How To Find Your First 10 Customers with Collin Stewart #325

Collin Stewart Sales Babble

How To Find Your First 10 Customers with Collin Stewart #325

Collin Stewart Sales BabbleCollin Stewart is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Predictable Revenue, podcast host, AA-ISP Chapter President and former guitarist. Before founding a software company he’s been in the sales  profession most of his career.  Collin enjoys sales, marketing and product management, and deeply believes these are the  three disciplines needed to develop a closer working relationship. In this episode Collin shares his thoughts on the struggle companies face earning their first 10 customers and the steps needed to scale that up.

How To Find Collin Stewart and Your First 10 Customers

This is his  Outbound Labs Ebook and the podcast episode on Outbound Validation.

Thank Our Sponsor Sharetivity

Sharetivity on Sales Babble Sharetivity helps salespeople increase prospect engagement by providing an easy and fast way to personalizing their outreach. Sales starts with getting your prospects attention, given all the noise you have to be different, you have to personalize your outreach. Unfortunately, it’s time consuming going to Google, Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube etc to find an icebreaker. To get Sharetivity click here https://bit.ly/Sharetivity

Thank Our Sponsor Habanero Media

We help busy B2B companies  attract new customers and clients through the magic of podcasting! Start your B2B podcast today and grow your brand, authority, influence and trust.

Download Why Your Business Needs a B2B Podcast here.

Past Episodes on First 10 Customers

Sales Consulting To Grow Your Business

Pat helps technology startups and businesses discover the true value they bring to market, find customers who deeply appreciate that value then scale that process to extraordinary profits. We do this with modern 2020 sales and marketing techniques. 

Image result for linkedinImage result for emailImage result for telephone icon

Pushy sales doesn’t work! The key is to build trust over time. What  tools do we use?  LinkedIn, Email and the power of the Voice Mail.

We believe and teach the value of a helping mindset. Your prospective customers have challenges, hopes and aspirations. They need your help. All you need to do is build their trust, and faith, in your organization. Learn  how we help here. Once it’s clear you can help, you will have loyal clients for life. When you bring value you make sales. Or if you’re a startup, learn sales for engineers and skills to promote your new venture.

Got a Question?

Something about today’s episode got you thinking? Do you have a question or a comment you’d like share?

If so “babble me” an email here, or if you can’t wait chat Pat now.

Maybe you’d like to share your musings on the podcast? Leave a voice message here. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Don’t worry about babbling, we prefer it.

Listening Options

You can find us on:

 

Go For the No with Jacob Balanzategui #310

Jacob Balanzategui

Go For the No with Jacob Balanzategui #310

Jacob BalanzateguiJacob Balanzategui has over 20 years of sales experience. Due to his exposure to his father’s research on stress and neurobiology, he has a unique perspective on sales, business and life in general. Jacob lives in Dallas with his wife of 12 years and their 5 kids. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching football, coaching youth basketball and finding new places to eat and he believes you should go  for the no when selling. Learn how.

Buying has Changed So Go For No

Jacob believes there is a plethora of  information on the fingertips of buyers who then experience analysis paralysis.  How do you overcome this?

    • Believe in what you 
    • Help
    • Explain in a way that resonates
    • Go for the no 

Don’t waste time trying to make something fit that never will.  Qualify prospects and disarm them.  Don’t do a discovery call, instead get to know them.  Don’t over praise and thank for time. That’s not needed.  The intent of the meeting is to learn a little bit about each other, then share some ideas that they may find of value. Next ask if they feel like they  would like to chat some more  and if not that’s OK too.   Let go of the psychology of push and push and push.  Go for the no, don’t push it.

Referrals Are the Best

Clients are the best source for future leads. This is his approach to send a note:

Subject : quick question?
“I want to request  something from you and if you’re not comfortable it’s perfectly OK.  I’m trying to get better at my career and to work with clients I know i’ve had success with and to talk to them about possible introductions to others.   Business is about people and relationships “

    • Do lunch introduction
    • via email personal,  (you write the script )
    • Follow up with a due date

Tell the Truth

After telling a prospect or client  about the benefits of some product or service,  he then tells them about  where they struggle and how they are getting a handle on it.   This is much appreciated. Be transparent and the deal will close quickly.

How To Find Jacob Balanzategui

Thank Our Sponsor Sales Nexus

Sales Nexus tip for this week – Use Your CRM To Save Yourself Time

Get the free download here  for the 12 Sales Tips to Steal  for 2020  Success  and 4 Steps to Market Domination 

Past Episodes on How To Ask Sales Qualifying Questions

Sales Consulting To Grow Your Business

Pat helps businesses discover the true value they bring to market, find customers who deeply appreciate that value then scale that process to extraordinary profits. We do this with modern 2020 sales and marketing techniques. 

Image result for linkedinImage result for emailImage result for telephone icon

Pushy sales doesn’t work! The key is to build trust over time. What  tools do we use?  LinkedIn, Email and the power of the Voice Mail.

We believe and teach the value of a helping mindset. Your prospective customers have challenges, hopes and aspirations. They need your help. All you need to do is build their trust, and faith, in your organization. Learn  how we help here. Once it’s clear you can help, you will have loyal clients for life. When you bring value you make sales.

Got a Question?

Something about today’s episode got you thinking? Do you have a question or a comment you’d like share?

If so “babble me” an email here, or if you can’t wait chat Pat now.

Maybe you’d like to share your musings on the podcast? Leave a voice message here. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Don’t worry about babbling, we prefer it.


Listening Options

You can find us on:

 

Pulling Profits Out of a Hat with Brad Sugars #278

Brad Sugars Sales Babble

 Pulling Profits Out of a Hat with Brad Sugars #278

Brad Sugars Sales BabbleBrad Sugars is the the founder of ActionCOACH and author of the new book, Pulling Profits of of a Hat:  Adding Zeros to your Company isn’t Magic, Brad started ActionCOACH when he saw how business owners lacked simple how-to help and strategies to grow their cash flow and profits. Unfortunately, many business owners  didn’t know what they didn’t know, leading to struggles with their time, teams and money. In this episode Brad talks about how salespeople can generate profits through exponential growth.

Five Disciplines for Exponential Growth

It’s important that companies exhibit behaviors that are growth minded. Brad believes companies need to address five disciplines:

  1. Strategy – Pick a strategy with a growth point of view.
    1. Leverage – “Do the work once, get paid forever”. If you can find ways to improve your productivity, it will show up with exponential growth.
    2. Scale – ability to create processes that focus on growth.
    3. Marketability – high value products and services.
    4. Opportunity Size – how much money is in the niche, how much competition, what is the potential size
  2. Business Development – understanding how much people want your products, and having a strategy across various sizes of clients with a marketing program that discovers qualified prospects.
  3. People – if you don’t grow your people, you won’t grow your business. One mistake companies make is focusing on team building. That’s not enough. Consider performance: hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, etc…   Always remember, how you treat your people is how they will treat your customers.
  4. Execution – products and services delivered with exceptional quality.
  5. Mission – make sure there is a connection between the company and the employees. Customers will notice if their staff don’t enjoy working their work.

Profit in the Sales Arena

Have a mindset of multiples:  10x , 150%, or 1500% .   Don’t have a  a mere 10-15% growth target.  Consider Apple, Microsoft and Amazon and how they’ve been able to pivot strategically for massive success.

As a seller, have a mindset that the company is your business. Always know your numbers, step by step. Have  a clear process that is tuned, based on results. Work on your communication skills.  Adjust your conversations according to the personality type of the prospects. Lastly, do homework on your prospects and understand their wants and needs.

Be a lifelong learner!

How to Find Brad Sugars

Brad is easy to find online. These are his links;

Website:  actioncoach.com
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradsugars/
Facebook:  facebook.com@bradleyjsugars
Twitter:  @bradsugars

You can find his new book here: Pulling Profits of of a Hat:  Adding Zeros to your Company isn’t Magic

How To Grow Sales

Here are past episodes focused on profit driven growth. Enjoy!

Prospecting and Cold Calling for New Sales with Steve Kloyda

Prospecting and Cold Calling for New Sales with Steve Kloyda  #277

Sadly my past guest and good friend Steve Kloyda  passed away on June 27th, 2019.  Steve was a two time babbler on the podcast.  He was the host of the “Get In the Door” podcast and recently published a new book  “The Art of Prospecting: Your Guide to Get in the Door   I’d like honor Steve and rerun an interview we did in 2015.  Steve’s wit and wisdom is spot on when it comes to prospecting and cold calling for new sales leads. His timeless message and book is a must for all any sales professionals looking to get a foot in the door.

The Prospecting Expert

When Steve started in sales his first lessons included:

  • How to connect with the senior VP, President, or business owner.
  • How to educate them on his service. 
  • How to ask for the business.
  • How to get around voicemail, gatekeepers or no answer.
  • His first script was ….

“Hi I’m Steve Kloyda do you have a moment to talk?

The purpose of my call is to let you know about XYZ stock how many shares do you want to buy?”

  • Steve was taught to make 100 dials everyday.  For each call is task was to paint a picture in the mind of the listener on what he was trying to communicate.
  • From this he learned the fundamentals of successful sales prospecting.

How To Prospecting From Scratch

If you’re starting from scratch, it’s hard and takes energy but it can be done. Steve recommends:

  • Make a list of every company in your area.
  • Find the executive team and connect on LinkedIn.
  • Call them but makes sure every call and voicemail adds value.
  • Find qualified candidates to get an appointment.
  • Each voicemail must add value.You have only one opportunity to make a great first impression.

This is Steve’s script with urgency and a compelling reason:

“Hi this is Steve Kloyda with the Prospecting Expert my phone number is NUMBER,

The purpose of my voice mail today is that we have created an XYZ that provides a BENEFIT

Pat if you want to learn more about our unique XYZ give me a call at your earliest convenience my phone number is NUMBER or if you prefer to email me at EMAIL.

And Pat I want to thank you for the time to listen to this voicemail and I look forward to speaking to you soon.”

Gordon Gecko on the original “Wall Street” is a Steve’s favorite example working with the GateKeeper Natalie.

“What’s on your mind, why should I even listen to you?”

Steve’s Last Sales Nugget

This week’s Sales Nugget: Praise Your Competitors

This week’s Quote: “I will speak ill of no man and speak all the good I know of everybody” ~ Benjamin Franklin

How Find Steve Kloyda

Steve’s book can be purchased here:  The Art of Prospecting: Your Guide to Get in the Door

How to Prospect and Generate Leads

Cadence: 7 Drivers of Profit with Pete Williams #241

Pete Williams and Cadence Bookv3

Cadence: 7 Drivers of Profit with Pete Williams #241

Pete Williams and Cadence Bookv3Pete Williams  is this episodes guest and  author of the book Cadence: A Tale of Fast Business Growth.   By a tale,  I mean exactly that. Pete tells a story about struggling business owner of a bicycle store who meets mysterious sensei  who slowly reveals the 7 drivers of profit.  Profit is a key motivation of all for-profit companies.  When sellers focus on profit, it’s easy to make a case for your product or service and close sales.

Seven Drivers of Profit

According to Pete, profits can be gained when any of the following drivers are improved. If you focus on these drivers, one by one, they will collectively add up to fast business growth.

Drivers mentioned include:

  • Number of suspects
  • Number of prospects
  • Number of conversions
  • The  average item price
  • The average number of items per sale
  • The number of transactions per customer
  • The product/service margins.

First focus on having a 10% improvement on each of the profit driver. Because of this the effort will compound to a doubling of profit.  Given these incremental improvements, there will be a collective 2X effect.

A 2x gain in profit would great, right?  That’s a good start? With more improvement couldn’t even be greater?

Take Action Advice

Of  the 7 drivers of profit, consider Conversions. Focus on turning leads into suspects and suspects into qualified leads (prospects).  You will get more bang for our buck working you leads efficiently.

How To Find Pete Williams

Pete is easy to find across the web. As such here are further links regarding fast business growth:

www.PreneurGroup.com | www.PeteWilliams.com.au
Mobile: +61 4 1853 2814
Email: pete@preneurgroup.com

This is his new book:www.CadenceBook.com

How To Grow Sales

Why You Need a Killer Business Plan with Peter Mehit #232

Why You Need a Killer Business Plan with Peter Mehit #232

My guest Peter Mehit delves into to the importance of having a business plan. We observe how the skills that make great entrepreneurs, are not the skills of a great CEO. Entrepreneurs and sales professionals are known for taking quick action. But too often they do so without a plan. This is the death of many companies. Peter is the author of the book  “Killer Business Plan” . In this episode we learn how a business plan is what’s needed to take your business to the next level.

Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst

If you don’t visualize the destination, nor understand where you’re at, you’ll not know where to go. As business professionals we need to have a clear idea where we’re heading. Business plans are important to decide where you’re business is going.

Peter paraphrased former guest Geoffrey Moore and Adoption Curve guru stating the skills of an entrepreneur  are not the same ones to grow it. Entrepreneurs can make immediate decisions, but lack the skills for long term planning. We each need to be CEOs and see our business as a machine. Instead of living in a world of response, we need to move to a world of planning.

Any Plan is Better Than None

A simple business plan made with business cards and a poster board might be more than adequate to get started. You need to understand WHERE you want to go. You need to learn discipline and ask:

  • Who’s the customer?
  • Why would they buy?
  • Are they in your geographic area?
  • Is it about you, or the customer?
  • Is it about what the CUSTOMER wants?
  • If you’re selling to everyone, you’re selling to no one.

To earn raving fans you have to target them and their taste, values and the things they care about.

When Sales Are Flat

If sales are flat, look at your products. Ask….

  • Are they still relevant?
  • Where could they become relevant in another market?

You could be at saturation, or you’re no longer competitive. It could be time to move on. Or it could be time to find a different market for your product.  You may need a marketing plan which is a subset of a business plan, the biggest part of the plan. When complete, test! Take something from AGILE planning, trust but verify.

Thoughts on Business Model Canvas

Business Model Canvas  is a diagram taught in business schools for starting a business plan.   Peter believes it’s a good starting point, but only that, a starting point. You should be able to logically explain the steps described on the canvas. Otherwise an investor’s going to take a pass. Think beyond the creation and manufacturing of your product or service. Focus on how you’re going to sell it and grow revenue.

Take Action Plan

  • Visualize clearly who you’re selling to
  • Know what they’re about
  • Always ask am I talking to the right person
  • Always ask am I doing the right things

Unless you’re checking yourself, you’re wrecking yourself – Peter Mehit

How To Find Peter Mehit

You can find Peter and  Custom BPS here:

His “Killer Business Plan” 3 part book is available for you. Send an email to pmehit @ custombps.com and get a copy of the book for free!

Past episodes mentioned:

How To Grow Business

Here are past episodes to keep up the conversation. Listen today!

Making Sales in Startups with Sean Higgins #225

Sean Higgins Sales Babble

Sean Higgins Sales BabbleMaking Sales in Startups with Sean Higgins #225

Sean Higgins is a Residence at Techstars and founder of ilos where he led sales from 0-1Million+ in annual recurring revenue. Sean specializes in helping new companies use outbound sales tactics. The goal is to validate product-market fit and get early traction in the selling process. In this episode we talk about making sales in startups.  Get those first 10 customers today.

Solve a Problem

Ideas are cheap so what’s really needed is problem solving. Successful startups keep this in mind. Sean believes entrepreneurs should address the hardest problem in the room and keep at it.  Too often startups mistakenly focus on hyper viral growth. Most business don’t work that way. Better to find a group of customers that you can serve and grow gradually.

Yes you need to have a long term vision. But focus on what makes your business better NOW.  There are two types of businesses:

  • Traction Based Company – have $10K month revenue
  • Team Based Company – pre revenue raising dependent on a quality proven team

Success is more likely if you validate a business with recurring revenue. VC fund companies who are proven winners. 0-10 customers is where you coalesce your ideas: the value proposition, the pitch, biggest pain points and how you fit in that situation.

Big 3 Questions

Sean has three questions sellers should ask and answer:

Why anything? Explain why your category matters and why prospects should consider a new solution.
Why us? – Explain why people should pick your company. Every founder has an origin story. The story tells why they built the business  and how they differentiate. Tell stories.
Why now? – This is the most difficult challenge for startups. Motivate prospects to buy now by showing how you address a real problem instantly.

When To Pivot

The way to know when it’s time to pivot is to have as many conversations as possible. If there is no interest, you’re chasing failure. Pivot! A pipeline without closed sales is not for real. There are two tiers of sales:

  • 0-10 it’s all about discovery
  • 10-100 – it’s about sales automation, social selling, process and tools.

Connect with as many prospects as you can and ask: why anything, why us, and why now. If people don’t get what you’re saying, you’re not explaining your category, your company, or your value.

Sales Automation Tactic:  FunnelAI social media data scraper for finding leads. It creates the leads when companies share they are being challenged and under stress.

Warning: when content marketing, give 5 contents of value before asking for a sale.

How to Find Sean Higgins

The promo code: SALESBABBLE

Entrepreneurial Mindset

Here are other past episodes digging deeper into startup sales.

Honesty Sells with Colleen Francis #223

Colleen Francis Sales Babble

Colleen Francis Sales BabbleHonesty Sells with Colleen Francis #223

Colleen Francis is the Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions and the author of Nonstop Sales Boom and Honesty SellsColleen is a successful sales leader for over 20 years, well versed on the challenges of selling in today’s market. She is a Certified Sales Professional (C.S.P.) and an inductee into the Speaking Hall of Fame.  In this episode we discuss the necessity of honest selling and advice on how sellers can build trust with transparency.

What Makes for Honesty Sells

  1. Trust is built on honoring your word in all you do. Keeping promises matters.
  2. Prove honesty through voice mail e.g., promise you will call them back at a set time, then do it
  3. If you made a promise and have no news, make the call and share you have no news
  4. Customer experience is the key differentiator
  5. Have a culture of honesty in your organization. It will spread to your client interactions.
  6. Always apologize when you make an error. Coddle them with kindness. Own it.
  7. The top performers (upper 10%) have a culture of honesty.
  8. Don’t over promise and under deliver
  9. Don’t under promise and over deliver
  10. Honor your word

Take Action Advice

Make sure you’re creating an open transparent organization, both inside a team and outside of the team. Next make sure the sales team starts telling customers exactly what they are going to do, then doing it. Meet your committments!

How To Find Colleen Francis

Books Mentioned 

Nonstop Sales Boom and Honesty Sells

Consultative Selling

Here are some previous episodes on the power of honest selling.

 

 

The Transparency Sale Part 2 with Todd Caponi #222

Todd Caponi Sales Babble

Todd Caponi Sales BabbleThe Transparency Sale Part 2 with Todd Caponi #222

This is the second of a two part series interviewing Todd Caponi, the former Chief Revenue Officer at Chicago’s PowerReviews. Todd is in the process of authoring a new book titled “The Transparency Sale”. This book is in response to the changing influence of social media in selling and the failure of former challenger sale strategies. Todd has held leadership roles with three tech companies, including ExactTarget, where he helped the organization to a successful IPO and a $2.7B exit to Salesforce.com.

Reality of Decision Making

Customer decisions are filled with imperfection, tied to subconcious decision making and feeling. People make decisions with feelings and back them up with logic. Sellers who understand this fact quickly learn to focus on feelings first to snag interest and then generate desire.

Negotiation Strategy

Negotiating policy commonly recommends holding your cards close. Todd disagrees. Play your cards immediately at the start of the negotiation. Consider the following values and leveraging them for discounts.

  • How much you buy
  • How fast you pay
  • How long you commit
  • When you sign

Discounts are based on what you’re willing to agree. Each buyer can optimize their deal by applying the levers in tandem. This is a very tranparent way to negotiate. Never use any one lever by itself.

Presentation Mistakes

Consider the thinking of the audience attending your sales presentation:

  1. Ugh I don’t want to go
  2. I hope they can help my problems today
  3. Ugh they are only talking about themselves (First three slides talk about the vendor)
  4. I think I’ll check my Facebook account and see what my friends are doing

Have empathy for the people you’re talking to. Start with their problems and find out their challenges. Provide no NASCAR slides showing what a great vendor you are, Nobody cares. What they want to know is HOW you can help THEM.

Transparent Contracts

If you have terms and conditions in a contract, lead with transparency. Point out sections in the contract where some customers have had an issue. It’s very honest to call these out. This will speed up the signing the contract. If you hide stuff it chips away at trust e.g. auto renewal (explain the value to your company honestly).

Parting Thoughts

We can no longer be bartenders and serve people what ever they want. The Challenger Sale recommended  we become personal trainers with advice on how to be better. Now we need to be doctors and neuro scientists to understand root causes. Lead with transparency.

How To Connect With Todd Caponi

Books Mentioned:

  • The Transparency Sale is slated to be published in Fall 2018

The Power of Social Selling

Here are some previous episodes on the power of social selling.

How To Sell With the CRINGE Method from Doug Vigliotti #213

Doug Vigliotti Sales Babble

Doug Vigliotti Sales BabbleHow To Sell With the CRINGE Method #213

Douglas Vigliotti is a sales consultant, workshop-speaker, and bestselling author of The Salesperson Paradox: A Strikingly Simple Way to Provide Solutions Your Customers Can’t Say No To.  In this book Doug shares how to sell with the CRINGE method, a strategy and mindset of focusing on helping clients, not pushing product.
Doug has twelve years of successful frontline sales experience, across three different industries, and two Fortune 500 companies—Automatic Data Processing and Johnson & Johnson. In January 2016, he opened the doors of groundupSALES, a strategic selling partner for non-sales professionals, entrepreneurs, and small business owners.
He’s an avid reader and writes a monthly reading list at douglasvigliotti.com.

Purpose of Business To Create and Keep Customers

Doug believes that customers will view you completely different when you go from selling to helping. Why is this? Doug sights a number of aspects:

  • Mindset shift – people will feel you are looking out after them.
  • Common way to reset your view ask ” Why did you start this business? “
  • If you  focus on money  it will hurt your sales performance. Yes it’s a paradox, but it’s true
  • Businesses pay commissions with the idea that the harder you work, the more you make. But great sellers work hard for reason above and beyond short term commissions.

Peter Drucker said ” The purpose of business is to create and keep your customers”

Furthermore Doug believes:

  • True performer able to set aside the “me first” inclination.
  • Consider that helping people is a moral obligation for you to SOLVE their problems.

CRINGE Solution

Doug then shared his CRINGE method. Consider a product service and solution that you have to cringe to say yes … a whole body solution.

  • Customer First – did my customer feel like they won?  If they do,  they will come back for more business.
  • Real Problem – are you solving a “real” problem? Don’t assume problems. Put yourself in their shoes.
  • Immense Value- in is the solution. Price is what you pay, value is what you get. Ways to differentiate: time, status, ease,  money.
  • Non-Negotiable – your mindset is complete belief in your solution. You know your customers are better off.
  • Good Timing – create good timing, improve your luck, by understanding your customer and they are ready to buy.
  • Easy – make it easy to say yes by reducing risk.

Take Action

Become more conceptual and strategic in your selling. It’s a quicker route to business success. Too many sellers are tactic driven when they should be more conceptual in their selling approach.
One tactic to consider is Sales Prevention: don’t oversell products in your portfolio that may not help your customers. If they don’t love the product it will hurt your next sale. Focus on your long game.

How Find Doug Vigliotti

You can find Doug on the internet. Look here!

The Lost Chapter 13

This is the lost chapter to Doug’s book mentioned in the podcast. Just for Sales Babble listeners!

SalesBabble.thesalespersonparadox.com   

 

Selling Mindset

Here are other past episodes that focus on the selling mindset beyond the CRINGE method.