Enter To Win Today & Take advantage of A Special Offer!
The Art Of Marketing – Canada’s Marketing & Innovation Conference is coming to Toronto on Wednesday June 5th, and you don’t want to miss this line up. The line up features:
Biz Stone – co-founder of Twitter Seth Godin – New York Times Bestselling Author Charles Duhigg – Author, The Power of Habit Jonah Berger – Author, Why Things Catch On David Usher – Musician & Creativity Expert
Better yet boys and girls, you can get a special rate, $50 off, by using the code RENBOR when you register here.
CONTEST
Not only that, but you can be one of lucky readers The Pipeline to win tickets to this great event by entering our ticket give away contest.
Here is all you need to do, Three simple steps, but all three need to be done to qualify to win.
Fill in the form below
Tell me which speaker you want to see most, and what question you would ask them if given the opportunity
Retweet the following: “I entered #contest for tickets to see @Biz @ThisIsSethsBlog at #theartofmarketinghttp://bit.ly/ZhaUnEfrom #renbor”
Remember all three have to be completed to qualify, no tweety – no winny!
Looking forward to reading the responses – Good Luck!
Today is your last chance to enter to win tickets for the The Art of Sales…, taking place in Toronto, January 29, 2013.
It is simple to win, just tell us what’s the number one challenge you have in selling today, that given the opportunity you are determined to overcome by this time next year. Could be anything, better planning, work a process, overcome call reluctance, you name it; and then tell us what impact addressing will have on your sales success. If you are a manger or other sales leader, do this for your team. Best answers win tickets to the conference.
Looking forward to reading the responses may the best seller win!
Hey, but even of you don’t win, we have special pricing for friends of Renbor Sales Solutions Inc. This year’s list of speakers includes: Jeffrey Gitomer, Dr. Robert Cialdini, Joe Navarro, Scott Stratten, Michael Vickers, and Richard Robbins. You can get all the details AND Special Offer by clicking here, don’t forget to use the code RENBOR to get your special pricing.
Good luck, see you at the conference. Tibor Shanto
But wait, you could win tickets for this great event, right here from Renbor and The Pipeline. So here is the deal, fill in the form below, especial the big box, because that’s how we’ll pick the winner.
What we are looking for is what’s the one challenge you have in sales today that you are determined to overcome by next January, 2014. Could be better questioning, better prospecting, overcome call reluctance, etc., and how that will impact your success. If you are a manger or other sales leader, do this for your team. Best answers win tickets to the conference.
Looking forward to reading the responses may the best seller win!
As you may have noticed over to the right, we are presenting the Proactive Prospecting Workshop in Toronto/Markham, scheduled for April 13. We want your help in spreading the word we are holding a contest.
Prizes:
First Prize
A collection of three top sales books, including my award winning book on Trigger Events. PLUS, if the winner is in the Toronto area the day of the workshop, you will be our guest free, bring a friend, and hey we’ll find a seat for them too!
Second Prize
A copy of the award winning book on Trigger Events
What you need to Win
Simply promote the workshop by tweeting it to your friends, followers, neighbors, former lovers, etc. But to qualify and win the tweet has to include three things:
The following tags – #ppmark#contest #toronto (all three tags need to appear in each tweet)
This specific link to the workshop site – http://bit.ly/PP-contest
Your twitter ID – very important as we it to tally your totals
Here is an example: I wanna go to the Proactive Prospecting Workshop in #Toronto http://bit.ly/PP-contest #ppmark by @you #contest #toronto
And remember if you get your friends to retweet, it adds to your total.
Good luck, and if you have question, just write us at info@sellbetter.ca
Today’s global market is consistently changing. How do you know what’s happening now and how do you innovate and create marketing strategies to stay ahead of the curve?
The Art of Marketing brings thought leaders from around the globe and gives you direct access to cutting edge thinking and real world experience. On March 7th, 2011, join five internationally renowned bestselling authors and industry experts at Canada’s #1 marketing conference.
Developed to answer the questions and challenges currently facing your organization, you’ll learn…
» How to design a blueprint for competing with other organizations for customer attention, dollars, loyalty and effectively defeat competition » Why storytelling is the most important business concept in the current marketplace » The decision process, and the myriad influences that dictate purchasing choices » What to ask before jumping off on any new initiative or project » Why Twitter and Facebook are just tools and not a social media strategy
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“I am sorry that more of our staff could not attend, this was a must see, must attend event! ”- Kathryn Bohnet, Marketing Manager Travel Alberta
“A tremendous opportunity to take a one day snap shot of great ideas in the areas of marketing, corporate and personal development! ”- Dean McIntosh, Digital Marketing
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Enter to Win FREE Tickets to The Art of Marketing March 7, 2011 in Toronto
Here is your chance to win a ticket to this great event, and it is simple (sort of). To win, just tell us which of the speakers you most want to see, why; and which the five books you have read, and what you thought of the book.
We are looking for solid entries, no softies, no cute answers; we want to make sure that the winner is someone who will make the most of it.
Back on August 16th, I posted a piece on SalesBlogcast Mindshare, a great blog I contribute to regularly; the post was titled Texting as a Form of Cold Calling!, which based on a comment I heard by a CMO. He had stated clearly that one way to approach him, given his busy schedule and mobility, was by SMS/text.
When you read the piece you’ll see that rather than passing an opinion or judgement on the practice, instead I made what I believe were sound arguments as to why sales people should explore and consider all method.
As you can imagine the reaction was largely negative, while no one got personal, the concept was called all things between immoral and illegal. The reaction was most pronounced by people who read and reacted to the post in the various LinkedIn groups it appeared in. (See below)
Based on the reaction, I decided to deal with the subject by running a contest. Go to It’s The Message Not the Medium Contest!, read the premise, the background and RULES. Then enter to win. Again, you can find all the details and related posts at It’s The Message Not the Medium Contest! Enter now, enter often, have fun, and good luck.
Ben Ice • No f*in way!!! That’s just flat wrong. I have no interest in receiving sales calls on my phone in any form unless I start the process.
Raquel Hirsch • Are you kidding me (us), Tibor?!
Ben Ice • Raquel, having sat in on a couple of your webinars (really like what you guys are doing) I’d be curious of your opinion. It seems very slimy to me…sorry to use such a strong word but the first ones that came to mind were cruder and much more vulgar….and unneeded in this discussion.
Tibor Shanto • But the reality is, people are doing it, in feedback in another group, a person from the UK stated that it was common practice there. Generally speaking wireless trends are years ahead in Europe. If it does become a trend here, there will be ample technology to help the potential targets block unwanted messages, but you will find a number of people who will see it as appropriate.
I understand the initial reaction, but simply ladling it “slimy” does not take away from the potential of the concept. You know no one objects to commercials on TV or even satellite radio, so who is to say that this can’t evolve as a means of subsidizing wireless for some users. Who knows?
Raquel Hirsch • Ben, thank you for the kind words (I am blushing :>)
Tibor, just because it is common practice anywhere else it means nothing.
Outside North America, texting itself has been a common practice for many years, long before texting was even making any impact with teens here (and long before Tiger Woods reinvented the medium). This was mostly due to their technology allowing for sending and receiving texts across networks (this only changed relatively recently in North America).
Outside NA, people accept commercial messages on their mobile devices either because they have signed up for discounted rates and receiving text ads is part of the deal, or because they have opted in.
(In NA, the only reason is opting in; the closed network prevents text spam. I signed up to get text messages from a restaurant I like but opted out after a few weeks because, well, there are only so many times I want to receive an offer that says “Come in before 6 pm and get a free appetizer.”)
Regardless, you are referring to “cold texts” – so no opt-in option.
It would seem to me that the reaction brands would get from cold texts would be similar to what companies got when they started sending “cold faxes” (remember fax?). Didn’t last long, did it? My personal reaction is revulsion.
Having said that, let’s see if we can find a case study where someone has done cold-texts and seen measurable success. I am open to that (small) possibility if there is data to support it.
Tibor Shanto • So to your point, that is one of the things that we will be looking for, is this viable or not? We will be doing a search, and keep you posted.
Raquel Hirsch • Yes, it is all about data and not hype. Please keep us posted!
Ben Ice • Tibor it depends on your definition of viable. It’s not viable in any form to me. I don’t want cold calls on my cell and shut them down immediately when they do…I certainly don’t want commercial message spam either and I am not alone. That doesn’t mean that others will have the same aversion, but I’d imagine more would relate to my “slimy” term than you think. Raquel used the term “revulsion.” I’d say hers was more eloquent, but fits well with mine. Either way, you may consider yourself a pioneer…my word would be much less flattering.
Raquel Hirsch • Ben, Tibor – results speak for themselves (but only as long as you are measuring)
Personally, I would not recommend cold-texts to any client, ever. (Just a new term for spam)
Tibor Shanto • Ben,
With all due respect, you need to read what I am writing.
I do not see myself as a pioneer, for the third time, I am not saying it is an idea whose time has come. I am reporting on the fact that a REAL EXECUTIVE in a public forum said that it is a way “sellers can get to him”. So while you and I can pontificate, and you can jump up and down playing word games about how it make you feel, the reality is that while you and Raquel are ‘repulsed”, I am skeptical, there is a sales person out there who will get a sale texting the executive in question.
So while the three of us may not be turned out by this, there is someone who is, who has money, and who buys products. So if your company sells, would you not want to have your reps explore ALL possibilities. If yes, then my piece speaks to you, if not, then this is one sale you and your team will not get, your choice.
The only thing novel, or pioneering about my piece is that I am open to learning and sharing, which is another attributer some in sales need to adopt.
Ben Ice • Tibor, if I am pontificating move over and give me a podium. I read your piece. The CMO admitted to being at the point of the spear as you put it. I’d say he would be in a very small percentage…and the rest of those you attempted to reach in that manner would burn you (or said salesperson) at the stake.
In today’s marketplace it is too easy to get burned with questionable tactics. That same CMO would just as likely “opt-in” to text messaging, but it goes back to exactly what I said the first time…it needs to be initiated by (me)(the person being texted) or it will be as Raquel put it just another form of spam. And you know how good Congress is at fixing things like that.
One last thing. As a former sales person and now marketer I abhor the practice at all costs as a cold calling technique. This is not wordsmithing. This is not word games. This is real life. People have too many intrusions in their lives as it is. Hence the immense rise in the use of DVRs, spam killing software programs etc. As a marketer it can be frustrating, but it is necessary to respect people’s need for some modicum of privacy.
I’ll be interested in any measurement you or someone else can provide. From a cost standpoint it might be cheap, similar to email. But then again there are a lot of amateurs mucking it up in the email industry as well. I just can’t imagine having every wannabe marketer and sales person thinking he/she is being clever and pouring “cold texts” down our collective throat. It would quickly be just as bad as email.
Gary Honegger • Since Europe was mentioned I thought I should add a comment to this rather small group. But first of all I like to tell you that it is Asia that is way ahead when it comes to communication. The youngsters in Korea (where I lived for four years) where all using very small mobiles when it was still a luxury good in Europe. On cold text messages so was there a time in Europe, maybe five years ago, when some providers started to send a text message when you crossed the border and your phone changed to their network. It lasted only half a year and they had to stop this because everybody complained. After this no one ever dared to send an unsolicited text message. Even when you change your payment plan with a telephone provider and this is confirmed with a text message they will tell you before that you will get a message. I think opt-in is the key to use this marketing channel. Everything else will not work yet.
To be fair there were positive responses as well:
Tibor
Enjoyed your views on “it’s the message, not the medium.” I especially resonate with what you said about effective, enticing and engaging – these principles are the essence of developing social capital and when it comes to sales, effective leaders in this space are fully aware of the value of growing and adapting to leverage whatever media is available to them.
To the thinkers go the spoils. If prospecting is being done within the bounds of those three principles: effective, enticing and engaging, it’s highly unlikely that anyone is going to object. If not, then that is not a problem with the medium, it’s a problem with the message. Yeah?
Don F Perkins
And some at least gave me some credit.
Cristina E Lockhart • Honestly, even though I don’t agree with the texting as a way of cold calling I do have to give you a virtual “high five” to commend you on your out of the box way of thinking Mr. Shanto. That’s what it’s all about.
To make a trail, someone has to walk through the brush at some point…..
True trailblazer attitude. You’ll go far if you keep it up.
There is not a lot on commercial TV that catches my eyes these days, but there is a program lately that I have enjoyed, it is Undercover Boss. As the name implies it involves CEO of major corporations going undercover to get a real feel for the state of their operations, see it from a different perspective without their titles interfering with the facts and events.
It got me thinking about how that would play out in sales organization. Broadly speaking I see two types of executive leaders in sales organizations. The first group, the more successful ones, ones I admire, and truly enjoy to work with, are the ones I call “Leading from the front”. Then there is the second group, the ones that “Lead from behind”. Behind their desk, behind spreadsheets, and behind the cover of their title.
The first group are hands on and willing to roll up their sleeves and truly lead their teams if not to constant success, certainly to be the best that they can be on a consistent bases. The processes they implement, the tools they introduce are done with an eye to help their teams deliver. This is not to say that they are not demanding or have great expectations, in fact usually the opposite. But they see their role as helping make that happen by getting involved. I remember speaking to one individual who epitomizes this group, he was in the midst of organizational change and upheaval; during all that he had two concerns, he was not able to make himself as available as he wanted to his team, and felt he was loosing touch with the market as a result. The second was that it had been a month at the time we were speaking since he had seen a client.
The second group, well not so much fun. Usually very academic, limited, little or sheltered experience, yet with an ego that prevents them from fully understanding the nature of the beast they are meant to lead. Looking at numbers, spreadsheets, or dashboards does not tell the story, doesn’t even begin. These would be the individuals who would benefit the most from an experience the “undercover experience”. It would serve well to separate those who have it in them to learn and just need the opportunity, from those that spent their career avoiding the front line, and see clients selectively for their own purposes rather than the good of the organization and the mutual relationship.
Well, it would be nice if there were a TV producer reading, we could do our own sales version, I even have the name: So You ThinQ Can Sell!
Sugartone Sweet Business Blogging Contest
Take a look at the Sugartone Sweet Business Contest, (you can learn more by clicking the badge to the left), great place to disocver great bloggers and a chance to support the ones you like.What’s in Your Pipeline? Tibor Shanto
Here is your chance to Win Free tickets to attend in what will be one of the most anticipated marketing conferences coming to Toronto in sometime. The Art of Marketing will be in Toronto on March 2nd, 2010 and will feature 6 international bestselling authors and speakers all live and in person including Seth Godin, Dan Heath, Mitch Joel and many others.
Don’t like to take chance, you and your guests are entitled to participate in this exciting event and take advantage of the preferred rates being made available by the organizers, by using the promotional code RK28 you will benefit from a $50 savings, additionally groups of 3 or more will receive an additional $50 savings when the tickets are purchased together.
We invite you to visit www.theartofmarketing.ca for all the event details including agenda, speakers and ticket availability.
We look forward to seeing you on March 2nd at The Art of Marketing.
Back in September, with your vote and support, one of my articles was voted article of the month at Top 10 Sales Articles. As a result that same article is now a finalist for article of the year, and again I am asking you to support me and democracy around the planet. Being a true democrat, I encourage you to vote right away and vote often. If there are those who would squander their vote and democratic duty, it is up to you to make up for it. Tell your friends, neighbours, colleagues, golf pros and their mistresses, and show the world how the readers of The Pipeline execute when given the opportunity.
Again, here is where you can vote, do it now, and every morning between now and December 21. Remember a vote for my article is a vote for sales freedom!
Well the period for submissions for our current sales contest has now closed, and we are pleased to present all the potential solutions suggested. Those of you who read the contest rules, know that we will now open the voting for a week, voting will close midnight Eastern time on Saturday October 24, 2009. We invite everyone to vote, and you know we are not dogmatic or particular about democracy, if you want to vote more than once for yourself or someone you like, or owe money to, hey go for it.
Those participants with entries, now is the time to spread the word and GET YOUR friends, families, Rabbis, Ministers, everyone TO VOTE FOR YOUR SUBMISSION BELOW. You and your posse can vote in the poll box below.
Remember to also submit your solution as a comment below as well as on your blog, or Facebook, or Twitter, web site, LinkedIn update, or other social type outlets, including this link back to www.soyouthinqcansell.com. Again the winner that is the submission with greatest number of votes will win a free Pipeline Audit, a key component of the Sales Process Audit offered by Renbor Sales Solutions and Compass North Inc.
No one actually hit on the actual solution the team used, we will reveal that after the winner has been announced, but some came close, so we may yet award a second prize.
Let the voting begin, may the best solution gat the most votes.
THE SUBMISSIONS
Peter Cook
I claim an honorary prize based only on the title of my latest book:
“Sex, Leadership and Rock’n’Roll – Leadership Lessons from the Academy of Rock”
Acclaimed by Tom Peters:
“Sex, Leadership and Rock ‘n’ Roll is a marvellous book, which closes the door on the tidy, hierarchical, know-your-place ‘Orchestral Age’ and ushers in a new, creative era of challenge and change. Hooray!”
Get your sponsors and the DSS in one room and for a final ppt. Make sure that you feed the DSS that he can make the difference and blow you out of the water at that meeting by faking weaknesses. Then he will show up for sure.
At the meeting start up the round table discussion and get the DSS to answer last (table settings). Your supporters from within the company get to answer first and speak their mind. The DSS will have to go up to his own co workers based on none arguments and he will have to give in to not loose face. This will take him out of the DMU he will not want that. Make sure your meeting is on neutral ground and that dinner is after the meeting. So they can sit on it for a while. Nobody wants to loose face before his coworkers and you can be neutral cause it were not your arguments in the discussion but his own companies. This way you can still work with him after.
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Bob Thornton
I think the team should involve some executives from their company and get them to reach out to their counterparts on the buyer’s side. This may open up a dialogue at higher levels that would allow others to see the benefits of the teams offering. The DSS may back off if he saw the CEO of his own company get involved.
If on the other hand this tactic does not work, the team has plausible deniability if the DSS finds out, and let’s face it he is not the biggest fan right now as it is.
My suggestion is go high and change the stakes for everyone.
Bob
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Roark
Get to the source of the problem.
The problem is the understanding, knowledge, or perception of the DSS.
Have the sales team leader confront the issue face to face with the DSS privately, and honestly, make a persoanl and emotional connection wiht the DSS, to ascertain the root cause of his perception and (mis) understanding.
Address these matters- and you may be surprised at the result. It you get blown out – then screw it- at least you know honestly why you were blown out. And if it was unethical make their CEO/Board aware of it after the fact.
You’re smarter, learn from it, and live to fight another day. And go support their competitor with the best pricing and service you can deliver.
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mneymaker1
Your team has nothing to lose by being more aggressive.
I would recommend a high level executive at our team’s company contact the CEO at the prospect company for a one-on-one meeting.
I would have our high level executive discuss the issue at hand and the key reasons we should be considered to compete.
I would then have our high level executive request advice on how our team should proceed.
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Greg
Hire him.
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Marilyn Strong
Approach the DSS with an offer of employment as a consultant at your company. Make it an offer he can not refuse. His first job is to get the contract with his former company.
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Chris Scarpino
It appears that the DSS has no reason to give the business to your sales team other than dislike. He hasn’t appeared to give any reasons why he will not buy from you.
I would begin by extending an invitation for the DSS and other executive members to visit your company/factory to tour your facility, the product, customer service teams.etc…
Let them become comfortable with your business and what you have to offer, then discuss the barriers and seek answers and respond appropriately.
It may be that the DSS has the type of personality that needs to be “wined and dined”
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Udeet
You could bring in a common link to the DSS – a sourcing advisory or a partner firm which has better connects with the DSS. They could work as a mediator or the partner could front end the deal with your firm as sub-contractors.
Probably a joint conference/ meeting as next step including the mediator, sales team & DSS could help sort out any issues & open the iron gate.
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Sam
Pretty simple really – we face these kinda situations on a daily basis.
Get the guy some carrots – percentage on the sale, full time employment with my firm at double the current paycheck, awesome holiday in the Caribbean, sweet nothings as gifts, a luxurious spa date with some of the hottest women money can hire, etc.
But the carrots are like trump cards for me – i’m going to use them one at a time. And there will obviously be the ‘demarcation line’ from which point onwards the deal becomes a loss for me. I will make sure I tell the DSS this the first time we meet.
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John Shad
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Wage war on all fronts. Set the strategy and employ tactics to meet the goal. “Knowledge is Power,” Plato said. Irrespective of the DSS’s reasons, you are in sales. Make it happen!
I would cold call and establish a conversations with the CEO, board members, and probe for insights with colleagues whom may not participate on the board, but can offer insight from a department perspective. * I might start with the little guys whom have no input on the board, but can offer insights that the CEO himself may have interests in knowing… a good captivator on a cold call!
It’s your job as a convincing salesman to win the respect and trust of those you call on.
Probing via cold calling, aka, waging war on all fronts, talk to anyone you can talk to.
“Hey Joe, I know you’re not on the board, I know you hate your current infrastructure and want to improve, tell me what you thinking/feeling?, we don’t have to acknowledge we ever spoke. I’m trying to learn why the DSS, and the board are behaving as they are, what is the perception you have of what’s going on?” This might work, if it doesn’t you move forward until you get your foot in the crack of the door with someone whom offers insight…knowledge….power to enlist the next proper tactic..
Based on how much I can learn cold calling into the account in 1 week, I would engineer a meeting between higher brass on both sides. I would amass as much information learning what the concerns are before going in with a PPT, or tactical strategy, that way you have a plan that addresses the challenge, “no communication from the DSS or his company.
At a committee meeting:
I would ask for input via round table discussion, personal introductions and concerns of each attending member. Create dialouge to uncover the champions within the group whom understand our value proposition and support the alliance with our team. Obtain the internal champions emails. At the same time, uncover alliances with the DSS.
In the end, carrots or consulting positions are far fetched for most companies. Wining and Dining is a social primer to connect on personal levels and a must. TCO/ROI is key. It’s all about communication. Do you understand our value proposition over our competitors? Do you understand whom we have worked with in your associated industry?(Get a champion whom is thier competitor to offer a conversation with the CEO or board).
When will you be issuing the PO? How high is this solution needed on your priority list Mr. CEO, Board Members, and DSS? Do you know your competitors are enlisting our solutions while your considering a change? Check out thier ROI…
It’s all psychology. The DSS could be an egomaniac, or have direction from the CEO to be the gatekeeper. Nevertheless, it’s all about communication, tactics and stratigize. No one can ever have a full proof plan, unless they “know,” the variables involved in the equation.
Wage war on all fronts!
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Bill Guertin
Here’s the bold, creative plan: Give the DSS all the credit for coming up with the awesome proposal you’ve created.
Give him the kudos for forcing you to dig deep to come up with the exhaustive, detailed bid that satisfies every degree of what you’re looking to accomplish. “We don’t normally go to these extremes to create a proposal,” you say. “If it wasn’t for Mr. DSS here, you never would have seen this kind of detail, this kind of scrutiny on ROI, and certainly this kind of aggressive pricing. Our hats off to you, Mr. DSS; you’re an asset to your organization, and you’ve singlehandedly changed the way we’ll be submitting RFP’s in the future.”
And the presentation begins.
You’ve complimented him on the very thing that made it difficult for you in the first place, bolstered his reputation among his peers, and got the deal. Way to go! Cigars all around.
(And you didn’t have to resort to illegal activities, or worse yet, have to HIRE the guy!)
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Mark
This problem should be confronted making it obvious that the DSS is not considering our offer in an appropriate manner. Yet we have to take care not to upset him in any way that the results are worse. In other words, put the DSS in a position that he has no choice but to agree that our solution is the best and gains the trust of the board and executives.
A presentation should be organized, outside of their offices, and it should include as many of the members of the prospect’s board of directors as possible, C-Level executives and the DSS
The presentation provides all the details of our solution, why it is the best solution, and addresses all of the possible objectives. If possible, a high level executive from an existing client should be present to endorse our solution.
The objective is to gain the buy in of the executive board, thereby leaving the DSS no choice but to side with the board and executives.
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Drea
The problem with the DSS is his unwarranted dislike for the prospective bidding company and he must be removed from the approval process. At this point in the game the company has nothing to lose therefore should attempt to hire him away from his current position and make an offer he can’t refuse with the bidding company, therefore eliminating him from the approval process. Given the size of the deal, it would be more than affordable to hire him away.
