I wish I had written that…

I just read an ebook on the New Rules of Sales Enablement by Jeff Ernst. It is written from the perspective of a classically trained marketer who had the “ah ha” moment of what it really takes to sell. Well, this little book should be required reading for all product marketing management. I used to say, don’t confuse selling with installing. An adjunct to that is don’t confuse sales enablement with collateral or sales process.

Mr. Ernst outlines six critical elements a successful sales person manages and advocates marketing to understand them and get them incorporated into a repeatable sales playbook (not to be confused with a sales process).

1. Understand the customer’s marketplace and business issues
2. Help the buyer envision solving their problems using his or her products and services
3. Frame the buyer’s evaluation criteria so that the competitors are at a disadvantage
4. Help the “buyer champion” sell within his or her organization
5. Overcome objections raised by the buyer
6. Respond to the tough questions immediately and with credibility

What is the difference between a playbook and a sales process? A sales process is how you progress through the sale. The playbook is what is done within the context of the customer’s environment.

I liken this to how head coach Josh McDaniels is running the Denver Bronco’s team. He has all the positions covered (sales process), but each week the Broncos adjust their playbook and approach to exploit the weaknesses and protect against the strengths of the opposing team. How this is done is through heavy analysis and the coaches strategizing how to play this week’s game.

Translation to marketing: First identify a specific sales environment, the customer. Think industry, think decision maker and influencer, think company size and environment.

Know the customers has a lot of options to solve their problem, including doing nothing. Define the playbook with questions that probe for problems, pain and view to solve their world. You will have to talk to your top sales people to determine the questions and what they are looking for with those questions.

Teach the sales to set decision criteria and plan for landmines. This isn’t just listing unique requirements and capabilities. It is using questions, with the sales person’s knowledge of what is important to the buyer, to get your unique value as the baseline requirement(s). Nice to have doesn’t cut it. As far as landmines, if I know what the competition is up to I can discredit them before I get hit.

If you still don’t understand, call your local sales person and ask them what it means.
Happy selling.

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I’ve been feeling a bit uninspired to write, but that’s probably since I have been writing business plans. So some thoughts on business plans.

Several years ago, I worked with a friend on mine, Herb, on some strategic planning. He is the ultimate in organization and thinking through goals to action. What I really appreciated was BHAG. Not an acronym I was used to, but very relevant. BHAG stands for - Big Hairy Audacious Goal. It is defined by Jim Collins and Jim Porras (Of Built to Last fame) as:

“A BHAG engages people – it reaches out and grabs them in the gut. It is tangible, energizing, highly focused. People ‘get it’ right away; it takes little or no explanation.”

It seems when we come together as business people we can have lofty goals, superfluous statements that do not translate into actionable weekly data. Getting a BHAG defined, helps organizations give voice to the dream.  At the same time, while it creates focus, it enables the organization to define was is needed and attainable in the next 6, 12, 18 and 24 months.

Longer term and annual goals can be defined, followed by strategies and actions.  Once this is done, the BHAG is the back drop to say ‘ does this get us to where we want to be in the next 5 to 10 years.’  We may get their faster just having it out their.  Then again, the basics are in place as well.

Ok, that’s all I got.

Thanks Herb….

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…meetings that is..

Yep, that is what a Forbes survey of over 760 business executives said in June 2009. “While web-, video-, and teleconferencing have their role, they cannot substitute for human interaction when it comes to accomplishing certain business objectives.

They pointed out that “… traveling to meet clients, convening teams and the motivation born of live exchange-as a crucial element to their success.”

We probably all knew this, but face-to-face is all about the ability to read another person (77%), and being the best for persuasion (91%), leadership (87%), accountability (79%) and decision making (82%).

And yep, it is necessary for effective teamwork (80%) and the down-time at in-person conferences builds stronger client bonds (81%).

Ok - so yes, there are times we all just want the facts and just the facts. So give it to me in a webinar so I can double and triple task. Then I can just tune in to hopefully get the major bullets out of the meeting.

All the more reason to make sure we use a mixture of web, social media tools and the real in person relationships to make it all happen.

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This is not about marketing, but it is about conversations.  A friend of mine, Ted Osborn, rode this last week with a group who was completing the Flight 93’s mission…. to land at SFO, on time on 9/11.  The Ride with the Forty started………….

“On September 3, 2009, 5 Core Riders, to be joined by hundreds of others as we make our way westward will “Complete the Journey of Flight 93!” We will start by leaving Newark International Airport at 8:42am, the actual departure location and time of United Flight 93. We will point our motorcycles west and ride every mile across this great country and arrive at San Francisco International Airport on September 11, on or near the schedule arrival time of United Flight 93. We know this is not going to be an easy Journey, but to us, we know that Joey and the other 39 passengers and crew will be riding right along with us. So we will be “Riding With the FORTY”. You can join us and them by becoming part of this Journey.”

This group is raising money for the memorial which will be placed at the site of the crash in Pennsylvania.  Is you wish to donate, go to their site at www.ridewiththe40.org

To all those who have lost family, friends.  To all those that stood in horror as the world changed before our eyes, may peace be with you.

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When does a business become a friend? When does a friend become business?

This week a friend, who was a business associate, then a dear friend, shared a life experience. A car crash. Not one that he was in, but could have been in. There was fear, pain, experience and fear, again.

Then another, talked about how the people around him were anxious. He talked about how everyone he talked to were anxious about their lives and future. Questioning, will I have a job?? What is next?

Then on Facebook, another was talking about the perfect drink in the evening. An I was posting a picture of the nieces and nephews, all beautiful high school and college students… all joy.

The first expression was about pain and fear, the second anxious, the third group was joy. These are the lives of our customers and the people we do business with. It is what we carry to every day business. Some of us can leave it at home. But really, we carry it with us, quiet or buried. It is all part of the conversation we create. It is what makes us great or pathetic. It is life.

For me, I hope that my path is to be part of all the lives: the fear, the anxiety and the joy. All part of the world we live in.

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