Sales Has Changed | Stop Being Boring | Snap Selling

Jordan Barta

Photo Apr 19, 09 38 44 (1)Sales has CHANGED… If you don’t think this… then you’re crazy. Seriously though. The old school mentality of ‘always be closing’ is no longer applicable.

“In the new sales climate, focusing on your FABs (features-advantages-benefits) creates insurmountable obstacles. Using clever objection-handling techniques insults your prospect’s intelligence. And employing ‘always be closing’ tactics is the surest way to prematurely end potentially fruitful relationships.”[note]Page 4[/note]

It’s black and white… Read it again and internalize it. You and your company do the exact same thing as the company down the street. Literally…

Look at me. Technically, I sell HCM and payroll software. But what’s the difference between me and the other behemoth in the industry? I will out work them, I will out deliver them, I will out communicate them, anyday. It’s because I CARE about the people I sell to. I’m more worried about the success of the organization I’m speaking with than the actual sale.

If it can help your business, I want to help. If it doesn’t help your business, I’ll let you know. The greater good of your organization honestly matters to me. The more I learn about your company… the more help I can offer.

“Once you know your buyer inside and out, you can easily start applying what you’ve learned to create customer-enticing value propositions, messaging, presentations, and proposals. Plus, this knowledge of your customer will be at the heart of all your best, most fruitful conversations.”[note]Page 7[/note]

You’ve got to personalize your approach. You have to learn about the people you’re selling to. Nobody wants to be sold to… but to get in front of them, you have to do something so you can get a better understanding of their issues. Nobody really knows their issue until you show them. Then, once you’ve created that partnership, those people will be the best salespeople for you.

When you’ve got a happy client… they’ll bend over backwards to help you… Don’t forget though… It’s okay to ask them for referrals.

“The only chance to truly differentiate yourself today lies in the value you can personally bring to the relationship. And you can bet that your prospects are constantly assessing whether you’re work it. They truly want to work with smart, savvy people who bring them ideas, insights, and information they deem beneficial.”

Being a boring ass sales person doesn’t cut it anymore. You’ve got to give the prospect something and that something has to directly affect them. If you’re not educated in your industry, how can you differentiate yourself? Whatever you sell, if you don’t know what directly affects your market, you’ve already lost.

Look at your current customers for feedback! If you’re helping people do their current job and they love you… you need to figure out what exactly they love.

“Nothing, I repeat, nothing is more important than your customer knowledge. Without understanding your customers’ business environment, challenges, and marketplaces, you won’t get selling right.”[note]Page 40[/note]

If you can’t connect with your customer’s needs, you can’t sell anything. You need to understand the people you’re selling to. Does that make sense? Try and put yourself in their shoes! Sales people SUCK at doing this.

Ya… your product is awesome but why should anyone else care. We’re getting bombarded with information all day. We don’t know what’s good or what’s crap.

“Your prospects are busily going about their lives and their work with an already overloaded calendar. They’re not waiting for your call. They’re just trying to get done the things that have to be done.[note]Page 57[/note]

Nobody likes being interrupted, so why should someone give you their time? Time is the most important commodity these days. If you’re going to try to sell someone on your product, you need to spark their curiosity and provide value. It’s really easy for prospects to ignore you… so you need to find a way to get their interest!

 

There’s more to come from me about:

Snap Selling | Jill Konrath

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“Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions”

Jordan Barta

The_One_Minute_ManagerI’ve managed a few people in my career… I was a manager at Abercrombie & Fitch and I also coached some American Football players overseas. I’ve never thought managing people was rocket science. Maybe I’m wrong, and that can be your opinion… I’ve had great managers in my career and I’ve had bad managers. There is a big difference and I’m sure you’ve experienced something similar to me…

I never really thought about reading/writing about management style books, but a friend of mine, Illiya, told me that this is a must read! Boy was he right. The nuggets in this book are easy to come by and it can really change how you manage people. The book itself is told from the perspective of a boy wanting to learn about management styles… so it’s a different point of view, but easily readable.

“…helping people to feel good about themselves is a key to getting more done. …However, remember productivity is more than just the quantity of work done. It’s also the quality.”[/note]Page 20[/note]

Whenever I’m feeling good, I’ll always get more done. When management rewards me or pats me on the back… yep, you guessed it; I’m going to work harder. I’ve previously written about productivity and the quality of work. There is a fine line in finding the right equation. Making sure you’re people are happy is a very important part of that equation.

If you don’t know what makes your people feel good… well, you better learn fast. Just because you’re in management, it doesn’t mean you can’t be work ‘friends’ with your employees. You don’t have to hangout with them on the weekends, but make a point of stopping to say hi and asking them how they’re doing… instead of just your weekly one-on-ones.

The first secret of The One Minute Manager is: The One Minute Goal. This is a great segment because I recently wrote about it from GaryVee’s book! Stop complaining.

“If you can’t tell me what you’d like to be happening, he said, you don’t have a problem yet. You’re just complaining. A problem only exists if there is a difference between what is actually happening and what you desire to be happening.”[note]Page 31[/note]

Makes sense… right? Instead of just complaining about something. Have the outcome already figured out. Nobody likes a complainer because it doesn’t solve anything. Complaining just to complain doesn’t do anybody any good. STOP. Its tough to do… I know. I experience this everyday and sometimes I feel the need to do it.

The entire idea of a one minute goal is to come up with something that isn’t working and find a way to fix it. The goal being; fixing the problem.

Once that happens or maybe you catch your people doing things right… verbally reward them; One Minute Praisings.

“Help people reach their full potential. Catch them doing something right.”[note]Page 39[/note]

It’s the little things that make a big difference. Pat someone on the back, pound fists or give a high five. When you notice someone doing something right, it motivates them. When someone is motivated, they will work that much harder. It’s not rocket science… it basic human interaction. Did you ever play sports, have a coach or learn something new?! Once someone gave you that positive reinforcement… how pumped up were you? Hell, if you’re not a manager, do it with your coworkers. They’ll like you even more.

The opposite side of praise is the One Minute Reprimands.

“… the One Minute Manager has taught us the value of being able to laugh at ourselves when we make a mistake. It helps us get on with our work.”[note]Page 56[/note]

People screw up… so when it happens, you need to stop that employee, let them know they screwed up and then reinforce them that you hold them to a higher standard. Tell them what they did wrong and then build them back up. They won’t make that mistake again! Obviously, we feel shitty when our boss tells us we did something wrong…. but it’s also their job to tell us we’re better than that. If you only put your people down, your people will leave you fast.

You’ve got to invest in your people. They are the reason your organization is growing.

“Most companies spend 50% to 70% of their money on people’s salaries. And yet they spend less than 1% of their budget to train their people. Most companies, in fact, spend more time and money on maintaining their buildings and equipment than they do on maintaining and developing people.”[note]Page 64[/note]

That sucks but it’s pretty true. Especially with all of these new fancy startups popping up everyday. “Let’s give people free stuff and hope that they stay here for eternity.” You’ve gotta help your people grow or else they won’t feel satisfied. Don’t get me wrong, free stuff, a nice paycheck and 401k is lovely, but if you feel like you’re spinning your wheels every day, those things can only keep you happy so long before you look elsewhere. I would know…

Another thing to keep you moving forward at an organization:

“Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions”[note]Page 67[/note]

When the last time you got or gave feedback?! I love constructive criticism. If helps me evolve as a person. If I lose a deal… I ask the prospect as to why I lost. That reason will never happen again!

“If managers would only intervene early, they could deal with one behaviour at a time and the person receiving the discipline would not be overwhelmed. They could hear the feedback. That’s why I think performance review is an ongoing process, not something you do only once a year.”[note]Page 87[/note]

I know for FACT that the majority of organizations out there do not do reviews more than once a year. They say they do semi-yearly but I know that’s crap. I call a lot of companies and talk with a lot of HR people. This is a HUGE issue in all industries right now. Do yourself a favor and start giving reviews/feedback often. Your people will feel like they’re part of the company when you listen to them. Sometimes… people just want to be heard.

Basically, The One Minute Manager is about setting quick goals, giving positive reinforcement and giving feedback often. I would encourage you to read this book if you’re just getting into management. It’s a quick/fun read. If you want my copy, I’d be happy to send it to you. Just email me and it’s yours!

 

Buy the book here – I suggest buying a used copy because they’re dirt cheap.

Suck it up and get over it. Nobody cares! | Personalize your approach

Jordan Barta

Something that I’ve been sharing lately, with regards to social selling is the fact that personalization is huge… it goes a long ways and people feel like you care. It’s even better when you can show them you care!

“One-to-one marketing takes time but the ROI is tremendous because so few businesses are actually doing it. I finally figured out that’s why my results are so often the exception instead of the rule. When you’re listening and other people aren’t, you look like a star.”[note]Page 209[/note]

I’ll be the first to admit that personalized/one-to-one marketing is difficult and time consuming. You don’t see the ROI right away. But once you get in the groove and things start to click, you truly look like a star. You’ll be able to set yourself apart from the competition within the industry.

Gary jumps back and forth within the chapters to different Ah-Ha Moments. There are so many good takeaways that it’s hard not to want to comment on all of them. As humans, we complain… that’s a fact.

“Problems happen. Life isn’t fair or perfect. Complaining fixes nothing. Only taking action does.”[note]Page 217[/note]

Depending on when you’re reading this, you could agree or disagree. Is it 8am in the morning and you’re fired up and ready to go? Or is it 4pm and you’ve been shut down 20 times on the phone today? I’m writing this after being shut down on the phone today… and it honestly sucks because I want to complain so badly!

I can literally hear Gary Vee saying, “Suck it up and get over it. Nobody cares!” That right there is motivation enough to over the want to complain. I suggest you watch some of his most recent posts on Facebook or YouTube. They’ll motivate the heck out of you.

I’ve strived to be nice my entire life! I want people to know I care and that I’m a nice guy.

“Being nice is a choice, and how you choose to speak to people even when you’re pressed for time will reveal who you really are.”[note]Page 228[/note]

Man, ain’t that the truth? The more important you become, the less time you’ll have to give to other people. It’s harder to ‘look’ nice when you’re always under the microscope because you’re so busy.

Such an important thing to execute is in type of relationship whether it be work, personal or partnerships is communication.

“Communicate with your team. Communicate with your partners. Communicate with your clients. Communicate, communicate, communicate.”[note]Page 263[/note]

Maybe it’s just me, but I see a lot of miscommunication going on within every industry and with a lot of organizations. Communication is what keeps clients happy, doors opens, partners willing and coworkers excited. It’s the difference between doing incredibly well and just okay. It’s not hard to communicate with people… although we worry that if it’s bad news, someone is going to be pissed.

Keep the communication open and make sure you’re happy/excited to be doing it. GaryVee has ALWAYS talked about ‘doing what you absolutely love.’ Why do something that you hate?

“Self-esteem is the ultimate drug of our society. When you have it you give yourself the audacity to dream big, and when you do that, the little things stop mattering and anxiety cannot cripple you.”[note]Page 287[/note]

That’s the perfect way to say it. Stay high, stay confident and keep hustling. Nobody can stop you when you hustle.

I went from business to business this morning to meet local businesses. (I wrote the top half of this yesterday) Guess what! I got half my foot in the door at this one company and they said they were in a meeting and that I needed to leave. (They weren’t in a meeting). I smiled, handed them some information and left with 10 times for motivation than when I entered. It was pretty spectacular to feel that.

GaryVee wrote an incredible book and I hope you read it! It’s so worth it. He hits on so many other points too which I didn’t talk about. Do yourself a favor and like him on Facebook, follow him on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn.

You can thank me later!

 

Connect with Gary on Twitter: @garyvee

Connect with me on Twitter: @Barta57

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

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One Piece Of Content Can Change Your Life

Jordan Barta

Did you read my last post from #AskGary Vee? If you didn’t… you better! Here, I’ll remind you what the last quote was…

“Here’s what you must remember: No matter who your audience is, you’re always one great piece of content away from changing your life. Everyone you know started off as an unknown until they did the thing that made them know.”[note]Page 142[/note]

BOOM! I wrote a piece of content on LinkedIn and sh*t got real! As of right now, 3/31/16, I have had 8,454 views, 422 Likes, 63 Comments and 94 Shares… It hasn’t even been 7 days since I posted it. Just like that, my voice has been heard around the world. Before you say, “Oh… wow Jordan, good for you. Pfft.”, you could be in my shoes! You can read the post I published on LinkedIn or on my site, The Ah-Ha Moment, between this post and the last #AskGaryVee post.

My motivation is at an all time high and I feel like I’m on fire. 

I’ve connected with so many new people from all over the world. All different walks of life. It’s absolutely amazing! Without my network, that wouldn’t have been possible…

“With one click – or tweet or share or favorite or any number of other social digital acts – consumers’ messages can be spread and their voice amplified well beyond the boundaries of their neighborhoods or even the industries where they work.”[note]Page 185[/note]

Do I have to say it again? Literally… ONE piece of content changed the playing field. I was averaging 30 profile views a day… now, I’m averaging 150. Nobody ever thinks it can happen to them… but I’m here to tell you it CAN. My friend Kristina Evans (@TheKristinaShow) recently had the same thing happen to her too. Her LinkedIn share BLEW up and she got over 15,000 profile views in five days. Not to mention the 1000+ comments and 3,000+ likes. Share something that’s relevant to your audience, it can provide value and leaves room for conversation.

Don’t forget though, content can bring the haters. It’s inevitable… Keep an open mind and try not to get offended. We’re living in the information age… people don’t stay mad for very long.

After reading more from Gary Vee, I now understand that it isn’t necessarily about the amount of views someone gets on their content. It’s more about the engagement and the ability people are willing to share. Anybody can view something for a second and then click out of it… It’s about the depth you’re able to reach.

“This is when I realized it wasn’t about width, it was all about depth. It’s about how many people care, not how many people you have.”[note]Page 192[/note]

Don’t get me wrong, I love having over 50 views on my content and posts. What’s really sweet is the reach a share can have. One person shares with their network of 5,000 people… Now my face has been shown to their network. That is 5,000 more people than me just posting it. I’m connecting with people in Ireland, Australia and everywhere you can think of. It’s the domino effect and it’s absolutely amazing. You know how it happened?! I posted content!

“It’s stunning how many remarkable reasons and circumstances people can come up with to explain why they haven’t met with success. Or course, the problem doesn’t usually lie with the type of industry or job. The problem lies with the individual who can’t see opportunities when they’re right in front of his or her face.”[note]Page 199[/note]

Nobody ever got anywhere in life by making excuses for themselves. Like Gary Vee says, “Nobody gives a f*ck about your feelings, bro“. It’s the harsh reality, but it’s so true. If you want success, it’s time to go get it. I’m a great example of grabbing an opportunity by the horns and running with it. “Well Jordan, what if I fail?” WHO CARES! You learned something from your experience. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back out there. Nobody’s gonna give you the golden ticket. You gotta create it.

“Think completely left field. The best way to stagnate is to pay attention to everyone else because they’re doing the same crap over and over. And guess what? The same old crap sucks. Taking an open, optimistic attitude will keep your content fresh and exciting, and allow you to change the world’s perception of your ‘boring’ product.”[note]Page 201[/note]

Like the cliche saying, “Think outside the box”. Seriously though. The same old sales approaches don’t work like they used to… Always be closing is nearing its death and some would say it’s dead. Social selling is the way to sell… Instagram and Snapchat are now ‘the’ way to engage with your audience and market products. Who would have ever thought that would happen? Guess what.. it’s here. Stop getting in line with the rest of the people out there and start making your own waves. Taking that first step to post content will change your life.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

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Your ‘Cold’ Follow Up Email Sucks

Jordan Barta

You got a lead because someone attended a webinar that your company was hosting or sponsoring. Or maybe someone downloaded some content. Now it’s your job to follow up with them to see what sparked their interest and if they want to buy what you’re selling.

If you’ve ever attended a webinar or downloaded content, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

The majority of sales people send the same generic email template to those leads because it’s easy to do and it doesn’t take much time. Copy and paste the template, change the name, the title of the webinar and the subject line. Or, configure a mass email and you’re done even faster. Boom!

You’ve followed up to all 20 leads you got and now you can go back to doing what you were doing prior.

But, where’s the value?

The subject line of you letting me know that you’re my point of contact doesn’t encourage me to open the email. I open it anyways because I’m in sales and I’m always trying to evolve.

Introducing yourself as the main point of contact and letting me know that you saw I attended the webinar isn’t valuable; I don’t care. I know I attended the webinar and if I wanted to buy your product, I would call you direct.

Run on sentences about all the cool things your product does, and all of the cool clients you have doesn’t help me either. Good for you; so how does that help me in my job?

The soft close at the end of the email asking for 15 minutes is such garbage too. Having used this approach myself, I know it wouldn’t be 15 minutes. It’s a bait and switch to get 30 minutes on my calendar.

The crazy signature with all of the different images is slightly overwhelming… AND don’t forget about the unsubscribe hyperlink at the bottom of the email. Wow, I can remove myself from your list? How personable of you!

So, it goes from, ‘Do you have any questions about the webinar?’ To ‘When can we talk about my product?’

I hate it, I hate it, I hate it! And I used to do it! Man, it feels good to admit I’ve come a long ways. No wonder nobody ever responded to my awful ‘cold’ follow up emails. I wasn’t providing ANY value. I was just doing my job of following up to the leads.

Having the right subject line is a game changer. Do a little research on the prospect and personalize your approach to following up. A few minutes on LinkedIn or Twitter will give you plenty of information about the prospect or the company they work for.

“Well Jordan, What if I can’t find them on the internet?” If you can’t find them on the internet, chances are they aren’t real. And, if a prospect can’t be found online… are they a good candidate to talk to about your software? Also, depending on your company, the form should capture a phone number. Try calling! Cold calling isn’t dead.

Leveraging information within the webinar and how it pertains to sales people is a better approach than asking me if I have any questions. I can’t even remember when the webinar was. Try relating the webinar to something on my profile. Even though I’m not the decision maker, I’d be more likely to respond to your email if you personalized it and somehow caught my attention.

Instead of asking me if I’d be interested, you need to tell me why I need to be interested. “You’re going to be more efficient, giving you time back in my day.” Or “you’re going to continue receiving great customer service reviews.” (My company is well known for great customer service and someone that has done research would know that.)

I’m not a fan of the soft close for a meeting because it’s kinda like the, “Got time? {shrug}

I personally like something like, “How can I get 30 minutes on your calendar to share more?” Or, if you’re in outside sales, “I’m going to be in your area next week, what day and time work best so I can share more?”

Everyone has their own favorite close. Your geography can change the type of close you use too.

I used to write those sad ‘cold’ follow up emails. Now I’m receiving them. 18 months ago I stopped writing those types of emails because I started focusing my time and energy on personalized outreach. Social Selling is a word that’s taking the industry by storm. Do yourself a favor and personalize your approach. Your prospects won’t roll their eyes every time they get an email from you.

“Okay, Jordan… You’ve told me what I’m doing wrong. How can I fix it?”

I’m glad you asked!

Do your research! What information do you already have about this prospect in your CRM (Customer relationship management)? Look at the prospects website. Look at their LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media platforms. Do they follow or engage with people you follow too? Search the company’s 10-K, ‘about us’ page or just plain Google them!

What are their business priorities? Are they focused on building their brand or reaching new markets? Are they opening up new locations and have a lot of job openings?

Example:

Subject Line: Mutual Connections – Connect week of April 4th?

Hi Karen,

Those recommendations on your LinkedIn profile speak volumes about your character. Look at that! We also share a few connections. Based on your Tweets, I can see that you absolutely love your company. Wouldn’t it be great if it was easier to find dedicated talent like yourself?

The webinar you recently attended touched on a few ways to cut down on time spent recruiting. Imagine getting 2 hours back in your day!

My company aggregates all jobs boards allowing you to post to THE very best ones… seamlessly!

I really think I can save you time and possibly money. At the very least, you’ll acquire a new online resource.

When can I share more with you?

Thanks,

Jordan

 

Did I get your attention and did I provide value? Did I leave you feeling like you want to learn more? Take a little more time to personalize your emails and your prospects will be thanking you. Nobody has the time for you to ask them about their strategy or if they have questions about your product… They want solutions and innovative ideas.

Be human, personalize your approach and most importantly… provide value!

 

If you’ve liked what you’ve read, you’ll definitely like The Ah-Ha Moment. Don’t hesitate to connect with me on LinkedIn & Twitter!

Content Creates Opportunity | #AskGaryVee

Jordan Barta

 Where did all the good storytellers go? Stories paint great pictures and people love putting themselves in the shoes of the characters. Remember “The Great Gatsby”? That’s an incredible story… Who wouldn’t want to be Gatsby for an evening. Hell, they have parties named after the guy because they’re so epic. Now take storytelling and relate it to sales!

“People buy with with their hearts, not their heads, and the way to every consumer’s heart is through a good story.”[note]Page 97[/note]

Tell them a story about you. Tell a story about the success of another client. Tell a story relating to the prospects pain point and how you can help them overcome their issue. Don’t just tell them, help them visualize. You’ll create some type of relationship and that will go a long ways.

If you’re already connected with them via LinkedIn or Twitter, you can use those platforms to help tell stories. Send them a YouTube video, whitepaper, data sheet or even a Twitter video. Personalize your approach and that will build rapport.

Gary talks about content and he creates a lot of Ah-Ha Moments for me. If you’re creating good content and sharing it with people, you’re creating great opportunity to reach a lot of people. But what about curated content? Taking someone else’s content, adding your personal touch and then sending it out onto the web. It’s kinda like how I post some material on LinkedIn or Twitter which was originally created by Paychex. I’m not taking any credit for it… I’m just changing the titles to attract to my network, adding some hashtags and giving Paychex credit.

“…if I added curated content to my original material, it would bring me even more exposure and create more opportunity.”[note]Page 112[/note]

It works! You never know what’s going to attract certain people. The internet is ALWAYS changing and there is always new information. Content at 11am could result in a bunch of likes and shares, however, content around 5pm could only get a few. The more content you’re able to spit out there, the more opportunity you can achieve.

I’ll be honest. It’s hard to create a lot of content and post everyday. I’m able to post about 3 days a week… I take roughly 5 Ah-Ha Moments I love from the current book I’m reading and then write about it. It can take me anywhere from 30-60 pages to find those 5 Ah-Ha Moments. Sometimes I’ll find a few Ah-Ha Moments in a row, but they all reinforce the previous moment. I’m trying to give the reader, you, what I think you’ll find valuable.

“Content Creates opportunity, and if you can’t produce the content at the rate your audience wants it or that benefits you, your business won’t survive.”[note]Page 119[/note]

Ain’t that the truth. In the information age, content is always being published. So much, all the time. There are so many different platforms to post on. Posting content is better than not posting content… so you just gotta do it! Alongside prospecting, content can help greatly. Why do you think so many companies hold webinars, offer free trials, give away stuff to engage their audience? It’s so they can create some type of connection, present some type of value and then sell you on it. But, you have to make sure that the value created is worthy of the prospect buying. Just because YOU think it’s value… does your prospects??

“Most people don’t jab – bring value – enough before pulling back for that right hook – going in for the sale. They’re less concerned with providing value than with making the sale, and it backfires every time.”[note]Page 132[/note]

It’s pretty true. There are all sorts of different ways to look at this too. It really depends on your job, your industry, your sales strategy… the list goes on. People want value… so you need to find a way to give it to them. There’s been a phenomenon online since SEO became important. CONTENT IS KING. Do it and don’t stop.

“Here’s what you must remember: No matter who your audience is, you’re always one great piece of content away from changing your life. Everyone you know started off as an unknown until they did the thing that made them know.”[note]Page 142[/note]

Ask Lindsey Boggs (@lindseyboggs) about her experience. She wrote “How I get a 50% Return On InMails“. Since posting, she’s had 22,011 views, 1,327 Likes, 281 Comments… That’s insane. Because of that, she got invited to a LinkedIn conference. Then, based on her SSI, the best at the conference with 99 :-O, she got to shoot free throws with Shaq. Ya… Shaquille O’neal. That’s freaking unbelievable. That just reinforces the idea that anyone is one post away from becoming a rockstar! #AlwaysBePosting

 

There’s more to come from me about:

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

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#AskGaryVee | Bet On Your Strengths | Hustle Smart

Jordan Barta

The Ah-Ha Moments are at an all time high right now. The questions that Gary is answering through this book motivate me to read more and read faster. It almost seems like he’s my mentor! Something that especially caught my attention is how we need to focus on our strengths.

“I never worry about what you don’t have, but about what you do. Because I believe in betting on your strengths. Everyone is different, and everyone will bring a different set of skills to the table.”[note]Page 40[/note]

While interviewing with Paychex, this is something I kept in mind even before I read this book. When it came time for me to talk about my strengths and experiences I’ve had, social selling and online engagement was exactly what my boss was looking for.

My strengths sure paid off! Taking a ‘social’ approach to sales isn’t something that’s hit the mainstream yet… People do it, but they don’t do it correctly. Convincing a manager to let you ‘social sell’, that’s never heard of it before, takes guts. He knows I’m capable of what I told him I can do… but he’s gotta see it. Right? There has to be an ROI. So… once he saw it, the encouragement to do more motivated me!

“Pumping everyone full of confidence makes for a more creative, risk-taking environment.”[note]Page 70[/note]

I’m sure we’ve all had bosses before that were really good about giving praise. And we’ve also had bosses that weren’t so good at giving praise. Whom did you like better? Not to toot my own horn, but I got some 1 on 1 praise the other day. Guess what! I’m even more motivated. Man, it feels good too.

This, right here, is one question that I absolutely love!

“What is the one tangible thing people can do to change the direction of their lives?

Hustle.”[note]Page 75[/note]

It doesn’t get any easier than that. Work your ass off. Want to know why I went from college football into international football? Hustle! If you’re going to brand yourself, be a successful entrepreneur or do something no one else has ever done before, the recipe is Hustle. You gotta grind! Wake up early and go to bed late. At the end of the day, you should be mentally exhausted. It’s one thing to be productive and it’s another thing to be running in circles.

“Hustle is not just working obnoxiously hard – it’s also working obnoxiously smart.”[note]Page 84[/note]

I’ve written about it before. There’s a difference between being productive and being busy. Busy doesn’t mean shit. Just because you’re on ‘the grind’ and busy all the time, doesn’t mean you’re actually getting anything done. Consider reevaluating how you ‘hustle’. You could find that you need to start hustling smarter.

Gary hits on a point not many people talk about; circumstances.

“Don’t ever let your circumstances determine your outcome. You are bigger and better than that. You can always control your own destiny. Use what you’ve got, find what you don’t, and make your dreams come true.”[note]Page 91[/note]

Stop using ‘but’ when explaining why you failed. No more cop outs. Stop giving yourself an excuse. If you want to do something, do it. Find a way to get it done. Guess what. This website didn’t develop itself overnight. I can’t tell you how many people I tweeted asking questions. I googled everything to figure out how to make it. Just because I didn’t know how to do it, doesn’t mean I can’t figure it out or ask for help.

Stop worrying about the outcome before you’ve even taken the first step. You’ll thank yourself later.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

Get “#AskGaryVee” on Amazon

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk | Part 1

Jordan Barta

Photo Mar 17, 08 29 14This isn’t Gary Vee’s first book and I sure hope it’s not his last. He writes about it all… literally everything! There is something new on every page and the book flows so smoothly. He answers so many different types of questions in this book, and it’s full of Ah-Ha Moments!

“… if there’s any advice I can offer you that will change the entire trajectory of your career, it’s to start pushing on both edges. Raise the bar on your business philosophy, dig deeper into your craft. You want to be an equally good architect as you are a mason.”[note]Page 2[/note]

This is coming from a guy that has it all figured out; literally! He took his family’s wine company and blew it out of the water. He built an empire of a brand and continues to follow through on his message. He’s on the ground digging in the dirt and he’s also up in the clouds building his empire. Honestly, the Ah-Ha Moments in this book will make you wish you’d followed his YouTube channel years ago.

While getting deeper into this book, I find myself rereading pages. The mental reinforcement Gary Vee gives the reader really show us that he knows what he’s talking about. Case in point: When I was considering leaving the country to go play football overseas… I was going to quit my job, put my stuff in storage and trust some random coach 5,500 miles away…

“Suck it up. Make the call. And remember: Be grateful if you’re lucky enough to have too many options. It’s a blessing and a half.”[note]Page 17[/note]

I made the call and boy was I right! I can honestly say… It was an incredible experience! So incredible, that I went to Germany the following year to do it again. Gary Vee takes it a step deeper though. What if the decision I made turned out to be the wrong one? Well, it’d have been a learning experience. Never walk away from a bad experience without reflecting on it. Learn from it and come back even better or stronger.

Half the struggle of making any decision in life is taking the first step!

“Taking that first step can often be the only thing standing in your way, because once you start getting shit done, the momentum just carries you forward. There’s no doubt that taking that first step can be terrifying. I get it. I really do. But I also have to wonder, would you be so afraid if you know no one was watching?”[note]Page 21[/note]

Dude! I love it! My reader… yes you… think back to January… would you ever have thought I would be writing?! Me neither. All I had to do was start!! I was worried, obviously. But once I got past that and said ‘F it’, I’m reading and writing all the time… and I love it! I hope you do too!

After reading “Not Taught” by Jim Keenan, I knew I had to do it and I’m so freaking happy I did. I took the opportunity that presented itself and ran with it. I’m still running baby!

“You don’t see obstacles – you see opportunities. Optimists accept that obstacles will be in their path, and assume they’ll figure out a way around them. Which is not to say the grind isn’t hard for optimists, too. It is. They just like it.“[note]Page 31[/note]

I was pretty good at Football; not to toot my own horn. How do you think I got good? The right mindset and hard work. I played defensive end and I weighed 205 lbs. Everytime I steped into the gym, I was going to lift more weight. Everytime I steped onto that field, I was going to whoop that kids ass in front of me. The grind is where the men separate themselves from the boys and the women separate themselves from the girls. It’s in our DNA and we absolutely thrive off it!

I’ve always been an optimist and I’ve always known that I’ll continue to do better everyday. Why do you think I started reading and writing? I want to give people the Ah-Ha Moment! I want to continue getting better and also provide value to other people!

“I provided value with the content that I relentlessly pump out. You need to do the same”[note]Page 33[/note]

There’s that word again! VALUE. Give people value and they’ll become your greatest fan. I’ve got my people that provide value for me… Do I provide value for you?!

If there’s something that sticks out about my posts, don’t hesitate to comment! I love feedback… regardless good or bad.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

#AskGaryVee | Gary Vaynerchuk

Get “#AskGaryVee” on Amazon.

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders | Part 5

Jordan Barta

9781591848219Social Selling!

Social Selling is a word that is trending all throughout the internet. Believe it or not, there are A LOT of people out there not doing it… and there are A LOT of people out there doing it wrong.

“Incorporating social selling into your day-to-day prospecting approach consistently can make a big difference on your total performance. A recent survey revealed that ‘72.6% of salespeople who in corporate social media into their process outperformed their colleagues.’ These tech-savvy sellers make contact where the ‘smile and dial’ crowd continues to get voice mail.”[note]Page 159[/note]

Social selling is here… NOW. You need to incorporate this into your daily routine before you get left in the dust. There are multiple things that play into social selling, so I can’t exactly tell you what you need to do. However, send me an email, and we can talk about how to get you started. My favorite guys to follow are @JackKosakowski1 and @gabevillamizar. There are about 15 people I follow and like in terms of social selling… but I like these guys messaging the best.

The HARDEST part about social selling is seeing the ROI right away. It’s like going to the gym. You have to go more than once to see result. You need to put time in each day to make it happen. If you’re not social selling, chances are you’re not maximizing your potential. Social Selling gets you in the door, but once you’re there, you have to provide value!

“During our next dealstorm, it hit me: “Show them, don’t tell them.” We collectively came up with a way to powerfully illustrate our total value proposition to the ad agency account planners, using a graphic we called ‘The Iceberg.’ It combined an image with the numbers.”[note]Page 170[/note]

Yea… This is an Ah-Ha Moment! Give your prospect a visualization of what you’re offering and what goes on ‘underwater’ and they will fall in love with you. I am definitely borrowing this image so I can share it with my prospects and team. In the SaaS world, prospects often get ‘vendor blur’. It when the prospect doesn’t remember what the vendor does because they all kinda do the same thing. Then, they end up picking the vendor with the cheapest product. If you give them a visual that resonates with them like ‘The Iceberg’, it’ll separate you from the competition.

Ideally, when showing someone a visual of what you have to offer and how it’s going to fix their problem, they provide you feedback. Try imagining your sales pitch from the prospects view. Does everything make sense? Do you see the value in what you have to offer?

“Too often we see the world through our day-to-day experiences or based on our role at work. By adopting a new point of view, you open up possibilities for creativity in everyone on the dealstorm team.”[note]Page 178[/note]

Whether you look at this quote from the dealstorming perspective or from the prospect perspective… it can provide you with a lot of insight. In a dealstorm, you can get the view point from a lot of team members. From the prospect’s perspective, it can help you win a deal. Maybe you can relate more with a prospect when you’re learning about their pain points. The more you connect with a prospect, the better chance you have at them becoming a champion for you. Having a champion within an organization can make or break your deal.

“They get you and your offer in front of influencers and decision makers by vouching for you and opening doors. Later in the process, they marshal support for your company and drive others to action.”[note]Page 185[/note]

A lot of times, these champions will give you information that you don’t already have. While working at Cornerstone, one of my reps told me that their champion was in a meeting with the decision makers and they were narrowing the vendors down to three. The champion texted the rep and told them that they needed to drop the price or else we won’t be considered. The price was dropped and Cornerstone stayed in the picture. Obviously, we never want to lose a deal based on price… but that was the driving factor in narrowing down the vendors. Without that champion, we would have been gone.

“When people perceive you as a giver, they are usually ready to reciprocate by telling you what they know.”[note]Page 196[/note]

I’ve written about this many time! Once you can get off of your agenda and onto the prospects, you’re improving your chances of earning business. Help fix someone’s problem and they’ll return the favor. There aren’t a lot of sales people that take this approach. The ones that do… are rockstart sales people.

“With the dealstorming process, you now have a tool that not only produces measurable results, but by its collaborative nature created influence, power, and transparency for those who lead or participate in one.”[note]Page 222[/note]

Leaving you with this quote should encourage you to purchase this book and read it! There is so much incredible information throughout the book! Sander’s digs into his past to share stories from himself and other success people. I look forward to reading about his future success!

 

Connect with me on Twitter @Barta57

Connect with Tim on Twitter @sanderssays

 

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders

Get “Dealstorming” on Amazon.

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders | Part 4

Jordan Barta

9781591848219It’s such a pain in the ass to go into an ‘open’ meeting where you think your voice is going to be heard and it’s not. You’ve been called upon to give your feedback and help fix a problem and you know you can help… but guess what! The facilitator has their own agenda and they just want the backing from everybody they invited to the meeting.

“It’s important that the team knows you didn’t come into the meeting set on any one idea. It’s also important that facilitators stay neutral as possible on ideas.[note]Page 120[/note]

Once again, Sander’s hits the nail on the head. The people you’re dealstorming with have to know that you’re open to ideas. That’s the whole point of holding a dealstorming session. Receiving feedback can be a hard pill to swallow sometimes, but people have to learn to put their egos aside for the greater good of the deal.

You can kiss your dealstorming team goodbye if they know you’re not neutral to ideas. You can also kiss your dealstorming team goodbye if all you do is call meeting and don’t put anything into action.

“This underscores an important point: the ideas from a dealstorm are worthless unless they are acted upon, analyzed, and improved.”[note]Page 129[/note]

It’s an absolute must that you have to follow up with the people afterwards. Between exiting a meeting with actionable steps and putting those steps into action, a lot will happen. You have to execute on your agenda! Confirming what the key take-aways were and what actionable items all the participants have. A lot of good stuff can happen after the meeting. Karen might be driving home from work and have a breakthrough idea. You want to make sure you’ve left the communication open with everybody on your team.

Analyzing everything is also key. It’s kinda like business development statistics. If I know I need to make X amount of calls to get Y amount of meeting to close Z amount of business… I better make more calls than X.

“Frank Lloyd Wright once wrote, ‘Get the habit of analysis – analysis will in time enable synthesis to come your habit of mind.’ His point was that if we take time to analyze our actions and their results, we’ll learn how to fold the old and the new into remarkable solutions.”[note]Page 141[/note]

Knowing the effectiveness of our effort will allow us to perform better. If we’re always analyzing what we do and what the results were, we’ll be able to work smarter. This goes hand in hand with every step of a sales cycle. You can analyze everything! As you continue to improve your processes and make things easier on yourself, give feedback to upper management. The times are always changing and the buyer is continuously evolving.

“Over the course of my dealstorm experience, I’ve seen countless improvements to a company’s way of selling and servicing accounts come from the process.”[note]Page 145[/note]

What better example than one from Sander’s? Collaboration and sharing improvements with coworkers makes life so much easier. If you’re doing something different and it works, give back to your team and let them know. You can make improvements with all sorts of things… how to prospect certain industries, what times of the day to call, how long to demo the products, where to meet for lunch, who to use as a testimonial… the list goes on depending on your location and what you’re selling.

“In many situations, your team will need to develop unexpected approaches to the sales challenge that are appropriate to the situation – the essence of creative thinking.”[note]Page 151/152[/note]

Like I said, with the ever evolving buyer, you may have to do something that you’ve never done before. The competition is always changing and you have to change as well. If you can continuously take new approaches to sales challenges, you could improve your sales organization as a whole. If you’ve found a way to overcome a recent sales challenge, leave a comment! I’d like to hear more about it.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders

Get “Dealstorming” on Amazon.

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders | Part 3

Jordan Barta

dealstormingAsking questions is always the best way to find answers… other than someone just flat out telling you the answer unsolicited… which doesn’t happen very often. As someone with the mentality of ‘how can I help you’, it is my job to ask open ended question so that I can find the pain points. You’ve gotta keep digging until you know what keeps them up at night!

Previously, I’d use the question, ‘why?’. A lot of the time, people responded negatively because they didn’t want to share the answer with me. Sanders suggest using ‘why is that’ as a better approach and I completely agree!

“With practice, you’ll find that the ‘And why is that?’ exercise is the secret to finding the right problem question.”[note]Page 86[/note]

Heck! Say it in your head. It almost sounds like you’re back in the doctor’s office and the doctors’ asking you questions. ‘Why is that?’ sounds so much better than just asking why. Next time you’re having a conversation with someone and they’re giving you a reason, use ‘why is that?’ and see what their response is.

As you continue to dig into the client or prospect, also take into consideration the changes taking place in their company, the industry and management changes. All of these things can change the conversation both internally (dealstorming) and externally (your client).

“Also list recent developments in the prospects’ or client company’s strategy, market position, competitive set, or other relevant topics that could influence your potential deal.”[note]Page 89[/note]

I met with a prospect a few weeks back that informed me that the CFO’s son was going to sell health insurance soon. My company probably wouldn’t be considered for health & benefits because they’d choose whatever the son was offering. Something that like could really throw a kink in your deal. The more you know about the decision makers and where they came from, the better understanding you can have of their process.

If I’m prospecting and come across someone that previously used my product at a different company… I’m going to make sure that that client has had a positive experience since the sale was final. There are a few other things that can come into place once you’ve begun the process of retaining the client or signing the deal.

“Constraints can include price, terms, window of opportunity, prospect of customer culture, contractual obligations, prospect or customer budget…”[note]Page 91[/note]

That’s just to name a few. You need to have a good idea of these constraints while you’re working opportunities or else you’re going to be wasting yours and everybody else’s time. For instance; if you know for fact that you can not work with government agencies because of x,y,z, don’t bother responding to an RFP or prospecting into those accounts. Trying to dealstorm ideas of how to bypass that objection would take a lot of time and energy… would it even be worth the outcome?

Coming together as a team and dealstorming is all about getting different points of views and coming up with a solution. What I know about sales is going to be a heck of a lot more than my implementation person. But that person might know more about the technology side of our software.

“In many situations, the information revealed in the meeting leads the problem owner to find his solution right away. Too often, common knowledge (what we all know) is driving current efforts, which aren’t working.”[note]Page 98[/note]

For the most part, people only know how to do their job and nothing else. We don’t know what we don’t know! Getting together with a group of people in different departments will shed a lot of light on solving problems. Sanders walks the reader through how to choose teams and delegate different jobs within the dealstorming session. Maximize the amount of time you’re together.

How many meeting have you attended that actually started on time? Everybody was in their seat, mouths shut and ready to learn… probably not a lot of you. Sanders harps on adding a 10 minute ‘gathering time’ prior to the actual meeting time.

“By including a gathering time, you send a strong signal to participants that the start time is firm and that they should be on time!”[note]Page 108[/note]

I love it! you can get the technology all set up. You can get the ‘hellos’ and ‘how ya doing?’ out of the way too. That way, when the meeting starts… it actually starts. Nobody likes having their time wasted. Especially someone in a position of high power. Don’t forget, if you’re taking someone else’s time, show your appreciation!

 

There’s more to come from me about:

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders

Get “Dealstorming” on Amazon.

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders | Part 2

Jordan Barta

dealstormingDealstorming has really opened my eyes! Sanders is teaching the reader something that they might know… but the depth he is able to go into will blow your mind. The process that he walks the reader through is bound to give you a few Ah-Ha Moments!

“When it comes to problem solving, your network truly is your net worth.”[note]Page 48[/note]

This is the second time I’ve written about this quote and I see it on the internet throughout the week. It is so true though. If you’ve got a small network, that’s okay, you better know those people extremely well so you know when they can help you. If you’ve got a huge network, great! But make sure you have some true type of connection so you can call apon them for help when you need it.

The whole point of using your network is so that you can get things done faster! Like I’ve said before, you by yourself isn’t the best option!

“The purpose of collaboration is not collaboration itself. It’s achieving better results in a shorter amount of time.” – Tamara Schenk[note]Page 50/51[/note]

How many of you have ever been in a meeting? How many of those meetings have been productive? People complain about meetings being a waste of time on the daily. Do everybody a favor and only call meetings that are useful. Have an agenda set prior and make sure people have something to do prior so you can maximize your time. I’m not going to tell you how to run a meeting, Sanders does that and it’s awesome!

One thing though, you should do prior to setting a dealstorming meeting, is make sure that there is a real issue you’re looking to solve.

“For sales leaders, the first checkpoint for qualifying and staffing dealstorms is to verify that there really is a problem.”[note]Page 62[/note]

Is there actually a problem with retaining or getting a new client? Or could it be that a step in the sales process got skipped and now you’re trying to figure out how you can win the deal. Did the client take the required steps to dispute their issue or did they go straight to the account manager to have them fix it? Calling upon a group of people to fix an issue could waste a lot of time and money. Be careful to put together a dealstorm without actually understanding what it is you’re accomplishing.

When you come to the conclusion that you need to hold the dealstorm, you have to be careful whom you choose. Don’t only bring salespeople to the table… they’ll tell you how to sell the deal. Bring on other departments!

“… draw up a map of who touches an account, from concepts to delivery to billing to analysis and so on.”[note]Page 72[/note]

If you didn’t think about this before, you’ve just received an Ah-Ha Moment! For instance, I’m sitting down next week to kick off my first dealstorming session. I’ve asked my manager to add some additional people to our meeting so that we can begin conversations. Implementation and customer service will be joining us for a conversation and I’m so excited about how we can work together. None of this would have come to fruition without Sander’s book.

Another point he makes while you’re going through the process of picking your team, is make sure they know why you’re doing what you’re doing. He uses Simon Sinek’s, “Start with Why.” If they don’t understand the strategic nature you’re taking, they’ll just think it’s another pointless sales meeting. I think something great to add to this statement is; also let the people know why you’re choosing them. Blasting out an email asking for people to volunteer won’t get you very far.

Personalize the approach, and you’re bound to get the response you want from people. Don’t forget, you’re asking them to take time out of their day to help you. That doesn’t come cheap.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders

Get “Dealstorming” on Amazon.

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders | Part 1

Jordan Barta

9781591848219The value that Dealstorming brings to life is the collaboration among people to get the job done.

“Gather a team, put your brains together, and make it rain!”[note]Page 1[/note]

The information coming from a collective group is so much more valuable than one person. Everybody has different personalities, viewpoints and opinions. You’re going to find a solution if you have a team to help you. I ran into a snag last week at work. I found out that one of my prospects was apart of an association and they didn’t think they could buy my product. However, they’d entertain a call to see if there was another way I could help… Guess what.

I reached out to six other people; four within my organization and two external people. After a few conversations with experts on the association, I learned that the prospect had been mislead in which vendors they could purchase. The meeting has been set and now I can do a little educating. If I hadn’t reached out to those people, I never would have been able to compete for their business.

“As it turned out, sales genius didn’t come solely from individual sales reps, my researchers, or me. Sales genius, I discovered, is a team sport. It was about all of us in the room finding and solving problems as one.”[note]Page 5[/note]

Different ideas come from different individuals. Have you ever worked on a project and then asked someone for feedback? Then realized that the feedback they gave you was really valuable… but you never would have realized you needed to make the changes they were suggesting? It’s truly amazing what other people can offer. Don’t just choose anyone though! Make sure you choose wisely because sales in only getting tougher.

“Today, tough sales are the norm.”[note]Page 18[/note]

Man, ain’t that the truth. The list is never ending. You’ve got the internet… you can compare price, service, competition, reviews… just about anything. There are purchasing teams, consultants, influencers, people who think they’re influencers but aren’t, and the never ending madness of people changing jobs. If your champion decides to change jobs… you’re starting from scratch. Start-ups trying to get some traction in a market. Heck, don’t forget about the ‘research companies’ that determine who the big players are in each industry.

“Customers on average have completed nearly 60% of their purchasing decisions before having a conversation with a supplier.”[note]Page 21[/note]

You better hope that your buyer is looking in the right place to find your product, or you’re shit out of luck. Having to re-educate the buyer on what your company sells or stands for is difficult. The internet is full of information and you need your buyer to consume the right type.

When you get the opportunity to re-educate your buyer, because you will, you need to get off your agenda and onto theirs. They already know their pain points and they’re looking to you to help fix them. It’s now your turn to understand them and find more pain points so you can bring more value.

“Their insight is yours: When the going gets tough, the ambitious get innovative.“[note]Page 27[/note]

If you want to win that deal, you better bend over backwards to figure out the answers to their questions. If you don’t have the answer, get together with your team to find the answer. Get innovative and come up with outcomes that nobody else thinks of. Don’t just give up. Find another way… find a better way to get it done.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

Dealstorming | Tim Sanders

Get “Dealstorming” on Amazon.

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi | Part 7

Jordan Barta

There is a massive amount of Ah-Ha Moments throughout the entire book! Whether you’ve been in sales for a week, a year, 10 years or 40 years, you will learn something new. With an ever changing landscape of technology and information, you need to be on the fore front in order to be successful. As a sales person, you get leads. Whether it be an inbound demo request, MQL, they downloaded content or whatever the case may be; it’s time to think outside the box.

“When a (lower-level) contact takes some action, yes, your reps should follow up. Then, either at the same time or subsequently, they should reach out to a higher-level contact too.”[note]Page 211[/note]

At first I wasn’t too keen on this, but with the reasoning behind it, I feel in love with the idea. Instead of prospecting the prospect, prospect for the opportunity. Go above and beyond to reach out to the organization. What’s the worst that could happen? That person’s boss never gave them the authority… now you know that it’s not a legit opportunity. Nobody likes getting 75% through the sales cycle to find out that nobody else knew about the project. Prospect higher and wider.

Another Ah-Ha Moment that comes to mind is:

“…give the SDR’s themselves ownership to work on special projects.”[note]Page 217[/note]

Imagine the idea’s people could come up with if they got to own a project. It could be anything that could improve the department or the company. Because they’re in the trenches all day long, they could come up with solutions to their problems that the managers didn’t even know about. Give your people a little bit of freedom and they’ll repay you 10 fold.

Data… it’s a trending word right now in the tech industry. Big Data… etc. You’re right, it is a huge talking point, but only if you’re using the data correctly.

“There’s also a big difference between being data driven and data informed. I’m 100 percent in the camp of using data to lead a team. I feel equally strongly that data shouldn’t drive the manager; the manager should use data to drive decisions.”[note]Page 220[/note]

In order to have good data to make good decisions, you need to keep track of everything. Depending on what your data says, you can make some game changing decisions based off of it. All of those decisions will directly affect your bottom line.

“Every moment your team spends trying to figure out whom to call and how to reach them is lost to actually engaging with prospects.[note]Page 235[/note]

Do yourself a favor and keep your data clean. Bogging down your CRM with crap isn’t going to get you anywhere. I’ve been updating my system lately and it’s a pain in the butt. You have to do it if you want to ‘own’ your territory.

“What you do matters. You have the ability to influence not only the culture of your team, but also how your company is perceived by prospects. You have the chance to shape not only the career trajectory of dozens and dozens of reps, but also the growth path of your entire organization.”[note]Page 239[/note]

If you’re in sales or thinking about going into sales development, this book is a must read. This book paints a bigger pitcher and gives the reader a clear and conscience image of how a sales development organization should run. The Ah-Ha Moments Bertuzzi has displayed in this book are absolutely incredible.

 

Connect with me on Twitter @Barta57

Connect with Trish on Twitter @bridgegroupinc

 

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi

Get “The Sales Development Playbook” on Amazon.

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi | Part 6

Jordan Barta


Having previously experienced inside sales roles at multiple organizations, I have left a large amount of voicemails in my career. “Hi prospect, I want to introduce myself… Hi prospect, I’m following up to the coupon you received… Hi prospect, I noticed you downloaded some content. Wow! Was I doing it wrong! Can’t really blame anyone for that other than the status quo of cold calling. I wasn’t told anything different.

“People always ask me whether or not they should bother leaving voicemails. My response is yes – as long as they are good ones” – John Barrows[note]Page 168[/note]

Sounds pretty simple right? It is… but because sales people have to show they’re being active, they often don’t personalize their messaging. Think about how people leave voice messages for you. Do you return sales calls when they’re boring? I doubt it. Shit, I bet you even delete the message once you hear the person’s name and what company they’re calling from.

STOP being boring. Bertuzzi’s examples in here are amazing! These examples are something that the VP of sales, sales managers and all inside sales people need to read. If you want to separate yourself from the competition, be relevant and interesting.

What’s your call back rate on voicemails? I bet it sucks. Change it up… Whatcha got to lose?

Another side of prospecting that a lot of people feel more confident to share their success in, is email. You can hide behind your computer and send out blasts of emails to see who bites. Try and think about this from your mailbox. How often do you respond to sales emails? If you do, why?

If you’re approaching a VP or C-level person, good luck getting a response from them by sending a crap email. They don’t have time for that. You have to grab their attention and provide value.

“An opening line addressing a relevant problem tends to grab my attention. Something straightforward and human.” – Hannah Wright[note]Page 182[/note]

If you’ve done research on the person and company, you’ll know enough about them to be able to grab their attention. Don’t try and trick the person to open your email… that might just piss them off. I did that once to the CIO of a 10,000 employee company… He wasn’t very happy.

You’re trying to get their attention so they want more information. Maybe they already have a provider for the solution you’re selling. That’s okay. What sets you and the competition apart? Maybe they don’t take the meeting now, but when they run into a snag with their current provider, guess who they’re going to call?

Bertuzzi has done extensive work with sales organizations throughout the years. She had written gold for you… and I strongly suggest you read this book.

Moving from sales prospecting and into the leadership side of a sales organization, you’re in charge of a lot! One thing I love about starting a new job is the ‘tool kit’ a company provides. Basically, it’s a shared set of ‘stuff’ that is given to the sales people to help them do their jobs. Presentation, talk tracks, prospecting profiles, templates… the works! Imagine using this ‘tool kit’ as a recruiting tool as well.

“In this highly competitive market, wouldn’t it be great to show a candidate your SDR toolkit and say, ‘Here is the roadmap for how the team executes. I look forward to you joining us and helping us to evolve this tool for future reps.’?”[note]Page 196[/note]

Prior to hiring someone, you’ve already got them engaged. Now they know that you’re not going to leave them hanging once you hire them.

Having a quota thrown at them is scary. But if they have the support of management and their team, they are set up for success.

“Whether or not making quota is an achievable goal sets the tone for your culture. Make it attainable, and you’ll have a group of competitive reps with a positive attitude. Make it too much of a stretch, and you’ll have miserable reps and a high attrition rate.”[note]Page 204[/note]

Honestly, we all know this. But being in sales… you’re at the bottom of the totem pole. The CEO decides a revenue number and then the sales department is in charge of hitting that number. Attrition destroys that number. If you’ve got your ducks in a role and the processes are sound, that number will be attainable.

“Great process is the foundation for repeatable, scalable success. Our reps bring passion, a competitive spirit, and curiosity to their jobs every day.”[note]Page 206[/note]

If you’ve got a process that works, your people like what they do, your attrition is low, you’re promoting from within, and you’re hitting your numbers, you’re going to grow. To successfully grow and to continue winning, you’ve got to have those ducks in a row or you’re going to sink.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi

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The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi | Part 5

Jordan Barta

Losing employees sucks… it also costs companies a lot of money. You never actually think about the cost of hiring, onboarding and training people. Depending on what type of training your company does, it can be really expensive.

“Great talent is great talent – don’t let them leave your building.”[note]Page 132[/note]

It doesn’t get simpler than that. This echoes the previous post. Engage with your people and make sure they’re happy. If they’re not happy, find out what will make them happy. Nobody likes toxic employees.

I don’t know how many of you have every seen the Simon Sinek Ted Talk video; Start with why. But this video has helped me immensely in my roles as a sales person.

“Without understanding the why, reps struggle to connect with prospect priorities. Everything about the what and the how of a solution can be found online. …Our reps need to create value and offer insight and ideas that prospects can’t find on their own.”[note]Page 141[/note]

There’s that word again; Value! You have to create value with the people you’re trying to talk to. Buyers do a lot of their research prior to beginning their evaluations. If you’re reaching out to them… you need to offer them something different. And to get them to listen, you need to convince them why they should listen to you.

Bertuzzi presents a question that turns into an Ah-Ha Moment!

“Do you sell into a functional area that already exists within your company? For example, do you sell to sales operations and have a sales ops team within your company?”[note]Page 143[/note]

Recruiting.. HR.. sales.. Whatever you sell and whomever you sell to, is there a team within your company that does that job? Basically, what she’s getting at; is that you can go directly to that team and learn about their day-to-day. Learn what they do and how they do it. Then, when you’re calling your prospects, you have a better understanding of what they’re doing and how you can help. Makes sense right? Have you done this before?

The more you learn about your prospect, the better talk tracks you can create. The more likely you’re able to sympathize with them.

“Reps need to be fully fluent in prospect challenges, motivations, and status quos. In short, they need to use buyer based messaging.”[note]Page 151[/note]

If you’re going to get off of your agenda and onto theirs, you need to know what you’re talking about. Bertuzzi goes on to give some incredible examples of prospecting. The differentiators between a successful rep and a lazy rep. The different types of messaging that actually works. I wouldn’t be doing any of you a favor if I copied it and pasted it on the site. You have to get the book! It’s pure gold.

“Studies have found that it takes between six and ten attempts (including at least four by phone calls) to properly prospect a given contact.”[note]Page 160[/note]

Sales reps often give up too early. They get bored and move onto a different account. They don’t want to work for a deal… they’d rather find some ‘low hanging fruit’. They forget about their prospecting approach and leave their process. I am guilty of this recently. I have a huge territory and I’m trying to touch every account. Not to mention, our data is kinda old. Bertuzzi gives the reader great examples of a multi-touch approach. You have to read it yourself! It’s a game changer.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi

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The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi | Part 4

Jordan Barta 1 Comment

I had a manager tell me at a previous job that I should be going to lunch with different people within the company. “Meet someone in the elevator… see if they want to join you for lunch”. It gives you the opportunity to learn about them and what they do for the organization. Sooner or later, I was able to have conversations will all sorts of people because I took the initiative to learn about them.

Phill Keene (@phillkeene) gives me an Ah-Ha Moment that echos my previous managers comment!

“… I also take a ton of coffee meetings with reps that want career advice. This allows me to recognize the best talent out there and be top of mind when they’re thinking about making a career change.”[note]Page 85[/note]

I’m looking at this quote from the view of me being developed. I’m going to take the best rep out for coffee so that I can learn from them. People that have been selling longer than me are usually happy to share their success and sometimes their failures. Also, who doesn’t love talking about themselves? Regardless of what your job title is, try and make it a habit of taking someone out for coffee once in awhile. You could learn something cool about them! It’s a small world and somehow you may need each other in the future.

If you engage with your people, regardless the job you have, the more supported you’ll feel. The more supported you feel, the happier you’ll be. Bertuzzi has some incredible stats in here about retention.

“It’s time to gear up for what can feel like another fulltime job: engaging, developing, and motivating reps. The fourth element for accelerating revenue growth with sales development is retention.”[note]Page 103[/note]

Retention is hard! I see great people leave their companies everyday. Heck, I was one of those people in December of 2015. Obviously, you can never predict when people are going to leave your organization, but if you’re engaged, you should see the red flags. Good culture, good compensation, continuous learning and planned out career path is what’s going to help you keep people. If people are showing up to work everyday not knowing what their future holds, they may look else where.

“Today, reps expect a learning culture, they expect to grow professionally, and they expect you to deliver in those areas.”[note]Page 105[/note]

The day you stop learning is the day you stop growing. If you’re striving to be the best you possibly can, you need to keep learning and keep pushing people to teach you. There are so many websites out there that offer free courses. If you’re the boss and you’re not teaching your people… you may see them looking elsewhere.

We’re in the information age… and we’re getting hit up on LinkedIn weekly about new jobs. It’s exciting to feel wanted by a different company. Richard Bronson said, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” Your people should know that you care about their success!

“… What about hitting my number? … hitting your number is important. But I believe two things to be true. One, if you build up your people, they will overachieve. Two, hitting goals for any fiscal year is a marker of a job well done. But changing the career trajectory for dozens and dozens of people is the measure of a professional life well lived.”[note]Page 107[/note]

It doesn’t get any more selfless than that. If you really care about the success of your people and strive to make them better everyday, their numbers will come. Don’t forget; people are all at different walks in their careers. Can you think back to a manager that changes your career? Take a second and think about it! Where are they now? Maybe send them a thank you email!

“Making sales coaching a priority is a business decision. Coaching improves retention and performance.”[note]Page 119[/note]

What better outcome can you ask for? Retention and performance is huge! You’re not losing your people and your people are performing well. #Boom

 

There’s more to come from me about:

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi

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The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi | Part 3

Jordan Barta

When business is booming and companies need more employees to keep up with all of the success of their salespeople, it’s time to hire! Bertuzzi walks the reader through the mindset and process of hiring salespeople… I want to take it one step further and say that you can use her method to hire other positions as well.

“I’ll argue that the focus on recruiting needs to be upgraded from important to urgent.”[note]Page 56[/note]

It has to be a priority. I’m sure a recruiter is reading this right now and laughing at how obvious this statement is. Or, “Don’t tell me how to do my job, Jordan. You don’t have any idea how hard it is to find legit candidates.” You’re right, I don’t. But I can tell you that I get approached at least once a week with some lame ass excuse as to why I should leave my company and go work for theirs.

Finding the right people takes time. If someone is a passive candidates, meaning they already have a job, you really have to convince them to take your call. The job market is good enough right now that people can turn down job offers. Keep that in mind when you’re sending a generic LinkedIn InMail to someone. Why should they listen to you?!

“I felt that if I could get the right people into the system, even if I did a mediocre job at training and management, they would find a way to win. But if I got mediocre people in, even if I did a world-class job at training and leading, it wouldn’t matter.” – Mark Roberge[note]Page 58[/note]

That really says it all. People are a HUGE part in the process of having a successful company. If your people suck, the business is going to suffer. If hiring isn’t going to be a priority… how do you expect to get good people?

Passion… the people you hire must have passion for sales! Passion helps you overcome continuous defeat. I once had an entire  month where only one person picked up the phone when I called. They hung up on me right away. I made a few hundred calls that month and felt destroyed. My internal drive is what got me through that rough month.

“All the cash, leaderboards, and praise in the world can’t keep someone striving in this role. It has to come from within.”[note]Page 61[/note]

Now, if you’re only going to be in this role until you figure out what you want to do… money can definitely help. A lot of grads jump into sales because they have a business degree and that’s what you do. Then they realize that they weren’t cut out for sales… If you want to excel and have a career in sales, it must come from inside!

Competitiveness is another HUGE trait salespeople need to have. Recruiters typically target athletes because they’re competitive. Have you ever heard of the company ‘Athletes to Business’? I shouldn’t have to explain that business model, but it makes sense, right?

Lately, I’ve been hearing about companies creating such a competitive landscape that people are backstabbing their own coworkers to get a sale. WTF is with that!

“Alison Gooch shared that she looks for ‘compassionate competitors-reps who like to win, but not at the expense of their teammates.'”[note]Page 62[/note]

Don’t create such a cut-throat culture to where people are screwing over their own co-workers for an extra buck. That doesn’t end up working well for anybody. If you’re a manager… you’d be the one to decide who gets the bigger paycheck, etc. That would suck, if you ask me.

Another great trait that should be considered when hiring salespeople is curiosity.

“Curious people ask the best questions. Reps who are genuinely curious have an advantage when prospecting. Questioning is in their DNA; they don’t have to fake it.” – Peter Gracey[note]Page 63[/note]

That’s another awesome way of putting it. The questions become genuine and the prospect feels better about telling the salesperson their problems.

Bertuzzi writes about how to write compelling job descriptions, interview questions, compensation plans… all of the things that attract BDR’s and sales people. Each organization is going to have their own process for these, but I highly recommend reading her examples. These examples could help you lower your attrition among salespeople.

 

There’s more to come from me about:

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi

Get “The Sales Development Playbook” on Amazon.

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi | Part 2

Jordan Barta

Sales DevelopmentAs I get further into “The Sales Development Playbook”, I’m learning so much more about the process of creating a well oiled sales team. Inbound sales, Outbound sales, Allbound sales… You’re probably thinking, “Oh, Jordan… you’re so smart and you make it sound so easy. Why don’t you just start you’re own sales company??” Ha Ha Ha. That’s not what I’m saying!

I’m saying this to show you the value that this book can bring to all organizations! Bertuzzi breaks it down and she breaks it down really well!

 

“The first rule of sales development is no fighting in front of the kids.”[note]Page 26[/note]

It pretty true within any company and with any position. No arguing about processes in front of your employees. Feuds between different managers will pull employees apart if they’re there to see it. Management has to be on the same page or else you’re just wasting time. Have you ever had two managers and they both tell you something different? It’s frustrating because you want to make sure you’re doing your job but at the same time you know you’re going to make one of them upset because you’re following the other ones orders.

Great reminders are on every page throughout this book! Most of them are sales development related… given the title of the book. But I truly believe that you need to

“Make sure your team members know that they’re contributing from the get-go. They have a tough job and suffer massive rejection every day.”[note]Page 28[/note]

If you’re in sales, you know exactly what I’m talking about! EVERYDAY… rejection. If you’re not… you still deserve the reinforcement that you’re contributing. Celebrate the small wins. Maybe your employee conducts a great interview, finishes writing an article, leads a meeting, adds value to a meeting,  learns a new concept, learn something new… whatever it is, let them know they’re contributing! You’d be amazed what people are willing to do when they get recognized.

On the sales side of things… we usually have a good idea of whom we’re approaching. We know what type of accounts and we know who we need to talk to.

“Sell to everyone; Close no one”[note]Page 37[/note]

In the process of learning how to work smarter, you need to know who is more likely to buy from you. If you spend too much time trying to close someone that isn’t going to buy, you’re just spinning your wheels. Spinning your wheels doesn’t help you exceed your quota. Bertuzzi does an incredible job segmenting prospects into different brackets. She calls this the

“The ABCDs

  • A: A-list
  • B: Bread & Butter
  • C: Compelling Events
  • D: Dead Ends”[note]Page 38[/note]

It’s pretty simple once you’re able to separate your prospect into these categories. Let’s start backwards… Dead Ends… Don’t bother wasting too much of your time on this group. You’re thinking, “Well Jordan, I’m an incredible sales person and can sell anyone.” Great, prove me wrong. If they’ve been using a provider for 30 years and send out an RFP for your product… you’re going to be column fodder. It doesn’t matter what you sell or how well you sell it, they’ll always stay with that provider.

I saw this A LOT while at Cornerstone. A prospect had used SAP for 30 years and they want to see what else is out there. The rep is excited because they have a chance to hit their number with one sale… It was a dead end and they wasted countless hours trying to sell the team on our product. It sucks because we all think we’re the best, but in reality, you lost before you started. It’s our job to not even get hung up on those.

When compelling events take place, it’s usually a great opportunity to introduce your product! New c-level team, new decision makers, current product breaks, customer service sucks, lawsuit, bad quarter and new laws are all something that can compel someone to do something. New laws is a huge one in my market! Be the first vendor to reach out to a prospect educating them on the law changes and you have given yourself a good chance to win their business.

Let’s say gluten-free bread and butter… I’m allergic to bread. This is where you can really thrive! These are your go-to accounts. Depending on what you sell, these accounts are what your current user base is made up of. I can’t tell you who your gluten-free bread and butter account are, so make sure you know!

The A-list is a dream come true. These are the accounts you’d die to do business with. You’ve got something they need but they don’t know it yet. They’ll change the direction for your company and your career.

A lot of things in sales are driven by data. There is so much stinking data out there being collected, it’d blow your mind if you knew what was being collected.

“… if you can invest $1 in improving processes or improving data, I’d choose data ll day every day.”[note]Page 49[/note]

Data literally makes the world go round! The better data you have, the better you are able to plan out your day, week, month, quarter and year. My current CRM has the capability to keep data on EVERYTHING! Guess what… when I run a report on something super specific, I get results. Those results help me close deals.

I loudly echo Bertuzzi and have to add that you need good/great data!

 

There’s more to come from me about:

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi

Get “The Sales Development Playbook” on Amazon.

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi | Part 1

Jordan Barta

Sales DevelopmentWhat an absolute pleasure it has been reading, “The Sales Development Playbook” by Trish Bertuzzi. Everything I’ve learned in the sales world has been extremely beneficial so far… this book helps push the envelope. Because we are officially in the information age, organizations can access information whenever they need it. With an ever changing buyer and larger buyer groups, you have to make sure you’re a head of the game. Trish will help you with that!

“The companies that win today are those that are willing to reach out, stand out, and point out flaws in status quo thinking. …It is, at its heart, about service.”[note]Page 7[/note]

I honestly can’t tell you how many cold calls I’ve made or how many cold emails I’ve sent. But what I can tell you is, my success has come from thinking outside of the box. Setting myself apart from the competition and providing value. Connecting with someone and saying something other than, “Want to buy my product?” You have to approach people like the way you want to be approached. Don’t forget; you’re a buyer and someone is always selling to you.

An interesting thing that a lot of people seem to learn early on in their careers is that all companies have their own way of doing things. There isn’t a copy and paste method that every company can use.

“… your model needs to be ‘just right’ for your organization.”[note]Page 17[/note]

This can go for positions other than sales too. Find the process that works best for you. As far as sales goes, it really depends on what you’re selling. Bertuzzi uses the example of the CRM market because it’s a mature market. The majority of companies have one and use one. So, if you’re a new CRM company, how do you set up your sales processes? What’s the difference between you and Salesforce, SugarCRM or Microsoft Dynamics?

After you figure those things out, it’s time to set a meeting to try and sell something! This is where Bertuzzi hit me with the “Ah-Ha” moment!

“If you’re selling a disruptive solution, asking BANT (Budget, Authority, Need and Timing) type of questions makes no sense. There isn’t going to be a budget set aside for problems that prospects don’t know they have.[note]Page 20[/note]

Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “What if I’m not working in a disruptive market?” Great question! If you work in a market that is more mature, like myself, you have to figure out what problems they’re currently having. Maybe you can get them to switch solutions solely based on price. I see it everyday. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck… it’s a duck… but cheaper. If a company saves a couple grand a year because they switched providers, the CEO/Owner is going to be happy.

Bertuzzi opens the readers mind up to a new acronym that can be used; PACT.

“PACT: Pain, Authority, Consequences, and Target Profile”[note]Page 34[/note]

There has to be a pain and they have to be aware of that pain before they buy. It’s your job to make them aware. A friend of mine is a travel agent. Whenever I write, I try to put myself in her shoes to make sure my writing sounds good to other people. What would her clients pain be?? Booking flights, hotels, excursions, dinners and making sure it’s within their budget… and the list goes on. People think travel agents charge too much… have they ever tried using one… nope. Did you know that if you book through an agent, they can typically get you better rates and free stuff? The true value of an agent is all the extra amenities they provide. Boom! I get my travel knowledge from @DeniseSchaefer6

Authority… we all think we have it. You have to ask the right questions to get to the decision maker. If you’re talking to the HR person and the decision maker is the VP of HR, you need to get a meeting with the VP. Too many times it happenes to sales people where they think they’re meeting with the decision maker. Then the find out that the VP wasn’t even aware of the meetings.

Consequence… What will the consequences be for them if they DON’T switch. The last thing a company wants to do is buy something that they thought was great and find out that it opened up a new can of worms. The problem they wanted to fix is now an even bigger problem. You need to dig into the scenario of them not purchasing.

Target Profile… Oh man, this one is huge! While selling to HR, I come across IT people that kill the deal. You have to make sure that those key players are in the meeting. You need to align with culture, technical and office politics. It’ll make your life much easier!

There’s more to come from me about:

The Sales Development Playbook | Trish Bertuzzi

Get “The Sales Development Playbook” on Amazon.

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