October, 2015

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Sales Managers - You Must Sweat the Small Stuff!

Anthony Cole Training

I’ve not read the book Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff and It’s All Small Stuff by Richard Carlson. It’s a catchy title and I’m sure a good read. If you are looking for a solution on how to keep from chasing every chicken you see then I’m sure there is good information to be gleaned from the book. But if you are a sales manager responsible for developing your people and for driving sales growth this is awful advice.

Sales 194
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Don’t Build a Sales Organization. Build a Teaching Organization!

A Sales Guy

You want to know where the biggest opportunity for sales growth is today? Do you want to know what is the one short thing you can do to blow out your numbers and crush the competition? It’s to turn your sales organization in to a teaching organization. Times have changed and so has your job. As a sales leader it used to be you had to build a sales organization that could sell by telling, pitching and closing.

Pitch 143
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Social Selling and The Art of Failing Forward (Seminar Notes)

Closing Bigger

A big thanks to the BCITMA for inviting me to speak at your event this evening. I know I covered a lot in our brief time together so I thought I would post my slides and some links for your reference. Here are some quick links for you: Shane Gibson’s Online Professional Sales Certification Program. The Vancouver Sales Performance Meetup. The 2014 Sales Quota Attainment Study by A Sales Guy Inc. and Kitedesk.

Sell 128
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The Science of Familiarity: How to Increase Conversions by Being Completely Unoriginal

ConversionXL

Do you remember when Slack launched last year? At the time, I was a diehard HipChat fan. Needless to say, I wasn’t interested in trying Slack. I considered it nothing more than a passing trend. Now? I use it for an average of 10 hours a day for personal and professional reasons. (Sorry, HipChat.). What’s going on here? How’d I go from loathing something to using it daily in the span of just 3-4 weeks?

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How to Improve Email Deliverability and Optimize Each Send

Learn how to optimize email deliverability and drive greater email ROI. What lands your email in the customer’s inbox? Understanding those factors, otherwise known as email deliverability, is critical to getting the most return on your campaign investments. But the “rules” around which factors land you in the spam folder aren’t always easy to keep up with.

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Price Quotes and the Inability of Salespeople to Sell Value

Understanding the Sales Force

Last week I was training a sales force to sell value - an absolutely revolutionary concept - when the unthinkable happened, not once, but twice in the same training. As incredible as it was to me, it clearly illustrates why it is so darn hard for companies to get their salespeople to sell value.

Sell 112
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10 Ways to Increase Your Motivation and Your Sales

The Sales Hunter

Does your level of sales drive your motivation or does your motivation drive your sales? Yes, it is a chicken or egg type of question. In my mind they drive each other, but in the end I want to close as many sales as possible, so it means my motivation needs to be at […].

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Are You Using Social Media Yet?

A Sales Guy

So, where are you on this social media thing? Do you have a Twitter account? Are you on LinkedIn? Do you use Google +? Or are you one of those people sitting on the sidelines still trying to figure out why social media even matters, because you have too much to do to be bothered with what someone is eating for lunch. Let me help you out. Consider this a Sales Guy Public Service Announcement: Social media makes quota!

Quota 121
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When Things Dry Up!

Partners in Excellence

Marketing has been developing fantastic content. They are leveraging every analytic tool imaginable, they’ve got marketing automation tools, they’re active on social channels, doing everything possible to generate demand. Sales people wait for the coveted SQL–the Sales Qualified Lead. Regardless of what’s been agreed between marketing and sales, to a sales person the SQL is a buying ready (hopefully PO ready) lead.

SQL 99
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When “Free” Converts (and When It Doesn’t)

ConversionXL

If I asked you, “what’s the most persuasive word in the English language,” what would you say? Many would say “free” – and that may or may not be accurate. It’s one of those CRO ‘best practices’ that is often repeated but rarely discussed in detail. There are studies that support its power, but there is also plenty of data that supports the idea of ‘free’ being detrimental to optimization.

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Great Selling Lessons in The Martian - But Should You See the Movie?

Understanding the Sales Force

Most of the great books I read are disappointing, at best, when they become movies. The Davinci Code, Gone Girl, Absolute Power, Lone Survivor, Hunger Games, The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, The Lincoln Lawyer, 127 Hours, and Heaven is for Real are just some of my recent disappointments. Unbroken, The Blind Side and Moneyball didn't get botched up too badly.

Sell 109
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Brick & Mortar Retail Relevance: How to Stay Ahead of the Curve

Speaker: Jay Black, Senior Account Executive

Let's set the record straight: in-store retail isn't dead - it's evolving! Faced with the digital age and the demands of omnichannel shopping, some retailers are thriving while others are struggling to adapt. Join Jay Black in this exclusive session as he explores the strategies that set successful stores apart, including: Crafting unique and unforgettable in-store experiences 🛍️ Mastering the art of retail demands 🛒 Navigating inventory challenges in today's climate 📦 an

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10 Ways to Close Deals Faster Without Cutting Your Price

The Sales Hunter

We all want to close deals faster. Too many times the way salespeople close a deal faster is by cutting the price, thinking a lower price will create a faster decision. Here are 10 things you can do right now to close deals faster, and not one of them involves changing your price: 1. […].

Price 108
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Sales Management - Recruiting is just 1/5 of the Job

Anthony Cole Training

There are several things that an effective sales manager must do day in and day out to be successful.

Sales 171
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Can’t

A Sales Guy

You “Can’t” It’s not that you can’t get ahold of the CEO. It’s not that you can’t make Presidents Club. It’s not that you can’t find more “A” players. It’s not that you can’t penetrate that big account. And it’s not that you can’t get your team to use a CRM. It’s that you haven’t yet ; and that is an entirely different situation. The minute you say you can’t it’s over.

CRM 118
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The Problem With Pitch Decks

Partners in Excellence

I’ve seen thousands of pitch decks. The vast majority are horrible. There’s the corporate vanity deck. It always has a lot of slides. Usually it mentions the customer name in about 3 places, on the cover slide, the second to last slide, and the last slide. The rest of the deck is all about the vendor. You are regaled with size, locations, financial performance, logos of customers, and all sorts of stuff telling the customer how wonderful they are and why the customer would be a

Pitch 96
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How to Stay Competitive in the Evolving State of Martech

Marketing technology is essential for B2B marketers to stay competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape — and with 53% of marketers experiencing legacy technology issues and limitations, they’re researching innovations to expand and refine their technology stacks. To help practitioners keep up with the rapidly evolving martech landscape, this special report will discuss: How practitioners are integrating technologies and systems to encourage information-sharing between departments and pr

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Retention Optimization: How to Increase the Value of a Conversion

ConversionXL

Are you familiar with the expression, “The most valuable customer is the one you never lose”? In the CRO industry, it’s easy to focus on simply converting more leads all day, every day. More visitors to the landing pages, more emails submitted, more phone numbers captured, etc. A higher conversion rate is great, but as Peep says, “If you want to increase conversions, make everything that you sell one cent, conversions go way up, but you go out of business.

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Sales Selection Case History - The Fix for This Insanity Works 99% of the Time

Understanding the Sales Force

If you had a crystal ball to predict whether or not your next sales candidate would succeed in a difficult selling role at your company, wouldn't you want to use it? Heck, you would want to look into that thing even if it wasn't a difficult selling role. But what if you were recruiting kids right out of college? What would you do then? Would you just recruit a whole bunch of kids and keep the ones who didn't quit?

Sales 106
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10 Ways to Increase Your Value as a Salesperson with Your Customers

The Sales Hunter

Recently after a conference where I spoke, a salesperson asked for ideas on how he could increase his value. The question got me thinking, so here’s my list of what you need to be doing to become a top-performing salesperson: 1. Ask your customer questions both you and your customer can’t answer. Salespeople are famous for […].

Customers 103
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Is It Time to Step Up Your Sales Game?

Engage Selling

The best salespeople are constantly looking for ways to improve. They are not staying static for extended periods of time because, let’s face it, if you’re not moving forward – you’re moving backwards! There’s almost nothing better than reaching (or exceeding) all of your sales goals for the year. A certain feeling of accomplishment is […].

Gaming 96
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1st, 2nd, and 3rd Party Intent Data: Which Is Right for You?

How do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party intent data compare? 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party data each have specific advantages and disadvantages. It comes down to four factors: accuracy, cost, control and quantity. This infographic explains the pros and cons of each and helps you understand which one is best for meeting your business objectives. Intent data can be a great way to fill your pipeline and close more deals.

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#heykeenan Take 14 Coaching vs Training, What’s The Difference?

A Sales Guy

Hey peeps, #heykeenan 14 is up and cranking. In this Take, I answer a great question by the great Gabe Villamizar , social media king of Utah. There is a big difference between coaching and training. Yet few people understand it. Great question Gabe. Send me your questions for #heykeenan, if you shout out, and I’ll shout back.

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Paying Attention

Partners in Excellence

Perhaps it’s because it’s early Fall (for us in the Northern Hemisphere), but a couple of things have happened this weekend that have caused me to stop and reflect–actually to pay attention. I have just rediscovered “Vinyl.” What I mean, is that I’ve rediscovered physical record albums and the pleasure of listening to music.

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The Advanced Guide to Qualitative Research

ConversionXL

You spend most days analyzing and interpreting numbers, right? You’re constantly sifting through Google Analytics dashboards, Formisimo reports, Mixpanel data – the list is endless. When you spend so much time focusing on the numbers, it’s easy to forget about the people generating those numbers. That’s where qualitative conversion research comes into play.

UX 122
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Is Benchmarking or Perfect Fit Analysis More Predictive for Selecting Great Salespeople?

Understanding the Sales Force

Last week I published a case history on a company that we nicknamed, BigBrains. Many readers emailed asking if we could perform this analysis for them (yes, in most cases) and whether this would be considered benchmarking (no). In this article, I will actually show you the difference between benchmarking and the Perfect Fit Analysis that we use as proof to clients and to customize Objective Management Group's (OMG) Sales Candidate Assessments.

Clients 104
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The Battle of the Authoring Tools: A 10-Point Comparison for Picking the Right One

Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions

There are plenty of great authoring tools for developing eLearning, but the one you select could directly impact your course's outcomes. Depending upon your learners’ needs and your organization’s performance goals, you could be overlooking considerations that impact the both effectiveness of your courses and how long it takes to finish them. From general capabilities to specific workflow structures, some aspects are critical when it comes to learning objectives and deadlines.

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10 Ways to Prospect Effectively with Senior Level People

The Sales Hunter

1. Don’t ignore the gatekeeper. Treat them the same way you would the senior level person you are trying to reach. Ask the gatekeeper the same questions you would the senior person you’re trying to reach. Many times the gatekeeper is the one who in the end will determine whether you merit time on […].

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Is Account-Based Marketing the Holy Grail for Lead Generation Nirvana? [PowerOpinions Part 5]

Pointclear

I consider SiriusDecisions to be the gold standard when it comes to best practices in B2B marketing and sales processes. So it’s with great pleasure that I conclude this series on ABM with feedback from SiriusDecisions. First, here’s the question we’ve been asking our experts: According to a report by SiriusDecisions, 2015 State of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), more than 60 percent of companies plan to invest in technology for ABM to better align sales and marketing over the next twelve months.

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Wow! What an Awesome Email I Got Today.

A Sales Guy

It’s not uncommon for me to get calls from business owners, CEO’s, heads of sales, etc. asking for help. In some cases, there is a good need to work together, and we enter into a contract. Other times, for whatever reason, it just doesn’t make sense. In these cases, the person or company isn’t ready, they don’t have the money, they have resource issues, etc.

Quota 117
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Are You Aligned With Where Your Customer Is In Their Buying Process?

Partners in Excellence

A friend called me for advice today. He’s a great sales person, a big deal hunter. He wanted to review a deal strategy and call plan he was making on a CTO at a very large, fast growing prospect. His colleagues had been working with the CTO’s team. By far, they were the front runners for their first piece of business with this customer.

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How to Leverage Intent Data for Better Outcomes

Speaker: Susan Spencer, Principal of Spencer Communications

Intent signal data can go a long way toward shortening sales cycles and closing more deals. The challenge is deciding which is the best type of intent data to help your company meet its sales and marketing goals. In this webinar, Susan Spencer, fractional CMO and principal of Spencer Communications, will unpack the differences between contact-level and company-level intent signals.

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Is Above the Fold Really That Important?

ConversionXL

Quick! How many CRO “best practices” can you name off of the top of your head? I’m willing to bet the number is quite high. I believe best practices are merely common practices [Tweet It!] , which is why I’m putting another “tried and true” concept to the test. (If you recall, earlier this year, I explored whether social proof is really that important.).

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The Sales Selection Saga - Part 6 - Join the Discussion!

Understanding the Sales Force

The way that most people watch television these days is to fall in love with a continuing series, and then watch the episodes, on demand, when they want to. I believe that when it comes to reading, Blogs work very much the same way. You come across a Blogger whose work you like and who writes about things that interest you and you check back often or subscribe via email or RSS.

Sales 96
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VIDEO SALES TIP: How Quickly Do You Follow Up with Prospects?

The Sales Hunter

If you are not following up quickly with prospects, you are missing out on sales. I guarantee it! I am amazed when I hear about or read about salespeople who don’t follow up! If you want the business, you have to go get it. Following up efficiently is vital to your sales success! Check […].

Follow-up 101
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Is Account-Based Marketing the Holy Grail for Lead Generation Nirvana? [PowerOpinions Part 4]

Pointclear

There’s no doubt that Account-Based Marketing is on the up-and-up. What are sales and marketing leaders saying about it? That’s what I set out to find when I presented this question to fellow industry experts: According to a report by SiriusDecisions, 2015 State of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), more than 60 percent of companies plan to invest in technology for ABM to better align sales and marketing over the next twelve months.

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5 Inspiring B2B Marketing Campaigns to Take Yours to the Next Level

Your next big B2B marketing idea starts here. Get inspired with these five successful B2B marketing campaigns. Ready to generate more leads, interest, and revenue with your B2B marketing? In this comprehensive eBook, you’ll get: In-depth studies of five successful B2B marketing campaigns spanning a wide range of industries Key takeaways and lessons from each story to implement in your own strategy Resources to help your own B2B marketing thrive By submitting this form, you agree to have your con