SaaStr

APRIL 18, 2024

Dear SaaStr: Why Do Some People Loathe Sales? People loathe sales because they are making the mistake of mapping their experiences as, essentially, Very Small Businesses, as the general experience of a corporate buyer. But that’s not what a sales professional does for a Fortune 5000 buyer.

Negotiate 92

Negotiate Sales Contact Process 92

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 11, 2024

Very few people care enough to say, “Dave, you can do so much better… ” Jill and I share a common dream, how to make a difference—in the people/companies we work with, in our communities, and in society. Why I Love Sales Sales was never a career option I aspired to.

Sell 116

Sell Manufacturing Up-sell Launch 116

SaaStr

MARCH 20, 2024

They discuss Sam’s learnings at Founders Fund, what the 2024 playbook looks like, hiring and motivating sales teams, and a handful of audience questions. Each VC has a different “flavor.” So, unless you can make the argument that it’s going to return the fund, it’s not that interesting.

Quota 102

Quota Finance Drivers/motivators GTM 102

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 7, 2024

Sometimes, “we” have mis-conceived notions about selling, thinking that only those in some sort of formal sales role sells. I do believe that in many ways I am in a rare position. I believe the experience of being in both roles has helped me be a better marketer and also better in sales. Carlos is one of those.

Sell 119

Sell Tradeshows Pitch Up-sell 119

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 12, 2024

I want to accomplish a lot, but I want to do it with minimal effort. As I look at selling, today, it requires far too much effort—far more than I’m willing to do. After all, we have to send 1000s of emails a day, we have to make 100s of calls, we have to spend hours doing outreach in LinkedIn and other channels.

Sell 115

Sell Commission Up-sell Quota 115

Search Engine Land

APRIL 15, 2024

Then, you must create what Google calls “ helpful, reliable, people-first content.” In this article, I will outline a process that shows you exactly how to do that and provide a simple template you can fill out to take your content to the next level. Our goal here should be to create well-optimized, people-first content.

Process 115

Process Objectives and Key Results Angle Follow-up 115

Martech

MAY 9, 2024

There will be some disillusionment for people who thought this is a panacea, where you don’t need any data structure because this is an intelligent technology. There will be some disillusionment for people who thought this is a panacea, where you don’t need any data structure because this is an intelligent technology.

Appointment 83

Appointment Technology Technology Follow-up 83

SalesProInsider

OCTOBER 18, 2023

We do get what we’re looking for in many life circumstances, and in sales efforts. Here’s how I see it coming into play in sales situations, especially when faced with concerns or objections during our sales conversations. So, what can we do? Whatever they are, make note of them.

Conversion 139

Conversion Sales Pitch Clients 139

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 16, 2024

We spend 100’s of millions on SKO speakers, books, and training–all focused on doing the things that drive business, sales and marketing performance. We are inspired by thousands of articles, podcasts, and videos–each offering the same answers to what we have to do to be successful. (I Fear holds us back.

Cross-sell 113

Cross-sell Pipeline Meeting Presentation 113

SaaStr

MAY 10, 2024

At this week’s Workshop Wednesday, Lucas Price, former SVP of Sales at Zipwhip and founder and CEO at Yardstick, shares his insights on how to hire and build a high-performing sales team. When he joined Zipwhip, they were at a quarter million in ARR, and he took the sales team to over $100M before it sold to Twilio for almost $850M.

Price 76

Price Territory Quota Sales 76

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 18, 2024

It was, yet another, discussion on “sales math.” One gets the sense it’s par for the course in today’s sales world. There was virtually no discussion on qualification and better execution of the sales process. Why would marketing or sales do anything other than this?

SQL 117

SQL Quota Presentation Prospecting 117

Partners in Excellence

NOVEMBER 6, 2023

We think we are doing well, but we really should be doing so much more. While these organizations are hitting their targets, and sometimes with aggressive YoY scaling, they should be doing so much more! Yet too many just keep doing what they have always done, failing to achieve their real potential.

Territory 142

Territory Growth Presentation Meeting 142

Partners in Excellence

OCTOBER 20, 2023

To make quota, imagine what we have to do! To make quota, imagine what we have to do! I’m certain, among too many people, there is great joy in declaring outbound and cold calling dead. Is there something that SaaS sellers could learn by looking in different places? Clearly, something is broken.

Cold Call 125

Cold Call Quota Prospecting Represent 125

Partners in Excellence

DECEMBER 14, 2023

I never read procurement articles suggesting the death of sales. After all, when I go to the supermarket, sales people aren’t pitching their wares to me. But then I think of all the sales people working with retailers, trying to get end-caps, eye level shelf space, promotions, and so forth.

Sell 122

Sell Retail Promote Up-sell 122

Martech

APRIL 17, 2024

GA4 is fundamentally different than its predecessor. Understandably, marketers who cut their teeth on UA were unhappy with learning new ways to do new things. Q: It’s been a year, have people adjusted to the UI? So the last 30 days doesn’t do it for me. Now we have three different levels of events.

Healthcare 107

Healthcare GTM Clients Price 107

Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Because sales managers are not coaching – still – at least not consistently or effectively. It’s simply incomprehensible that sales managers aren’t picking up the clue phone. It’s simply incomprehensible that sales managers aren’t picking up the clue phone. Let’s do the math.

Sales 133

Sales Represent Pipeline Strategize 133

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 6, 2024

Just as selling has evolved, buying has evolved–but differently. Too often, there is an alignment challenge between what buyers need and what sellers do. More importantly, they have probably done their homework and talked to people they trust, who may have experience with our products. These are different.

Education 129

Education Trust Sell Product 129

Search Engine Land

MARCH 13, 2024

The naming conventions B2B and B2C have forced us to think that each need a completely different approach, but often they don’t. We are still that human that was at home in the morning and has many different motivational drivers. We can be demographically similar and have different reasons to buy. Humans are not rational.

Drivers/motivators 98

Drivers/motivators B2B B2C Quota 98

Martech

MAY 16, 2024

Customer experience is solely the responsibility of the CX team’ Every department — from marketing to product development to sales — plays a role in shaping and delivering the customer experience. Still, the CX team is not doing the work to improve systems, processes, policies, etc. What is customer experience (CX)?

Customers 102

Customers B2C UX User Experience 102

Search Engine Land

JANUARY 23, 2024

Google is concerned there may be confusion around the roles of its sales and support departments. The employees making those calls are members of the sales team, not support, according to a Google spokesperson. The employees making those calls are members of the sales team, not support, according to a Google spokesperson.

Commission 117

Commission Construction Represent Contact 117

Partners in Excellence

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

Yet I’m stunned by the number of people, when confronted with it, shrug their shoulders, saying, “Get over it, that’s the way of work these days……” I’m stunned by the “acceptance” of this problem, particularly by leaders. Preface: My apologies, this is very long. But it needs to be.

Pipeline 119

Pipeline Growth Up-sell Territory 119

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 6, 2024

One of the things that has made me fascinated about his work is he thinks differently and deeply about selling. And it’s that difference that makes him so special. When I was twelve, someone told me that if I knocked on every door in my apartment complex and each of the ones on each side, people would give me money.

Sell 120

Sell Non-Profits Cold Call Clients 120

Partners in Excellence

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

I’m fascinating to learn more about selling, different approaches, different tools, things others do to succeed. I see so much that we can and should do to drive our and our customer success. When others ask me this question, I reply, “I get up every morning and do my hobby! This led me to get a MBA.

Sell 105

Sell Up-sell Start-ups Follow-up 105

Partners in Excellence

MARCH 10, 2024

People who have managed 1000s and led multi-billion efforts. People who have been individual contributors, learning, growing and achieving great success. People who have been individual contributors, learning, growing and achieving great success. Chloe Wold is different. She’s been in sales for less than a year.

Sell 120

Sell Up-sell Start-ups Growth 120

Partners in Excellence

DECEMBER 21, 2023

The conversation got me thinking about the issue: “Our customers desperately need help, but do we want to be helpful, do we know how to be helpful? And when we do, we are overwhelmed with information and data about what we might do. Or the number of change projects than end in doing nothing.

Customers 122

Customers Quota Up-sell Conversion 122

SaaStr

APRIL 30, 2024

How do you build GTM efficiency in SMB sales? How to build operational excellence into your organization at different stages of the growth curve. This year, the goal is to find the outskirts of rep capacity, and how much more efficient they can make the AE team now that they’ve nailed the demand gen playbook. They grew 2.5x

Go To Market 102

Go To Market GTM X-functional Objectives and Key Results 102

Salesforce

OCTOBER 30, 2023

I’m a passionate Salesforce Certified Marketing Cloud Instructor and for the past few years I’ve taught people from all backgrounds, from complete novices to experienced Salesforce Admins, all about Marketing Cloud, how to become a Marketing Cloud Administrator, and even how to pass the Marketing Cloud Administrator Certification Exam.

Start-ups 130

Start-ups Consult Drivers/motivators Networking 130

SaaStr

MAY 8, 2024

Sales is much harder than in 2021. During the Boom, people doubled their apps, which wasn’t sustainable. Therefore, sales and marketing practices made no sense in 2020. Some people are unwilling to work in the current environment and blame it on customers and the macro. How Does That Impact Sales and Marketing?

Quota 83

Quota GTM Price Finance 83

Partners in Excellence

JANUARY 22, 2024

Speaking to sales enablement executives, fewer than 10% have any sort of business acumen programs in place. I ask: “How does your customer make money?” But then I ask again, “How does your customer make money,” few can provide any deeper understanding of what their customers (as enterprises) do to make money.

Customers 109

Customers GTM Trust Up-sell 109

SalesProInsider

NOVEMBER 30, 2023

The Dangers of Depersonalization in Sales Conversations What do I mean? Depersonalized” sales conversation and explanations of what you do, and how you do it, stop the prospect from connecting with you and the solution. Two words that no prospective client is going to say.

Conversion 126

Conversion Prospecting Pitch Clients 126

SaaStr

MAY 17, 2024

But how do you tactically achieve all of that? Building Trust as a New CPO As a CPO, the most important thing you have to do is build trust with your CEO or founder. Building Trust as a New CPO As a CPO, the most important thing you have to do is build trust with your CEO or founder. It’s obvious, but how do you do this?

Product 74

Product GTM Trust Growth 74

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 25, 2024

We seem to overlook the questions, “How do we know what ‘Top of Funnel’ we need? How do we shift that in our favor?” What’s our win rate, what’s our average deal size, what’s the sales cycle, what’s the quality of the opportunities we are managing in the qualified funnel?

Pipeline 113

Pipeline Prospecting Closing Process 113

Martech

APRIL 29, 2024

It’s been the topic of heated discussions in boardrooms and around water coolers for as long as anyone can remember, and people have some pretty strong opinions on this one. They’ll tell you that in fields like marketing and sales, where the payoff isn’t always immediate, you’ve got to put in the work first.

Strategize 99

Strategize Negotiate Follow-up Growth 99

Partners in Excellence

APRIL 10, 2024

And since we know we are likely to have variance in actually making the product, we specify tolerances we can accept so the product will still meet specifications. We see this everyday in our sales and marketing organizations. Each group may be doing their jobs and meeting their goals. ″, Part 2, 2″ +/- 0.2″,

GTM 93

GTM Manufacturing Meeting Quota 93

Partners in Excellence

OCTOBER 14, 2023

It may be something you’ve learned in your company’s sales training/enablement programs. It may be something you see the top performer in your company doing. Or your manager may be telling you what to do. Or your manager may be telling you what to do. And we do these things. Absolutely not.

Technique 131

Technique Process Customers Sell 131

SaaStr

APRIL 26, 2024

Mike and Rudina do a great job of explaining the complex AI terminology for everyday non-technical founders and leaders to understand and apply to their businesses. People will have one leg up if they’re leveraging intelligent tools. Many people think we have data, so why not build the models? Why is Klaviyo noteworthy?

Product 85

Product E-commerce Cross-sell Engineering 85

SaaStr

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Dear SaaStr: What are the signs that an enterprise SaaS startup is ready to scale by hiring more sales people? For a higher-velocity, in-bound driven SaaS product, most sales reps will have trouble processing more than 50 or so truly qualified leads a month. Before $10m ARR or so, more qualified leads = more sales.

Lead generation 108

Lead generation Follow-up Gaming Growth 108