Having been in sales, sales training, and sales management for more than 25 years, I have seen many sales people who were successful and many who were not. While there are many reasons for both, I would like to focus this blog on one of the things that all salespeople have to do and what can make or break a sale: Phone Calls. One of the issues with successful sales people is that they can tend to get lazy in their techniques. This blog will address just one of the basic techniques that they need to keep sharp. Even professional baseball players go to spring practice every year and they practice throwing, catching, and batting before each game. Salespeople need to practice the basics of their profession to stay at the top of their game.
Phone Calls: More than 75% of the time when you call someone you will get there voice mail. The question is how to make your message valuable and effective, and yet short. If you are calling an existing client you may think that you should just say “hi Sue, sorry I missed you, please give me a call back”. While this may be OK, wouldn’t it be better to say “hi Sue, this is John Smith from XYZ Company, I’m sorry I missed you, I am calling to talk to you about ABC…., please give me a call, my number is ##. Again this is John Smith with XYZ Company and my number is ##.” The important parts of this are: You said your name twice, you stated what you wanted to talk about, and you gave her your phone number twice. It is also important to say the phone number slowly especially the second time. This gives them time to get a pen and paper so they can write it down. Some people would say that the person I’m calling already has my number so I don’t need to repeat it or even give it. Wrong, what if they are away from their desk or their cell phone is dead. Our job as salespeople is to make it easy for the client, giving your number to them every time you leave a message makes it easy for them.
Cold Calls: Everyone hates cold calling and everyone hates receiving cold calls. In a perfect world there would be no cold calling but, we don’t live in a perfect word. When cold calling it is of great importance to get the attention of the prospect, get their interest, and to get them to call you back or at least take your next call. Let’s talk about getting their attention. Be creative and change things up. One thing you could do is to say what company you are with before you say your name. This is a simple technique that works well for getting the prospect to remember your name and sounds a little different from all the other messages they have to go through. By your starting out different than everyone else, they tend to listen. Asking them a question can also help get their attention. Using a very short value proposition can also help, if your value matches their need. Saying you are going to call them back again on a certain day or better yet at a certain time is a very good technique but, you had better call them back when you said you were going to call them. A good CRM tool will go a long way toward helping you manage these call backs. Salesnet is really good at helping you manage this with its color coded activity approach. It is OK to call the prospect more than once a day but only leave one message per day. Call at different times each day. Try calling before and after business hours.
Having several scripted calls and emails to reinforce the calls, works very well for cold calling. You don’t want the calls to sound scripted but they should be scripted. The emails should be short and to the point. Using a customer testimonial in the email is great but if it is more than a couple of sentences long, you should use a link to the testimonial. I like to mention the customer testimonial in the body of the email with a link and put the short version of the testimonial below my signature. You can also put it at the top of the email as a headliner. Change it up and see what works best. Until next time remember “Success is 99% you and 1% the rest of the world”. Scott Farmer
Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Lead Generation Techniques that Work in any Economy
This month, the Salesnet CRM blog features a guest post by Lisa Glinche of pto software provider Organization in a Box.
One thing that we hear often from our customers is that they need more sales leads. Many of them have tried different lead techniques but still fall short of their goals in terms of inquiries and new business.
In response to this need, we often recommend the techniques listed below. They can be used in any economy and almost any lead generation promotion to increase sales activity.
• Retain and grow relationships with existing clients – Typically up to 70% of next year’s revenue will come from the base of existing clients and contacts. Don’t overlook them!
• Optimize your website – Improve the volume and quality of traffic to your web site from organic search results. Many consumers use the Internet to create short lists.
• Find The Right Target - A critical part of your marketing plan is targeting the right customer. For a low-budget high-impact lead generation plan to work, forget the mass market and go for small niche markets where you have had the most success in solving business problems. Remember your targeted list is your most important asset.
• Optimize Messaging – Now is not the time to be everything to everybody. Concentrate your efforts in specific areas where you have had the most success in solving business problems and where you can most easily demonstrate your value. Being able to quickly and concisely demonstrate your value proposition is particularly important as companies look harder for value and their return on their investment.
• Demonstrate Value – Companies don’t stop purchasing products/services when in a downturn economy. Instead they go a little slower, are a little more cautious and most importantly look harder for value. Back up your value proposition claims with collateral material. Use testimonials, case studies or educational white papers to illustrate the value you have provided for customers just like them.
• Leverage Multiple Channels - Marketing impact can be greatly improved by using multiple marketing channels. The further you can "stretch your marketing dollars" to reach your target market in multiple channels, the higher the impact of your marketing message. For example, hitch a ride on the marketing of another company or competitor, make your company news worthy, and swap referrals with sales reps from companies who call on the same businesses as you do.
• Nurture Leads – Once you have leads, do not abandon them, nurture them. Maintain a relevant and consistent dialog with viable future customers - regardless of their timing to buy. Remember lead nurturing is a conversation, not a series of disjointed campaigns. A multi-tactic and multi-touch plan will always outperform marketing tactics that stand alone.
Last but not least, lead generation becomes easier if you follow a process and have a closed-looped system in place to track your lead generations efforts and results through the sell cycle.
One thing that we hear often from our customers is that they need more sales leads. Many of them have tried different lead techniques but still fall short of their goals in terms of inquiries and new business.
In response to this need, we often recommend the techniques listed below. They can be used in any economy and almost any lead generation promotion to increase sales activity.
• Retain and grow relationships with existing clients – Typically up to 70% of next year’s revenue will come from the base of existing clients and contacts. Don’t overlook them!
• Optimize your website – Improve the volume and quality of traffic to your web site from organic search results. Many consumers use the Internet to create short lists.
• Find The Right Target - A critical part of your marketing plan is targeting the right customer. For a low-budget high-impact lead generation plan to work, forget the mass market and go for small niche markets where you have had the most success in solving business problems. Remember your targeted list is your most important asset.
• Optimize Messaging – Now is not the time to be everything to everybody. Concentrate your efforts in specific areas where you have had the most success in solving business problems and where you can most easily demonstrate your value. Being able to quickly and concisely demonstrate your value proposition is particularly important as companies look harder for value and their return on their investment.
• Demonstrate Value – Companies don’t stop purchasing products/services when in a downturn economy. Instead they go a little slower, are a little more cautious and most importantly look harder for value. Back up your value proposition claims with collateral material. Use testimonials, case studies or educational white papers to illustrate the value you have provided for customers just like them.
• Leverage Multiple Channels - Marketing impact can be greatly improved by using multiple marketing channels. The further you can "stretch your marketing dollars" to reach your target market in multiple channels, the higher the impact of your marketing message. For example, hitch a ride on the marketing of another company or competitor, make your company news worthy, and swap referrals with sales reps from companies who call on the same businesses as you do.
• Nurture Leads – Once you have leads, do not abandon them, nurture them. Maintain a relevant and consistent dialog with viable future customers - regardless of their timing to buy. Remember lead nurturing is a conversation, not a series of disjointed campaigns. A multi-tactic and multi-touch plan will always outperform marketing tactics that stand alone.
Last but not least, lead generation becomes easier if you follow a process and have a closed-looped system in place to track your lead generations efforts and results through the sell cycle.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Six Keys to Providing Great Customer Support
Providing excellent customer support is essential for the success of your business. Superior customer service can distinguish your organization from your competitors and propel your company to the top of your industry. Achieving the following goals will put you well on your way to delivering unmatched customer support and forming lasting relationships with your customers.
1. Company wide dedication to customer service. Great customer service requires a total team effort. Everyone in your organization should be committed to ensuring that customer expectations are exceeded and that each interaction between your company and your customers is a positive one.
2. View the customer service team as a strategic business unit, not a cost center. Great customer service increases loyalty, aids in retention and can put you ahead of your competition. Investing in customer service, whether in the form of training, crm software or personnel is money well spent.
3. Know your customers. Learn as much as you can about them and understand their motivations. Solicit feedback and listen to their concerns. Tailor your service approach to fit their needs.
4. Know your company's products, policies and procedures. Being able to thoroughly discuss, explain, demonstrate or troubleshoot your company's products builds trust. Being armed with answers in anticipation of questions that may come up inspires confidence.
5. Handle responses to customer inquiries with a sense of urgency. Phone calls, emails, support tickets, repairs, questions or complaints need to be handled quickly and efficiently. If an issue cannot be resolved immediately, be communicative throughout the process of fixing the problem. Never leave a customer wondering what the status of their issue is. A customer who has an issue that is resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner will often walk away feeling better about your company than if they never had a problem in the first place.
6. Be courteous, enthusiastic and respectful in all of your dealings with customers. Every communication with customers is an opportunity to make a good impression. A simple "Yes, sir" or "Thank you for your order" conveys your dedication to both courtesy and delivering good customer experiences. Do not argue with customers. Focus on resolving their issues, not assigning blame or calling attention to mistakes.
Regardless of the size of your company or the industry you are in, delivering great customer service is vital to customer satisfaction and building strong relationships. A demonstrated commitment to customer service can set your company apart and mean the difference between being a market leader and floundering among the pack.
1. Company wide dedication to customer service. Great customer service requires a total team effort. Everyone in your organization should be committed to ensuring that customer expectations are exceeded and that each interaction between your company and your customers is a positive one.
2. View the customer service team as a strategic business unit, not a cost center. Great customer service increases loyalty, aids in retention and can put you ahead of your competition. Investing in customer service, whether in the form of training, crm software or personnel is money well spent.
3. Know your customers. Learn as much as you can about them and understand their motivations. Solicit feedback and listen to their concerns. Tailor your service approach to fit their needs.
4. Know your company's products, policies and procedures. Being able to thoroughly discuss, explain, demonstrate or troubleshoot your company's products builds trust. Being armed with answers in anticipation of questions that may come up inspires confidence.
5. Handle responses to customer inquiries with a sense of urgency. Phone calls, emails, support tickets, repairs, questions or complaints need to be handled quickly and efficiently. If an issue cannot be resolved immediately, be communicative throughout the process of fixing the problem. Never leave a customer wondering what the status of their issue is. A customer who has an issue that is resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner will often walk away feeling better about your company than if they never had a problem in the first place.
6. Be courteous, enthusiastic and respectful in all of your dealings with customers. Every communication with customers is an opportunity to make a good impression. A simple "Yes, sir" or "Thank you for your order" conveys your dedication to both courtesy and delivering good customer experiences. Do not argue with customers. Focus on resolving their issues, not assigning blame or calling attention to mistakes.
Regardless of the size of your company or the industry you are in, delivering great customer service is vital to customer satisfaction and building strong relationships. A demonstrated commitment to customer service can set your company apart and mean the difference between being a market leader and floundering among the pack.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Lead Generation Basics that Produce Results
This month, we are pleased to feature a guest post by Lisa Glinche of Sales Prodigy on the Salesnet CRM blog.
Sales leads are the life blood of any business, but in a recession economy they can make the difference between being in business or not.
First, let’s review the definition of a sales lead. A sales lead is the identity of a person or entity potentially interested in purchasing a product or service.
Sales leads typically are acquired through responses to lead generation activities or campaigns. To maximize the number sales leads generated by a campaign, do not sell the audience your product or service, as most are not ready to buy and will not respond, instead sell them on the value of talking with you.
To sell them on value of talking with you, the copy of the campaign must:
• Establish your credibility
• Build trust in you
• Demonstrate your company’s expertise with respect to solving industry-specific business problems using your product or service
• Explain how talking to you about your offering will save them time, money or otherwise deliver value
Once sales leads are acquired, some of the same mediums (online marketing, newsletters, press releases, articles, customer testimonials, white-papers, seminars, webinars, lunchinars, trade shows, email, etc.) that are used to acquire sales leads can be used to nurture them until they are ready to buy.
In our experience, the companies that are the most successful at converting sales leads into new business execute a multi-tactic and multi-touch lead nurturing process that is supported by a closed-looped system that tracks their efforts and results through the sell cycle.
Sales leads are the life blood of any business, but in a recession economy they can make the difference between being in business or not.
First, let’s review the definition of a sales lead. A sales lead is the identity of a person or entity potentially interested in purchasing a product or service.
Sales leads typically are acquired through responses to lead generation activities or campaigns. To maximize the number sales leads generated by a campaign, do not sell the audience your product or service, as most are not ready to buy and will not respond, instead sell them on the value of talking with you.
To sell them on value of talking with you, the copy of the campaign must:
• Establish your credibility
• Build trust in you
• Demonstrate your company’s expertise with respect to solving industry-specific business problems using your product or service
• Explain how talking to you about your offering will save them time, money or otherwise deliver value
Once sales leads are acquired, some of the same mediums (online marketing, newsletters, press releases, articles, customer testimonials, white-papers, seminars, webinars, lunchinars, trade shows, email, etc.) that are used to acquire sales leads can be used to nurture them until they are ready to buy.
In our experience, the companies that are the most successful at converting sales leads into new business execute a multi-tactic and multi-touch lead nurturing process that is supported by a closed-looped system that tracks their efforts and results through the sell cycle.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
CRM Success Versus Failure
By: Scott Farmer, VP of Sales at Salesnet
With over 60 percent of CRM projects failing, it is pretty easy to point to the reasons why. Many people will tell you that it has more to do with the company trying to use the CRM than the CRM software system itself, but I believe it is a combination of both.
There are many pitfalls that can limit the success of a CRM project. Some have to do with how you go about implementing and supporting your system, and some are about the capabilities and fit of the system to your needs.
Let’s look at a few of the project downfalls and how to fix them:
Complicated – If you make the initial roll out of the product meet all your objectives you are likely to fail. If you make it too complicated you will have trouble with user acceptance, and without the users you have nothing.
KISS – Everyone knows what this acronym means and everyone should know that it is as true today as it was 20 years ago. You have plenty of time to add functionality but the initial roll out should be simple. You can even configure the system with all the bells and whittles but don’t role them out to the users until they get the basics. What you will find is that they will be asking you to add critical functionality once they get a handle on the basics.
Management – A CRM system not only has to be supported and driven by management, it has to be used by management. The fastest way to kill a CRM system is to tell the sales people that they have to put the forecast into a spread sheet for management.
Driven from the Top – Not only do you have to have management drive the system, but they also have to use the system on a daily basis. If management isn’t going to use the system then you shouldn’t buy a system. Management also needs to enforce the fact that everyone will, and has to, use the system. A little carrot and stick approach works well for this. Many of our customers have a policy that if an opportunity is not recorded in the CRM, the sales person doesn’t get paid for it. I would even go further than this; If the opportunity is not in the system with all the required data (i.e. Competition, Product Info, Pricing, etc) they don’t get paid.
Training – Most companies don’t spend enough time and money on CRM training. While many companies may schedule training classes they don’t insure that the users attend or ,if they do attend, that they really learn the product.
Train, Train, Train – You can’t train too much. CRM systems are somewhat complicated and while your more technical people may be able to figure out how to use the system without training, they likely will not use it effectively. With CRM systems you have a unique problem with training, Salespeople. Salespeople normally have a short attention span because they are focused on what they need to do next to get the orders they are working on. You must develop your training with this in mind. Any session should not be more than two hours and I think it works best if they are one hour. If you are doing training as part of a sales meeting, make sure you have plenty of breaks for them to make phone calls. Management also needs to be in the training to show commitment, enforcement and because they have to use the system too.
Doesn’t Drive Sales – This is where the CRM selection becomes important. Most CRM systems are just big filling cabinets to collect data. If that is all you want, then you are sure to fail. If the salespeople don’t get value from the system they will not use it or if they are forced to , they will put Garbage In and you will get Garbage Out.
Sales Performance Improvement CRM - Driving sales effectiveness is the most important key to success. If the system helps people sell, they will use it and by definition it will be successful. This means the system has to have an easy to use sales process that drives the correct activities and coaches the sales people along the way. It needs to ask for the right data at the right time and make the data entry easy. I, personally believe, that there is only one CRM system on the market today that truly drives sales performance and that is Salesnet.While many systems have some sort of process capability in their product, few products have a true work flow engine that drive sales performance.
With over 60 percent of CRM projects failing, it is pretty easy to point to the reasons why. Many people will tell you that it has more to do with the company trying to use the CRM than the CRM software system itself, but I believe it is a combination of both.
There are many pitfalls that can limit the success of a CRM project. Some have to do with how you go about implementing and supporting your system, and some are about the capabilities and fit of the system to your needs.
Let’s look at a few of the project downfalls and how to fix them:
Complicated – If you make the initial roll out of the product meet all your objectives you are likely to fail. If you make it too complicated you will have trouble with user acceptance, and without the users you have nothing.
KISS – Everyone knows what this acronym means and everyone should know that it is as true today as it was 20 years ago. You have plenty of time to add functionality but the initial roll out should be simple. You can even configure the system with all the bells and whittles but don’t role them out to the users until they get the basics. What you will find is that they will be asking you to add critical functionality once they get a handle on the basics.
Management – A CRM system not only has to be supported and driven by management, it has to be used by management. The fastest way to kill a CRM system is to tell the sales people that they have to put the forecast into a spread sheet for management.
Driven from the Top – Not only do you have to have management drive the system, but they also have to use the system on a daily basis. If management isn’t going to use the system then you shouldn’t buy a system. Management also needs to enforce the fact that everyone will, and has to, use the system. A little carrot and stick approach works well for this. Many of our customers have a policy that if an opportunity is not recorded in the CRM, the sales person doesn’t get paid for it. I would even go further than this; If the opportunity is not in the system with all the required data (i.e. Competition, Product Info, Pricing, etc) they don’t get paid.
Training – Most companies don’t spend enough time and money on CRM training. While many companies may schedule training classes they don’t insure that the users attend or ,if they do attend, that they really learn the product.
Train, Train, Train – You can’t train too much. CRM systems are somewhat complicated and while your more technical people may be able to figure out how to use the system without training, they likely will not use it effectively. With CRM systems you have a unique problem with training, Salespeople. Salespeople normally have a short attention span because they are focused on what they need to do next to get the orders they are working on. You must develop your training with this in mind. Any session should not be more than two hours and I think it works best if they are one hour. If you are doing training as part of a sales meeting, make sure you have plenty of breaks for them to make phone calls. Management also needs to be in the training to show commitment, enforcement and because they have to use the system too.
Doesn’t Drive Sales – This is where the CRM selection becomes important. Most CRM systems are just big filling cabinets to collect data. If that is all you want, then you are sure to fail. If the salespeople don’t get value from the system they will not use it or if they are forced to , they will put Garbage In and you will get Garbage Out.
Sales Performance Improvement CRM - Driving sales effectiveness is the most important key to success. If the system helps people sell, they will use it and by definition it will be successful. This means the system has to have an easy to use sales process that drives the correct activities and coaches the sales people along the way. It needs to ask for the right data at the right time and make the data entry easy. I, personally believe, that there is only one CRM system on the market today that truly drives sales performance and that is Salesnet.While many systems have some sort of process capability in their product, few products have a true work flow engine that drive sales performance.
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