A couple of days last week I went over to Vermont,
 explored the woodlot up on the ridge and basically locked 
 myself away during all of that rain to do some intensive 
 work. As I was working on material for the fall semesters at
 Tufts and MIT along with the new content for our October
 Boot Camp, it led me to really, really appreciate the sun at
 the beach.  I love Vermont-7 generations and all that-but for
 the choice of VT mountains or NH beach in the summa', I'm
 choosing the NH beach. Just don't let any of the good ol'
 boys on the bench know about this down at the Winhall General Store since I may not be allowed to bring my trash to the dump (sorry, in proper Vermontese, I mean "transfer station").

I've been spending a lot of time this summer thinking through the decision makers on the other side of the table.  As a salesguy, coach, blogger, I'm typically focused on "our side of the table"

• What can I do as a manager to enable my team?
• How can I help to make them more effective?
• What can we do to build a better process and better tools?
• How can I build a more optimized CMS and CRM system?

All of those questions-and a 100 others that I think about every month-are in fact where I should be spending my time with my guys in the firm and, most importantly, with our customers.  But the reality of life, of sales, of the whole buying and selling bit is that any of my new prospects and certainly my existing customers don't give a damn as to my side of the table. 

Their response to all of this entire sales and marketing ecosystem that I spend my life worrying about, tweaking, optimizing, and enabling in order to create more efficiency and effectiveness for my team is, for my customers, appropriately...

-What's the value for me?
-What in this for my business?
-How are you helping to make my objectives?
-Reduce costs, increase sales?  Prove it!
-Don't talk features & specs.  I went online.
-Just explain value in my business terms
-Terms so simple, even a baby could understand them

On the leading edge of Sales today, from the Seller's side of the table are Sales Optimization and Sales Enablement.  From the Buyer's side of the table, it's 100% my being able to deliver a powerful Value Proposition.  If I can't answer the question, perceived or real, of "So What?", before the question is actually asked, I'm either not going to make the sale, or it's going to be a long, arduous sales cycle.

70% !!!

Forrester Research and Sirius Decisions studies done in the first half of this year, point out that as much as 60% to 70% of the B2B buying process occurs without the salesperson even knowing about it.  Surprise of surprises, but because of this new thing called the Internet, buyers today are not only highly sophisticated and knowledgeable researchers, they're listening to your customers and your competitors through your own social media channels and an exploding ecosystem of blogs, ebooks, downloads and whitepapers. The result is one powerful and very educated buyer....who, just may not need you at all.

All of which means...

• For every 10 companies researched
• ...only 3 or 4 of them are going to be contacted
• ...and only 1 of those are going to win the deal
• ...and 6 or 7 never knew that they were in the game

 
 Sellers are no longer in control.  Perhaps, we never
 were; we just wanted to be seen by everyone as
 important.  We're salespeople after all!

 Today it's all about the Buyer and providing Value to
 that potential customers...just as it should have
 always been.

 If you're at all concerned about this dynamic
 shift in the market, and, more importantly, as a
 manager, you're wondering what to do about it, join
 us at our upcoming October Sales Management Boot
 Camp, where you'll have the opportunity of becoming
 deeply engrained in the strategies and hands-on, real-
 time implementation tactics of optimizing and enabling your sales team.

• 20 managers currently signed up; only space for 10 more
• You will leave knowing how to...
  -reduce your sales cycles
  -hone powerful Value Propositions
  -create highly process and tools-enabled salespeople
  -significantly increase your revenues and margins 

Good Selling! 

Jack,
Head Coach

The 2013 Sales Management Boot Camp-Click to the left

Take a look at our new Video-Presenters & Attendees

- It's selling out quickly!
- Free "Whiteboarding Session"
- Learn about Sales Enablement

During our upcoming 2013 Sales Management Boot Camp, we'll talk a lot about the best sales planning practices of...
-Sales Enablement
-Creating Value Propositions
-Hiring & Retaining the very best salespeople...plus many more topics

Late Sunday afternoon, October 6th through Tuesday afternoon, October 8th at the MIT Endicott House.   Six years, 350+ highly satisfied graduates!