My attitude is to go down both tracks in parallel at full bore and discover what the best choice might be. If the response is to find the perfect salesperson, hire her or him first,and then focus on hiring the manager, defined as the Player Coach. On the other hand, if your recruiting process identifies the perfect Player Coach first, hire that person first...as long as they understand that in addition to figuring out structure, compensation, channels and recruiting, they also need to put points on the board. Hence, the term, "Player/Coach".
"Get numbers first." This last comment comes from the Sales Legend, Jack Falvey, the noted author, speaker...and all-around great guy and friend. Check him out at his website "MakingTheNumbers.Com", and sign up for his newsletters and blog posts. Jack is nothing but totally focused and very direct.
I appreciate the more than 25 responses that we received. All very helpful as all of us now work toward the half way point in this year.
Which brings me to a strong recommendation to take a "time out" during July.
Another sales strategy that you might want to discuss during your July meeting and turn into tactical planning is that of presenting "Business Cases" and not selling products, and in many cases, not even selling solutions. Solution Selling has been around now for 15 years, and, in some cases, it's so overdone tht the knowledgeable prospect will tell the salesperson to stop the process.
We were introduced to this strategy about five years ago, and it's been proven to be very successful in complex, long sales cycle deals. The tactics include...
That's the outline, and the success is in the details, but we've proven that in the majority of cases, it works extremely well, since it focuses totally on the customer's business objectives and not you and your products. Plus it allows you to engage in conversations and not selling points. The initial part of this process is all about focusing on...
...and not on relationships or solution selling, per se.
May 27, 2015
Turn Your Business Case into a Compelling Story
The business cases that win funding tell compelling and memorable stories. That’s the best way to capture decision makers’ imaginations and make your idea stand out. Think of your business case as a concise adventure novel, with your company as the protagonist. The narrative involves your company solving a business need or seizing an opportunity by acting on your idea. To build that story, first identify the strategic need or opportunity you want to address. Then map out how your idea supports that important strategic or organizational objective. Once you’ve done your homework, you can outline your project approach and explain how your idea will be implemented. Finally, describe the benefits your project will deliver if it’s funded. Avoid vague goals like “improve customer satisfaction,” “cut costs,” or “drive sales.” Get specific: “We’ll reduce product returns by 10%, saving $300,000.”
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My primary points in today's blog, as you wind down the month in this super-critcal quarter, is to have you think about...
Perhaps that "difference" is presenting Business Cases and not focusing on relationships or sellling your products. Perhaps, it's something else.
But, whatever it is, it's time to shake things up this July!
In the meantime... GOOD SELLING as you finish the month t;omorrow!
Have specific sales questions that you want to bounce off me or any of our other coaches, just email me, and we'll set up a time to talk.
Head Coach
Derby Management...for 25 years
-Sales & Marketing Productivity Experts
-Business & Strategy Planning Specialists
-Senior Management Coaching
Box 171322, Boston, MA 02117
617-292-7101
Jack's Cell: 617-504-4222
http://www.brainshark.com/derbymanagement/vu?pi=zEAzcyC9XzFFz0
A syllabus along with the project outlines is sent to the students in early July with the requirement that they do research on the companies and quickly define in writing before they come to the first class during the first week of September, exactly why they should be accepted into the class to work on any of these particular projects. This is a very desired course, and currently, I have 46 students signed up among the categories of Registered, the official "Wait List" and then the longer, unofficial "Wait-Wait List"., I need to bring total attendance down to no more than 32 by the end of the first class in September, and the summer homework of reviewing the company assignments, doing research on the companies and completing reading assignments constitute the means through which I measure the motivation and commitment of students coming into the course.
The structure of the process always works, and, most importantly, very often this course becomes the most influential in the students' college experience, simply because of the fact that it introduces them to the inner workings of senior management teams who are dealing with the real life experiences of launching new products, assessing market opportunities and creating multi-faceted marketing campaigns.
Paige Dahlman, this extraordinary student from last semester, who is now a just-graduated senior and has been the Captain of the Tufts Squash Team, writes..." I can easily say that this was my most rewarding class at Tufts". Each semester I get a number of similar notes, which, I hope points a little bit to my teaching style and to the content, but, I know that the most impactful component of this course is its unique structure of directly connecting bright students to work with senior management teams who have a need to explore a new marketing or product idea.
Recently, I was awarded the School of Engineering Teacher of 2014-2015, but the award really goes to the students and to the unique structure of this class working with real companies and management.
We've now completed 84 projects covering a wide spectrum of markets, projects and company sizes which have ranged from Raytheon and Fidelity, to startup tech, healthcare and apparel companies, to well-established consumer companies, such as Paytronix and Stratton Resort, both of whom were looking for the unique perspectives of Millennials. One company has returned six times, four companies, four times...and so on.
And no one has been disappointed!
This deadline of June 15th does not mean that the project details need to be completed by that time. You have until September 1st do that.
What I do need to do is to be able to send to the students in early July a syllabus along with a package of information that includes...
Both for you in the added depth that you will achieve in your marketing plans, and for the students as they become introduced to the senior management from real world companies. In a number of cases, our students go on to work as interns and employees from their host companies.