VAR Marketing

Persistence Leads to Discovery

Adam Asadoorian — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:05:22 +0000

Lead generation: What is it? I decided to Google the answer and found this as the response:

Lead Generation: A marketing term that refers to the creation or generation of prospective consumer interest or inquiry into a business’ products or services.

While I will never test the validity of information found on the internet (haha), I did however come up with my own meaning. Lead generation, by all means, is partly creating or generating interest, but simply put – isn’t it an art of discovery? Companies have pains, needs, and projects happening all the time. Isn’t it the nature of the business world to constantly ask the question, “How do we improve from yesterday?” Of course it is.

Knowing that, it’s important to push forward with your lead generation efforts realizing that businesses need improvement and that technology can be used as the fuel. Lead generation at its core is discovery through questioning what’s on business leader’s minds for future improvement. As most of us already know, this can be a difficult task.

So how does one excel in “discovery” – otherwise known as lead generation? The answer is persistence. No one can deny that making more calls, asking for more contacts, updating profiles, and overcoming objections will ultimately help increase the level of success in what we do daily.

Now you might say to yourself, “I already do this,” or “I already do that.” But have you had the persistence and/or perseverance to do them ALL on a regular basis? It’s not easy, I know…
But was it easy for Columbus to discover North America? Was it easy for Benjamin Franklin to discover electricity? The answer is “no,” but what did they both have in common?

Persistence

The ability to learn through unsuccessful attempts and to try again with more knowledge and the mindset that “this can be done,” will lead you on a more promising career path. Keep telling yourself, “I can do this! I can be successful!” and great things will come.

“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”
-Newt Gingrich

Email Marketing with Bobby Knight

Chris Hislop — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 18:18:54 +0000

“I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say to myself, ‘What am I doing this for?’”

This, the question posed by coach Bobby Knight, is food for thought for fellow email marketers with new campaigns on their plate to design and execute. If you can’t look at what you have in front of you and make sense of it, what are you doing it for? If it doesn’t make sense to you, or the message/call to action feels empty, how do you think the recipient(s) of your message are going to react? Keep it simple. Keep it brief. Keep it straight and to the point – much like the coaching style of Mr. Knight. No fluff, no filler… lay it right out on the line and see how folks react. If you find yourself in a rut, always keep the notion, “what would Bobby Knight do?” in your head. If he would just crumple it up and toss it across the court, perhaps you should head back to the drawing board.

“We should not have to push you to work hard. You should work hard because you want to be a great player.”

Only you can improve your email marketing best practices. You can read as many blogs, and watch as many “how-to” tutorials as you want, but they’re not going to necessarily improve you and your work. You have to practice and hone your skills. And when you feel like you’ve had enough, you need to practice harder and hone in even more. Email marketing is hard. It’s ever-changing, and there is no clear best answer available. It takes work. And only you can make that work happen. If you want to be great at it, you can be. Challenge yourself to put out inspiring content that demands action, and you will ultimately achieve the desired results you set out to capture. Make Mr. Knight proud. If you can make him proud, anything is possible.

“People change over the years, and that changes situations for good and for bad.”

Coach Knight has cleverly aligned this bit of wisdom to follow his previous thought. It takes hard work to be a great player in the realm of email marketing. You have to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in whatever industry you represent. People, places, things – they’re always changing. As is the way email is written, received and reviewed. You have to keep up with the times. And the times, as Bob Dylan so eloquently put it, “are a changin’” on a daily basis, for better, or for worse. Part of your job is to understand these trends, and roll with the punches. Else, you may see a steep decline in the performance of your work and the bottom line (ROI).

“Discipline: doing what you have to do, and doing it as well as you possibly can, and doing it that way all the time.”

When it comes to email marketing, there is no slouching around. Cutting corners will inevitably lose you potential leads, and may have many in your audience hitting the unsubscribe button. Create the content for your email campaign as though it will be your last. Pull out all the stops. Take an extra minute to fine tune the details. Your hard work will not go unnoticed. It’s when you start getting lazy that mistakes happen, and mistakes are details that your audience is bound to pick up on. If you can feel the eyes of Bobby Knight glaring through the back of your head you’re doing something wrong. Take pride in your work, and take to heart the words Mr. Knight has spoken above.

“The key is not the will to win… everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.”

What sets you apart from the rest of the playing field? As Mr. Knight alludes to here, everyone has the capacity to implement a campaign, be it via email or otherwise. Everyone is looking for results from said campaigns. So what are you doing that differentiates your work from the work of others? The easiest (or not so easy, depending on which way you look at it) thing to do is to get to know the vertical you’re targeting. Know the ins and outs, and know who you’re reaching out to. Keep your message relevant and on point, and deliver it with confidence. Prepare yourself for a win. You can’t just shoot (send) blindly and assume (and hope) the end result is going to be everything you dreamed it would be. You have to work for that. You have to put all your ducks in a row. Research. Get on the same page as your audience. If you’re speaking their language they will respond. If you’re not, they’ll notice, and will ship your attempt directly to the trash can, without thinking twice about doing so.

“Everybody hears, but few listen.”

Truer words are rarely spoken, which is why we have Mr. Knight here with us today to help guide our best-practice email marketing techniques. It’s a busy world out there. There is a lot of traffic in every facet of life. People are inundated with information all day long. They look for a second, but are quickly distracted by all the goings on that takes place in a given day. They attend meetings, but are quite often multi-tasking at the same time. They’re listening, but how much do they actually comprehend? There’s a big difference between the two. So how are you, as an email marketer, going to grab their attention for a few seconds in order to actually let your message sink in? How are you going to get your message to resonate and have your audience react to the call to action you’ve put in place? You need remarkable content. You need something that is the distraction of all distractions. The distraction that makes them mutter, “Oh, there you are,” under their breath (okay, or in their mind). They’ll respond, and heck, they’ll probably even forward this messaging on to their colleagues and friends if you’ve done your job well enough. This takes careful planning, and even more meticulous implementation. Make them listen without taking up too much of their time. If it’s powerful enough they’ll end up spending a lot of time talking and thinking about it, and this is added bonus. Mr. Knight made a career out of making people listen. People knew that no matter what else was going on in the room, or in their life, if he speaks, you listen. Take the same approach.

“I think that – not only do I have to change some things, I mean, I think I have to eliminate a thing or two. Not just change it, but I mean, just get rid of it.”

Of course, before you jump in and become a pro at email marketing you have to understand that one of the most critical aspects of the job is testing. The only real way to figure out if something is working or not, is by testing out your content, as well as your calls to action and subject lines. Test internally amongst a group of peers. This will give you a basic idea of what resonates well with them, and what you need to fix before you go live. Another technique is a/b testing where you create two separate emails within the same campaign and split your list into smaller chunks to see which one gives you better results. If one is worlds better than the other, blast it out to the rest of the nurtured list that you have on reserve (nurtured lists – as opposed to random contacts, are very important in email marketing, and will greatly strengthen the success of your campaigns. Bobby Knight has expressed that this is a discussion for another time). You may think you’ve hit the nail on the head right out of the gate, but when you send it out for testing and find that it doesn’t behave the way you wanted it to, it’s time to toss it. Get rid of it. Start anew. It’s not a complete loss, because no matter what you do, or where you’ve been, you’re always learning. And learning, according to what could be Mr. Knight’s favorite action figures, is half the battle.

“Failure, to me, is not having the desire to try. Having the desire to try is in its own way success.”

It seems as though Mr. Knight is a firm believer in testing, and he will stop at nothing to drive this point home. You can’t be afraid to test. More importantly, you can’t be afraid to try something you’re not sure is going to work, or is going to have an immediate impact on your ROI. You have to try out new things to figure out what’s going to work and what’s going to fail in certain aspects of a given industry. Truth be told, there will always be calls to action and subject lines that fall short. It’s that initial attempt at exploring uncharted territories that, as Mr. Knight so eloquently puts it, “is in its own way success.” There are many different angles to executing effective email marketing campaigns. Don’t leave one out to pasture because you think it won’t work. Be sure it won’t work before you do away with it.

“A coach should never be afraid to ask questions of anyone he could learn from.”

When it comes to email marketing, these words hold a lot of weight. In the world of email marketing, there is no real authoritative source. You can be a coach as much as you can be a player, and vice versa. The point is, as the authoritative figure of your own email marketing campaigns; you should be seeking the advice and knowledge of all the aspects of your target audience. Trends are always shifting. People are routinely changing the way they view and consume information on a daily basis. Don’t be afraid to seek this wisdom, as someone may offer you a bit of advice that changes the way you go about doing things for the better. Learning and accepting the tumultuous landscape that is email marketing is the only way you’re going to be able to navigate the slippery slopes, and the inevitable steep inclines. There’s no such thing as smooth sailing in this game. You always have to remain on your toes, and keep your eyes on the prize. Take it from Mr. Knight. He knows a thing or (nine hundred and) two about winning, and he also knows a thing or two about making sure you stay on task and get the job done the best way you know how.

The Cure for B2B Marketing: A Good Dose of Humor

Rick Henderson — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:30:17 +0000

Do you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and getting through the day? Don’t turn to a sleeping pills at night, just crack open a B2B technology whitepaper, it will make you dose off instantly. Let’s be honest, 90% of B2B brands are extremely bland, boring and dry. In this post I’m going to discuss some of the problems with current marketing communications, as well as share some examples of companies who are doing it right and getting positive ROI.

The Problem

The B2B space has a serious communication issues with both the visual imagery presented and the copywriting used.

I’m sick of those cliché and overused stock photos in the marketing collateral of business-to-business companies. I’ve seen the same iStockPhoto model in literally hundreds of websites. The writing doesn’t get much better. You’ve got a flexible, scalable, groundbreaking, industry-standard, cutting-edge product? Really? Wow!

Sophos is a good example of a homepage that breaks away from the clichés.

We are marketing to businesses, when we should be marketing to people.

Business buyers and decision makers are humans made up of flesh, blood, and emotions. There is more to a large business purchase than just ROI and product specs. It’s time for B2B marketers to connect with people, truly understand them, and of course, entertain them. I believe we need to shake up the B2B world with compelling and creative marketing that contains a good dose of humor.

Reasons to Use Humor in B2B

Humorous marketing often goes viral, bringing lots of traffic to your website.

When your messaging is spreading like wildfire, you’re likely to reach the desk of important business decision makers. IBM’s funny video, “Mainframe: The Art of the Sale, Lesson One” has received over 270,000 views. The video caused blog traffic to increase 25 times, and the campaign received mainstream press coverage. HubSpot, a marketing software company, simultaneously educates and entertains prospects, and four out of the 10 of their most read blog articles from 2009 are fun-based. One of my favorite B2B viral videos is from Cisco for their ASR 9000 router.

Funny marketing has a longer shelf life.

Eloqua’s The Conversation campaign was launched over a year ago, but is still relevant and continues to consistently drive leads for them to this day. It’s hilarious, interactive and it tackles real problems that companies are having today – without being overly salesy. Funny advertising can, in fact, directly lead to sales, even in the B2B world.

Eloqua does a fantastic job with e-mail marketing as well.

Humor makes you seem… Human.

Incorporating personality into your company’s brand makes you seem friendly, approachable and authentic. This can help you to differentiate your brand from the vast array of competing companies. Most importantly, you will be remembered. And don’t think you need an exciting product to have exciting marketing.

Marketing for networking products doesn’t have to be dull, as
seen by this hilarious four page Playboy parody for Sun's Server of the Month.

Why You Shouldn’t Use Humor

Humor may be misinterpreted

What has one person laughing, may have another person furiously angry and offended. The marketing piece may fall flat, or it may backfire. I had a lot of positive feedback on my article, “Treat Your Landing Page Visitors Like 5-Year-Olds With ADD” however there was a complaint from a reader whose son has ADD. Also take into account if you’re an international company that the humor may not translate well in other cultures. If humor isn’t appropriate for your audience or might easily be misinterpreted, tone it down or avoid using it all together.

Challenges

There are many barriers in large companies where a marketing piece has to pass through legal, sales, marketing, branding etc. before being approved. But I encourage you to get in touch with your inner Michael Scott, and at least try.

Feel free to share your experiences or any examples on humor in B2B marketing in the comments below.

All I Really Needed to Know About Customer Service I Learned in Kindergarten.

Kat Murphy — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:11:57 +0000

In a world of contact us email addresses, automated 800 number systems, and less than eager employees who seem put off by the suggestion of providing good customer service, I’ve taken a step back to wonder, “Is it just me? When did customer service stop being about the customer, and why did it change?” And by customer service, I don’t just mean employee to external customer, but internally within a company as well. Every conversation you have, every relationship you build (or bridge you burn) within a company is as important as those experienced with outside customers.

In pondering the state of customer service today, including my desire to get back to my own roots and re-invigorate my own level of service, and in looking at the stellar (and occasionally not so stellar) habits of those long time friends and associates around me, I have come to the conclusion that all I really need to know about customer service I learned in kindergarten.

Share everything.

Okay, except perhaps when it comes to insider trading or selling international spy secrets, there is never a good reason NOT to share information. Tips, tidbits and tricks of the trade shared among employees can only lead to more educated, well rounded and efficient service. If you’ve found something works well and gets positive response from your customers – share the wealth. You might be amazed at how well it is received!

Clean up your own mess.

We all make mistakes, we all have clouded judgment at times, we’ve all spilt milk, and we all make a mess. That’s the easy part. Cleaning it up is harder, but when done with professionalism and a positive attitude, it can almost, if not completely, erase the fact that the mess ever happened at all. Don’t leave something for someone else to clean up – whether it’s your spilled lunch in the company refrigerator, the upset customer whose deadline you missed, or the coworker you snapped at, be a grown up, clean it up, and move on. There will be more messes!

Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody or have done something wrong.

It’s never a bad idea to apologize, especially if you made a mess! Whether you meant to do whatever it was you did or not. From stepping on toes to copping an attitude, and everything in between, internally or customer facing, it is far more admirable to admit you were wrong AND apologize for it than to do only one of the two or nothing at all. You will always be respected for saying you were sorry.

Flush.

Whatever negativity is affecting your attitude or performance, let it go in the workplace; it’s not the customer’s fault. Just as they can hear a “smile” over the phone, they can sense your negativity. Inevitably, that negativity will be noticed (even if you don’t see it happening) and may come back to bite you (that’s a rule I learned in kindergarten too, no biting, but we’ll save that for another blog!).

When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

It’s a big world out there, and in a big company or intimate office setting, people need to stick together. Good customer service isn’t about one person in the company, it’s about the company as a whole. The team is what makes up the public image, and that’s what people perceive as being “the company” (and the great or not so great service your company provides). We are always far stronger in multiples than we are alone, so tackling (okay, not literally) any issue, topic or demanding customer situation with a unified team approach is always sure to be not only effective, but morale boosting for everyone involved.

Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam^® cup? The roots go down, the plant goes up, and nobody really knows how or why it happens? We are all like that.

Everything will grow when nurtured, especially relationships! Whether internal among employees and supervisors, across different departments, or externally between businesses or direct customers, the more effort you put into seeding a professional relationship and maintaining positive rapport, the more successful the outcome will be.

Lastly, remember the Dick and Jane books and one of the first words you learned – perhaps the biggest word of all – LOOK.

And to that I would add LISTEN! See and hear what’s happening around you in your own environment and in your own personal space. Listen to yourself. What message and image are you conveying? What are your words and actions saying about you, about your company, about your professional relationships? Before we look outward, we need to look inward, and determine if our level of customer service is where it should be.

Don’t forget that while frustrated at the lack of customer service you may receive at any given moment and in any number of venues, how you relate to your customers (internal and external) speaks volumes about you, your company, and your own level of customer service as well.

Being aware of maintaining your own positive customer service approach, sharing your tactics for success, admitting your mistakes and rectifying them, and playing nicely with others in the corporate and customer sandboxes, will have a positive and affirming effect on you, your company, and your customers, now, and long after the next wave of kindergartners continue to learn their lessons.

Brand Competence? The Answer Lies in the Fries.

Chris Hislop — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:28:03 +0000

This article was written by Chris Hislop – eCoast Marketing Specialist.

While in the midst of the daily commute to work, I noticed a food distribution truck in front of me which proceeded to get me thinking about Brand – the importance of a company’s brand, and the type of confidence that a company should exude transparently while extending their brand to the world.

What struck me about this particular vendor was the tagline beneath the company’s logo – the face of their brand. The line read “Innovation in Customer Service.” Innovation in Customer Service? How does a food distributor position themselves as being an “innovator” of any type? How many different ways can you deliver a case of french fries in order to exceed a customer’s needs and/or expectations? I can’t think of very many. In fact the natural progression from 1 to 2 (examples) is a rather difficult endeavor.

So why add such fluff? Why not be confident in your brand, and in the goods and services that you do provide and simply leave it at that?

An important element of marketing and brand image in today’s marketplace is transparency. To let people have an inclination of the thought, “so what?” or even, “huh?” can be detrimental to your business’ success. Be honest with people. Keep your messages short, simple, and straight to the point. People don’t want to have to read into your messaging to figure out that a) your message is simply ludicrous out of the gate and b) your message holds absolutely no weight whatsoever, and is irrelevant when you take a look at it in hindsight.

Customer innovation? Just deliver the fries in a timely manner, and let the customer decide if they’re happy or not. There’s nothing innovative about being on time and delivering your product effectively and efficiently. It’s a given, its part of the contract. It’s something that may not be outwardly spoken in conversation (i.e.: placing an order), it just sort of “happens.” And really, why wouldn’t it?

The fact is, if consumers need to think about your messaging at all, they’re going to move on… the feeling that the message is too muddied, and hence, they want to look elsewhere to find a company that offers clearer, more concise lines of communication, is all you’re going to end up with in the end if your brand isn’t transparent. The basket will remain empty, and your business will not fare well under these circumstances.

In a world where word of mouth circulates faster than the daily paper, you want to position yourself as a brand that offers an extraordinary product without any hassle. Strive to offer clear advertising that answers the question “so what?” – before it’s asked. Deliver said product within the timeframe that encompasses a customer’s “peace of mind,” and you’re business will live to see another day. Fail to do this, and face the backlash of negative feedback which not only reaches you and your brand, but everyone else in an unsatisfied consumer’s network as well. And it will only snowball from there.

Focus on what you do well and do it with conviction. Rely on repeat business and referrals that stem from those customers, which in turn, builds your brand’s reputation. If people are talking about a positive experience they had dealing with you, your brand will inevitably grow. Making strides to improve your brand’s image and viability in the marketplace, instead of injecting cheesy, thoughtless slogans that really hold no weight when your brand is looked at under the microscope – is where your focus should lie. Believing in your brand, and the product you provide, all the while keeping the communication lines that stem from worthwhile transactions and marketing campaigns clear and unambiguous, makes you more susceptible to having good things happen.

Remember the McDonald’s ads that asked, “Would you like fries with that?” Of course you remember them. They were pointed, clever, and became a cliché response to not only questions or comments made in the food industry, but elsewhere as well. This message was transparent, and it sold a lot of fries.

In the midst of such questioning, did you ever think, “Hmmm… I wonder if those fries come with innovative customer service?” Probably not. All you’re really looking for in this example is the fries – the perfect accompaniment to your sandwich, or chicken nuggets. The rest of the thought is irrelevant: If you can’t deliver something as simple as the fries, what else is there to comprehend?

Grip It and Rip It…Golf Your Way to Sales Success

Ted Raymond — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:13:54 +0000

This article was written by Ted Raymond – eCoast Corporate Training Manager.

In sales, as with many things, we all have strengths and weaknesses. Rarely does anyone excel in every aspect of selling. Strengths and weaknesses are just a natural part of our sales skills; unfortunately, it’s human nature for us to shy away from a weakness. We focus on our strengths, avoiding weaknesses altogether, and in the process, wind up limiting our development.

Let us consider the ultimate sales analogy…that of the professional golfer. A golfer must blend many different skills, (driving, chipping, putting, getting out of a sand trap, etc) in order to be successful. No matter how good you are at getting the ball on the green, if you can’t putt, your game will always be limited by that weakness. As a result, professional golfers spend hours upon hours practicing the shots they are weakest at. This is easier said than done because human nature tends to push us in the other direction. I, for one, would much rather be at the driving range hitting shots I feel good about than spending my day “putting around”. But if I truly want to be a better golfer, I have to get better at putting, and dedicate some time to improving my stroke.

Ok, how do we translate this into improving our sales skills? We follow some basic steps:

First…accept that we, as people, are going to have strengths and weaknesses, it’s not a question of right or wrong, good or bad…it’s just how it is.
Take a very objective look at yourself and identify a weakness. Be very honest. If you have strong sales skills, but have a hard time with call volume, that’s a weakness. Remember: you are being objective, so nothing should be identified as good or bad. By looking objectively, we have embraced a weakness.
The next step is to flip it around and turn the weakness into an opportunity to improve. A weakness is a negative, and if we leave it alone, it remains a weakness; but by embracing that weakness, we approach our abilities from a positive standpoint and see it as an opportunity.
Determine what can be gained or achieved by seizing this opportunity.
Determine what steps (even small ones) should be taken to see improvements.

The pay off? Even a small improvement in what was once a weakness (now an opportunity) will net much bigger gains in the long run.

With these five steps one can easily go from an “I can’t putt” mentality to an “if I can make just one less putt per hole for 9 holes, I have improved my score by 9 shots” goal-seeking mentality. So, get out there, improve your putt, and determine your fate next time you hit the green.

Innovation: The Cornerstone of a Competitive Advantage

Chris Montgomery — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:20:21 +0000

This article was written by Chris Montgomery – eCoast Co-CEO, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.

If necessity is the mother of invention, then competitive advantage is the father of innovation.

In the American and world economies, there is always someone (maybe many someones) trying to get your customers, your revenue, your profits, and your position in the market. If you aren’t working hard to stay ahead, you get left behind with diminishing margins, poor cash flow, and a weakening ability to invest, diversify and grow. In short, if you don’t have, or are losing competitive advantage, you won’t survive long in any real market; i.e. one that offers profit and return on investment.

Historically, we have thought of innovation as the process of creating great breakthroughs in products, services, and technologies. From the tube to the transistor to the silicon chip…or rocket science (you know, getting a man on the moon). Or how about Apple? The iPod and iTunes…the iPhone and its apps? These breakthroughs certainly reflect innovation and R&D, and they certainly have made companies, and our country more powerful and competitive. In addition to breakthroughs, I think innovation can drive competitive advantage by making our daily, typical, business processes better, more efficient and thereby allow our companies to put our resources and energy into serving our customers better, helping us to grow our margins, and staying ahead of competitors.

How does innovation work? How do we embed it into the DNA of our companies? I know one b-school professor who deems innovation across the organization as the single most important predictor of business success. He’s also a successful venture investor, so he may know what he’s talking about.

A simple innovation process that can apply to almost all firms looks like this:

Generate ideas
Evaluate the ideas
Develop actionable plans
Consider the implications of failure
Implement
Monitor
Revise

This process can be used in ALL company departments, not just R&D and product development. Risk tolerance needs to be considered, of course. You also should evaluate based on profit potential and the probability of achieving that profit, keeping in mind the impact failures may have on morale is important too.

To embed this, or any innovation process within a company, you need to schedule regular innovation sessions in all company departments. Managers need innovation objectives; their bonuses and promotions must be dependent to some degree on their ability to lead innovation. Each department must have a goal! Customer service may look to reduce inbound call wait time, finance may seek faster invoice issuance, sales always wants to make more sales calls and close more business. Innovation is the formal, yet creative and fun, process of looking at how we do things and finding ways to do them better. What does it mean to a company to find a way to increase customer satisfaction? Or to reduce receivable DSO? Happier customers and more cash usually means an increase In competitive advantage.

I can’t think of any executive or business owner who wouldn’t love to come up with the next great game-changing product or service in his or her market. But breakthroughs are usually few and far between. We all can, however, innovate consistently and make a series of small gains that collectively add up to competitive advantage.

Is Managed Services the IP Telephony of 2010?

Will Gibney — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:28:19 +0000

Funny how history repeats itself…ten years ago VOIP was the prominent emerging technology, similar to the way Managed Services is today. There was serious confusion back in the day in terms of what VOIP really was…was it the same as IP Telephony or was it different? Then how was IP Telphony different from unified communications? Reminds me today of cloud computing and private cloud, public and managed services. In the VoIP days there were new players and old players like Cisco and Microsoft getting into the game (and you know that when Cisco and Microsoft get in the game there is serious money to be made). Well, they are back in the game again. Even Best Buy and Staples are getting into the managed services game.

Managed Services is similar to IP Telephony in that it’s a game changing technology. The solution provider business model is getting turned upside down as companies try to become more sales-oriented organizations. Credibility is a huge deal too, as you are potentially taking over an entire network and need to provide your customer with a solid comfort level.

IP Telephony made VARs go beyond just networking and expanding their offerings. It really started the wave of selling “solutions” rather than just pushing boxes. Decisions were no longer being made by the IT guy, but became business decisions in many cases.

Early adoptors rule managed services today. Back in the days of cold calling for IP Telephony (IPT), very few thought the technology was ready for prime time. We’d always get responses like “call me back in 18 months when you can prove to me the technology works.” ROI didn’t even come up at that point, it was all about the technology being too immature to trust. Financial services were the early adaptors of IPT, and research shows they are doing the same with managed services.

Back in the day, telecom managers were not happy about IPT. They owned the legacy PBX and were the only ones who knew how to fix the darn thing. With the PBX on its way out, the IT guy was going to take over and they were all going to be put out to pasture. Now, with managed services on the rise, the IT guys are seeing that same pasture in their future!

Managed Services…try prospecting it to an IT manager. It isn’t pretty, but essentially the same fear is holding people back. So what is the moral of this story? Why do we care that history repeats itself? Everyone is in the game today. Everyone! So you have to be ready to take on anything and learn from the past. Know who your competitors are and why you should win. What makes you different from Staples? Wow, you might have to address that objection. So be prepared.

Have your story, your unique managed services value proposition down. Go beyond just saying you are a “trusted advisor”. Why? 3 out of 4 VARS position themselves as “trusted advisors”. (Not sure if Staples does yet…)

Also, know what type of managed services you are an expert in, what you can do for customers, and how you can help them grow their business. Show a case study highlighting success you’ve had working with businesses similar to theirs.

If you want to learn more and keep up with the game, here are a couple of great blogs and sites for you to follow and learn more about managed services….

www.thevarguy.com
www.mspmentor.net
www.msppartners.com

On Twitter yet? If not get on and follow me! www.twitter.com/wgibney

Dominate the Cold Calling Podium – Turn Your Calls from Cold to Gold

Barbara Burgess — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:54:21 +0000

This article was written by Barbara Burgess, Sr. Sales Specialist, CSE

The recent Vancouver Olympics led me to consider some of the similarities of what it takes to be a peak Olympic athlete, and those needed to be an effective Cold Calling Agent – the one who drives the first step in the Sales Process. Some say that cold calling is passe, not necessary, or a waste of time, and for some, the phrase “cold call”, can send shivers up the spine. Alas, it’s actually this mindset of both the caller and prospective client which are off the mark.

The fact is, the cold call is life blood for a business, and statistically, most new business is generated by this process. Whether performed by an individual sales representative, or a third party vendor, the cold call is the very first step in establishing an effective business relationship.

As a former competitive swimmer, (okay, I admit, a Summer Olympic sport), I have tasted Gold and experienced the “Glory of the Podium.” I liken the achievement to scheduling an appointment from a cold call. The appointment (prize) can ultimately produce a sale, so it is an achievement to recognize and a mission accomplished.

Success! Notwithstanding, there are several characteristics involved in bringing this “Glory”… to “GOLD.”

PURPOSE:

The reason why an athlete competes might differ among competitors, but they all have the same end goal or purpose- to WIN, to ACHIEVE. Likewise, the cold call should have PURPOSE.

The purpose of a Cold Call is not necessarily to “sell”, but rather to make an appointment or to arrange a phone consultation to begin the sales process. That being said, the caller should be concise and state the purpose of the call simply and professionally. Keep it simple, be clear, and have a strategic basis for engaging the Prospect- such as an opportunity for an ROI or Needs Assessment. Most business decision makers are pressed for time, so don’t waste their time with pushy scripted “salesy” conversation. Use a “giver not a taker” approach, which involves preparation. The result is a more skilled approach, a soft sell.

PREPARATION:

Every athlete needs to prepare for their event, both physically and mentally. Preparation can be tedious, but it is meaningful to attain success. Daily training and workouts, aerodynamic lycra, and even mental visualization are vital elements of preparation.

The cold call becomes a warm call when you have done your homework. Know the company you are calling and utilize current internet tools to help you identify key contacts in making business decisions and technology purchases. Hoovers, LinkedIn, Network Solutions, and Jigsaw, are some major sites to reference. If a company is going through a merger, or downsizing, their network will be impacted, so, discuss technologies that cut costs and streamline business processes, such as Virtualization, Cloud Computing, Managed Services, or Unified Communications. Present solutions with an educational, consultative approach, and use open ended questions to guide the Prospect through the process.
You should also know the different challenges a business faces within verticals. Banks typically shy away from wireless technology, due to security concerns, yet a manufacturer or hospital utilizes the technology fully, due to RFID inventory / equipment tracking, or mobility of employees involved in patient care.

Doing research on the Partner you are calling on behalf of helps a prospect relate to you. A prospect can identify with the business down the street; if you understand the issues and challenges of a particular vertical, you will have presented yourself as an educated, trustworthy professional able to understand their business needs and challenges.
Remember that numbers talk, so it is to your advantage to relate statistics pertaining to time/cost savings, or “doing more with less.” It doesn’t hurt to “know your enemy” too. You might have to entertain questions contrasting gear- that could be the edge you need to schedule an appointment for them to learn more.

First impressions are lasting. Keep in mind that voice intonations, minding your p’s and q’s, and behaving in a professional manner are tools of engagement. Know who you represent, and behave ethically on their behalf. Set your call apart from the hundreds received every day by focusing on the initiative and the call to action, and LISTENING to what Mr. Prospect has to say. The prospect knows the organization better than you, so if you listen and internalize what is said, you will be better able to identify opportunity, uncover pain, and reconcile needs with information for follow up. Use the 80/20 rule: 80% listen, 20% talk.

PERSONALITY and POSITIVE ATTITUDE

You have about 15 seconds to pique interest and engage in productive conversation, so your opening statement needs to break the ice. It is good to write one out and perfect it without sounding scripted. Be organized, be yourself, retain Personality with a Positive Attitude.

To be effective in Sales, you must be “fearless.” All the athletes interviewed at the Vancouver Winter Olympics indicated that a fearless attitude put them on the path that brought them there.
Whether a speed skater positioning himself to gain the inside lead, the figure skater going for a quad toe-loop, or the snowboarder attempting a 720 on the half pipe, the psyche needs to be open and uninhibited. Nike said it best: “Just Do It”. So, in cold calling for an appointment or lead, you can’t be afraid of failure, rejection, or taking “no” for an answer. Anticipate a positive result with each call, and maintain a positive attitude throughout. Negative thoughts will result in “crash and burn” failure.

PRACTICE

Years of disciplined practice develop Olympic athletes, but there are always pitfalls, obstructions, and setbacks along the way. If what you are doing isn’t working, change your performance. Ask a teammate or superior to help you identify weaknesses and make improvements. Muscles need resistance to get stronger, so use objections as a conditioning mechanism. Even a volatile economy can be used to your advantage. Create a sense of urgency, without being pushy. Call with PURPOSE, adequately PREPARE, maintain a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, and PRACTICE.

If you use this approach, and embrace cold calling as a vitally important first step of the Sales Process, you will experience both the Glory and the Gold of the Podium.

Black Diamond Selling: Only Experts Need Apply

Carol Gasses — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:48:41 +0000

“If you want to reach a goal, you must ’see the reaching’ in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal.” –Zig Ziglar

A tough economy will set the expert sales professionals at the top of their game, at the tip of the highest peak and apart from their peers on the beginner slope. By consistently preparing, prospecting, practicing, and perfecting – you will ultimately win!

Living in New Hampshire, I learned in my early twenties that I needed to quickly make the most of the snow packed mountains by learning to ski.

My goal was in sight: To prepare it was all about lessons, ski gear and proper clothing – the tools of the trade. My friends and I always awoke early for the drive to the mountain and aggressively approached every run down the mountain like it was going to be the last of the day. We paused for laughs and had plenty of fun while testing our skill on the various black diamond trails – only experts need apply! I was the beginner in the group and was always told to “strap them on and point them down.” It worked for me. The preparation was minimal because I was young and could ski without a plan. I was fearless. The thought of failure never crossed my mind. And, taking advantage of the opportunity to ski “with the guys”, I considered myself fortunate to have skilled peers as my mentors.

The weekly practice sessions with the experts proved valuable. I overcame significant hurdles along the way, adapting my performance to the hazards in the trail…small children, trees, turns, twists, moguls, adverse conditions and freezing toes and fingers. Much like objections and obstacles striving to thwart my attempt at achieving goals, nothing stopped my focus on success…I visualized a great performance every time I pointed those tips down the mountain.

The ultimate success was my ability to learn a new winter sport and enjoy the journey with friends. I’m consistently reminded as the 2010 Winter Olympics are in full swing, of the sales goals set forth by my organization. Learning to sell is very much like learning to ski, so the downhill competition is a constant visualization for me and a reminder to stay on top of my game – prepare, practice, align yourself, point the tips down the mountain, stay nimble and accelerate to your goal! Change comes quickly in this economic environment – experts are poised for the turns! Here are some tips to tackle the sales trail like an expert

Prepare

Visualize your sales success

Plan a route

What trail will you use to accelerate to your growth? Plan and strategize your run by knowing your objectives, understanding your prospects and their business pains.

Practice and invest time and resources where appropriate

Align with your goal:

Enlist the services of experts to train and mentor
Partner when necessary to meet customer expectations
Check your equipment – is your website optimized for high performance? Is it generating sales inquiries?

Sales cycles can be longer than anticipated

Learn to overcome objections by preparing for unexpected obstacles.

Remain Nimble

Have no fear!

Consider customer choices:

Position financing options
Educate when selling complex solutions
Position the business value and sell at the C-Level
Realign resources to meet customer expectations
Anticipate business pain and/or impending events based on trends in the prospect’s industry and/or policy and regulations
Operate as a trusted advisor
Devise a win-win value proposition for both you and your customer and review it together

Stay Competitive…Create Momentum and a Sense of Urgency

Constantly fill your sales pipeline with qualified leads for both sales and marketing

Create a SLA with the marketing department agreeing on lead definitions. If your sales department is responsible for marketing efforts, define ways to generate inquires. Outsource if you don’t have resources available in house.

Accelerate opportunities through the sales cycle increasing time to revenue

Go for the Gold

Prepare, practice, align, create momentum, remain nimble and navigate the sales cycle with a sense of urgency poised for success.