rise in visitors, despite the unearthly hour at which we must rise.

In an association that I help to run and in several of the business networking groups with which I am involved, we are seeing a lot of new faces and ever more people signing up. It is great to have the fresh meat and all the circle of contacts that they bring!

An experienced businessman that I know who has helped set up a number of associations noted recently that in recessions (at last we can actually use that word without fear of being told that we are not yet technically in one!) the membership of trade bodies jumps. This happens as funds are scarce for marketing and it appears to be a cheap option to go hawking our wares around the business groups.

It is a shame it takes difficult times for people to see the value of word-of-mouth. But indeed it does.

However, newbies to the circuit need to be careful of confusing activity for results. By all means visit your local Federation of Small Business, Institute of Directors, Chamber of Commerce and Business Network International events but make sure this is where your customers are. Or the people that mix with your potential customers. And analyse where the business is coming from. Remember to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t!

Andy Szebeni, sales trainer

A Government minister said yesterday that she could see a few “green shoots” of economic recovery. Suddenly the press gets hold of it and makes headlines.

If Lady Vadera was commenting on the country as a whole then generally the economy is still heading downwards. As a spokesman said, ‘there is a great deal of uncertainty in the economy at the moment”.

However, there are some companies doing well. We should know! I believe that Lady Vadera was right if taken in context;

” these are uncertain economic times, there are pressures on jobs and businesses and families; at the same time you are seeing some businesses that are expanding their workforces.”

Well, isn’t that what companies like ‘
Need More Sales‘ are supposed to be helping companies to do? Thank you Lady Vadera, but next time can you perhaps be more specific and also get a name check in for ‘Need More Sales’ along the way?

The Chartered Institute of Marketing regularly issues Marketing Trends Surveys and insights into trends. We as Need More Sales are a Business to Business telemarketing agency and tend to be at the sharp end of market sentiment.

We have noticed that a Marketing Sherpa survey about marketing tactics in a downturn is indicating that nearly as many marketers plan to increase their spending as decrease it. This is reflected in the number of incoming enquiries we are receiving requesting telemarketing services.

We believe that the reason for this is that most business to business sales activity requires interaction so if you are going to speak to the prospect at some point then this tactic confirms whether the suspect is of value – we call this qualifying or data cleaning) and can then have the greatest opportunity to turn this into a sale (through telemarketing). It is highly measurable and a direct line to prospects.

I enclose the survey statistics below;

Marketing Tactics in the Economic Downturn


Telemarketing enjoys the best ratio of the offline tactics. Nearly as many marketers plan to increase their spending as decrease it. ‘Tele-nurturing’ might be a better word than tele-sales or telemarketing; most organizations are not making cold calls. The tactic also benefits from being a measurable and direct line to prospects.

Direct mail has experienced a decline in efficiency over recent years. But it remains a reliable tactic that produces strong results for companies in all industries and products. For many companies, however, the direct mail budget is a place to cut. In place of glossy brochures or dimensional mailings, expect to see a proliferation of postcards and personalized letters, which can be produced at less cost.

Events are already suffering in the fourth quarter and can be expected to hurt for some or all of 2009. Conference attendance is down, spurring deep discounts across many industries. The effects are being felt among sponsors as well; they are choosing smaller displays or attending rather than exhibiting. A MarketingSherpa study last June indicated that some types of conference attendance would drop by approximately 10% over the next 12 months. The state of the economy may deepen that decline.

Radio and TV are getting hit hard, with ample evidence to support the downturn. Spending on broadcast media, in particular, is expensive and one of the first places to see a cut.

Print advertising has been under pressure for some time and the downturn isn’t helping. The migration of advertisers to online offerings of traditional publishers didn’t show a one-to-one match of dollars even before the recessionary economy. Today, all marketers are trimming their print budgets, renegotiating for more favorable rates or both.

Source: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=30937&?9750

Christmas seems to be a time for reflection. This year as you break for Christmas and sit down to watch ‘The Snowman’ for the oompteenth time you may do well to reflect the importance of the salesman to you in business. Written by an unknown author but very valid in today’s climate when every sale counts!

THE SALESMAN

When labour toils and factories hum,

And out plant doors the products come,

The payment for it comes from …

The Salesman.

In any business office where

White-collar workers earn their share,

They all should thank in grateful prayer,

The Salesman

When banks and institutions lend

The funds on which the firms depend

For finance, they, too, have a friend …

The Salesman

And miles of gleaming railroad track

And roads and highways there and back

Could not exist without his knack …

The Salesman

So ‘cross the land, behind each door,

Are worlds of wealth and goods galore.

They’d ne’er be there – were it not for …

The Salesman

Yes, others may salute their trade,

The contributions they have made;

But it’s for him that I’ll parade …

The Salesman

For it is sales that keeps us free,

That fuel our great democracy,

And that is why I’m proud to be …

A Salesman.

Merry Christmas

Nigel Woods

Need More Sales – The company of salesmen who help your salesment to be more successful.

Marine House

151 Western Road

Haywards Heath

West Sussex

RH16 3LH

Tel. 01444 454546

www.needmoresales.co.uk

We put the marketing into B2B telemarketing

So many pitches for new business simply leave the audience cold. They fail to engage and that is why the company pitching does not win the business. That is why someone with no experience of pitching and little experience of running a business can win a major award for the best pitch.

It is incredibly difficult for experienced sales people to keep sounding enthusiastic about their offering when they have to keep explaining it day in day out. Maybe the adrenalin, excitement and conviction with the products or services was there in the first few years. Our relative ignorance of the products and competition did not stop us winning the business!

As time goes on, we take the offering for granted. We start to present as if on autopilot. All too often, sales people “go through the motions” when it comes to pitching.

Do we really think the audience do not pick up on our lack of desire? When you still have your mojo, this passion is infectious and motivates prospects to take action.

We need to work consciously on our excitement levels. We need keep it fresh and remind ourselves why our current customers love us. And we need to convey that to our prospects in a pitch. Athletes know that their desire and state of mind before a big race is critical. Sales people pitching need to take a leaf out of their books.

You have done your preparation in advance and you know your subject. Now believe in it and really let your voice know that you want the business. The board listening to your pitch will be captivated by your presentation and they will anchor this positive feeling to your proposal.

So now you know it, you need to do something about. Remember why it was you started selling. Remember your big reasons and expect success: imagine yourself leaving the room with an order or commitment to use your company. The worst that can happen is that you will be wrong.

5) Use PR

Make your presence felt. Attending exhibitions can be expensive, but it can help you keep abreast of developments in the industry, build relationships with customers, and emphasise to suppliers your image as a successful business. Get as much press coverage as possible. A portfolio of positive clippings will mean good PR, and will put your business on the industry radar. You can do a lot yourself to raise your profile, but don’t be put off by the thought of getting expert help from a PR agency – it needn’t be as expensive as you fear.

6) Use Technology effectively

Invest wisely in technology – it’s what enables you and your staff to work flexibly and efficiently. Mobile technology can keep sales staff automatically updated, so your business is on the ball. Collaborative tools, such as online workspaces, allow people to work more effectively, reducing errors and time involved, and increasing productivity. By including clients on project-based shared spaces, you can increase customer involvement and boost confidence. Also consider using Software-as-a-Service applications – online hosted programs that provide access to a wide range of business tools without the large up-front and maintenance costs, and for a reasonable fee.

7) Communicate Effectively

Encourage communication within the business. It creates a more consistent message for customers and ensures that departments work together. A customer’s experience should be similar, whether they’re talking to finance or to customer services. If one department doesn’t know what the other is doing, the customer will have a less-than-perfect experience, which can lose you business. Improving communication also fosters good working relationships. Always go the extra mile to make people feel included. Listen to new ideas, either by setting up a dedicated team or by having brainstorming days where staff can share inspiration. Fresh ideas push your business forward and help your team feel valued.

The final 3 tips will be blogged soon and after that we’ll look at the wonderful world of Twitter - can it really be used for business?

All for now

Alan

How infuriating is it when sales people withhold critical information from you? Minor things like the PRICE! 

I confess that I was taught many years ago to use the “mystery approach” when selling. This meant that you said very little about the product or service until you or your field sales rep were in front of the prospect. 

This is great for low value sales where there is a preconception about the product or service. However, I hear it taught and see it applied all over the place. For higher value sales, it is just not appropriate. If someone can’t afford your product or service, lets get them out of the pipeline as soon as possible. Or if they are too small for your service, then let’s remove them from the list asap. 

I recently took a great telemarketing call from an experienced salesman that immediately disarmed me: “This is Bill, you don’t know me but I am making this cold call because my list says you are a prime candidate for xyz.” As it happens, the list was wrong, but the next couple of sentences were humble, matter of fact and gave me opportunities to exclude myself. How refreshing.  

In contrast, I get calls asking to speak to Mr Andy Szrezbeni. Putting aside my annoyance at people making little attempt to pronounce my name even vaguely correctly, I ask what it is about. Because the telemarketer has clearly been told not to speak to anyone but the decision maker, a circular discussion ensues where I refuse to answer their question and they refuse to answer my question – “what is it about?”. In contract, time and again I have solicited the help of the receptionist or PA who honestly tells us whether the company is in the market for the product or service, or if actually it might be worth pursuing the MD. 

If you are proud of your service, you know your prospect and can show the value then tell it as it is. Don’t infuriate prospects by withholding information that you are worried will turn them off. That information will come out eventually and you will have wasted your time if it is something that is a deal-breaker. Respect the prospect, then you are much more likely to have respect returned and win an appointment or sale as a result.

When You’re Thinking About Using a Telemarketing Company

For many small companies, the thought of doing sales lead telemarketing could definitely be classed as hard work! Where do you start? What should you do? Have you got enough time to do it?

So the thought of using a telemarketing services company to do the work for them sounds like the best answer in the world. Here are our top tips to getting it right:

1. Be very clear on what you want the sales lead telemarketing company to do for you – is it call centre telemarketing; is it lead generation; is it appointment setting? Too often, client will say “we just want more customers”, but that involves telemarketing service appointment setting and selling – what do you want the telemarketing company to do.
   
2. Make sure that you or your sales lead telemarketing company put in place a structure to have regular catch up sessions where you can make sure everything is working for you or voice any concerns. Working well with a telemarketing company is all about developing that relationship.
   
3. Don’t forget to give telemarketing service a chance to work – sales lead telemarketing often takes a while to work. Having said that, make sure that you give it chance to work within reason, bearing in mind point 4 below.
   
4. Test and measure. What I mean by this is monitor what is happening with your telemarketing service appointment setting and if what you’re expecting to happen don’t happen, stop using them. I have known people to be very unhappy with the company they’ve been using from very early on in the relationship and yet they’re still using them 15 months later!
   
5. Voice any concerns early in the relationship – it’s much better to get small issues out of the way before they build into bigger problems.
   
6. Make sure that you get everything in writing so that you are both clear on what’s going to happen. This is particularly important if you have monthly meetings – get the sales lead telemarketing
   company to send you bullet points about what will be done or do this yourself. Communication as always is the key and if you both know what will happen in advance, so much the better.
   
7. Remember to take their advice – after all, you took on a call centre telemarketing company to get their expertise didn’t you? Don’t forget to use it.
   
8. Don’t just leave the telemarketing company to it – respond to things they send over and return their phone calls. Remember that they’ll need managing too – if you leave them to their own devices, who knows what you’ll end up with.
   
9. And finally, don’t forget to have fun and be creative – your telemarketing company should have ideas they can give you to drive your sales lead telemarketing forward – remember to pick their brains!