Archive for the ‘Business Development’ Category
Cold Calls Create Warm Relationships
Tags: cold calling, relationships, sales, thought leader
Posted in Business Development, Communication, Customer Service, Marketing on October 6th, 2008
On those occasions when I can roust myself out of bed early enough, I enjoy a pedal through the park. A recent ride was a bit cooler than expected. I suppose that’s what started me thinking about cold calling.
It occurred to me that everyday we cold call. Whether it is a brief conversation with a stranger on the elevator, waiting for the bus, or at a conference breakout session. In each case we reach out and create a relationship.
So why is it so difficult for us to do it when charged with developing new business opportunities? Perhaps it is because we have been inundated with so many poorly executed sales calls that we feel like we’ll be viewed as just one more.
Breaking out of the pack requires an approach that is WIIFM (What’s in it for me?) focused. When you reach your prospect try keeping the following in mind.
- Before you call, have research or best practices relevant to their industry or business.
- Introduce yourself in one sentence.
- Tell them you want to schedule a 10 to 20 minute presentation regarding your research. Ask them to have their colleagues participate in the conversation. You’ll be viewed as the Thought Leader, the expert resource.
- Close the conversation by asking what date on their calendar works best for them. This approach gets you a “when” answer instead of a “no”.
- When you present, be sure you actually deliver the best practices promised in the cold call conversation. Sharing your knowledge is the first step in the relationship process and the only way you can move a prospect from cold to warm.
Erica Stritch, a business development consultant, offers these cold calling scripts in her blog. I’m passing them along to you. Thanks Erica.
Script #1
My name is John Smith and I am with Smith & Smith, we’re a (insert type of firm). We’ve been scheduling brief phone calls to introduce ourselves and share best practice information. We’d like to tell you how other (industry) companies are…
- Protecting their global shipping operations and ensuring continuous cash flow
- Achieving the best possible efficiencies by connecting all (blank) disciplines
- Using (our client’s special expertise) to create competitive differentiation and capture market share
The information will give you a framework for assessing your situation at (company name). I’m wondering if you’d like to talk with me and one of the partners here at Smith & Smith on October 23.
Script #2
My name is Jane Smith and I am with Smith & Smith – we’re a (insert type of firm). As a part of that work, we have just completed a benchmark study where (industry) firms rate over 350 major suppliers in those areas critical in deciding who they will do business with.
What we’ve been doing as a way of introducing ourselves is to share with some select suppliers survey details specific to you:
- How (company name) rates on six critical success factors
- Where your competition stands in relation to you
- What areas you can focus on that will have the greatest impact on increasing your share of wallet
That’s it. Even if you decide not to pursue this any further than this first meeting, at least you’ll have valuable intelligence as a result. What does your calendar look like next Wednesday or Thursday?
Whether it’s a chat across the fence or across the boardroom, it’s all about relationship building. Becoming a valuable partner instead of a vendor in these very competitive times will ensure that your business will prosper and endure.
I have additional research on how Thought Leadership can help meet your 2009 sales forecast. Is next Monday open on your calendar?
Are Brand Ambassadors Part of Your Marketing Mix?
Tags: ambassadors, blogs, boomers, millenial, twitter
Posted in Branding, Business Development, Communication, Generational Marketing on September 22nd, 2008
The Millennial generation, born between 1979 and 2001, are the kids of Baby Boomers. There are 70+ million Millenials and they are the nation’s most racially and ethnically diverse generation. The eldest among this group turned 31 in 2008. They have strong opinions on which brands they will buy and for which employers they will work. They are going to have a huge impact on business, culture and social issues that are important to them.
Companies that want to engage this group will find the results staggering. Some 83% percent of Millennials will trust a company more if it is socially or environmentally responsible. 74% are more likely to pay attention to a company’s message when they see that it has a deep commitment to a cause. Yet the most outstanding finding is that almost 9 out of 10 Millennials will switch from one brand to another-price and quality being equal-if the second brand is associated with a good cause.
Anastasia Toomey, vice-president of Consumer Insight, a division of AMP the youth focused marketing agency noted, “Technology has given the Millennial generation complete access to what is happening around the globe. They are attuned to natural and social world-changing events and they have the knowledge and ability to support the brands and causes they believe in.”
In a New York Times article, Jack McKenzie, a senior vice-president at Frank N. Magid Associates, a market research and consulting firm, said the single largest differentiator in this generation from previous generations is their social network.
“What we’re seeing is a whole different relationship with marketing and advertising which obviously has ripple effects through the entire economy,” McKenzie added. “Reliance and trust in nontraditional sources-meaning everyday people, their friends, their networks, the network they’ve created around them-has a much greater influence on their behaviors than traditional advertising.” Thus the birth of social marketing as a discipline within the marketing mix for many brands.
Building a coalition of ambassadors or evangelists is no easy task. However, as the name ambassador or evangelist suggest, the people involved take ownership and want to see success in the brands they choose, causes they support, or the company they work for.
Brands that rely on Millenials are evolving their message strategies and cultural agenda to capitalize on the power of these evangelist and their network to proselytize the brand message across their sphere of influence. Utilizing an ambassador program provides the marketer with a virtual staff for the dissemination of brand attributes. They are a volunteer army willingly spreading your brand’s message.
One of the challenges is managing the message across the multiple media platforms of text messaging, blogs, personal websites, twitter and word-of-mouth. The communication professional must be aware that having total control of the message is impossible with ambassador programs. This is where you will find some of the risk with message management. However the speed of message delivery and access to an often times insulated target audience are two of the benefits of an ambassador program that outweigh the risk.
A Smile is the Shortest Distance Between Two People.
Tags: laughter, morale, productivity, revenue, workplace
Posted in Business Development, Communication, Employer Branding, Internal Communication, Leadership on September 10th, 2008
Recession? Economic slowdown? Market correction? It doesn’t matter how you categorize the current economy. The fact remains; it is very difficult to find anyone who is enthusiastic about the current market conditions. The resulting pressure to be more productive and profitable has never been more difficult.
One often-overlooked tool to aid productivity is Humor.
A study by Dr. David Abramis at Cal State Long Beach concludes “people who have fun on the job are more creative, more productive, better decision makers and get along better with co-workers. They also have fewer absentee, late and sick days than people who aren’t having fun.”
Laughter releases endorphins that are more powerful than morphine. How much more energetic and engaged would the workplace be if everyone enjoyed a daily endorphin high?
Integrating humor in the workplace is a strategy that enhances employee morale, enhances the customer service experience and re-energizes us as individuals and as a team.
Launch a Humor-Relations Program
A humor relations program starts at the top, doesn’t require a large budget and engages everyone within the organization.
First and foremost consider the Power and Purpose of Wit.
P-Place- is this right place and setting
P-Person – Is this the right person? Humor must be appropriate to all audiences, those in the room and those not in the room. One never knows the diversity, social or historical issues of the extended family.
W-Workplace-Does this fit with workplace ethics, rules and agreements?
I-Integrity-Does it uplift the integrity of others and myself?
T – Timing-How is my timing? Both comedic and professional?
Implementation Ideas
1. Even school administrators recognize the importance of recess. Breaks/recess is a great stress reliever. It allows employees to gain a new perspective and reduces boredom of tedious task.
2. Encourage customer contact representatives to employ humor. Southwest Airlines is a continual leader in overall customer satisfaction surveys. They employ a program encouraging professional yet playful attitude by its flight attendants. Example “Thank you ladies and gentlemen for flying with SWA today. I know all of you will want to give a big applause to a very special person on board today. He is 90 years old and making his first flight. Please join me in welcoming our pilot on board.”
3. Allow pets in the office occasionally. The documentation on the therapeutic effect of pets is endless.
4. Create a funny moments email from senior level executives – it shows that they are human, vulnerable and approachable both to internal and external customers.
5. Encourage bizarre random acts of customer kindness. Encourage staff to go beyond the normal. Give them perks to give unhappy customers. Give them rewards for providing alternative solutions.
6. Encourage people to laugh. Again, who would not want an office full of endorphin filled people enhancing the customer experience?
Phase in small components of a humor campaign – then observe the changes. Slowly you’ll find ways to integrate humor specific to your organization. Happy, productive people drive revenue. And that’s something you can smile about.
Don’t Think Twice, Thought Leadership Pays
Tags: Blogging, Communication, google, Thought Leadership
Posted in Business Development, Communication, Thought Leadership on July 21st, 2008
Go ahead and say it, Thought Leadership sounds like another marketing department buzzword that means as much as a politicians pre-election promise.
Think again. Google, the king of search engines, is now worth $80 billion. Why? Because they recognized that information (and fast access) is what people desperately want and need. Google is the ultimate Thought Leader!
What’s a Thought Leader?
A Thought Leader is a person or organization that is the recognized leader in a given field. You can’t self anoint yourself as a Thought Leader. Your prospects and customers confer that position based on recognition from the marketplace in which you operate.
The Case for Thought Leadership
Research conducted by the Wellesley-Hills Group in the architecture, engineering and construction space, showed that 88% of buyers would switch if presented with a trusted supplier who could demonstrate expertise and value.
Research by RainToday reports “If you are well known, the lead generation tactics you employ are likely to work better.” In fact, 65% of companies that claim they are well known, report being good or excellent at lead generation, while only 44% of the not well known companies report being good or excellent.
Further evidence from the research shows that only 10-30% of leads generated by marketing campaigns were sales-ready. Respondents also reported an average of 25% of leads should be disqualified. The remaining 50% of leads require “further nurturing”.
Imagine the impact to your bottom line if you move just 10% of the “further nurturing” group to the sales ready group.
The dividends are not limited to converting prospects to customers. Think of the impact on investor relations, community goodwill, the ability to recruit the best and brightest employees, other’s linking to you (moves you up in the search results) and becoming a resource for journalist.
How to Get There
Elise Bauer, a consultant to technology clients states it best. “Before one takes the first actionable step, a fundamental shift in mindset is needed. Thought Leadership requires a spirit of generosity – generosity of one’s time, intelligence and knowledge.”
No one tactic is going to be the panacea of your Thought Leadership program. And you’ll need to invest human and financial resources. It also requires that you start looking at your company through the eyes of your customers. Best practices that you can employ include:
- Writing white papers and publishing articles.
- Speaking at trade shows, industry events and webinars.
- Maximize the power of your website. Create a content library and share it unabashedly.
- Blogging by company executives and employees.
- Thought Leadership is cumulative in its effect. Stopping and starting is deadly.
Lastly, Thought Leadership is about creating a dialogue. And dialogue leads to trust. Once that happens you have given your audience permission to buy with confidence and without risk. Isn’t that what we all want?
8 Tips for Increasing Lead Conversions
Tags: Business Development, follow up, lead conversion, Website
Posted in Business Development on July 7th, 2008
Everyone is talking about lead generation. How do we connect with new prospects? The bigger question is what are you doing with the leads that you already have? According to a study done by the Yankee Group, 40-80% of leads are not followed up on or they are simply lost.
By tightening up your lead-tracking program you can add millions of dollars in lifetime revenue from prospects that have already asked to talk with you.
8 Tips for Increasing Revenue Thru Lead Follow-up
1. Consistency – Use the same lead collection form for on-line and off-line capture.
2. Be Prepared – Start the lead follow-up process with fulfillment materials, cover letters and e-mail already produced.
3. Lead Process – Close the gap in time between the lead collectors and the sales team.
4. Categorization – Leads not categorized as hot generally are ignored. Do not downgrade a lead because it doesn’t look like fast revenue. See point #7.
5. Follow-up Fast – Respond within 2-5 days.
6. Leads Talk – If you get an abundant number of poor quality leads then your message is not connecting with your target or you’re lead source is inappropriate.
7. Think Long-Term – Research shows 3 out of 4 sales come from leads that aren’t ready to buy right away. Quality clients are smart, resourceful and loyal. They don’t make snap decisions. Show prospects through a consistent touch program that you are the partner of choice.
8. Your Website – Drive prospects to your website. The website is a great place to engage them in more dialogue, project examples, blogs and opt-in e-mail strategies.
