Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007 - (Page 39)

>TAKE-AWAYS > AT YOUR SERVICE the Closer > TRY THIS THE BASICS ARE BEST Every top salesperson strives to be responsive and helpful to customers, often going above and beyond the call of duty in his quest to maintain a relationship. But there are times when less is more—especially when it comes to marketing collateral. It’s tough enough for salespeople to meet the demands of well-established customers in today’s fast-paced world, and even tougher to find the time to get to know new prospects. But if the members of your sales team respond to a request for information by snail-mailing brochures and product data sheets (or emailing PDFs), think about the opportunity they might be missing. If they don’t know what a company’s specific pain points and objectives are, sending out generalized marketing pieces might create more barriers than it removes. You’ve spent a lot of time and money ensuring that your sales operation is top-notch, so the next time a potential customer calls in search of information about your business, respond by sending them the best marketing tool you have: a highly trained, motivated, well prepared sales professional. DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY For many teenagers, going to the prom is the culmination of years of waiting and anticipation—the tangible proof that they are making the transition from children to young adults. But high expectations can lead to devastating disappointments, and it looked like things were going to end badly for dozens of high schoolers in Seattle last year. After months of meticulously planning their evening, one of their two SUV limos failed to show up at Cutter’s Bayhouse Restaurant after dinner to take the group of teens to their prom. After two hours of waiting for the missing vehicle, the entire group piled into the restaurant’s shuttle vans. Daniel Swanson, manager at Cutter’s, and one of his workers personally drove the grateful gang of teens to their prom, arriving half an hour before the dance ended. Despite being offered money for gas and a tip, Swanson refused to accept the cash, instead opting to “pay it forward” in the hopes that a fellow Good Samaritan will do the right thing for someone else. “It was the kids’ prom,” Swanson said, “so you’ve got to get them there. I would hope someone would do something similar for my child in a situation like that.” SOURCE: THE SEATTLE TIMES, MARCH 25, 2007 > NOW PRESENTING SEE WHAT YOUR CUSTOMER SEES Most established sales professionals have done so many customer presentations that the process is second nature. But even if you have a seasoned sales team, it might be worth having them do a mock presentation for you to check for the following do’s and don’ts: I Make sure the decision-makers have the best seats (usually the first chair on the presenter’s left). I To keep from dividing the audience’s attention, ensure presenters stand next to the screen. I Dim the lights enough to make the presentation sharp and colorful, but not so dark that the customers’ eyelids start to get heavy. I Don’t utilize copy-heavy slides; emphasize bullet points and action verbs. Finally, whenever possible, encourage your team to find ways to interact with the audience. Make sure they maintain eye contact, don’t hide behind a podium, and leave enough time at the end to address questions and concerns. www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com > STAR SEARCH POWER FROM THE PEOPLE Want a peek into the future of integrated talent management? The traditional silos that HR departments have been relying on for years are being redefined, and much of the work going into that transformation appears in “High Impact Talent Management: Trends, Best Practices and Industry Solutions.” This publication from Bersin & Associates, based on analysis of more than one million data elements from 700-plus global organizations, provides more than 400 pages of tips, techniques and tools designed to translate people power into bottom-line results. It identifies 62 best-practice processes in eight functional areas: workforce planning, performance management, competency management, leadership development, succession planning, learning and development, compensation, and talent management software systems. According to Dave Watkins, chief executive officer of Softscape, a recognized leader in people management technology and one of the companies profiled in the book, “Softscape shares Bersin & Associates’ view of the talent management market. Our mission is to help organizations better manage their people and their business by streamlining processes and aligning them with their business objectives.” OCTOBER 2007 SALES&MARKETING MANAGEMENT 39 istock photo http://www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007

Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007 Contents Editor’s Letter Management Strategies Why Prospecting Gets No Respect Sales Strategy: Spotlight your Services Marketing: A Social Intelligence Primer Management: Steer your Team to Success Motivation/Incentives: The No-Pain Way to Gain Training: Looking for Yesterday’s Learning or Tomorrow’s? Technology: Get Trade Show Satisfaction with the Video Massage Focusing on SMB Solutions The Best Sales Force The Hottest Job Industries Overseas Aggravation Gadgets & Gear: Pen and Ink as an Art Form Books that Improve Strategic Thinking, People Skills and Sales One Foot Out the Door Work/Life: Calling in the Fitness Cavalry. Take-Aways: Bite-size Strategies to Help You Sell More, Market Smarter and Manage Better

Sales & Marketing Management - October 2007

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