3 rarely used best practices of running an industry vertical
Whether its technology, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation or northeastern sausage distributors, telling an industry’s story…solving an industry problem…is a critical way to differentiate yourself. And maybe the best way. Over the years we have observed some best practices of vertical business development that might get your motor running. Put your opinions out there. Saying you know […]
Strategies to compete against cash
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT INDUSTRY VERTICAL BEST PRACTICES In a recent messaging blueprint session with a new client, we had a long discussion about their competition in the marketplace. The client spent the significant majority of the time talking about “Somebody” Bank or “Soandso” capital. But little mention of their largest competitor by […]
Why don’t you sell your funding process?
For years we have noticed that not only do many commercial finance companies not sell the borrowing process with the market, they almost hide it. We’ve heard the ABL Due Diligence audit described as a financial enema and the equipment finance process for titled vehicles as finger nail extraction. That said, you might really be […]
Cold Calling v. Inbound Leads: Do you have a real Business Development strategy? Anyone? Bueller?
Is Cold Calling Dead? Most marketing firms will tell you cold calling is dead. Or at least dying. That cold calling techniques have been replaced by demand generation technology and aggressive inbound marketing strategies. Not so fast my friends. We think pronouncing the death of cold calling is pretty myopic. It’s like salespeople saying demand […]
Selling success: An idea guide for simple marketing with success stories
It takes a big effort to establish yourself as a thought leader with the articles, insights and ideas that show your targets how smart you are, and it works. But how can you easily bring prospects from knowing you’re smart…to knowing you’re good. Telling them you’re good is silly, everyone says that…so show them. Nothing […]
Man, you guys are old: How the “graying” of the commercial finance business is impacting business development.
In our recent joint survey of 3,540 Financial Decision makers and more than 500 Commercial finance companies we found: The average age of a financial decision maker is 48 and has been reducing by 3 months per year, every year since 2006 while the average age of a commercial finance senior sales leader is 55 […]
65% of the sales process is over before prospects talk to one of your salespeople.
Actually depending on your B2B market and the survey it could be as high as 72%. This should make you think pretty hard about the state of business development affairs in your company. It forces you to ask some pretty important questions “What is the market doing to get that far along in the decision […]
Does social media work in #B2B? YES, for God’s sake, yes…
If you have ever perused twitter, social media, countless blog articles or a simple google search there are a smattering of experts that pose the question, while stroking their chin I suppose, if social media works for the B2B space. The more the target audience becomes CFO/CEO types, the more wishy-washy the messages seem to […]
How a little bad customer data is costing you big money.
Most of you sell equipment and technology that has a relatively well-defined life cycle. But we find dealer after dealer not using the data from their existing customers to drive their sales volume. Let me explain. If the equipment has a 5 year useful life as an asset for the customer’s organization, as the asset […]
The sales rep “quick start” program that you don’t have…but need.
How do your salespeople tell your company’s story? Inconsistently? Make it up as they go? You don’t know? What kind of training do you give new salespeople in your company’s story and the important ways to differentiate themselves and win. What is your 30-60-90 day sales plan for their start and how is the company […]