Companies that engage in the evaluation and selection of CRM software are traditionally looking to achieve three business objectives:

1)       Data Consolidation – information is streaming into your business every day from the telephone, fax, e-mail and the web. What happens to this information is the problem. The objective of CRM software is to ensure that all of this information is consolidated into a single unified database where it is immediately accessible to those employees that need to it efficiently do their jobs.

2)      Improve Sales Execution – this starts with implementing a structured process for lead qualification and the efficient management of the sales cycle from introduction to closure.  Proper lead qualification ensures that your most valuable asset, i.e. your sales team, is focused on the most qualified business opportunities.   Proper management of the sales cycle using CRM software has helped management keep their eye on the most promising opportunities and has  been shown to improve close ratios and generate higher returns.

3)      Provide World-Class Customer Service – In today’s world where customer loyalty is only skin deep the difference between winning and retaining customers may have more to do with the quality of service you provide than it does your product.  CRM can ensure that all members of the organization have access to customer records and can respond quickly and professionally to customer inquiries.

The challenging economy coupled with a highly competitive market place has encouraged businesses of all sizes to seek a way to get a leg up on their competition.  CRM software has proven to be an effective tool for helping companies market, sell and provide service to their customers.

Image “laser focus” owned by dogulove (cc)
Image “Good Cheap Fast Service” owned by TeX HeX (cc)
Image “Octopus Receiving Mail Postcard” owned by koiart71 (cc)

You should look at your sales organization just like a crew of new military recruits that just arrived in boot camp.  They’re all eager to be successful, but don’t quite know how and are looking for the right path to follow.  The implementation of a structure with well-established rules and procedures is what makes the military successful. Once the recruits are comfortable with it they begin to operate like a well-oiled machine.  Your sales organization should be operating the same way. Sales people want and need a structured approach to selling and a good CRM system can provide it.

What CRM software can deliver is the ability to document a structured approach to selling where each stage of the sales cycle is managed and evaluated before moving forward.   This ensures that each and every sales opportunity is being looked at through multiple eyes and not falling through the cracks.  The results speak for themselves.  Higher close ratios, higher revenue attainment, happy sales people and happy management.   It’s important to note that simply running out and implementing a CRM system is not going to deliver more sales.  CRM software is a tool and it does not run your business, people do and sales management is the key to good performance.  CRM software will at least give them the tools they need to become a more effective sales organization.

[Image "Social Business Boot Camp 2010" by Gangway Advertising on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

One CRM solution provider however has done a pretty good job of offering a comprehensive CRM system that is quite easy to use.  That company is Commence Corporation, who has been providing CRM software to small and mid-size businesses for more than two decades.   “We understand the importance of ease of use,” says Larry Caretsky, President of Commence Corporation.  “We may not have every bell and whistle of enterprise solutions, but our customers utilize our solutions and have realized substantial value from our CRM system”.

What makes Commence easy to use begins with the company’s CRM Dashboard, which enables the end user to complete routine tasks such as adding a new account, a new contact, a lead or a new sales opportunity without leaving the home page.   Sales representatives have reported that they can conduct 90 percent of their daily business without ever leaving the screen.  This makes the learning curve for Commence CRM minimal.

Commence has also incorporated what they call a multi-view inside the CRM system.  A multi-view displays multiple windows of information on a single screen. Very much like a Microsoft Windows environment does on a PC, Commence does this using HTML for their online CRM system.  This capability provides access to a complete 360 degree view of information on a single screen.  There is no scrolling up and down and no flipping back and forth from screen to screen.  This capability has delighted the management of companies that have selected Commence CRM.

There are numerous online CRM solutions to choose, but few that offer the comprehensive functionality and ease of use of Commence CRM.  To learn more about this online CRM solution visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

By Dave Kahle

Q. Dave, I am finding it difficult to manage my personal finances.  As a commissioned sales person, my income varies from month to month.  It seems like I’m always struggling with finances.  Do you have suggestions for me?

A. Congratulations for having the courage to ask that question.  Do I have suggestions?  Yep, a bunch of them.

First, a little perspective, so you know where I’m coming from.  For almost my entire adult life, I have been a commissioned sales person whose income varied from month to month.  Even now, my income varies monthly.  So, I can certainly understand your situation on the income side.  On the expense side, there have been times when I had obligations that, at times, seemed overwhelming.  My wife was a full time homemaker, we raised a family of five children, and for many of those years I also had child support payments.  Those were heavy financial responsibilities.

In all of this, I have learned some things about managing personal finances.  Here are some of the lessons I have learned along the way.

Avoid debt

First, as much as possible, avoid debt.  Debt adds tremendously to your stress.  You know that you must make those payments or you are going to have lots of unpleasant consequences.  That may be constantly on your mind, contributing to sleepless nights and rising blood pressure.

Debt reduces your options.  If you have monthly payments, for example, they must be paid even if you have a bad month or two.  Without those payments, you can generally find a way to ride out low income months by temporarily reducing your standard of living.  You can eat in every day, for example, instead of buying pizza or going out.  Without monthly payments, you can even survive a few months of no income at all.

Interest you pay eventually reduces your standard of living, because your interest payments are expenses that bring you no value.  So, be careful about putting anything on that charge card.  And if you do, try to pay it off each month.  Deciding to make just minimum payments is one of the most expensive decisions you’ll ever make.

Also, be careful about any long term commitments.  Instead of a three year lease on a new car, think about buying used and paying it off in two.  Instead of a two year lease on that apartment, try 12 months.

You may not ever be able to be totally debt free.  However, you can make decisions which, over time, will significantly reduce your amount of debt, easing the pressure on you and allowing you more options.

Develop a monthly budget

Second, develop a monthly budget for reasonable living.  In good months, don’t spend the excess, put anything you make above that amount into a savings account.  In bad months or years, tap into that savings account to meet your budget.  At the end of the year, use some of the excess that you’ve build up to make those big purchases that you were tempted to put on a charge card during the year.

For example, say that you set up a budget of $4,000 a month.  In January, you take home $4,400.  Of that, $400 goes into the savings account, and you live on $4,000.  In February, you take home $4,500.  You repeat the discipline, putting $500 away.  In March, you take home $3,500.  You take $500 out of the savings for your day-to-day expenses.  When you’ve built up a comfortable surplus, buy those big things that you’d like to have.

This is one of the best things that I ever did.  Even to this day, my wife and I operate on a budget.  Here’s an example.  We have a certain amount of money dedicated each month to “entertainment.”  We use this for meals out, concerts, etc.  When the money’s gone, we’re done. If we want to go out to eat, but don’t have any money in the entertainment budget, we don’t go.  It’s called deferred gratification, and it’s the secret of surviving financially in a turbulent environment.

A number of years ago, I was involved with a group that had an excellent budgeting system, and taught it in small groups that met in homes.  If you are interested, check out Crown Ministries.

Increase your giving

Finally, one last thought.  This will sound counter-intuitive, but I have followed this rule for all of my adult life, and have found it to be extremely powerful.  That rule is this:  In times of economic uncertainty, increase your giving.

There is something about giving that helps you put your situation into perspective.  It focuses you on people around you who need help in ways that you don’t.  It gives your family a broader perspective, injects new purpose into your life, and encourages everyone to be less self-centered.

Realize that I’m coming at this from a Christian perspective.  There is a promise in the Bible that says we cannot out-give God.  When we give of our time and talents, God will respond by returning to us much more than what we have given.  I have found that promise to be as bankable as my paycheck.

You may not share my perspective.  Regardless, just from a purely pragmatic point of view, there are still some very practical reasons to increase your giving.  When you get involved in some volunteer organization, you mix with a different group of people than that with which you are accustomed.  New people, new situations, new issues are all invigorating for sales people.  Also, you’ll find, through your investigation of places to which to donate time and money, lots of people who need help a whole lot more than you do.  That helps you put your situation into perspective.  And that helps you stay positive, optimistic and effective.

Think of giving in two ways:  giving of your money, and donating your time and talent.

If you have some organization, cause or church to which you regularly donate, consider increasing your donation.  If you don’t, now is the time to find some place to donate some of your money.

Find something in which you can donate your time. If you are not involved in some volunteer work, find someplace to give of your time and talents.  For a number of years my wife and I were foster parents, caring for a total of 19 children of various ages, races, and emotional and physical disabilities.  It kept us humble, broadened our lives, and taught us a lot.  I’d recommend you find something like that – something into which you can invest your time and talent.

It really is the difficult times in your life, and your reaction to them, that shape your character and make you a better person.

Image “credit-card” owned by Baptiste Franchina (cc)
Image “Balancing The Account By Hand” owned by Ken Teegardin (cc)
Image “A MODERN THERMOPYLAE: 300 hunger strikers” owned by SpaceShoe [Learning to live with the crisis] (cc)

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leadng sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and eight countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMX by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

You may have heard the old story that no one goes to a hardware store to buy a drill, they buy a drill because they need a hole.  The same can be said about CRM systems.  If your requirement is to simply manage contacts, then select a contact management system and don’t worry about all the other bells and whistles you may be excited about.  On the other hand if you are trying to build your brand, generate more leads or manage the sales process you may need a more robust CRM system.

CRM systems are also available in-house or on premise, hosted by a third party vendor or as cloud based CRM systems that are deployed over the internet.  You need to once again consider your business requirements when selecting how you would like your CRM system deployed. If you staff is all on-premise, an in-house CRM system makes good sense. But if your sales and support organization operates remotely or from a home office, a web based CRM system would be a better choice.  Also look for a vendor that will spend time with you and help you to determine the applications or functionality you need and the best deployment option for you.  Those that won’t assist you before the sale will certainly not help you after the sale.

[Image "3D Character and Question Mark" by o5com on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

Helping our Business Customers

Commence Corporation, a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM), is offering traditional desktop CRM customers the option to migrate to the company’s new online CRM hosted service.  “The economic environment has hit many small to mid-size businesses very hard” says Todd Pape, Chief Information Officer at Commence.  Many are working with dated hardware and software and no longer have the staff to maintain their internal infrastructure.  Commence is offering them an opportunity to migrate to one of two deployment options that have been designed to reduce the requirement of internal staff along with the cost  of maintaining their inhouse CRM system.”

“First is our hosted CRM service which enables them to maintain their desktop software, but have the server component managed and maintained by Commence’s professional engineers at our data center.  This enables the customer to focus 100 percent of their time in managing and growing their business. For those customers interested in cloud computing, they can have their CRM online and completely alleviate the requirement for new hardware or software.  The cloud based CRM system offers anytime anywhere access and full mobile support. “

“Customers truly appreciate the options offered by Commence” stated Denis Moran, president of Istri – a reseller of Commence products in Europe. “No one wants to change CRM vendors especially when they are pleased with the product and service they have received over the years”.   For more information about how Commence can help you migrate to a hosted or online CRM environment, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

[Image "Midwest Hospitality" by johnnyalive on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

Companies that are still using desktop contact management software are looking for the next generation of software that provides additional functionality, better reporting, and anytime anywhere access to data via mobile devices.  Commence CRM’s robust functionality coupled with its ease of use and affordability has proven to be a nice step up for companies still using desktop contact management programs.

[Image "Inverted Cheerleader Pyramid" by Steve Jurvetson on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

Much of this has to do with a complete lack of knowledge when it comes to selecting a CRM solution.  CRM is not an appliance that you simply plug in the wall and it magically improves sales execution and customer service.  And if you think you can buy CRM software by merely entering your credit card over the internet, you are not thinking clearly. Yet many small business executives see CRM software as a commodity item, causing them to simply select some Freeware or low cost program that delivers nothing but headaches.  These business owners initially think they got a bargain; only to find out later that the time, energy and cost they put into the free product was greater than the initial cost of selecting a quality company with a product that would address their business requirements.  The point here is simple.  There are no bargains when it comes to CRM software. Anything that seems to be too good to be true at just a few dollars a month (or even better Free) is going to cost you dearly in the end.

There are several high quality companies and products designed specifically for small to mid-size businesses that will deliver real value and provide you with expertise that will enable you to improve how you market, sell and provide service to your customers.  One of these companies is Commence Corporation, a company that has been providing customer management software solutions to small and mid-size businesses for more than two decades.  While not free, Commence has experienced sales and support personnel who have assisted hundreds of companies improve their internal business processes resulting in better lead management, accurate sales forecasting and improving customer service.  Commence customers have reported greater than a 25% increase in sales through the use of the program. Would you pay for a product or service that could deliver this kind of value to your company?  Sure you would, but this kind of value isn’t free.

To learn more about Commence CRM software visit Commence.com and view a series of educational videos that illustrate how you can become a more efficient sales and service organization with Commence CRM. 

Image ‘Bargain – Save 1c’ owned by Alpha, on Flickr (cc)

CRM software comes in all different sizes and flavors from basic contact management programs to comprehensive solutions for managing front office business processes such as sales, marketing and customer service.  What makes one CRM solution better than another is not necessarily apparent to the consumer whose focus is primarily on features, function and price.

The difference between a top rated CRM software solution and an average one often lies under the covers and is not apparent unless you know where to look and what questions to ask.  If you’re a mid-size to enterprise level company scalability and the hosting service should be top priorities on your list.   Scalability relates to the CRM system’s performance when large groups of people are trying to access data or run reports.  Low cost CRM solution providers have traditionally not paid particular attention to this due to limited resources and the cost associated with the development of highly scalable solutions.   As a result, it is not uncommon for customers using these systems to experience slow access speeds or reports that take hours to run.  Fixing this is no easy task, so if you are experiencing this with your CRM solution provider, don’t expect this to change anytime soon.

The CRM providers hosting service is another key concern for mid-size and larger companies.  Some CRM solution providers that host your data do so on a shared server or servers while others offer a cloud computing environment.  Like any hardware component, there are limitations and capacities as to how much data can be stored on the server.  With hosted CRM solutions when the server hits its capacity you may find yourself having difficulty connecting to your database.  Cloud based providers have addressed this using the ability for cloud technology to quickly add computing resources when required thereby reducing the potential for slow speeds and downtime.

Of course it is also important not to overlook the reputation of the CRM vendor itself.  Companies with a proven track record for a high quality product and service often have years of experience in the industry and a very large customer base.  Contacting a few customers and learning about their experience with the vendor’s product and service may be the best vehicle for helping you to make the right decision.

[Image "Miniature Ice Cream Display" by Stephanie Kilgast on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

The problem lies in the fact that most businesses view CRM software as some sort of turn-key “out of the box solution” like an appliance that you plug-in the wall.  It’s not.  CRM is complicated and requires proper training and customization to address unique business requirements.  Part of the problem also comes from a failed CRM selection process whereby management has not taken the time to outline their business requirements.  As a result, they often select a solution based on popularity and price only to find out later that they made the wrong decision.

Small to mid-size businesses looking for help with the CRM selection process will find substantial value in the attached white paper, available from the link below.

Don’t Make a CRM Buying Mistake – 7 Points to Consider

Image “We Deliver” owned by Chris (cc)

By Dave Kahle

In my first professional sales position, I spent six full weeks in sales training before I was released to go out into my territory.  Sales training was defined as memorizing two five-page, single-spaced sales presentations, presenting them to the sales training class, critiquing the video-taped playback of the presentation, and then doing it all again – for six weeks! At the end of those six weeks, every one of us could give those two presentations masterfully.

While the use of prewritten, memorized sales presentations still continues today, it’s only rarely used in the business-to-business selling environment.  It may be that today’s frantic pace of new product development makes the time it takes to memorize a sales presentation seem less valuable.  Or it may be that today’s salesperson is more sophisticated and able to adjust the sales presentation to the needs of each individual customer.

While memorized presentations may be a vestige of years gone by, that in no way reduces the need to make a well designed, practiced sales presentation. The ability to routinely make powerful, persuasive sales presentations, regardless of the customer or product, is one of the practices of the best.

The world is full of salespeople who take a casual attitude toward a sales presentation.  Some think that they know the product so well that their superior product knowledge will ooze out during the presentation, impressing the customer into buying.  Others do not put in the necessary preparation and practice time, and, in an attempt to cover their lack of confidence, focus on those parts of the presentation with which they feel most comfortable.  Still others feel that their ability to improvise will eventually lead them to a persuasive presentation.

The truth is that there is no shortcut to a persuasive presentation.  It begins with studying the customer as well as the product or service.  It takes preparation to decide which of the customer’s issues to address, and which specific features of your offer to emphasize.  It takes time to organize the facts and features into a cohesive presentation.  It takes time to build in interactive elements, and to gather the right samples and documents.  And it takes time to practice (yes, practice) the presentation before you actually make it.  A persuasive presentation begins with methodical preparation.

Maybe that’s why so few salespeople give this aspect of their job the attention that it deserves.  And maybe that’s why routinely making powerful and persuasive presentations is a practice of the very best.

To learn more about this practice, review these resources: The CD, How to Make Powerful and Persuasive Presentations, or the Video version: Persuasive Presentations, Part 1 & 2.

If you are a member of The Sales Resource Center™, consider The One Month ‘Persuasive Presentations’ Course, or The Six Month ‘Consultative Selling’ Course.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle
All Rights Reserved.

[Image "Day 32: Yahoo BT sales exercise" by Kerry Vaughan on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

By Dave Kahle

You have made a call or two on a prospect, qualified them, and rate them as high potential.  The problem is they don’t have an opportunity at the moment. Lots of potential, but it’s all down the road a bit.  Your challenge is to maintain contact so that when they do have an opportunity, you have a chance at it.

Let’s consider all your options.

First, you can generate a regular series of emails.  Put them into an auto-responder, select a series of messages, and press “go.”  They will get the messages you send on the frequency that you determine.  That’s a very efficient solution.  Once you get the auto-responders set up, it is just a few clicks and you’re done.

It may work, too, if you have personalized the messages, and delivered something of value each time, and if they don’t have a lot to do and don’t get a bunch of email messages every day.  If any of these things aren’t true for the situation, you will find that your email messages will go unread, or worse yet, banned from their inbox.  Of course, there isn’t anything very personal about a series of auto-responder messages.

How about the other side of the spectrum?  Instead of taking the “highly efficient but not very effective” approach, you try “effective but not at all efficient” strategy.  You decide to personally visit every two weeks.  Great idea if…

• you have nothing better to do.
• they have a lot of extra time and can visit with you whenever you ‘drop by.’
• you have something new to discuss each time you visit.

That’s probably not going to happen, so maybe that’s not such a great idea after all.

So what now?

Let me suggest a powerful medium.  SNAIL MAIL!  That’s right.  Here’s an approach that may work for you.

1.  Create a series of “case studies” or “success stories.”  These are one page descriptions of other customers for whom you have done something similar.  Maybe you solved a similar problem, or solved a problem in a similar kind of company.  Regardless, on one side of one piece of paper, describe the customer, their issue, and what you did to solve it.  If you can get a short quote from one of the key people in that company, great.  If you can add a little visual interest with that customer’s logo, or a photograph of the building or the people, even better. For an example, click here

2.  Print a few of these.  Send one on a regular basis to your prospect.  Stick a hand-written sticky note to each one, with a personal message, hand written, by you to them. Mention their name.  Use yours. Hand write the address on the envelope.  Put a stamp on it.

3.  Now, fold into the mix a few personal email messages and an occasional visit, and you’ll have a multi-media stream of touches that will deliver something of value to the customer, keep your name in front of him/her, and demonstrate your company’s ability to bring solutions to folks like him.

One of the challenges in the situation is that there is not a lot you can do to force the opportunity to the forefront.  Like a child in a mother’s womb, it will come when it is ready.  Your task is to keep your name and your company’s capabilities in front of the prospect so that when it is time to act, you are on the short list of people to contact.

That requires that you begin to nurture a personal relationship with your contact person.  But, the best sales people understand that a personal relationship only takes you so far.  You must add a growing knowledge of your company’s capabilities to the personal relationship.  You can be the greatest, most entertaining and attractive person in the world, but if they don’t believe your company can deliver a value-added solution, it doesn’t matter.

Delivering a case study in the manner described above solves both problems.  The personal note is a one-on-one touch, delivering a “feel good about you” impact on the prospect, while the detailed case study demonstrates your company’s capabilities.

Mix a handful of these with a few personalized emails, a couple of phone conversations, and an occasional live visit, and you’ll have a system that will keep the prospect aware of you for months.

###

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and eight countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

By Dave Kahle

Q. What do I do when my goals don’t match the company’s goals for me?

A.  I can look at this is in two ways – expressing two different situations.  In the first, there is a legitimate difference in the expectations for a sales person, but a basic agreement on the issues on which to be focused, as well as the values of the organization.  In the second, there is a deeper and more significant difference of opinion.

A little reality check

Let’s consider each separately.  In the first scenario, the sales person and the company differ on the degree of what is possible.  The sales person expects a 10% increase, while the company thinks 15% is reasonable.  Both agree that sales growth is reasonable, but the amount of growth is the issue.  What do you, the sales person, do in this case?

Persuade and negotiate.  Try to convince your boss that your perspective is more accurate than his/hers.  Don’t just assert that, be convincing.  Back up your beliefs with substance.  Describe specific situations and accounts, and explain why you think about them the way you do.  Prove your point.

At some point in this process, there is going to be a resolution.  There will be a quota or a goal.  Whether it is your idea of what it should be, or your manager’s version, or some compromise, it doesn’t matter.  At that point, when the issue is resolved and the number is set, your job is to give all of your best efforts to doing what your company wants you to do.

You are, after all, an employee of the company.  Your job is to do what your company wants you to do.  That’s what they pay you for.

Sometimes sales people can get a little too convinced of their own importance.  I succumbed to that temptation more than once when I was selling full time.  We think that we really are in business for ourselves, that we own our customers, and that we know what is best for the company and the customer.  So, therefore, we become agitated and upset when the company asks for a 15% increase and we think 5% is reasonable.  We are tempted to go off mumbling under our breath about the screwy management, and we decide we are going to do what we want to do instead.

A little reality check is in order under these circumstances.  If you worked in the warehouse, would you be able to decide what you wanted to do today?  If you were a customer service rep, would you get to determine how best to spend your day, and which parts of your job you’d really do?  If you were in the purchasing department, if you didn’t like the company’s direction, would you have the freedom to ignore it?

So what makes you think you are so special?  Answer — nothing.  Let’s put the freedom that we enjoy and the money that we make in perspective.  We are, when all is said and done, employees of the company.  And, I believe, we have a moral obligation to give our best efforts to that company for as long as we accept a paycheck.

Sometimes the price is high

Which brings us to the second situation.  You have some major difference of opinion in not only the degree of what is expected, but a deep-seated difference of opinion in the basic issues themselves.  I’m not talking about issues like you think you need to focus on your current customers and your company wants you to sell new customers.  Those are relatively superficial issues that fit into the previous discussion.

Instead, I’m talking about differences in fundamental values and ethics.  Here’s an example from my own experience.  I once worked for a company that introduced a new product, and developed a quota for each of us to sell that product.  The problem was, the product never worked.  It didn’t do what the company said it was going to do.  We, the sales people, knew it, and the company knew it.  Yet, they still wanted us to sell it.  We were given quotas and strongly directed to go out and get orders at all costs.  They directed us to, in effect, lie to our customers.

I left the company shortly thereafter.

The issue wasn’t “Do I sell 100 or 130 of these?”  That’s an issue of degree.  Instead, the issue was, “Do I lie to my customers?”  That’s an ethical issue.

If it’s an ethical issue, then I think you have only one choice.  Find another job.  Life is too short to spend it violating your ethics and compromising your integrity.

That sounds simple, and it rarely is that black and white.  It almost never happens that your manager sends you an email that says, “From this day forward you will lie to your customers.”  Instead, it is more likely that a pattern emerges over a period of time.  One incident is generally not representative of a character flaw.  But, when you see a pattern of cutting ethical corners, of disdain for integrity, of fuzzy moral boundaries, then you can conclude that those are expressions of a corporate character flaw.

In my situation, the “lie to your customers” direction was not the first indication of a lack of moral compatibility between me and the company.  It was, however, the final one for me – the most recent and blatant of a string of incidents that made me feel uncomfortable with myself for being a part of it.

Also, sometimes the price is high.  The position I left was the most fun, most challenging, best paying job I ever had.  It was 15 years before I made the kind of money again that I made in that job.  Believe me, leaving that job for ethical reasons was a difficult decision.

Money is just money.  It comes and it goes.  People, and sales people particularly, who will do anything for money, who evidence no compulsion and no moral boundaries, are sad characters.  They have succumbed to the most superficial of temptations and displayed themselves to all those around them as people with little integrity.  They are unfortunate examples to their families, friends, and all who know them.

You only have to read the newspapers over the last year or so to see multiple examples of the damage that greed, un-tempered by morality, can do.  The real damage, though, is not the highly visible corporate crooks that we read about every day.  The real tragedy is all the less visible managers and sales people who we don’t read about – those business people who share the same “money at all costs” attitude – whose legacy is not as public, but none-the-less still damaging.

I would hope that you would not be one of those.  That you would have the strength of character to disassociate yourself from a situation that comprised your integrity.

So, when it becomes an issue of morality, I think it’s time to leave.

Good luck.  Sell well.

P.S. I expect that my comments may generate some responses.  Feel free to email a comment to me.

********************************************************************************************

You may want to dig deeper into the issues uncovered in this article.  I’d recommend the book, “Take Your Performance Up-a-Notch.”

If you are a member of The Sales Resource Center ™  consider reviewing these lessons:  Pod-21: “Goal-Setting,” or  Pod-34: “Ethics for the Professional Sales Person.”

Image “tired and dirty” owned by Rennett Stowe (cc)
Image “Sour Lemon” owned by Alan Maddox (cc)

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leadng sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

Commence CRM is a robust offering for managing accounts and contacts, leads, sales, marketing, customer service and projects.  It even offers a built in e-mail client that seamlessly integrates Microsoft Outlook, Gmail and other e-mail clients so that you can actually read and compose your e-mail right within the CRM system itself.  In addition to the e-mail feature Commence also incorporates several unique features that are simply not available in competitive offerings costing twice as much.

One of these features is an account rating and scoring system that enables you to rate and color code your customers based on their value to your business.  This provides a quick and efficient way of identifying your most valuable customers, ensuring that you pay special attention to them.  This same capability known as an Automated Business Process can be found in the product’s lead module. This feature allows sales management to create a series of questions or identifiers to ensure that every sales representative is qualifying new sales opportunities the same way.  The feature enables the sales team to become laser focused on the most qualified opportunities and has proven to reduce sales cycles and improve close ratios.

Other CRM features that differentiate Commence CRM from competitive offerings include an automated organization chart built into the contact management and sales applications, an integrated project management system and the ability to create hierarchical or parent child relationships for accounts with multiple divisions or subsidiary organizations.   In addition, the product’s user interface is highly regarded for its easy navigation and use.   Because Commence is a cloud based CRM solution it can be accessed via a PC, Mac or any mobile device with Internet access.

Commence is a top rated CRM solution that offers unique functionality, ease of use and a low cost of ownership.  If you are a mid-market company or small enterprise Commence CRM should be on your radar screen.    For more information visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Don't waste valuable time chasing tire kickers

Management of the Sales Cycle

CRM software is often looked upon as an extension of contact management and sales automation software. While this is certainly true, several CRM solution providers have taken CRM to a whole new level, using it to implement a structured approach to lead management and management of the sales cycle.  One of these companies, Commence Corporation has developed a unique Automated Business Process that  automates the lead qualification process and helps sales organizations better determine who’s buying and who’s not.

Automated Business Process

The structured process offers the ability to create a series of buying criteria built right into the CRM software such as;

• Prospect displays a high level of interest
• Needs have been established and documented
• Budget has been approved
• Buying or evaluation criteria have been established
• There is a specific time frame for a decision
• The internal selection process has been shared with you

Sales representatives answer the questions and the system rates and color codes each new opportunity based on the results, with red being a hot opportunity, yellow a warm one and blue cold.   The questions are completely customizable and you can even establish percentages if you feel one question is more important than another.

CRM Lead Management

This structured lead qualification process built into the Commence CRM software has proven to reduce sales cycles and improve close ratios.  This is because with Commence CRM, sales representatives become laser focused on the most qualified opportunities versus spending valuable time chasing tire kickers.

For more information about the automated lead qualification process click here.

[Image "Efficient VERSUS Effective" by Laura Dantonio on Flickr under Creative Commons license]

By Dave Kahle

It is so easy to do that which is comfortable and easy as opposed to that which is smart.  It’s a common temptation to which every sales person succumbs at least some of the time.

This applies most dramatically to the fundamental decisions that every sales person makes over and over again every day:

• Where should I go?
• Who should I see?
• What should I do?

Those sales people who consistently make those decisions most effectively rise to the top of the sales profession, and those who don’t, don’t.

Here’s an example.  It’s Monday morning, and you must make those decisions.  You could attempt to see a high potential prospect, or you can go see a small customer.  You know the customer will probably see you – he likes you.  And you’ll spend an hour or so in friendly conversation.  You also know that the likelihood of increasing the business with this customer is next to nothing. But, since it’s comfortable and easy, you choose to see the customer.  You rationalize it by claiming to be “building relationships.”

Or, you are all set to visit that high potential, but challenging prospect, when you receive a call from a “C” account who has a question.  You are not too distant from them, so you change plans and drive to see the “C” account.  Why?  Because you know that he’ll see you, and you’ll be able to answer a question, and that makes you feel important, and gives you a sense that you are actually accomplishing something.

In both cases, you chose to do that which was comfortable and easy, as opposed to that which was smart.  You succumbed to the temptation.

This is such a common thing among B2B sales people that those who “focus on spending the greatest amount of time with the highest potential” stand out on the basis of this one best practice alone.

That doesn’t mean that you totally neglect smaller customers.  But it does mean that you define, with some rigor, the highest potential customers in your territory and you then, with discipline and willfulness, spend more time with them.  My recommendation?  Fifty percent of your time with the top twenty percent of your territory, and fifty percent of your time with other eighty percent.  Note that the definition of the top twenty percent is based on potential, not necessarily the amount of the current business.  So, in other words, an “A” account is a high potential account, even though they may spend nothing with you now.

This is such a crucial practice that it is a part of almost every seminar and training session that I do.  Those who consistently implement it routinely report dramatic increases in sales.  Most commonly, they report tripling their business in two years.

While that sounds almost too good to be true, it isn’t.  It is predictable and almost routine for those who consistently practice it.  That’s why it’s a best practice.

If you’d like to pursue this practice, we have some resources to help you.  Consider Chapter Six of my book, Ten Secrets of Time Management for Sales People, or the video training program,  “Prioritizing your customers to dramatically increase your sales.”

If you are a member of The Sales Resource Center™, consider Pod-55: The most powerful time management strategy for sales people.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Hiring an on-site computer technician can be costly

The current economic uncertainty has forced many small to mid-size businesses to seek ways to reduce their operational cost. Many have downsized their operations and have had to reduce their staff.  One of the areas hardest hit is the IT department. Companies that once had technology people on staff no longer do and the local computer guy that could help out in a pinch is no longer in business.  These companies now find themselves working with dated computer hardware and software and nowhere to turn if problems occur.

Cloud computing seems to be just what the doctor ordered if you can come to grips with the fact that someone else will be managing and maintaining your data outside your facility.  CRM software programs that run in the cloud are web based, which means they operate over the Internet.  There are no specific hardware requirements and no software to install.  This alleviates the need to hire costly technicians or outside consultants.  The cloud has many other benefits as well. Typically, software updates are included in the monthly or annual service fee which ensures that you are always working with the latest supportable version of the vendor’s software.  The data center and hardware used by top tier hosting providers is also best in class and traditionally offers back-up and data recovery services that are far superior to anything the customer may have had on-site.  In addition, the systems are managed 24/7 by well-trained engineers.

One of the companies that is helping companies transition to the world of cloud computing and cloud based software is Commence Corporation, a provider of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software .  Commence, best known for their client server based desktop software, now offers CRM for the cloud and is helping both existing and new customers take advantage of the new cloud computing environment. To learn more about Commence CRM for the cloud, visit http://www.commence.com/crm/platform/

Image by Manchester Library, on Flickr available under a Creative Commons license

By Dave Kahle

“Why should someone spend time with you?”  That was the question I asked the six sales people who were the subjects of an intense week-long training session.

The response?  Blank stares. Some uncomfortable fidgeting.  Nothing anywhere close to a coherent, persuasive response.

That experience made me realize the need for what I call a “value-added proposition,” and what many people refer to as an “elevator speech.”  It is a well-thought-out, meticulously prepared, and memorized set of ideas that ultimately answer the question above.  It should exist in several different versions:

1.  There should be a one-page (250 words or so) description of

*  who you are

*  what you do

*  why your customers and prospects should care.

2.  That should be reduced to a 30 word version that should be memorized by everyone who has contact with the customer.

3.  Finally, that should be further reduced to a four-to-eight word version that can accompany every communication, from web site advertising to face-to-face interactions.

Why this is important

“Five minutes or it’s free.”  That was the banner hanging over the fast food restaurant near my house.  I noticed it as I drove past one day.  Interesting.  In a mini-environment of intense competition (there must be a dozen fast-food options within a mile of this road) they chose to focus on one aspect of their offering – speed – and turn it into a “value-added proposition.”  In a world of other options for the customer, they chose to take their strength, turn it into a benefit for the customer, and boil that down to say to the customer, “Buy it from us.  We’ll guarantee quick service. “

It had its desired impact.  I noticed the banner, and decided to stop in for breakfast.  The waitress took my order, noted the time on the order pad, and handed me a stop watch!  I took up the challenge, clicked it on, and waited to see if they would perform.  The order arrived within five minutes.  I noticed the waitress look at her watch and note the delivery time on the order pad.

Let’s consider what we can learn from this experience.  First, the value-added proposition consolidates some of the strengths of the organization, and turns them into benefits for the customer base.  Then, it translates those benefits into a “proposition” which challenges the customer to become involved.  It reaches out into the world and says “Consider me.  Here’s why.”  It serves, then, as a proactive way to interest and attract potential customers.

Just as importantly, it helps refine who you are as an organization.  You will become who you tell people that you are.  For example, I suspect that the restaurant did not have a quantity of stop watches in their inventory prior to deciding to toss “Five minutes or it’s free” into the world.  I suspect that the order forms were modified to accommodate the claim, that the wait staff was trained in the processes to implement it, that some items came off the menu and others were added, and that there were some cooks who don’t work there any more because of their inability to be who the restaurant said they were.

Once you say that you provide “outstanding customer service,” or “the highest quality products” for example, you have to back that up.  You must become who you say you are, and actually do what you claim you do.

The value-added proposition, then, brings with it tremendous power to focus your image to your customer base and, at the same time, organize your internal operations to deliver what you say you will.

From the point of view of the sales force, the value-added proposition gives them a focal point — a place to hang their claim for uniqueness. But it also gives them a wedge into the doors of the prospect, and an appropriate topic of conversation with every contact.

That’s why the 30-word version should be memorized and practiced until it can be delivered accurately, fluently and persuasively.

How to do it

The creation of a value-added proposition can be much more significant than it may look at first glance.  Once you understand the power of this set of words to attract customers, equip sales people, and shape operations, you will realize that this can be a “bet the business on this” strategic initiative.

Get it wrong, and your organization’s very survival may be in jeopardy.  Get it right, and it can provide fuel for your growth for the foreseeable future.

So, it ought to be treated as a major strategic initiative in your organization, and given the allotment of resources that accompany such efforts.

Gather your best people for a brainstorming session.  Capture the output, and bring it to a more analytical group to refine.  Put it in the hands of your best communicators to create the three versions mentioned above.

Then, test it before you commit to it.  Put it in the hands of some sales people and gather their comments. Float it by some of your customers whose honest opinion you expect. Run it through the search engine optimization folks.

Refine it until you are ready to live with it.

Then, publish the short version in every conceivable place.  On business cards, letterhead, voice mail messages, web sites, email signatures, etc.

Bring the sales people in, require they memorize the 30-word version, and train them in persuasively presenting it.  Lots of role-play and practice here.   Do the same with anyone who has regular customer contact.

Finally, publish the one-page version.  Make it into a hard copy leave-behind for the sales force.  Publish it on your web site.  Hand it to every vendor.

Distribute it to everyone who has an interest.

Then, watch as it begins to flow into every aspect of your business, stimulating and shaping your growth.

###

If you are interested in digging deeper into this subject, you may want to purchase, “How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.”

If you are a subscriber to The Sales Resource Center ™ , consider Cluster CL-72: How to market your small business on-line, Cluster CL-46; Four part elevator speech, and Pod-47: How to make a more effective first call.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

The term hosting can be confusing to the consumer.  Some companies refer to their CRM offering as hosted CRM, on-line CRM, web based CRM or cloud based CRM and there is a significant difference between simply hosting data and storing it in the cloud.  Regardless of the difference, what is most important here is to understand that the proper storage, management and protection of your data doesn’t come cheap.  Tier 1 companies tend to offer high quality services in this area and as a result cost more than the lower priced ones that do not.  So if you think one CRM vendor is a bargain over the others, you may want to ask about their hosting service. You may find this to be a significant reason for the difference in cost.

By Dave Kahle

Q. How do I ensure that I get the last look in a competitive bid situation?

A.  This is a question that I’m often asked.  In a lot of industries, particularly those involved in construction, government purchases and large-volume manufacturing, most of the customers require an official bid.  It’s not unusual for these to be highly formal and structured.

Here’s a typical scenario.  The customer sends a bid to five suppliers, and each responds with a written document by a certain specified date.  The customer reviews the bids, and awards the business.

The writer of the question wants the ability to go in after the bids have been submitted, to look at the competitive bids or at least the lowest bid prices, and to change his/her prices in order to be awarded the business.

First, it should be noted that in some instances, the “last look” is illegal.  In many cases, it’s viewed as unethical.  In other industries and situations, it’s viewed as business-as-usual.  This question and answer is only relevant to the latter situation.

I have responses for this on several different levels.

1.  Avoiding a bid situation to begin with.

2.  Making a last look unnecessary.

3.  When all else fails, insuring that you get a last look.

Let’s think about each one separately.

1.  Avoiding a bid situation to begin with.

OK, I know that bids are standard operating procedures in your business.  But, I also know that a lot of business is “negotiated.”  In other words, the customer selects the vendor he/she wants to work with, and then negotiates the best deal with that customer.

I’d much rather you get yourself into a negotiating rather than a bid situation.  That way,  you’d avoid the bid scenario altogether.

And, while it is true that you’ll never convince 100% of your customers to negotiate with you rather than send out bids, if you are successful over the next few years in moving 20 – 30% of your customers to negotiating status, you’ll see a tremendous improvement in your sales.

How do you earn that position?  Two ways:  First, build powerful business relationships, be a reliable supplier, and offer a special relationship – “negotiating” – with all your good customers.

In other words, bring the subject up regularly, plant the seed in your customer’s brain, tell stories about how you were able to work effectively with others – how they cut costs, paperwork and time out of the cycle by working with you.

If you are good, and persistent, you’ll eventually convert a significant chunk of your customers.

The second way to operate effectively in this situation is to become more deeply involved in the customer’s buying process and influence the creation of the specifications in such a way so as you are the only one who can meet those specifications.  The bid then, becomes superfluous.

Some of you who have been in my programs have heard me tell the story of how I did the most profitable transaction of my life in an account whose policy it was to bid everything to five vendors.

2.  Making a last look unnecessary.

“…if you have some aspect of your product, service or offer that sets you apart from the competitors… then the customer should be happy to do business with you even if you are not the absolute lowest price.”

The whole concept of a “last look” implies that the reason the customer would do business with you is that you are the lowest price of the group of bidders.  While there is a time and place to be the low price, I’d like for you to question whether or not this is how you’d like the customer to think of you.  If you have done a good job in the past for the supplier, if you have become the low-risk supplier, if you have understood the customer’s situation at a deeper level than your competitors, if you have some aspect of your product, service or offer that sets you apart from the competitors, if you have communicated those things in a persuasive way, then the customer should be happy to do business with you even if you are not the absolute lowest price.

In other words, if you have done a good job of selling, then a couple percentage points in the price should have no impact on the deal.

So, rather than try to be the low price, I’d prefer that you do a deeper, better job of selling this account so that you don’t have to be the lowest price. And that means that you have created powerful, trusting relationships with the key people, that you have understood the dynamics of their situation at a deeper and more detailed level than any of your competitors, and that you have fashioned a unique proposal that meets their deeper needs.

When you do that, you don’t need to worry about the last look.

3.  Insuring that you get a last look.

While everything I said above is fine, the reality is that there will still be some situations where you won’t be able to implement those strategies, and are reduced to one option – be the low bidder.

Some of your customers negotiate the business with you, and the last look is, of course, not an issue with them.  Some of them will buy from you because of the good job of selling you did, and the last look, with them, is not an issue.

But you will still probably be left with those who are going to bid and award the business primarily on the basis of price.  It’s that group for which you’d like to have the last look.

How do you do that?  By achieving excellence in the basics:  building powerful, positive business relationships with those key contacts, by understanding their needs in deeper and more detailed ways than any of your competitors, by doing everything you can to assure that your company is highly respected by the customer, and finally, by asking for the opportunity.

What you are really asking for is the preference of the customer.  In other words, where the customer sees no difference between you and the other guy in your offer, he still prefers doing business with you.  This scenario assumes that there is no difference between you and your competitor, and there is no reason for the customer to pay a little more to do business with you.  Your only hope is that the customer will prefer to do business with you, providing you are the lowest price.

Ask yourself why the customer would prefer you.  Create a detailed answer. Then set about becoming the supplier with which your customer would want to do business.  And, continually ask for the opportunity to have a last look.

Remember that getting the last look is the last, least desirable strategy to pursue. While there will always be times and situations where it is your last resort, those times and situations should be minimal.

If these ideas resonate with you, you may want to dig deeper into the concepts expressed above.  Consider the CD’s, “Conquering the Number One Buying Obstacle: Reducing the Risk.” or “Sales Practices to Increase Margins.”

If you are a member of The Sales Resource Center ™, review Cluster CL-1: “Preventing the Price Objection,” and CL-11: “Price Pressures”.  Take the lessons in Pod-16: “Successfully Selling in a Price Sensitive Market,” and Pod-18: “How to Sell Value, Not Price.”

Image owned by Amanda G (cc)

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leadng sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

By Dave Kahle

Having spent most of my adult life in Michigan, I have naturally grown to be a fan of the Detroit professional sports teams.  Basketball is my favorite sport, and I’ve been a Pistons fan since before the Bad Boys.

As you know, the Bad Boys were world champions for a couple of years in the 80’s.  Isaiah Thomas was the leader of the team.  He was at the top of his game — most valuable player on the world championship team.  It doesn’t get any better than that.

During that time, he built a house in Detroit, and added an indoor basketball court.  When asked about it by a local newspaper reporter, he replied that he often woke up in the middle of the night and used the basketball court to practice his free throws.

Imagine that.  The most valuable player of the world championship team practicing the most basic shot in the game in the middle of the night.  Why would he do that?  Probably because he was not a 100 percent free-throw shooter.  No matter how good he was, he knew there was room for improvement, and that he could become better yet.

“Imagine how competent you could become, relative to your competitors, if you regularly spent time, money and effort improving your sales skills!  What an opportunity!”

Dave Kahle

That belief, that you are not as good as you could be, that there is always room for improvement, is one of the marks of the best sales people.

The world is full of mediocre sales people who don’t care enough about their own performance to spend any time or money improving themselves.  My own experience is that only one out of twenty sales people has spent $25 of their own money on their own improvement in the last 12 months.

While that certainly is an indictment of their lack of professionalism, it also represents an incredible opportunity for those who want to excel.  Imagine how competent you could become, relative to your competitors, if you regularly spent time, money and effort improving your sales skills!  What an opportunity!

That’s one reason why the best sales people are the best.  They regularly spend time and money on the pursuit of perfection.  They are the ones who buy the books, listen to the CDs, attend the seminars, and eagerly participate in sales meetings.

Vince Lombardi once said, “We will pursue perfection, knowing that we will never attain it.  But in the striving for perfection, we will catch excellence.”

The best sales people continually pursue perfection, knowing that in the striving for it, they will catch excellence.  And excellence is rewarded by greater competence, greater confidence, and a more robust standard of living.

That’s why it is one of the best practices of the best.

If you’d like to pursue this practice, check out The Sales Resource Center™ where we have over 435 lessons for sales people, all delivered 24/7 over the internet.

Image owned by Neon Tommy (cc)

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Tier 1 – Enterprise Level CRM Providers

While targeted primarily at the Fortune 1000 companies, CRM software providers in this category traditionally have a few things in common.

• They offer comprehensive functionality covering all aspects of front office business operations for account management, sales, leads, marketing and customer service
• They have a highly scalable platforms that support several thousand users
• They support multiple languages and multi-currency
• They offer application programming interfaces or API’s that enable disparate system integration
• They offer best in class hosting or cloud computing services
• They offer a High level of customizability and good customer support
• There are many third party packages that may be integrated with these CRM programs.

Companies in this category include Oracle, SAP, Microsoft and Salesforce.com

Tier 2 – Mid-Market CRM Providers

Mid-market CRM providers offer  good functionality that often rivals that of enterprise level systems, but typically do not support multi-language or muti-currency although some do.  The top rated Tier 2 providers offer the following:

• Good functionality with strong focus on account and contact management, e-mail integration, sales and lead management .  Some offer customer support or help desk and project management as well.
• Robust scalable platforms that support hundreds of users vs. thousands like enterprise level programs. Very good customer support
• May support multi-currencies, but typically not multiple languages
• Several offer the best in class hosting or cloud computing services, same as the enterprise players
• Fairly customizable with minimal programmer intervention in most solutions
• Some third party package integrations are available

The most popular companies in this category include:  Commence CRM, Microsoft CRM, Sage – (mostly in Europe), Salesforce.com and Sugar CRM

Tier 3 – Small Business CRM Providers

If basic contact management, e-mail and a sales forecast is all you require, there are several good inexpensive small business CRM solutions to choose from.  Don’t expect however to get advanced  level functionality such as security permissions, robust reporting, or automated workflow. Customization is often limited to adding a few custom fields if at all. Most small business CRM solutions offer:

• Weak functionality as compared to mid-tier CRM offerings
• Non scalable platforms that will not perform well with large data sets or larger number of users
• Customer support limited primarily to e-mail
• Rare support for multi-currencies or multiple languages
• Second or third tier hosting or cloud based services
• Minimal customization if any

Companies targeting this sector include: Zoho, Highrise & Avidian.

By Dave Kahle

Q. You have convinced me that spending time face-to-face with customers is the best use of my sales time.  How much of my week should I spend entertaining customers; taking them to lunch, ballgames, etc.?

Building Customer Relationships

A.  Great question.  Let me answer this is two ways.  First, spend as much time as you can interacting with your customers in social settings.  That means that you should try to have lunch with a customer every day.  You should entertain in the evening as often as your family, your boss, your life style and your budget will allow.

Having said that, here’s a second answer.  The issue has more to do with the quality of the time than it does the quantity of time.  You shouldn’t spend social time with a customer just to meet some quantity goal.  It’s not time for the sake of time; it’s time for the sake of some objective.  If, for example, you take the same customer out to lunch every week because the two of you are buddies, that’s not quality time.  If you take people out to lunch or to a ball game, and those people are minor players in an account, having little, if any, influence on the decision, that also is not quality time.

Instead, be thoughtful and strategic about the investment of your time in your customers.  Make a list of all the people who are important decision-makers or influencers in your “A” accounts.  Then, think about which of them do not know you very well.  This is a critical issue.  Remember, it’s less important that you know them, than it is that they know you.  If they feel like they know you and are comfortable with you, you will have significantly advanced the personal relationship and made it easier for them to do business with you.  So, your primary objective in spending social time with a customer is to have them become comfortable with you.  Your secondary objective is to get to know them better.

With that clearly in mind, identify those powerful people in your “A” accounts who should know you better, and try to spend social time with them.

If I found myself free for lunch on Tuesday, for example, I’d start at the top of the list, and invite my number one candidate.  If he/she couldn’t make it, I’d go to number two, and so on.  That way, I was always focusing on those individuals who were most strategically important.

The amount of entertaining by sales people has dwindled significantly in the last decade.  I recall one of my friends, a manufacturer’s rep who sold automotive components in Detroit, had an entertaining budget in excess of $80,000 annually.  And that was twenty years ago.

That sales person who is able to build real personal relationships with his/her customers will succeed where others fail.

While those days of lavish spending are in the past, it is, never-the-less, true that spending social time with a customer can be a powerful sales strategy.  In my days as a field sales person, I would take two or three customers and their spouses out to dinner at Greektown in Detroit, followed by a Tiger game.  My spouse would join me, and we would have six or eight people together for the evening.  We never talked business, but business in those accounts always grew afterward.  It was because they got to know me on a personal basis.  I met their spouses, and they mine.  We came to know one another as real people, not just people playing the role of buyer and seller.  As a result of forging this personal relationship, it was easier for us to do business together.

That is still true today, perhaps even more so.  As more and more business is done electronically, people hunger for the high-touch of personal relationships that has been excluded by high-tech communications.  That sales person who is able to build real personal relationships with his/her customers will succeed where others fail.

We have some resources to help you with this.  You may want to consider the book, “Take Your Sales Performance Up-a-Notch,” or the CD set entitled, “The Essential Secrets of Building Positive Business Relationships”.

If you are a member of The Sales Resource Center ™, consider Cluster CL-15, “Entertaining your customers,” or Pod-2: “Building Positive Business Relationships.”

Image owned by gareth1953 (cc)

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leadng sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

By Dave Kahle

The best sales people have created a system to consistently acquire appointments with prospects, and continually work to improve that system.

All routine, sophisticated work is most effectively accomplished by implementing a system.  That’s one of the observations I’ve made in my 20+ years of experience in consulting.  It doesn’t matter what area of work we are considering.  For example, cleaning teeth, paving a road, painting a house, laying carpet, creating your income tax returns, etc. are all routine, sophisticated jobs that are best accomplished systematically.

The job of the professional salesperson is crammed with such tasks – sophisticated tasks which need to be done over and over again.  Making appointments is one such undertaking.

A system is composed, in its simplest expression, of processes, practices and tools.  Processes are the step-by-step series of events that eventually lead to a goal.  Practices are the behaviors which are part of the process, and tools are the specific things we use to accomplish the process.

So, for example, when it comes to making appointments, the process may look like this:

1.  Create a list of prospects.

2.  Research the list, and determine the highest potential.

3.  Acquire their names and contact information.

4.  Deliver a pre-call touch.

5.  Make a phone call to acquire the appointment.

6.  Repeat at least five times, if necessary.

7.  If necessary, send a personal snail mail letter.

8.  If necessary, make a personal cold call.

I’m not suggesting that this is the only process you could use.  I am suggesting, however, that the best sales people have created a similar process, designed for the specifics of their business.

Within that process, there are certain key practices. For example, the phone call that you make to the prospect asking for the appointment is a key practice. To improve the end results of your process, you improve each of the practices you use along the way.  The best sales people understand that, and work on forever improving them.

The final piece of a good system is the set of tools you use to implement the system.  The pre-call touch, for example, is a tool.  As is the script that you use, the letter that you may send, etc. Like your approach to practices, your approach is to forever refine these tools.

Let’s review.  The best sales people have thought deeply about the best way to acquire appointments, and have put together a system made up of processes, practices and tools.  Then, they consistently implement that system, and forever work on improving each piece of it.

That’s one of the things that make them the best.

Here are some of our resources to help you master this best practice:

*  First Steps to Success in Outside Sales – Chapter Four: Acquiring Appointments.

*  Video – Victory over Voicemail. Visit www.davekahle.com/notch.htm.

If you are a member of The Sales Resource Center ™, consider Pod-32: How to create a system to develop new customers., Pod-38: Mastering the Creative Cold Call, or Cluster CL-87: Making appointments.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

By Dave Kahle

Meet Your Clients In Person

I just fired my accountants.

They really hadn’t done anything wrong.  They were responsive when I called.  They appeared to keep up with the latest information in their profession. Their work was neat, accurate and timely.  Their prices were fair.  They conducted themselves professionally.

But, I fired them anyway.

Here’s  why.  While they consistently reacted professionally, they never, ever pro-acted.  They never came to me with an idea, never offered a suggestion that I didn’t first initiate.  Never suggested a change for my benefit.  I wanted someone to think about me, to hold my best interests up before their regular scrutiny, to extend themselves in order to keep me at the forefront.

My life insurance agent, on the other hand, makes it a point of contacting me at least twice a year, more likely three or four times.  While there always is a bit of self-interest motivating these contacts (he always asks for referrals), I always take his calls.

He can be counted on to share ideas with me based on his knowledge of my business and my personal affairs.  I don’t know if he has ever tried to sell me something I didn’t need (like more life insurance), but he has consistently demonstrated that he’s thinking of me by making recommendations and exposing me to ideas that I would not have had otherwise.  He recently, right out of the blue, approached me with an idea for a different kind of business retirement plan.  Only one of 100 people qualifies for this kind of plan.  But, he knew me well enough to know that my business did, and to make it a point to educate me about it.

Hmmm.  Keeping my interests at the forefront… Knowing me and my business well enough to be able to regularly scan the horizon and find things that would fit me.  Pro-actively presenting solutions and ideas that would benefit me and my business.  Could there be a lesson in here somewhere?

Of course.  People like to know that you are thinking of them.  (Observe the greeting card industry, which is built on that thought.)  They like to know that you are considering their interests.  They want you to understand their businesses well enough that you can scan the horizon, and spot things that may help them.  When they consistently see that in the people from whom they buy, they quickly develop loyalty to those people.

Why is that important?

You know that it is far more difficult to see your customers today than it was just a few years ago.  People just don’t have the time to spend with sales people today.  Their jobs are more demanding, their task lists are overwhelming.  More and more, they are asking the question, “Why should I see you?”

Ultimately, the answer to that question will, to a great degree, determine your success.  They will make the decision to spend time with you based on what they think of you, and what they expect to get from the time they invest with you.  In other words, they make the decision based on your reputation.

In the long run, your reputation will be your greatest asset.  While there certainly are lots of other elements to your reputation, you develop that reputation in large measure by your proven and consistent ability to show that you are thinking of them.

That doesn’t mean that you show up every month and leave them a catalogue, or that you regularly spew samples of the latest gadget on their desk.  It’s not a “throw a lot of mud against the wall and see if anything sticks” approach.  The world is full of sales people who focus on their product instead of the customer.  Don’t do that.

Rather, spend time coming to know their business goals and objectives and finding products, services and ideas that you believe will help them – whether you sell them or not.  Then make a point of showing those to them and explaining exactly how you think your recommendation will help them reach their goals.  Do this, sincerely, regularly and with forethought and sensitivity.

In return, they’ll come to respect you.  They’ll see you as an important and integral part of their business. You’ll develop a reputation as a valuable professional.

In the long run, nothing is more valuable.

If you are a subscriber to The Sales Resource Center, check out Pod-33; Positioning Yourself with Value.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

Commence is a cloud based CRM solution that is targeted at mid-size companies and small enterprises that have outgrown traditional contact management software. These businesses now require robust lead management, sales management and marketing campaign management functionality.  What sales managers have found particularly interesting about Commence CRM is the product’s automated business processes that enable the capture and automatic distribution of leads and the ability to rate and color code leads based on specific criteria. Red colored leads represent qualified opportunities, yellow promising new opportunities and blue are ones just starting the sales process.  This unique feature ensures that sales representatives are always working on the most qualified opportunities and not chasing tire kickers.

Commence CRM also incorporates an automated organization chart that details the reporting structure of every lead and account, and highlights the person name, title, telephone number and e-mail.  This allows sales managers to assist in the sales process and quickly identify the economic buyer and influencers within any organization.

Org Chart helps you identify the key contacts

Commence CRM is clearly focused on helping companies improve the management of leads and the selling process and offers functionality not available in competitive offerings such as Microsoft CRM and Salesforce.com. For more information about Commence CRM software, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com and ask for a free trial.

One of the CRM software solutions that has become very popular among the mid-size and small business community is Commence CRM from Commence Corporation.  Commence is a web based CRM solution that is deployed via a cloud computing environment. The product offers one of the most comprehensive suite of applications in the industry including contact and account management, activity management, lead management, sales opportunity management, marketing, customer support, a document library, project management, reporting and an accounting interface.  E-mail integration with Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Mac E-mail and access to the CRM system via any hand held device is also part of this robust offering.

Upon entering a password and login, users are greeted with a cosmetically appealing home page or dashboard which is completely customizable by job function and enables the end user to manage their daily activity without leaving the screen.  Customers report that even the most novice PC or Mac users quickly become comfortable with Commence CRM.

The Commence CRM platform also mirrors that of enterprise level programs like Salesforce.com and Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Built using a Java backbone and SQL server,  Commence is highly scalable and offers excellent performance – two important decision criteria not commonly found in lower end CRM offerings.

While the company’s twenty year history and track record for producing award winning software is a comfort to most companies that select Commence CRM, the product offers several unique features that are simply not found in competitive CRM offerings.  First is a customer account rating feature that allows the end user to rate and color code their customers based on the value they provide to your business.  Some of the rating criteria include company size, revenue produced, profitability, cost of servicing the customer, the potential for growth and retention.  This feature enables management and staff to quickly identify their top customers based on their rating and color.  This rating feature has also been extended to the leads application allowing sales management and their sales team to rate and color code leads based on where they are in the buying cycle.  Another core feature that customers find unique and valuable is an automated organization chart.  The chart is tied to the account and contact records so that employees and management can quickly determine the reporting structure of every customer.

Commence CRM offers an attractive blend of features, function and price that have made it perhaps the best CRM solution for small to mid-size customers.  To learn more about Commence CRM software visit the company’s web site at  www.commmence.com.

By Dave Kahle

Upselling

Q. How do you make in-roads with a prospect who is happy with another supplier, who is providing a similar product at a lower price?  Product is lower quality, but perceived as the same.

A.  Sounds like a tough nut to crack.  Let’s think about this together.  The first question I have is this:  Is the potential of the account worth the large expenditure of time and effort that it will probably take to make progress in it?

Some accounts just aren’t worth it.  It’s OK to make a cold-blooded business decision not to pursue some accounts and some business.  (Assuming, of course, that your manager agrees.)  The situation you described will take a lot of your time, and your success is certainly not assured.  So, first decide if your time is best invested in this account or some place else.

Let’s assume that you have decided that the potential is worth the time, or that your manager has directed you to hang in there on this account.  Now what?

“Happy with their current supplier,” is the most common thing prospects will say to you.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that.  It could mean that they are too busy to spend time with you, that they don’t know you or your company and have no motivation to get to know you. It’s the catch-all comment that means a thousand different things.

Your job is to find some point of “unhappiness”– what I call “discontent” –  and then leverage that to create some interest in your solution.

Let’s start out with a little review of our own thinking and attitudes.  Your competitor is supplying a product that you think is not as good as yours.  But your customer is happy with it.

In this case, your superior quality is a non-factor.  Who cares?  Evidently, not the customer.  The lower quality product is OK with him.

When we are selling expensive products, this is difficult for us to accept, but when we are in any other aspects of our lives, we understand this position totally. For example, I drive a Mercury, not a Mercedes.  Now I understand that a Mercedes is a higher quality product than a Mercury.  But I don’t care.  I’m not a big car person and I just want something that is comfortable and reliable.  The Mercury fits my needs perfectly.  So, while you can make a case that a Mercedes is a better quality product, the point is that I don’t want it.  So, it’s not a better quality product for me.

This is not difficult to understand.  I suspect that you, too, have not spent the additional money to purchase a better quality automobile than that which you drive.

This customer is like that.  You may have a better and more expensive product, but they are happy with their Chevy.

If you want them to throw out their Chevy and buy your Mercedes, you must find a way to make them unhappy with the Chevy.

So now we are back at the basics once again.  There really is no short cut, 25 words or less magic solution.  You have to do the hard work of sales.  Find the key decision makers and influencers.  Build a relationship such that they trust and respect you.  Dig deep into the account and find some discontent – some gap between what they would like to have and what the Chevy is providing them.

If your product really is better, those portions of your product that are different that what they are using should some how save them money, or reduce their labor, or increase their profits, or make them feel more secure, or …. something.  Your product should bring them some measurable advantage that they are not now receiving.

Your job is to find that gap, and then show how your product fills that gap, and how this customer is going to receive more value than the increase in price of the product is going to cost them.

This is a laborious and time consuming project that might take you the better part of a year.  That’s why you have to make the key decision up front – is this account worth the time and effort?

If you don’t think you can do that, than don’t bother with this account.  Leave your business card, let them know you’d be happy to talk with them if they ever want to do so, and find someplace else to sell your stuff.

Good luck!

We can help you learn to do this better.  Visit The Sales Resource Center ™ and consider Pod-2: Building Positive Business Relationships, Pod-4: Preparing Better Sales Questions, and Pod-6: Persuasive Presentations.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Copyright MMXI by Dave Kahle

All Rights Reserved.

Account Rating

The first of these features is an account rating system that allows you to rate and color code each customer based on the value they provide to your business.  Customers coded in red represent your top rated customers, while yellow and blue coded customers may purchase less products or services, may be more costly to support and less profitable.

Customer Scoring

The rating system is completely customizable and traditionally includes criteria such as: customer size, revenue generated, cost of providing service, profitability and growth potential.   This simple but unique feature is providing exceptional value to Commence customers by enabling management to better understand who their most valuable customers really are.

Account Rating

Organization Chart

Another unique feature that is differentiating Commence from the pack is the products automated Organization Chart that identifies key people within your customer base and new prospects.  This feature helps sales and support personnel to understand the reporting structure of their customers and new prospects.

Company Org Chart

Commence has been providing customer management software to mid size businesses for more than two decades and is no stranger to the CRM software sector.   Its cloud based CRM solution is competing very favorably with industry giants Microsoft CRM and Salesforce.com. For more information about Commence CRM visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com and sign up for a free test drive.

By James Kim

We are witnessing an increasing number of companies developing and implementing programs that work within “the cloud.” Because of this, services like word processors, data storage, online fax and CRM software are becoming hot online commodities. Below are some advantages and disadvantages of using cloud technology for business.

So, what is this illustrious cloud? You are already using cloud technology if you are utilizing web-based resources. Put simply, the cloud functions by means of a web browser. This is in contrast with client-server based computing, which requires users to download applications onto their individual computers.

The advantages of harnessing the cloud’s power are many and compelling:

-A greater number of clients are permitted to instantly use software and programs from diverse locations. This makes “increased equipment utilization” possible.

-Users are able to modify servers based on individual needs, cutting back on expensive energy features. This can happen because of the flexibility of the cloud.

-Also beneficial is the scalability of the cloud. As your business expands, you can increase server space with ease.

-Cost advantages are one of the most compelling reasons for businesses to switch to cloud computing. A report by WSP Environment & Energy asserts that when companies switch to cloud computing, emissions per transaction are decreased by approximately 95%.

As the cloud gains notoriety among technologically savvy groups, it has received some negative feedback from critics. In spite of its numerous advantages, utilizing the cloud might have a few possible cons:

-A few people believe that the immediate costs supposedly eliminated by cloud computing do not simply disappear in every scenario. Using the cloud requires a staff to keep track of databases, respond to helpline inquiries, and oversee applications. It should be kept in mind, though, that these potential difficulties are dependant on the number of employees at your business and the extent that you implement cloud computing into your operations. If you decide to utilize the cloud, you should make sure to determine exactly how much time and manpower you would like to devote to your projects related to cloud technology.

-Occasionally, outages are unavoidable. A prime example of this is the well-known fall of Amazon Web Services. A proven strategy to reduce the risk of losing important information is to take advantage of the services offered by several cloud providers. You should also back up information by inserting redundancies into applications.

Although there are a few potential pitfalls when it comes to cloud computing, businesses should still embrace this technology and stay ahead of the curve. The cloud is an exceptional vehicle for companies to provide online services to clients, expand their online presence, and cut costs.

About the Author:

ChooseWhat.com guides you through every step of the startup process, saves you time & money, and gives you the tools needed for your small business to succeed. Visit their blog or follow them on twitter.

By Dave Kahle

It’s the natural, predictable step along the way to a sale.  You have met with the right people, helped them achieve a degree of comfort with you, uncovered the opportunity, presented your solution and asked for their commitment.  But wait, they are hesitating!  Is something wrong?  Should you immediately transform into “pushy sales person” mode and try to bully your way to a sale?  Or, should you help them share their concerns with you?

It is rare that you have perfectly understood every aspect of what they want, and that you have presented the absolutely perfect solution that addresses every possible issue they have.  More frequently, you are a little off, and there are issues on their side of which you are not aware.  It’s only natural that the customer has some “concerns.”

“Concerns” are issues that make them hesitant to go along with your offer.  They are frequently internal issues that have nothing to do with you or your offer.  For example, you may have just proposed a new phone system, and they have concerns about what impact that will have on their receptionist, who is two years away from retiring.  Notice that the issue has nothing to do with you, but it is something they have to resolve in order to go ahead with the deal.

In this case, there may be little you can do other than empathize and offer some suggestions.  In many cases, however, once you know what their concerns are, you can do something about them.

“Resolving their concerns” then, becomes a higher-order sales skill – one of the best practices that separate the superstars from their average colleagues.  Before you can help them “resolve their concerns” however, you must learn what they are, and it is here that many sales people stumble.

The world is full of sales people who are hesitant to hear the customer’s concerns, afraid they will take the form of the more commonly used term – objections – and put a potential conflict into the relationship.  Afraid to hear anything negative, they don’t encourage any sharing of this critical information.

The best sales people, however, have a different mindset toward this issue.  They understand that, almost inevitably, the customer has some concerns that have yet to be expressed.  It’s the natural progression of things.  And, before the sales person can impact those concerns, he/she has to become aware of them.  So, they look forward to the customer expressing those concerns.  More than that, they pro-actively probe for them, and encourage the customer to share them.  A concern expressed is a concern that the sales person may be able to help resolve.

This often takes the form of asking good, open-ended, non-threatening questions.  However, prior to asking the customer to voice his concerns, the sales person must have helped the customer develop a level of trust and comfort with the sales person such that it makes answering the question a natural, easy, comfortable thing to do.

And that means that the superstar sales people have created a deep level of rapport with the customer and have shown themselves to be competent, confident and concerned.

In other words, before you can become excellent at this best practice, you must learn to excel at the other basics of good salesmanship.  This is a higher-order sales skill.  The best sales people do it well.  That’s why they are the best.

To learn more about this skill, read my book, Question Your Way to Sales Success. If you are a subscriber to The Sales Resource Center, consider course C-2, The Kahle Way B2B Selling System.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

By Dave Kahle

One of the habits often practiced by highly successful people is the habit of regular goal setting. There is a reason for that. Goals compel you to work with discipline and concentration rather than going about your job mindlessly and routinely. Goal setting is a discipline that helps you focus.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t do your job without goals. You can, and many salespeople do. But the discipline of goal setting forces you to think about what you do. It moves you out of the realm of being reactive — doing what other people want you to do — to being proactive — doing what you want to do.

Ours is a world that is more and more full of stuff to do; interesting things, multiple tasks and unlimited opportunities. Over the course of your career, you are going to be presented with thousands of opportunities and literally millions of decisions. If you’re going to maintain your sanity and have any kind of life, you need to focus on the most important of that chorus of possibilities crying out for your attention. That’s what long-term goals help you to do.

Here’s how to go about creating long-term goals.

Goal Setting

1. Select an area in which to concentrate.

Since we are talking about long-term goals — say 10 or more years into the future — you should be working with fundamental aspects of your life.

I often suggest that people think first about these five areas of their lives:

Spiritual
Financial
Career
Relationships (social)
Physical

Pick one area, work on it, and then move on to another area until you have all five fundamental aspects of your life covered with long-term goals.

Daydream

2. Brainstorm (Daydream).

Next, daydream about what you’d like to achieve with respect to that part of your life or job. Kick back, relax, and begin to list on a piece of paper all the things you’d like to accomplish in the area on which you’re focusing. Create a list of your dreams. Don’t edit or judge what you’ve written, rather, just make a long list of your dreams. Keep the time frame in mind. We’re not talking about next month. These are long term, decades ahead, lifetime-ish sorts of dreams.
Nobody else can do this for you because no one really knows your situation and your aspirations better than you do.

Here’s an example. Let’s say that you are thinking about your career, and you’ve begun to daydream about what you’d like to accomplish in that area. You write these things down:

make a lot more money

become one of the top salespeople

advance into management

successfully go into business for myself

become a vice-president of sales somewhere

Prioritize

3. Prioritize.

If you’ve done a good job daydreaming, you probably have a long list of things you’d like to accomplish. Unfortunately, you can’t do everything. You just don’t have enough time and energy to do everything you’d like to do. And, some of your possibilities, your daydreams, may be mutually exclusive. So, you must prioritize and select those things that are most important to you.

There’s no formula for this, other than to think carefully about each of your daydreams, compare them to your situation, and select those that you feel are the most important to you. Remember to apply a dose of realism to this process.

In our example, let’s say that you’ve decided to focus on two career goals:
a. to make a lot more money

b. to move into management

To Do List

4. Specify.

This step requires you to turn your daydreams, which are often pretty vague at this point, into specific, achievable goals.
Let’s take the first of the two examples, “to make a lot more money.” What’s a lot more? After some reflection, you think along these lines: “I made $50,000 last year. But I think I’m potentially a lot better than that. Good salespeople make over six figures in today’s economy. I can be at that level.” Your goal then becomes much more specific when you say, “I will consistently earn an annual income in the range of the best salespeople in the country – at this point, that’s over $100,000 a year.”
Your earlier, vague goal of “making a lot more money” has now been turned into something very specific — “Consistently earning over $100,000 a year.”
This is a key step in the process because the specific detail of the goal is part of what gives it power. If your goals are vague and abstract, they have less power to shape and direct your behavior.
You should now have a piece of paper with your specific, prioritized goals written on it. When you’ve reached that point, you’re ready for the next step.

Focus

5. Refine.

Because the power of a goal is to direct your behavior, it’s very important that you write your goals exactly as you want them to be. You will direct a great deal of your time and effort toward achieving that goal. So, it behooves you to make sure the goal is right.
Once you have created written, specific goals, take a moment to apply some criteria to them. See if they measure up to the following questions. If so, good. If not, rewrite them to meet the criteria.

a.   Are they specific? Does each goal specify, in detail, exactly what you want to accomplish? Can you make it more specific than what it already is?
b.   Are they realistic? Deciding to be elected President of the United States may be a worthwhile goal, but it may not be realistic for you. This is where your daydreams meet reality. Your goals should be a stretch and require you to work hard to accomplish them, but they shouldn’t be so optimistic that you have no realistic chance of achieving them.
c.   Are they measurable? Can somebody else tell whether or not you have achieved your goal? Have you stated it in measurable terms? Back to the example. To make a lot more money may be realistic, but it’s not measurable. What’s “a lot more?” By turning that phrase into a measurable unit, “$100,000,” you have made your goal measurable.
d.   Do they have a specific time frame? Every goal should have a deadline for completion. That helps put power into it. A goal with no deadline has little motivational power. For each goal, specify the date by which the goal will be attained.
e.   Are they worthwhile? You can spend years of your life working to achieve goals that, upon reflection, were not worth it. Don’t let that happen to you. Rather, consider before you commit to it whether or not this goal is worthwhile. Is it a good thing? Will you be proud of accomplishing it after the fact? If so, good. You are now ready to commit to your goal.

At this point, you will have created a set of long-term goals for each of the five fundamental aspects of your life. Good work. You’ll find them to be a major force in helping you focus your life and your energies. Now, place them someplace where you can review them every few months and keep track of your progress.

If you are a subscriber to The Sales Resource Center, check out Pod-53, How to set goals for every area of your life, including sales goals.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

All Images available on Flickr under Creative Commons license

By Dave Kahle

Q. How do you know how far to push a sale without overstepping your bounds and threatening the sale and/or the relationship with the customer?

A.  First, let me share with you an idea that may be totally opposite of everything you have heard and believe about this question.  It is OK, every now and then, to overstep your bounds.  That helps you understand where the boundaries are. If you never push it to the limit, you’ll never know where the limit is.  Believe me, far more sales people are held back by their fear of overstepping the boundaries than are guilty of doing so.

Let me illustrate with an example from my selling career.  At one time I sold surgical staplers.  I would approach a surgeon in the surgeon’s lounge of an operating room suite, demonstrate the staplers, and then ask to accompany the surgeon into surgery where I’d talk him through the application of the instruments.  Getting into surgery was the absolute essential step to selling our stuff.

In one hospital, the chief of surgery decided that I was too aggressive in approaching his colleagues, and told the Operating Room Supervisor to keep me out. I was devastated.  When I commiserated with my boss, he said, “Don’t feel bad.  Now you know where the limits are.  If you never step beyond them, you’ll always wonder if you could have done more.”

It’s the same idea as losing some business because your price is too high.  If you never do that, you’ll never know if you could have gotten more.  You have to lose some in order to establish the boundaries.

So, it is OK, every now and then, to overstep your bounds.  But you don’t want to do it too often.

With that as a preface, let’s deal with your question.  How do you know if you’re pushing too much?

As a general rule, your customers will tell you.  Now, they may not say it in so many words, but they will communicate to you via their body language, with what they say and what they don’t say, that you are overstepping your bounds and going too far. You’ll see them become uncomfortable and show it.  You’ll see them be a little irritated, and show that.  You’ll see them become personally affronted, and show that.

They key thing for you to do is be sensitive to the communication you receive from your customer.  Consider the possibility that you may be pushing too much, and sensitize yourself to reading those messages from the customer.

Once again we come up against one of the foundational truths upon which effective, professional sales is built: It is far more important to be a good listener than it is to be a good talker.  The best sales people are great listeners and are especially sensitive to the customer.

Probably a better question to ask is this:  How can I prevent pushing too much?

And the simple answer to that question is “dialogue.”  Dialogue is, according to Webster’s, “an open and frank discussion, as in seeking mutual understanding or harmony.”

If you can regularly engage your customer in an “open and frank” discussion of where the customer is in the sales process, and how the customer views your solution, you’ll be equipped to make thoughtful and sensitive decisions about your next step.

One of the best simple techniques to use to keep an ongoing dialogue going is to simply ask for an agreement following every conversation you have with the customer.  That puts the issue on the table, gives you a continuous reading of where the customer is, and ends every conversation with a mutual agreement.  As long as the customer is agreeing to do something, you are not pushing too hard.

Hope this helps.

To help you develop this key sales skill, consider these learning units in The Sales Resource Center ™:  Pod-19: Characteristics of Super Star Sales People, Pod-36: Achieve Instant Rapport with Anyone, and Nugget N-22; Push Too Far.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Image by storem, on Flickr available under a Creative Commons license

Buyer’s remorse is the result of executives being part of one of two camps which I call Camp “A” and Camp “B”.

Mistake #1 – Camp  “A” Executives believe the following:

All CRM systems are alike.   So let’s simply select the least costly one.

What management is really saying here is that a CRM solution is just not that important to the business or they just don’t have time for a lengthy evaluation.   There may be no specific business challenge that they are trying to address, but the staff says they need a CRM solution so they are willing to approve one as long as it’s inexpensive and does not tie the company to a long term contract.  Companies that take this path traditionally have very low utilization rates and often discontinue their utilization of the system within a few months.

Executives that are in  Camp “A”  often  discover that they have  gotten exactly what they paid for; a solution with limited functionality, poor customer service and perhaps even uncertainty with regard to where their data is being hosted or how they can  get it in case of an emergency.

Mistake #2 – Camp “B” Executives believe the following:

All CRM systems are alike.  So let’s just pick the most popular one.

What management is saying here is that all CRM solutions are pretty much the same so let’s not waste too much time evaluating systems that we have no interest in. Let’s pick the two most popular ones, the ones with all the “BUZZ” and marketing hype.  I call this the me-too decision. Camp “B” executives make the common mistake of assuming that if everyone else is talking about a specific solution then it must be good and the best one for our business.

The fact is that all CRM solutions are not all alike, but you need to know where to look to uncover the differences.  Most people spend too much time evaluating features, functions and price which is fine, but there’s a lot more to know before selecting the right solution.

Let me offer two examples.  Today’s most popular CRM solutions are hosted or cloud based. Do you know the difference?  Well they are quite significant, yet most vendors utilize the terms interchangeably and get away with it because the consumer just doesn’t know the difference and doesn’t know what to ask.

What about a product’s architecture?  Do any of you remember the popular CRM system called Entellium?  This low cost offering was very popular a few years ago until customers discovered that the system was not designed for scalability.  Generating reports for example, took so long that the vendor instructed customers to only run them at night.  Entellium eventually closed their doors and many customers lost all their data – Ooops!

So what can you do to ensure you don’t get buyers remorse?  First, don’t be a Camp “A” or Camp “B” executive.  CRM software is not a toy.  You will need to invest the appropriate time to identify your business challenges then assess which products can functionally address those challenges. Once this is complete, you are ready to ask the tough questions and narrow down your final selection.  I have written a white paper which I believe will help you with this process and ensure that you don’t get “buyers remorse”.

The attached link will take you to my white paper:

Don’t Make a CRM Buying Mistake – 7 Points to Consider
http://www.commence.com/downloads/7pointstoconsiderLC2.pdf

About the Author: Larry Caretsky, is the president of Commence Corporation, a leading provider of web based CRM software for mid size companies and small enterprises.  Caretsky is the author of several white papers on the subject of CRM software.  They are accessible via the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Easy to use, feature rich solutions

Mid size companies and small enterprises looking for an easy to use feature rich CRM solution are turning their attention to Commence Corporation’s cloud based CRM software.  Commence is no stranger to the CRM sector and has been providing customer management and sales management software to growing businesses for more than two decades.

Better known for their desktop CRM solutions, Commence is an up and comer in the cloud CRM race and is becoming a welcome competitor against high priced competitors like Salesforce.com.

While price is a strong consideration when selecting a CRM system, it’s Commence CRM’s feature set which is attracting new customers.   Right out of the gate users experience a cosmetically appealing user interface that is clean, easy to navigate and easy to use. While most CRM solutions are identical with regard to managing accounts and contacts, Commence offers an array of unique features that quickly differentiate it from competitive products.  One of these features is an account rating system that enables customers to color code their customers based on a set of pre-defined criteria such as revenue, profitability, cost to provide service and growth potential. This provides management and all authorized staff the ability to quickly see who their best customers are by viewing a single screen.

Account Rating Screen

Another unique feature of Commence CRM is an automated organization chart that identifies each member of the organization, their title, e-mail, telephone and who they report to. Sales executives and support personnel have found this extremely useful in identifying who the appropriate person is within the client’s organization.

Built-in Organization Chart

Commence has also incorporated a Lead Scoring feature in the leads module.  Similar to the account scoring feature above, leads can be rated, scored and color coded based on how qualified they are.  This ensures that the sales team is laser focused on the most promising new opportunities vs. chasing tire kickers.

Lead Qualification and Scoring View

Commence CRM software offers a suite of fully integrated applications for account and contact management, sales lead management, marketing and customer support. In addition, the product has a project management application and an accounting interface. Email integration with MS Outlook, Gmail, and Entourage along with full mobile capability is also part of Commence CRM software.  Commence CRM may be deployed on PC’s or Mac in a cloud or on-premise environment.

To learn more about Commence CRM software visit the company’s web site at Commence.com or call Commence Sales at 1-877- 266-6362.

By Dave Kahle

All too often, sales people are directed by the urgencies of the moment:  A lead pops up, a customer calls with a problem, or some paperwork to which you need to attend.  They find themselves busily pursuing an agenda created by other people.  They are busy, but too often with the wrong things.

The best sales people, however, understand that sales happen as a result of methodically managing people through certain well-defined steps in a sales process.  They have refined that process to the specifics of their selling situation, reflecting the uniqueness of their customers and their offerings, while at the same time building it on the infrastructure of the fundamental sales process.  Here is an excerpt from my book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, which describes that sales process.

Step One:  Engage with the right people

“Engage” means to interact in some kind of communication.  It can be face-to-face, over the phone, via email, or via a website.  “Right people” means those people who have a need or interest in your product, and for whom the timing is right.

If you don’t engage with the right people, you spend all of your time in the wrong place.  Sort of like trying to plant carrot seeds on a cement sidewalk.  You can do everything else right, but it won’t matter.

Step Two:  Make them comfortable with you

If they are going to believe what you say, you have to be somewhat credible, and they have to feel at least a bit comfortable with you.  If they aren’t comfortable with you, they won’t spend much time with you, and the time  they do spend will be guarded and tentative.  They may be convinced to do business with you because of the fundamental attractiveness of your offer, but if they are not comfortable with you, it will be action taken against the grain.  They will be forever uncomfortable and eager to find a replacement.

On the other hand, if they are comfortable with you, they won’t mind spending time with you.  They’ll be much more open to sharing the information that is necessary for you to do a good job of crafting a solution.  They’ll believe what you have to say.  You’ll get the benefit of the doubt and they’ll be eager to share future opportunities with you.

Step Three:  Find out what they want

Selling is not manipulating people so that they take something they don’t want.  It is, instead, finding out what they already want, and appealing to that interest.  The best sales people excel at this step in the process.

I believe this step is the heart of selling – the essence of what sales is all about.  I know that flies in the face of the routine practices of multitudes of sales people, who believe that the end-all of their focus is to push their product.

You can proclaim the merits of your product to willing and unwilling listeners and web page visitors far and wide, attempting to sway them with the powerful features and advantages which your product offers over the competition.  Or, you can focus on the customer, finding out what motivates him, what issues are important to him, what problems he has, what objectives he is trying to solve, what he looks for in a vendor, etc.  That’s a better way.

Everything that comes before is designed to get to this understanding.  And everything that you do after is based on this step.  It is the fulcrum upon which the entire sales process pivots.

Step Four:  Show them how what you have gives them what they want

Proclaiming your product’s features is the preferred routine of the mediocre sales person.  Personally and individually crafting your presentation to show the customer how what you have gives him what he wants is the mindset that, in part, defines the master sales people.

If what you have doesn’t help them get what they want, you either have the wrong thing, or you are talking to the wrong person.

Step Five:  Gain an agreement on the next step

Closing the sale is by far the most over-hyped phase of selling.  If you have the right person, and you have uncovered something they want, and you have shown them how what you have gives them what they want, why wouldn’t they take the next positive step?  It’s natural.  You just need to help them define what that is, and commit to it.

In more complex sales, there can be a series of appropriate next steps.  They may need to test it, to evaluate it, to submit it to a committee, etc.

Every sales interaction has an assumed next step.  If you call someone for an appointment, the next step is the appointment.  If you present your solution to a decision-maker, the next step is the order.  In between, there are thousands of potentially different sales calls, and thousands of potential action steps that follow the sales call.

The agreement is the ultimate rationale for the sales call and the aspect that makes it a “sales” call.  A sales call is set apart from the rest of the interactions in this world by the fact that it anticipates an agreement.

Without an agreement, the process has been a waste of time.  It is the ultimate goal of every sales person, and of every sales process, and of every sales call.

Step Six:  Follow up and leverage the transaction to other opportunities

After they buy, you then make sure they were satisfied, and you assume that, because they are satisfied, they will want to do other business with you and will want to let their friends know about you as well.  Sounds simple, and it is.

This is the step of the sales process that is most commonly neglected.  Most sales people are so focused on making the sale they neglect to consider that their real purpose is to satisfy the customer.  And that extends beyond just the sale itself.

The sales follow up call on the customer, made after the sale is complete, delivered and implemented by the customer, is one of the most powerful sales calls available.  In it, the sales person seeks assurance that the customer is satisfied, and then leverages that affirmation to uncover additional opportunities within the customer and/or referrals to people in other organizations.

The best sales people build all of their actions on this module, effectively moving people from one step to the other.  That’s why they are the best.

To learn more about this best practice, consider my book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime. If you are subscriber to The Sales Resource Center, consider course C-2, The Kahle Way® B2B Selling System.

]]> http://www.commence.com/blog/index.php/2011/08/10/best-practice-47-understands-and-is-guided-by-an-effective-sales-process/feed/ 0 http://www.commence.com/blog/index.php/2011/08/09/customers-applaud-commence-crm-full-featured-dashboard/ http://www.commence.com/blog/index.php/2011/08/09/customers-applaud-commence-crm-full-featured-dashboard/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 20:12:50 +0000 Commence http://www.commence.com/blog/?p=1263

The highly competitive nature of the CRM software sector has software providers searching for ways to differentiate their product from the myriad of options available. While many focus their attention on adding wiz-bang features that often provide little value, one CRM software provider has focused their attention on the product’s usability and access to customer data.  That CRM software provider is Commence Corporation.

Commence is a feature rich CRM solution that is attracting customers away from industry giants Microsoft CRM and Salesforce.com.  While Commence offers several unique features over the competition, what customers find most alluring about Commence CRM is how easy the product is to use.  Commence has paid close attention to the routine functions that individuals in sales, marketing and customer service perform each day and has incorporated this functionality directly into the product’s dashboard or home page.  With Commence CRM, sales and customer service people can conduct the majority of their daily business without ever leaving the dashboard.  This not only reduces the learning curve, but provides customers with an immediate return on their investment.

Commence customers and resellers have commented about  the clean and efficient deign of the dashboard which is cosmetically appealing and so easy to use that employees immediately become comfortable with the product’s navigation and access to customer information.  “Commence CRM is well designed, has an excellent sales workflow process and enables the user to perform numerous tasks with a single click.” says Nigel Park, managing director of TPS Consulting, an IT consulting firm and reseller of Commence CRM.  “Customers who test the product prefer it every time over the competition.”

Commence CRM Dashboard

With Commence CRM the user can read and compose email right within the CRM system, add activities, create a new lead or a new account, add a sales opportunity, a service ticket or a project task right from the product’s dashboard.  You can even access both standard text and graphical reports from the reports tab on the left hand tool bar.  No other CRM system offers this level of access to customer and sales data as easily as Commence CRM.

Outlined below is a comparison of the dashboards of Salesforce.com and Microsoft Dynamics CRM.  You can see for yourself why customers prefer Commence CRM.

Salesforce Dashboard

Microsoft CRM Dashboard

To learn more about Commence CRM and the features that are making Commence one of the most talked about CRM solutions, visit the company’s web site at commence.com or call Commence Sales at 1-877- 266-6362.

For the past two decades Commence has been quietly providing high quality customer management software and services to customers around the world and boasts one of the highest customer satisfaction rates in the industry.  Commence’s origin comes from a team of Bell Laboratory engineers who founded the company and engineered one of the most flexible and reliable desktop CRM solutions in the world.  Better known for its engineering savvy vs. sales and marketing, Commence’s desktop solution was sold under a private label agreement with several enterprise giants like IBM, AT&T and Compaq computer.  These relationships enabled Commence to better understand customer requirements and design software solutions that were easy to implement and easy to use.

Today, the company’s CRM offering has evolved into a robust suite of applications for sales, marketing, project management and customer service and is one of the few CRM systems that may be deployed on premise or hosted via the cloud.  Under the direction of industry veteran Larry Caretsky, the company is expanding its sales and marketing organization throughout North America and Europe and is enjoying a great deal of success against the competition.

“Commence is simply easier to use, less expensive and offers the flexibility you don’t find with enterprise level solutions.”

Larry Caretsky
CEO, Commence Corporation

“This industry is full of hype” says Caretsky, “bolstered by the deep pockets of companies like Microsoft and Salesforce.com who continue to market the ‘one size fits all’ approach to CRM. This simply is not the case. If you are an enterprise organization that requires several thousand users and 10 different languages then these products make sense.  If you’re a traditional mid-size company or small enterprise however, Commence is simply easier to use, less expensive and offers the flexibility you don’t find with enterprise level solutions.”

Commence CRM offers several unique features that businesses have found extremely valuable. First, there is the account scoring capability that enables companies to color-code their customers based on the value they provide to their business such as, the revenue generated, profitability, cost to provide services and future growth potential as examples.  This scoring feature is also incorporated in the lead management module which helps the sales team qualify each new lead based on pre-defined criteria. Integration to Microsoft Outlook, Gmail and accounting systems like QuickBooks as well as full mobile integration is all part of Commence CRM.  In addition to these unique features Commence also offers a world class cloud CRM service via a strategic relationship with Rackspace, one of the top application service providers in the industry.  Added together, it’s no wonder that Commence is a top rated CRM solution for growing businesses.

To learn more about Commence CRM visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com or call Commence sales at 1-877- 266-6362.

By Dave Kahle

No one looks forward to an encounter with an angry or difficult customer.  Most of us can’t help but feel emotionally impacted by an upset customer.  An ugly incident can ruin our entire day.

Not only that, but there is usually some damage that can be done to the company by the angry customer.  Our job security is not enhanced when the company loses business.  Put those two things together, and you can see that dealing effectively with an angry customer becomes a challenge that we must overcome.

Here are some tips to make your next confrontation easier for you, better for your company, and much more satisfying to the customer.

1.    Don’t take it personally.

Unless you were personally involved in the incident that caused the customer’s anger, the customer probably isn’t angry with you.  He’s angry with your company, and he’s angry with the consequences that impact him.  There is no reason that you should take it personally.  You are just the current expression of your company, the most convenient representative.

When you take the customer’s anger personally, it’s so much easier to become defensive and argumentative.  And when that happens, the net effect is to turn a bad situation into something even worse.  When you are tempted to react in kind, emotionally, just tell yourself that this is not about you.

2.   Listen.

That is often enough to turn a customer’s attitude around. It is amazing how powerful an empathetic, active listener can be.  When you sincerely and actively listen, that calms the customer down, it shows him that you are interested, it gives some credence to his/her position, and, it gives you some information and time to think. A magic elixir!

3.   Empathize.

If you were the customer, and this thing had happened to you, how would you feel?  Wouldn’t you also be upset?

Empathizing doesn’t take much effort on your part, and it has a powerful impact on a tense situation.  When you empathize with the customer by letting him know that you understand how he feels, you release much of the tension out of the situation.  Picture a balloon that you have blown up almost to the point of bursting.  There is tremendous tension inside the balloon pushing outward.  But when you open the bottom, and let some of that pressure out, the balloon relaxes.  Same thing when you empathize with the customer.  Picture yourself letting air out of the bottom of that balloon.

4.   Apologize.

This sometimes seems like too little, too late.  Regardless, it’s the minimum acceptable response.  If your customer has been wronged, or thinks that he or she has been wronged, apologizing for your company is the least you can do.  If you are afraid of admitting responsibility, then let the customer know that you are sorry this thing happened to him.  That’s generally enough to not accept any responsibility, and still convey a message of concern.

5.   Don’t blame.

No one cares who is at fault.  No one really cares that so-and-so in inventory control didn’t order enough inventory, or that the picking clerk incorrectly picked the order, or any one of a thousand other possible mistakes that other people may have made.  Blaming someone emphasizes that you are more concerned with yourself than you are with making things right with the customer.  It emphasizes the past (what happened), instead of the future (what you can do to fix this.)

Blame is the first response of a small person.  Don’t show yourself to be in that league by immediately jumping to blame someone.

6.   Ask.

Always ask something of the customer.  By asking, you show your interest in the customer, indicate that you really do want to understand, and give the customer an opportunity to describe their situation.  Ask about the details, ask about the situation, ask what the customer would like to see as a solution.  Don’t worry about asking the wrong thing.  Almost any question in that situation is going to have a positive impact on the customer.  No matter what, ask.

7.   Promise accurately.

The worst thing you can do is make some grandiose or unfounded promise to fix the customer’s problem, and then not follow through on it.  Or make a promise on behalf of your company, and then discover that your company is not able to meet the terms of your promise.

By doing that, you’ve fed the customer’s frustration and added fuel to an already hotly burning fire.  It is far better to not promise anything than it is to jump to a hasty and unfounded promise.

8.   Deliver more.

Here’s an opportunity to turn the customer around.  Deliver more than what you promise.  If you say you’ll have a replacement to him on Friday, try to get it there on Wednesday.  If you say you’ll replace that gallon of paint with a free gallon, throw in an extra brush. A little something above and beyond what you promise is a great way to say that you are sorry for the previous inconvenience, and leave the customer with a good feeling about the encounter with you and your company.

9.   If possible, follow up.

To this day, I remember a hotel calling back the day after I rented a small conference room to ask if everything had been acceptable.  That follow-up call was eighteen years ago, but I still remember the powerful, positive impact it made on me.  Someone cared enough to call after the fact and determine that I had been satisfied.  What a concept!

Your follow up call can have the same effect.

A difficult and angry customer is one of the most intense challenges you’ll face.  Implement these nine tips and watch yourself grow in confidence as you expertly handle these hot situations.

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If you’d like some additional help with this thorny issue, check out a variety of resources at http://www.davekahle.com/difficult_customers.html.  If you are a subscriber to The Sales Resource Center, check out Cluster CL-12: Abusive Customers, Cluster CL-17: Dealing with Difficult Customers, and Pod-15:  How to Skillfully Handle Difficult Customers.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Image Credit: by Molumen source openclipart license Public Domain. Free images from acobox.com

By Dave Kahle

Q. I’m one of those salespeople who hasn’t spent $20.00 this year on a book or seminar to improve myself.  I just don’t want to go to the trouble.  I believe that I can learn sufficiently on the job, and I’m tired of going to school.  Should I feel bad?

A.  Now that’s an honest question.  Should you feel bad?  My knee jerk reaction is to say, “of course.”

But, on further reflection, it depends on your approach to your job, and on your aspirations for yourself. First, a definition –  “mastery.”  You achieve “mastery” of any profession when you are in the top 5% of performers in that profession.  Pursuit of mastery is the continuous striving to achieve and then to remain in the top 5% of your profession.

I believe that every serious professional salesperson ought to strive for mastery.  If that applies to you, then you want to become as good as you can become. If you want the greater sense of fulfillment, the greater degree of respect, and the increase in economic status that mastery brings, then, yes, you should feel bad because you are not acting consistently with your aspiration.

I am highly suspect of the idea that you can learn all you need to know “on the job,” particularly in the profession of sales.  The world is full of experienced salespeople who don’t sell well, but think they do.  Somehow, they have not learned “on the job.”

There are a number of reasons for this.  Here is just one: Sales is an isolated job, with no clear standards of performance readily available to the sales person.  Let’s take one of my pet issues:  asking better questions.  Left to your own, how do you know that you did well in asking questions?  You could go merrily on your way, thinking you did an adequate job, when in fact you totally blew it.  How do you know?

That’s the issue.  Unless you get out into the greater community of sales people, and expose yourself to the best practices of your profession, you’ll never know.  Having no idea of what “best” looks like, you have no standard to which to compare yourself.  So, you naturally default to the behavior that is comfortable.

I hate to sound so harsh, but total reliance on “on the job” is most often an excuse that allows mediocrity and lack of accountability.

As a side note, this is why we have created behavioral assessments in The Sale Resource Center, so B2B and distributor sales people can compare themselves to the “best practices,” and create a development plan. We’re not talking about going to school here.  We’re talking about delivering sales development instruction over the internet.

So, from one perspective, I have to say, yes, you should feel bad. You have some wrong ideas.

But it is not an ideal world.  And, realistically, only about 20% of salespeople have such aspirations.  Most are content with the status quo.  Most just want to do their job, go home at the end of the day, and be done with it.  If that’s you, then I guess you are living a life consistent with your values, and that’s OK.

The difference is what you want for yourself and your family.  If you are perfectly content with your situation and your results, if you do not want anything that can be achieved by higher performance, if you don’t want to become something better than you are, then you are perfectly content, and contentment is the enemy of growth.  If you want to be or achieve something that you are not now, that discontentment should lead you to the realization that you must change if you are going to achieve something more. And that realization should stimulate you to invest more heavily in your own development.

I guess, if you are satisfied and content, and want nothing more, that’s OK.  I just don’t want you selling for me.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Image Credit: By Youth Hostel (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Dave Kahle

“You should have an objective for every sales call.” That’s a bit of sage wisdom that we have all heard, probably multiple times, throughout our sales careers. Unfortunately, I disagree.

I believe you should have four objectives for every sales call. Every sales call is an opportunity to accomplish these four things:

1. To connect with the customer more deeply and more intensely than ever before.

2. To learn about the customer in more depth and detail than previously.

3. To present something to the customer that he/she will likely think of value.

4. To gain some agreement on what happens next.

These four goals really reflect the four fundamental competencies of the best sales people. They are exceptional at connecting with the customer, learning about the customer, presenting to the customer and agreeing with the customer.

As a result, they accomplish far more in a sales call than their less disciplined colleagues. Each more effective sales call ads to the total, and they become super stars as a result of excellent execution of each sales call, one after the other.

Every sales call is an opportunity to practice your craft, to improve upon your skills in these foundational areas. As you focus on achieving the four goals of every sales call, you naturally become more and more adept at them, until you achieve excellence. Excellence expresses itself in great sales calls.

I have two rules for planning a sales call: 1) You must plan to do all four things, and 2) You must plan to do each as well as you can, given the constraints of time and the situation.

Visualize a sales call as being organized like a dart target. Imagine the dart sphere being divided into four quarters – each representing one of the four fundamental goals of a sales call. Then, imagine the rings – large on the periphery of the target, but increasingly smaller until they end in a tiny bull’s eye in the middle.

You understand that you have four darts to throw, and each dart that sticks closer to the bull’s eye scores more than those on the outskirts of the target.

So it is with a sales call. You have four goals, and you can achieve each with various degrees of proficiency – i.e. closer to the bull’s eye. For example, you can connect with the customer when you both acknowledge how miserable the weather is outside. On the dart target, that’s the very outer ring of the target, where it doesn’t count very much, if anything. On the other hand, you can share some deep common bond that you discover. That’s a dart that sticks much closer to the bull’s eye.

You see then, that each sales call is an opportunity to accomplish four objectives, and to accomplish each as deeply as possible.

The best understand the power of a sales call, and plan to wring the greatest value they can out of every sales call. This is a way to do it.

To learn more about this best practice, consider my one-hour training seminar: Best Of Dave #1: Target Sales Calls. If you are subscriber to The Sales Resource Center, consider course C-2, The Kahle Way® B2B Selling System, or Pod #1: Target Laser Sharp Sales Calls..

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

By Dave Kahle

The sales presentation is the ultimate purpose of every sales process, of every sales call, and of every sales system.  The job of the sales person revolves around the point in time when he offers the customer something to buy.

The sales presentation can take a variety of forms.  If you demonstrate a product, for example, that is a sales presentation.  If you use a hard-copy brochure or a CD Rom presentation on your laptop, that is a sales presentation.  If you deliver and detail a sample, that is a sales presentation. If you respond to the customer’s request, and provide a price, deliver a proposal, or submit a bid, each of these are sales presentations.

Without the sales presentation, there can be no sale.  It is, then, the foundational step in the sales process.  Everything that happens before is in preparation for the presentation, and everything that happens afterward is a result of the presentation.

You would think, then, that every sales person is extremely well-trained in the science of making an effective sales presentation.

Alas, that is not the case.  Left to learn on their own, many sales people make the same mistakes over and over again.  Here are the three most commonly made sales presentation mistakes.

1.  Lack of preparation.

In my very first sales position, I had to endure six weeks of  sales training.  In those six weeks, the entire training class had to memorize two four-page sales presentations, and give them to the training class.  We were videoed and critiqued, over and over, for the six weeks.  At the end of that time we were thoroughly prepared to give that sales presentation.

Now that may have been a bit of an overkill, but the point remains:  Preparation is the first step towards an effective sales presentation.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that you memorize the presentation.  But it does mean that you organize it, that you secure and check your collateral (the sample, brochures, price quotes, etc. that form the basis of what you are selling), and that you practice the presentation several times until you are comfortable with it and confident in your ability to deliver it.

Unfortunately, preparation is a discipline that seems to be fading from the routines of many sales people.  The world is full of sales people who either have little respect for their customer’s time, no particular interest in doing their jobs well, or an over-inflated view of their own ad-libbing abilities.  Any of these produces the sense that they don’t need to prepare, that on the spur of the moment, they will come up with the most persuasive things to say, in the most effective manner.

That’s too bad.  Preparation is the first step toward a better sales presentation, and lack of preparation is endemic in the world of sales.

2.  Information purging.

This occurs when a sales person thinks his/her job is to relate everything he/she knows about the product, service or proposal.

I was deeply into a training program wherein we work with six sales people every day for a week.  Sales people role-played various situations, we videoed them, critiqued them, and had them role play again, only better.

We were methodically working through the sales process, and it was time to make the sales presentation.  The class was taught to organize the presentation on the basis of what they learned about the customer in the previous “find out what they want” role play.

One particular sales person never got that message.  He thought a sales presentation was like an oral exam in school.  It was his opportunity to spill everything he knew about the product.  What should have been a 20 minute presentation dragged on and on for 45 minutes.  Even though it was a role play in front of the class, even though it was being video recorded, the person playing the customer began to fall asleep.  The hapless sales person continued on, purging himself of every bit and morsel of related information.  I had to finally step in and put an end to the tedium.

While that may have been a dramatic example of this mistake, it occurs in smaller ways thousands of times a day.  It occurs when sales people feel the need to tell the customer everything they know about the product or service they are presenting, whether the customer cares or is interested in that feature or not.

The problem is greater than just “too much information.” Sales people who do this disrespect the customer, as they don’t take the customer’s interests and requirements into account in the presentation.

As a result, customers are turned off and tuned out, and sales people leave shaking their heads, unable to fathom why the customer didn’t buy all the incredible features of his sales presentation.

3.  Failure to include the customer in the presentation.

This occurs when the sales person thinks that the presentation is all about his product, service or proposal.  The truth is that effective sales presentations are always about two things: the offer, and how it can impact the customer.

When sales people simply talk about their offer, and ignore the second half of the equation, they make one of the most common mistakes.

Customers are far more interested in how the thing being presented impacts them, than they are in the details of the offer.

The sales person may be impressed with all the neat details and features, but that reflects his/her values, not necessarily those of the customer.

The best sales presentations describe the salient features of the offer, and then relate them to how they impact the customer.  Remember “features and benefits”?

This third most common mistake occurs when sales people emphasize the features, and forget the benefits.

If you are guilty of any of these mistakes, or, as a manager, if your sales force is guilty of them, their sales presentations are not as effective as they could be.  You are leaving money on the table.  Fix these mistakes, and watch your sales rise.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Cloud computing is all about providing shared configurable computer resources such as servers, applications, storage and other computer related services. Similar to application software hosting, cloud computing is a service, but with several very important differences. Cloud computing enables a customer to scale their computing requirements upward and downward often without vendor intervention, share virtual resources in a multi-tenant environment, access data anytime and anywhere via a PC, tablet or mobile device and pay only for the computer processing and resources utilized. Unlike a hosting service tied to a specific server or servers, with cloud computing the access to computer resources can in effect be limitless.

Providing application software that performs properly in a cloud computing environment is not for the faint hearted. It starts with the selection of a world class cloud computing service, offered by several companies including RackSpace and Amazon.com as examples. This is coupled with CRM software that has been designed for a multi-tenant architecture and can perform well under high transaction volumes. Many CRM vendors have struggled with delivering reliable and scalable software solutions in a hosted environment and simply do not have the experience to migrate their solutions to the cloud. As a result many customers have experienced poor performance and downtime. The way to avoid this is to select an established proven CRM software provider that has the experience and track record for delivering their customer management software in the cloud.

Companies like Commence Corporation have been delivering software as a service or (SaaS) based solutions for several years. Commence began as a hosting service and has evolved into a true cloud based computing offering that offers the scalability, resource pooling, reliability and performance you would expect from a top rated CRM software provider.

For more information about Commence CRM and the Commence cloud services, call one of our experts at 1-877-266-6362 or visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Image Credit: by Bpgriner at en.wikipedia source Wikimedia Creative Commons

Ranking and segmenting customers according to their value to your business can play an important role in defining future service level agreements and marketing activity. You may for example choose to modify your service contracts for customers that consistently require a high level of customer care thereby increasing profitability.  In addition, by segmenting those customers with the highest potential for up-selling or cross selling, you can create specific marketing programs targeted at this customer segment. The color coding feature enables management and each end user to quickly identify the top rated or most profitable customers allowing you to pay special attention to them and provide the type of service that ensures customer retention.

Automated Customer Ranking Process

Account Summary View

Commence Corporation continues to be an innovator in the field of customer management software providing advanced functionality not offered by industry competitors, Microsoft and Salesforce.com.   The company has been providing CRM business solutions to mid-size and small enterprises for more than two decades.  For more information about Commence’s  CRM software solutions, call 1-877-266-6362 or visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

By Dave Kahle

Q. I struggle with knowing how much information I should leave when I’m making a cold call, or just beginning to warm someone up to one of my products. Are there any guidelines for this?

A.  Great question.  This is one of the more sophisticated issues that many sales people face.  I do have some thoughts.

The principle by which you should be guided is this: The amount of information you leave depends on where you are at in the sales process and your goals for the particular sales call in question.

For example, if it is the first call on a prospect, your goal is to get a second visit. It is not to sell the prospect anything, but merely to begin the process of developing a business relationship.  That means that you must get a second visit.  Otherwise you will have wasted your time on a dead end.

So, in that situation, you provide just enough information to prompt the prospect to grant you another visit. For example, you may be discussing a potential opportunity.  You have the solution in a brochure in your briefcase.  But, cognizant of the need to create an additional visit, you don’t immediately offer the solution.  Instead you say something like this:  “I have a solution that I’m sure will work for you.  Can we get together next week to let me show it to you?”

In this case, while you had the information, you chose to pursue the goal of an additional visit, rather than provide it now and risk that the customer would not want to see you again.

In a different place in the sales process, you may want to provide that information.  For example, if you have already dug into the customer’s situation and uncovered the details of his problem, and it is now time for you to present your solution, you would be well served to present the brochure and discuss the features and benefits of your solution.

You see that the different spot in the sales process, and the different objective for the call lead to a different decision.

There are no hard and fast rules for how much information to leave at each visit, but, if you will think carefully about where you are in the sales process with each visit, and what your specific objectives of this visit are, those two thoughts will lead you to a decision.

In other words, the answer to your question lies in the process you use to think about it.

One additional thought.  In today’s economic environment, we are all overwhelmed with too much information. As a general rule, sales people are guilty of adding to that mass.  Many sales people think that the more information they regurgitate to the customer, the more the customer is impressed with the sales person, and the more likely they are to buy.  Alas, that is just not true.  More sales are lost because the customer is confused and overwhelmed with information, than are lost because he doesn’t have enough.

In fact, I have observed a direct relationship between the depth of the relationship the customer has with you and the amount of information he requires.  In other words, the greater the relationship the customer has with you, the less information he requires to make the decision to buy.

I have often thought that the ideal presentation offers no information, and goes like this:  “We can do that.  Shall we go ahead?”

Think about it.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Image Credit: by Ee source openclipart license Public Domain Free images from acobox.com

The new automated business process allows you to rank and color code customers based on criteria such as company size, annual revenue, cost to deliver services, profitability, future growth potential, service level requirements and more.  The pre-defined criteria are completely customizable by the customer, providing them with the ultimate flexibility in determining how to rank their customers.  This customer ranking feature is a unique business process that is not available from competitive CRM software offerings.

By Dave Kahle

A study of the behavioral characteristics of the best sales people was published a few years ago.  One of the not-so-surprising conclusions was this:  The best sales people “listen more constructively” than their more average counterparts.

What does it mean to “listen constructively?”  My wife is a crises counselor, and she talks about listening “empathetically.”  That means that she listens to understand and relate to how people are feeling.  But the study didn’t say great sales people listen “empathetically,” it said they listen “constructively.”

There is a clue to its meaning in the word itself.  Think “constructively = construction = building.”  Listening constructively means to listen for things upon which to build.

Great sale people ask great questions, and then listen more constructively.  They focus intently on what the customer is saying, filter it through the perspective of things “upon which to build.”  So, they build their next question on the braces and beams of the customer’s answer.  As they dig deeper and listen intently, they gather a better picture of the customer’s issues, needs, situation, motivation and concerns.  They form a clearer mental “blue print” of the selling situation, and are able, therefore, to provide a more accurate and appealing solution.

This, of course, flies in the face of a piece of conventional wisdom that proclaims that good sales people are good talkers.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Good sales people are good listeners, not good talkers.

A study published by RainToday.com, found that 74% of 200 purchasers surveyed at companies nationwide said they would be “much more likely” to buy from a sales person if the seller would simply listen to the prospect.

Imagine that.  Almost three quarters of customers would be more likely to buy if the sales person would just listen!

Listening well — listening constructively — is not a natural skill.  It takes intentionality and dedication to work consistently at it and to become, over time, one of the best listeners.   As in every aspect of sales success, the best decide to become the best, and put in the time and effort it takes to gradually develop the skills that take them to the top.

There are few things more important than listening well.  The best do it better than the average.  That’s why they are the best.

To learn more about this skill, consider my training video, “Improving Your Listening Proficiency.”, or read Chapter 16 of my book, Question Your Way to Sales Success.

If you are a subscriber to The Sales Resource Center, consider taking course C-2: The Kahle Way® B2B Selling System.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Proto Credit: source openclipart license Public Domain Free photos from acobox.com

By Dave Kahle

            Here’s a situation.  You have created a list of 20 highly qualified prospects.  You’ve researched them, and you know that these 20 people hold your prosperity in their hands.  But they don’t know you, have never spoken to you, and aren’t inclined to drop everything and see you. 

            How do you get to see them?

            You can do what everyone else does.  Send them an email.  Maybe leave a voice mail message.  Then be really frustrated that no one calls back.  Or, you can do something a bit different, and much more creative.

            For those highly qualified prospects, think of using a “pre-call touch.”  A pre-call touch is something you deliver to the prospect that says something about you, catches his attention, and makes it more likely that he/she will see you when you call.

            Here are two examples of “pre-call touches” from my most recent book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

            One of my clients was an advertising agency.  They had identified 100 “right people” – the key people in their market and location who held the future of the advertising agency in their hands.  They had accomplished the first step – identifying the right people – with excellence.

            Now, the problem was to move those highly qualified prospects to interact with the agency.  The experienced team knew that those key people with whom they needed to interact were busy and difficult people to see.  They just wouldn’t respond to the normal channels.  So, they came up with this very creative way of engaging with their prospects.

            They sent each of the 100 prospects a box, about the size of a watch box.  It was wrapped in brown paper and contained no return address.  The name and address of the prospect was hand-written in a female hand.  Inside the box was a sugar cube and a small piece of paper, like the size of a fortune cookie message, with the words, “Keep it sweet.”

            That was it.  Nothing else.

            One week later, those same prospects were sent another box, wrapped and addressed in exactly the same fashion.  This time, it contained a lemon with the message, “Don’t let it go sour.”

            Again, nothing else in the box. 

            On the third week, yet another box, wrapped and packaged identically.  This time, the box contained tinsel foil, like that which you use to decorate a Christmas tree.  The message?  “Make it sparkle.”

            Once again, nothing else.

            Week four and yet one more box arrived, identical to the others.  This time there was only one thing inside – a business card from the advertising agency sales person, with a self-stick note stuck to it.  On the note was the hand-written message, “I’ll call you tomorrow for an appointment.”

            Of the 100 people who received that series of deliveries, every single one of them took the call and made the appointment.  The advertising agency, when faced with the difficult task of engaging the prospect, had developed an effective and creative solution.  They gained their prospect’s attention, they captured their interest, and they prompted them to take action – they took the phone call and made the appointment.  In other words, they engaged the right people!

            Here’s another example.  This time, I was on the receiving end of a well done “pre-call touch.”  I was busily typing away on my computer when the FedEx guy walked into my office, put a box down on my desk, and said, “sign here.”  I did.

            You know what you do when you get a personally addressed FedEx delivery  — stop everything and open the box.  That’s what I did.  Inside was a  package of microwave popcorn.  Underneath that was a plastic bottle of Diet Pepsi.  Underneath that was a linen envelope with my name hand written in a female’s script.  I opened the envelope.  Inside was an invitation, personally written in the same script.  It said, “Dave, We have researched your company, and concluded that yours is the kind of company who gains the most from our service.  I’d like to invite you to take 30 minutes and watch a webinar as I introduce what we can do for you.  Enjoy the popcorn and soda, and let me do all the work.  I’ll call you this afternoon to confirm.”

            I thought to myself, “Not bad.  This probably cost them $30.00 to $40.00.  They wouldn’t have invested that money and time in someone who was not a good prospect.  I probably am right for them.  I’ll take the call.”

This sales person could have sent me an email, and I would have deleted it unopened.  She could have left me a voice mail message, and I would not have returned it.  Instead, she chose to deliver something to me that got my attention and made it much more likely that I would accept her phone call.

Clearly, a “pre-call touch” isn’t for every situation, nor every prospect.  For those high potential, qualified prospects, however, it can be the event that opens the door.

I don’t know what you can use as a “pre-call touch.”  A little creative brainstorming on your part could develop just the right delivery.  Don’t give in to the temptation to send a company brochure (yawn), or just a letter.  Break out of the box and think about what you could deliver that would catch the prospect’s attention, say something about you, and make him more likely to take your call.

It can make all the difference. 

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Photo Credit: by snowmanradio at en.wikipedia source Wikimedia license GFDL Free images from acobox.com

By Dave Kahle
Do great B2B sales people, regardless of what they sell, have any practices in common?  In other words, do the best sales people all sell the same way?

A number of years ago, a professional association attempted to answer that question.  They studied superstar sales people from a wide variety of industries and concluded: Yes!

In fact, the best sales people excel at the same things.  Here are the top five practices of the very best sales people:

1.  They see the situation from the customer’s point of view.

2.  They ask better questions.

3.  They listen more constructively.

4.  They are obsessed with time management.

5.  They do bigger deals.

Let’s look at the relationship among these items to see if there are any lessons for us.

“They do bigger deals.”  That is both the result of their work (that is, after all, why they are the best sales people) as well as their focus from the beginning.  They start with an understanding that it is their job to bring revenue into the company, and that the more revenue they bring in, the more valuable they are to their companies and the more successful they become.  And this realization leads them to what becomes an obsession.

“They are obsessed with time management.”  That means that they intentionally and methodically strive to make the best use of their sales time by focusing the bulk of their efforts on the highest-potential opportunities and customers.  You won’t find them running an errand for a “C” customer just to be a nice guy.

In my book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, I make the point that this practice – investing in the highest potential prospects and customers – trumps all other sales practices.  If you are a great presenter, for example, and wonderful at closing the sale, your skills will be squandered if they are not exercised with the right people.

And what do the best sales people do with the time they invest in the highest-potential customers?  “Ask better questions,” and “listen more constructively.”  Amazing.  These two fundamental communication skills are, perhaps, the earliest communication skills we learn.  Yet, the best take these foundational skills and execute them better. And since they excel at these two fundamentals, they naturally gain a better understanding of the “customer’s point of view.”  Equipped with that competitive advantage, they formulate creative proposals that lead them back to where they started:  bigger deals.

This should be immensely encouraging to sales people.  Unlike the promotional messages from legions of sales trainers and authors, the reality is that there are no “secrets” in sales.  Success comes not from hidden strategies and mysterious tactics, but rather from the excellent execution of the essentials.

The best sales people execute the most fundamental skills with excellence.  And, since we can all do the things the best do, we can, if we choose, strive to do them better. And, if we strive to do them better, at some point we will arrive at the same place they are: a master sales person.

In other words, there is a path to sales mastery, and we can all follow it, if we choose.

It begins with our mind-set.  We need to see ourselves as professional sales people, whose job it is to bring revenue into the company.  That sounds so simple and so basic, yet legions of sales people are loath to consider themselves sales people.  They are account executives, sales facilitators, mobile customer service representatives, etc.  Some consider themselves to be exclusively the advocates for the customer and hand out discounts and concessions to anyone and everyone.

Since they don’t see themselves as professional sales people, they don’t invest in improving their sales skills.  They don’t understand that their behavior creates a reciprocal reaction on the part of the customer. The sales person’s actions create reactions on the part of the customer. If they want more profitable actions from the customer, they need to improve their actions.

Once we have the mind-set of the professional sales person, we slowly begin to gravitate toward the opportunities and customers that hold the greatest potential.  We understand that we only have a small and limited quantity of sales time, and that we must invest it, with a cold-blooded business attitude, in those situations that will bring the greatest reward.  In short, effective time management becomes a daily obsession.

Now, since we are interacting more frequently with the highest potential customers and prospects, we focus on excelling at the most fundamental communication skill:  asking better questions and listening more constructively.  Armed with these two fundamental and powerful communication devices, we strive for continued improvement and constant development.

With this as a path, sales mastery is an achievable goal for every committed sales person.

As the best have taught us, there is a path to sales mastery, and it comes through excellent execution of the essentials.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Image by insideview on Flickr, available under Creative Commons license.

Mid-size businesses and small enterprises looking for a CRM solution typically focus their energy on a few specific CRM software providers.  Two of the companies battling for a slice of this middle market are Commence CRM and Sugar CRM.  Both are considered high quality alternatives to the more expensive and complex Salesforce.com program, but there are several differences between the two.  This brief report highlights some of the differences that consumers may be interested in.

Functionality: Both Commence CRM and Sugar are comprehensive offerings that rival enterprise level solutions such as Oracle and SAP.  In addition to contact and account management, calendaring and activity management, both solutions support sales force automation, lead management, marketing campaign management, customer support, e-mail integration, document management, mobile integration, reporting and analytics.  Integration with third party accounting solutions is also offered by both providers. Both products offer robust functionality and it is unlikely you will require features that are not offered by either CRM vendor.  Commence also offers an integrated project management solution which is attractive for companies that require this functionality.

Advantage:  Commence CRM if project management is required.

Customization: Both CRM solutions are customizable. Sugar CRM was originally released as a free open source CRM program, but is now sold under an annual subscription license.  The product is written using the PHP language which is not highly regarded as an enterprise level language and while the product can be highly customized it does require PHP knowledge for most customizations. Commence CRM is designed using Java, an industry standard for scalability and high speed performance.  Commence has incorporated a lot of flexibility within the user interface which enables the system administrator to tailor the applications without programming knowledge.  More sophisticated customization however would require Java expertise.

Advantage:  Commence CRM due to industry standard Java programming language.

Deployment: Both Commence CRM and Sugar CRM are online web based CRM solutions that may be deployed on premise or via a cloud computing environment.  Both offer a tremendous advantage over Salesforce.com who does not offer on-premise deployment.

Advantage:  Sugar CRM. Commence limits on-premise deployment to larger organizations.

Hosting & Data Security: Commence CRM has a strategic partnership with Rackspace, the industry’s number one rated hosting facility which has datacenters in the United States, Europe and Asia.   Rackspace provides the highest level cloud computing environment in the industry.  Sugar CRM can be hosted by the client or any third party hosting provider.  This may be of concern to customers looking for continuity with regard to new product releases and high quality support services.

Advantage:  Commence CRM. Rackspace is a recognized cloud computing leader.

Customer Support: Sugar CRM offers several customer service plans. They are separately priced from the product’s annual service fees.  Commence bundles in telephone support into the annual service fee.  Support is provided directly from the company’s headquarters in the United States.

Advantage:  Commence CRM. Telephone support included in annual service fees.

Price: Both products are attractively priced as compared to rival Salesforce.com and offer good value.   Sugar offers two editions: Sugar professional at $360 annually per user and Sugar Enterprise for $600 per user per year.  Commence CRM offers a bit more flexibility with regard to the selection of functionality and price, and lets you build your own CRM system by selecting the functionality you require at a price that meets your budget. Prices start at $220 per user annually and go up to $780 annually per user.

Advantage:  Commence CRM, due to flexible applications selection and pricing.

Image Credit: Sugar cubes by Original uploader was Creet at en.wikipedia – originally by Uwe Hermann source Wikimedia license CC Free photos from acobox.com

In order to gain a competitive edge or simply compete against larger corporations, mid-size and smaller enterprises need to take advantage of the same technology the bigger guys are using.  Many are turning their attention to Customer Relationship Management software or CRM as a tool to automate and improve how they market, sell and provide service to their customers.  CRM software can help companies implement a set of structured internal processes that enable them to become a more efficient sales and service organization.  The most significant challenge facing smaller businesses, however, is the lack of resources and experience with the implementation of CRM software and managing the changes associated with automating their internal processes.  This is almost always underestimated by smaller businesses that seem to prefer the do-it-yourself methodology versus engaging the expertise of the CRM vendor.  These do-it-yourselfers often learn that engaging the assistance of the CRM software provider is paramount to the successful implementation, use, and ROI realized from the CRM software.

With CRM – It’s All About Service

I find the CRM software sector perplexing.  Due to its rapid growth it has become one of the most competitive industries, chock full of low cost solutions, cut throat competition and immature products that deliver very little value.  In fact, the whole concept of customer relationship management seems to have disappeared. Today, many of the CRM vendors don’t have the time to discuss your requirements or demonstrate how their solution would address your business requirements.  They prefer that you simply place your credit card over the Internet and download the software.  They will then bill you each month that you utilize their product and if you require assistance: send an e-mail and someone will respond in a few days.  Is this really customer relationship management?

One company that conducts business the old fashioned way is Commence Corporation, a provider of customer management software solutions for more than two decades.  Commence takes a completely different approach to selling their CRM software by first taking the time to understand the customers’ business, offering personal demonstrations and “try before you buy” programs that ensure the customer is comfortable with the CRM software and the value they will realize from it.  Commence also has a large staff of experienced personnel who assist each customer with the implementation, making recommendations along the way with regard to implementing an appropriate lead qualification process and a structured sales methodology.  The value of this service can be measured by the ROI Commence customers realize with Commence CRM and the number of years they remain customers.  My point is simple.  If you think you will impact the performance of your business with some low cost CRM solution that you purchase over the Internet you will be very disappointed.  Many CRM solutions may appear similar, but the winning formula is all about the level and quality of service provided by the CRM vendor.  This is what makes Commence a top rated CRM solution and differentiates it from the competition.

Commence CRM software is available on premise or as a cloud based CRM offering. To learn more about Commence CRM, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com and see for yourself why Commence is the best CRM solution for mid-size and small enterprises.

Image Credit: Diary by Sheikh tuhin source openclipart license Public Domain Free images from acobox.com

One Central Database of All Customer Information

First is data consolidation. This enables you to capture, track, manage and share vital customer information with the people and departments that require it to efficiently do their jobs.  Previously known as contact management, this functionality is traditionally found in even the most basic CRM systems and is fine for those companies simply looking to get away from managing their business using an Excel spreadsheet.  But what if you need more?

Drive More Business and Close More deals

The next core functionality requirement most businesses have is how to get the telephone to ring more. Most businesses need more leads and may not have a structured sales process in place to ensure that both new leads and the sales cycle are properly managed to closure.  While lower cost CRM systems offer some basic sales management and reporting, you need to consider a mid-market offering that offers the work flow processes for creating marketing campaigns that generate new leads, qualifying or scoring the leads and automating the entire sales process.

Improve Your Customer’s Buying Experience

Lastly, providing world class customer service may be the difference between earning new and recurring business and losing to your competition.  More robust CRM systems offer a customer support application that provides service representatives with access to a complete customer profile. This enables them to react immediately to customer inquiries or complaints. Higher end CRM systems may also include a customer portal that allows the customer to check the status of their order or service ticket or edit their profile right within the CRM system.  This new self-service component provides customers with a better buying experience and gives your business a leg up on the competition.

Choosing a CRM Vendor

So now that you are thinking about your specific business challenges it’s time to start short listing some CRM vendors.  Most CRM companies target a specific market based on the functionality they offer.  The most basic low cost contact management solutions tend to sell to small office or small home businesses, while mid-market CRM providers focus on companies that have greater business requirements.  Enterprise CRM solutions offer scalable platforms that can support hundreds and even thousands of employees and as such tend to focus on this market segment.  So the question you need to ask is where do you fit?

Next, I would take a look at the CRM vendor’s track record. How long have they been in business? How many customers do they have that are similar to your business and what level of customer support do they provide?

While there are dozens of CRM software providers in the industry, one of the most popular CRM systems that appeals to mid-size and small enterprises is Commence CRM.  Commence has been providing CRM software solutions to this segment for more than twenty years and has been rated one of the best CRM software programs based on its robust functionality and attractive price points. Commence CRM is a web based CRM solution that provides online real time access to data from anywhere in the world.  What is also appealing about Commence CRM is that it may be deployed as a cloud based CRM program or implemented on premise.  Commence is ideal for mid-size companies that need a robust online CRM solution at an affordable price point.  For more information about Commence CRM software, visit the company’s web site at Commence.com.

Tinton Falls, N.J.  May 10, 2011 — Commence Corporation a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) has introduced a new flexible pricing structure that is attracting new business away from rival CRM software providers.  Many CRM vendors have designed pre-built application packages often called ‘editions’ that force customers to select a pre-set group of applications at a fixed cost.  Salesforce.com, one of the leading providers of CRM software not only forces customers to select a pre-packaged set of applications, they also limit how many users can utilize the applications without bumping up to the next level at a higher cost. “This just doesn’t make sense” says Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation.  “Customers should not be forced into selecting a group of applications and features designed by the CRM vendor”.

Commence Corporation’s pricing structure allows customers to build their own CRM system by selecting only the applications they require and there is no limit to how many users can use the applications they have selected.   You start with the essentials such as account and contact management, calendaring, e-mail integration with MS Outlook, and activity management. Then add any additional applications you require from a comprehensive list that includes lead management, sales force automation, marketing campaign management, help desk, documents, project management, analytics and mobile integration.  Commence even offers an interface to popular accounting packages at an additional cost.

“Customers are finding our program very attractive and for good reason,” says Caretsky.   “No one wants to be told what applications they must purchase.  Our program offers the flexibility and affordability customers simply cannot get from competitive offerings while offering a growth path to additional functionality down the road”.   For more information about Commence Corporation’s flexible pricing structure visit the Commence CRM Pricing link or call Commence sales at 1-877- 266-6232.

About Commence Corporation

Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM software that integrates people, processes and technology.  Available on premise or via a cloud computing environment, Commence CRM solutions streamline the front office business processes that directly impact sales execution and customer service.   Commence is one of the most trusted names in CRM software. The company has been providing customer management software solutions to the middle market for more than two decades and services several thousand customers in twenty two countries around the world.

Media Contact:

Nicole Reed
Marketing@commence.com

By Dave Kahle

Q. I wanted to do some sales training last year, but it just wasn’t the right time for it.  We had too many things on our plate.  Looking at our calendar this year, I am coming to the same conclusion.  Am I ever going to have time to do sales training? Will it ever be the right time?

A.  Great question.  Probably the number one reason sales managers don’t provide sales training for their teams is “the timing just isn’t right.”

Why is it that some companies, regardless of the press of the urgent and the demands of the customers, find time to provide regular training and development opportunities for their sales force, and others, in the same industry, just can’t make the time?

The answer really does not lie in the ebb and flow of “things to do.” Nor does it lie in the open spaces of the calendar – if only you could find some empty days, you could slot in a sales training event. The answer does not lie in the world of stuff outside of ourselves that so occupies our time and attention.  Rather, the answer lies inside ourselves and our organizations – in our attitudes, our values and our corporate culture.

Let me lay some ground work with a bit of thinking about effective sales, in general and then circle around to address the question head on.

1.  I think everyone would agree with this statement:  Better sales people sell more than average sales people.

Better sales performance is not a matter of inheriting the best customer, or falling into a lucky deal.  Those things happen occasionally, but year in and year out, the best performing sales people are those who ‘sell better’ than the rest.  They do something, and usually a lot of things, better than their colleagues.  As a result, their customers respond more positively to them, and the sales people post better numbers.  They sell more because they act differently.  Not just differently – but better.

There is a direct relationship between what the sales person does and how much he sells.  Here’s a simple example.  One study found that 74 percent of purchasing agents said they would be “much more likely to buy from a sales person, if that person would just listen.” Doesn’t it follow, then, that those sales people who listen better sell more than those who don’t?  So, if you could help all of your sales people listen better, wouldn’t that result in more sales?  Of course it would. And listening is just one of a number of sales practices that are essential to better sales performance.

That’s my point.  What a sales person does directly and measurably impacts how much a sales person sells. And better sales people, because they do things better, sell more than average sales people.

2.  Most of my readers would also agree with this statement:  Almost every sales person can become better.

One of the things that I have most enjoyed about my career as a sales person has been the fact that I have never yet reached my potential.  I can always do better.  And, frankly, I’m a pretty good sales person.

I’m not perfect yet, even though I have tried to get there my whole life. Rarely does a day go by that I don’t find myself saying, “I should have done this or that better.”  Unfortunately, it is in the nature of sales that one is never as good as he can be.  Vince Lombardi aptly summed up the challenge of continuous improvement in a different area:

We will relentlessly pursue perfection, knowing full well that we will never attain it, because no one is perfect.  But, we will chase perfection, because in the process we will catch excellence.

Put these two paradigms together (#1 & #2 above) and you have a pretty good rationalization for continuous and immediate sales training.  If better sales practices bring in more money, and every sales person can become better, then investing in making them better will bring in more money.

How can you afford the luxury of not improving the practices of your sales team?

3.  But wait, some of you are saying, sales training doesn’t automatically mean better sales practices.

You’re right.  It doesn’t.  But it sure outperforms the alternative of not doing anything and expecting everyone will just automatically improve by trial and error. I’m going to make a radical statement here:  I believe that there is not an exceptional performer in any endeavor who is entirely self-taught (with the once in a generation exception for the occasional savant).  Tiger Woods, for example, has a swing coach.

The more sophisticated and challenging is the endeavor, the more likely that the exceptional performer has had multitude of coaches, mentors and trainers along the way. Sales is an incredibly sophisticated endeavor, where learning on your own can only take you so far.

Everyone who wants to improve, in every endeavor known to mankind, sooner or later puts himself in a situation where he/she learns from a coach, trainer or mentor – someone who has gone before and has a gift of being able to discern and communicate the intricacies and insights of the field. It takes someone outside of ourselves to help us see and realize our real potential.

The dedicated sales person, for example, buys all the books, gets the Ezines, listens to the podcasts, etc.  The sales manager who wants his team to perform well, constantly injects them into learning experiences.  He brings in the videos, distributes good articles, sends them to the seminars, etc.

And, like everything else, there are qualities of sales training.  You can bring in old Tom, for example, who is getting ready to retire and is looking for something less demanding than sales to do. Or, you can employ the local unemployed sales person who always wanted to be a trainer. The world is full of both types.

But, if you are going to invest your sales force’s valuable time and your hard-earned money, I’d recommend you invest it into a safe choice – professionals who have an understanding of how people learn and change, real life successful experience in sales, and years of proven experience in the profession of training.

4.  One more point.  Have you ever stopped to calculate the cost of maintaining the status quo?

Today — just this one day — how many opportunities did your sales people not uncover because they haven’t been trained in how to better uncover opportunities?  How many opportunities did they miss because they have not been trained to listen well?  How many new customers should have been developed this month, but weren’t because your sales people have never been instructed in how to develop a new customer?  How many high-potential customers languish in business-as-usual because your sales people have never been taught how to penetrate large accounts?

Just play around with those numbers and the conclusion will stagger you.  The greatest cost in most companies is one which never makes it on the P&L statement – the cost of opportunities lost, customers not created, and sales not made due to a sales force performing at far less than its potential.

Now that I’ve laid some ground work, let me go back and answer the question.  Is there ever a good time to do sales training?  It depends on your values, your attitude and your culture.

If you believe that your sales people can not become any better, then NO, do not make the time for sales training.

If you are perfectly content with the numbers your sales force is producing, then, NO, do not make the time for sales training.

If you think everyone will improve forever on their own, then NO, there will never be a good time for sales training.

If, on the other hand, you believe that just a small change in the behavior of a sales person can leverage into huge increases in sales and profits, then by all means make the time, as soon as possible.

Is there a good time to do sales training?  That really is the wrong question.  The question you should be asking instead is: How can you justify continuing to bear the costs of a sales team performing at less than optimum?  How can you justify the maintenance of the status quo?

Parenthetically, our Sales Resource Center provides a virtually unlimited number of sales development lessons, delivered to every sales person’s computer, 24/7, for one low monthly fee.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

TINTON FALLS, NJ–(Marketwire - April 26, 2010) –  Commence Corporation, a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software for small to mid-size enterprises, today announced the availability of Commence Lead Scorer, the latest addition to its suite of award-winning CRM solutions. Commence’s lead scoring feature moves beyond traditional CRM programs and enables increased sales effectiveness by targeting high potential customers.

Commence Corporation’s CEO, Larry Caretsky, remarked, “Most companies rely on the expertise of their individual sales representatives to qualify opportunities, which can be inefficient and costly due to a lack of consistency. The amount of time sales teams are spending following up on poorly qualified opportunities may be costing more than most businesses might think. With the addition of our Lead Scorer, companies will receive critical sales intelligence that can support measurable results.”

The Lead Scorer is an automated business process that ranks and scores leads based on a set of pre-defined criteria. The criteria consist of a series of customizable questions that are used to automatically provide a score for each lead based on the responses entered into the system. With a standardized set of qualifiers established by sales management, the process is no longer dependent on the varying experience levels of sales representatives resulting in a high level of consistency.

Combined with Commence’s suite of fully integrated applications for sales, marketing and customer support, the Lead Scorer will give sales teams a laser-sharp focus on the most qualified sales opportunities. By including an automated drip-marketing application that is directly tied to the lead qualification system, the solution nurtures each long-term lead with periodic mailings so the sales team can spend the most time on their most qualified opportunities.

“Commence has a long history of consistently providing added value to our customers. We’re the only CRM that delivers this unique lead scoring functionality at no additional charge to users,” added Caretsky. “By relying on Commence Lead Scorer, companies will shrink their sales cycles and improve their bottom-line results.”

The Commence CRM solution, which may be deployed on-premise or on-demand as a software-as-a-service (SaaS CRM), provides a consolidated system for all customer information, as well as powerful reporting and analytics and support for remote and mobile users. More information about Commence Lead Scorer can be accessed at www.commence.com.

About Commence Corporation
Founded in 1988, Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award-winning CRM products that integrate people, processes and technology. Delivered via the popular software-as-a-service (SaaS) model or implemented as on premise licensed software, Commence CRM solutions are used by thousands of companies to streamline sales and customer service front-end business processes. As a result, Commence clients increase workforce productivity, generate positive customer interactions, and reduce cost. More information about Commence can be accessed at Commence.com or at 1-877-COMMENCE.

Designed for mid-size companies and small enterprises Commence CRM is a top rated CRM solution that is continuing to attract companies looking for a comprehensive easy to use affordable online CRM system.  Commence provides a suite of customer management software that automates the front office business processes that directly impact sales execution and customer service.   One of the areas that differentiate Commence CRM from competitive CRM offerings is the product’s multiple levels of reporting.   In addition to pre-built customer management reports Commence CRM also incorporates a report generator, similar to Crystal reports, that enables customers to create custom reports to address unique reporting requirements.   The addition of the analytics module makes the reporting capabilities of Commence CRM one of the best in the business.

The analytical reporting provides customers with a graphical analysis of key business metrics for lead management, sales pipeline management, marketing campaign management and customer service.  Designed specifically for executive level management the analytics reporting gives management the information they need to make informed business decisions and has shown to significantly impact the lead generation process and close ratios.

The analytics  identify how many leads were generated each month or quarter, what the source of the leads were, how many of the leads turned into sales opportunities, how many of the opportunities turned into new business and what was the value of that new business.

The CRM analytics program also provides real time sales pipeline data illustrating the sales opportunities by month by outcome, the top ten sales opportunities by revenue and by close date, as well as a corporate funnel by sales stage that enables sales management to manage the movement of each sales opportunity from introduction to closure.

Commence CRM also provides real time executive level reporting for customer service and displays information such as all open service tickets by representative, all open service tickets by age and more.  This enables management to ensure that they continue to provide world class service to their customers.

Commence continues to raise the bar in Customer Management software.  The addition of the analytical reporting component is just another differentiator between Commence CRM and alternative CRM solutions.

About Commence Corporation:

Commence is a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) for mid-size and small enterprises.  The company has been providing both desktop and web based CRM software for more than two decades.  Commence CRM is highly regarded for the products robust functionality, customizability and ease of use and is now delivered as a cloud based CRM offering.  To learn more about Commence CRM software, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Today, sales management software programs are available to assist first line management and executive management in automating and streamlining the sales process.  Programs like Commence CRM software enable sales managers to quickly and efficiently utilize proven sales tools and best practices to improve the sales process.  Often referred to as sales automation software, CRM systems like Commence CRM provide sales management and individual sales representatives with a structured approach to selling that shortens the sales cycle and results in higher close ratios.

How Does Commence CRM Work?

Commence CRM begins by creating a sales methodology and automating the sales process.  Every company that sells a product or service goes through a series of steps before they win new business.  The initial step is commonly called the introduction phase, which may be followed by a needs analysis, sending out product samples or if you are in the software industry, a product demonstration.  Once this is completed, sales representatives often create a quote, a proposal for services or an estimate or bid. This may be followed by a verbal commitment, a contract review or simply closing the business deal.  What is important here is not the exact steps or process (which can be customized in Commence CRM), but instead the automation of the sales process so that every sales representative has a structured path to follow and management can assist during different stages of the sales cycle.

The CRM sales management software standardizes the sales process so that every sales representative approaches a new sales opportunity the same way.  The sales management software also provides the sales management executives with a snapshot of where each new opportunity is in the sales pipeline or sales funnel so that they may take a proactive approach to helping close the business or sales opportunity.  Sales management tools like Commence CRM offer sales representatives and sales management the opportunity to significantly improve sales execution and get a leg up on the competition.

Commence CRM software for sales management is a web based CRM solution that operates online and is managed under a cloud computing environment.  Commence CRM is highly regarded for its robust CRM features and ease of use and is listed as a top ten CRM software solution.

The CRM software sector is one of the most competitive segments of the computer software industry.  Despite this, each year more and more vendors enter the race positioning their CRM products as easier to use and lower cost than the established CRM vendors.  The CRM gold rush has created an environment chock full of low cost entry level CRM programs that provide basic contact management and a sales forecast and little more.  While this group of newcomers struggle to compete in this difficult sector, three companies have risen to the top of the charts based on the functionality they provide, the quality of their products as reviewed by customers, and the level of service they provide.

Salesforce.com CRM is often viewed as the industry leader especially among enterprise level organizations.  The company offers a highly scalable CRM solution capable of supporting several thousand users, robust functionality, multi-language product versions and an add-on developer’s toolkit that enables experienced programmers to customize the applications.

The middle market has become a much tougher battleground for Salesforce CRM.  This is due to two very well established companies that offer a comprehensive suite of applications that compare favorably to Salesforce.com, are known to be easier to use, and are much less expensive.

Commence Corporation has served the middle market and small enterprises for two decades. The company has a top rated CRM solution that is highly regarded for its robust functionality, ease of use and ability to be quickly customized without programmer intervention.   One of the unique characteristics of Commence CRM is the product’s modular design which offers customers the flexibility to select only the applications they require for their business vs. being forced into higher CRM costs with a pre-packaged set of CRM features at a set price point.  Commence CRM is also available as a cloud based offering or on premise. This has made Commence CRM an attractive alternative for larger companies that desire an on-premise CRM solution at an attractive price point.   While not yet a household brand name, Commence CRM is built using industry standard technology and the company’s CRM software is currently being used in more than 35 industries and in 22 countries around the world.

SugarCRM is another company that provides a mid market CRM solution and competes with Salesforce.com and Commence CRM.  Originally offered as an open source solution at no cost, the company changed direction and now offers their CRM product under an annual software licensing model. Sugar offers comprehensive functionality at a lower price point than Salesforce.com and the ability to be customized as well.   The downside with Sugar CRM is that the product is written using the PHP programming language which means you must be a developer to tailor the applications.  This adds additional cost to their offering.

You may find it interesting that Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is not included above. This is because the company’s hosted CRM Online solution was recently released and there is simply not enough history to determine the quality of the product or the ROI and value realized by companies that may have selected it.

The Bottom Line:

If you currently looking to implement CRM software to streamline your internal business processes, you are in the driver’s seat.  There are dozens of options available, but a shake-up is coming and it will be difficult for many of the lower cost CRM solution providers to survive.  Perhaps a more compelling reason to focus on an established CRM vendor is the following: the competitive nature of this industry sector has forced CRM solution providers to reduce their cost to such a degree that the difference between an unknown low cost provider and a world-class company like those listed above is just a few dollars per user per month.  You will also find the level of service provided and the protection of your data with the three industry leaders is far superior to the lower cost, “new to the market” solution providers.

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TINTON FALLS, N.J. / MMD Newswire/ April 21, 2011 –-  Commence Corporation, a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software for mid-size and small enterprises, has announced the release of a CRM Best Practices E-Book which may be downloaded from the company’s web site at no cost.

Today’s sales environment is characterized by intense competition, strategic sourcing contracts, online purchasing, customer pressure for self-service and an ongoing debate over fee-based services. To thrive in this environment, businesses need more than leading CRM technology to achieve long term growth and many are beginning to look outside their four walls for growth ideas. In an effort to help businesses sell more and sell more effectively, Commence Corporation has developed a compendium of more than 40 Smart Business Practices, culled from interviews with leading executives within high growth companies and building on a comprehensive review of published perspectives on smart selling.

“… the only path to successful selling is to first develop a consistent marketing and sales process…”

Larry Caretsky
Commence Corporation CEO

“Commence Corporation knows that the information technology investments of sales departments are often wasted due to failed implementations and lack of structure,” says Larry Caretsky, president of Commence and author of the e-book. “This study focuses on the keys to successful selling, all of which can be enhanced with the proper application of technology.” Based on the company’s extensive experience, Commence believes that the only path to successful selling is to first develop a consistent marketing and sales process, then utilize these processes in a disciplined manner reinforced by dynamic training and carried forward through effective coaching. Many companies are contemplating adding a centralized sales and marketing database system sometimes called CRM, sales force automation or contact management. The objective of the e-book is to ensure that these initiatives, by whatever name, succeed for sellers and deliver the results promised.

About Commence Corporation:

Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM software that integrates people, processes and technology. Commence CRM solutions are using throughout the world to streamline sales and customer service front office business processes. Commence is delivered online as a cloud based CRM solution or as a desktop CRM system. For more information about Commence’s web based CRM offerings visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Commence offers a suite of comprehensive business applications for contact management, sales and marketing that now include a Customer Service module and a Project Management system. The Help Desk module offers an advanced ticketing system with threading, a feature that provides a service representative with the ability to note the conversation that occurred between themselves and the customer. This is then linked to the account and contact record so that everyone involved with selling or servicing the customer has a complete service record and history of all correspondence including e-mail. The application also includes a Knowledgebase and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section that has proven to help customers provide best in class service by providing employees with access to information in the Knowledgebase and the ability to e-mail the appropriate response to the customer.

The Project Management application provides the ability to efficiently manage projects, establish tasks and timelines for completion of the project, assign personnel and keep track of billable hours. Time slips are also incorporated within the application. The Project Management functionality is also fully integrated with each account and contact record providing all authorized personnel with the ability to review service history and projects along with sales, and marketing activity.  Commence CRM incorporates functionality traditionally only found in higher level enterprise solutions. This has made Commence the clear choice for small to mid-size companies that require more than basic CRM solutions.

About Commence

Founded in 1988, Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM products that integrate people, processes and technology. Delivered via the popular software-as-a-service (SaaS) model or implemented as on premise licensed software, Commence CRM software solutions are used by thousand of companies to streamline sales and customer service front-end business processes. As a result, Commence clients increase workforce productivity, generate positive customer interactions, and reduce cost. More information about Commence can be accessed at www.commence.com or at 1-877-COMMENCE.

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TINTON FALLS, N.J. /MMD Newswire/ April 14, 2011 –- Commence Corporation a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management Software was recently highlighted in the FEDA News & Views March/April magazine about the merits of automating the sales process for improved sales execution. Managing editor Stacy Ward, interviewed Commence CEO, Larry Caretsky about the company’s experience and work in this area. Caretsky expressed concern that too many companies view CRM software as a technology component rather than a business strategy for improving sales execution. As a result, the adoption rate of CRM software has been very low in the sector he stated.

Caretsky goes on to offer valuable advice about the commitment required for the proper implementation and utilization of CRM software and to make sure you are fully prepared to invest time and resources to the project. “The ROI associated with automating the sales process is well documented says Caretsky, but so are the failures. Typically a lack of commitment and focus are the culprits. This is where experienced firms like Commence Corporation can be a valuable partner. We have established a series of CRM best practices for sales execution which has resulted in hundreds of successful implementations. The CRM best practices coupled with Commence’s top rated CRM software ensures that new business opportunities do not fall through the cracks and that sales management can review each opportunity from introduction to closure”.

The magazine also offers its readers assistance in selecting the right CRM solution for their business. A full copy of the article 7 Points to Consider Before Selecting a CRM Solution written by Caretsky, is incorporated in the article. “We certainly hope that the information we have provided will assist the FDA member organizations who may be looking to use CRM software to improve sales execution and call on Commence Corporation for our expertise” concluded Caretsky.

About Commence Corporation:

Commence Corporation is a leading provider of cloud based CRM software for mid-size companies and small enterprises. The company has been providing web based CRM software and sales consulting services for more than two decades and has several thousand customers around the world. For more information about Commence CRM, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Commence is cleverly positioned as the CRM solution for companies that require more than basic contact management and sales automation and forecasting functionality, but not the cost and complexity of enterprise level CRM product offerings. Commence CRM offers a well designed user interface which makes the product extremely intuitive and easy to use.

Commence CRM is a true middle market CRM solution. In addition to the basic contact management and sales automation and forecasting features provided by low-end small business solutions, Commence offers a level of functionality traditionally only found in enterprise level products such as: lead management, activity management, marketing campaign management, a document library, project management, a help desk solution with a knowledgebase, FAQ and customer portal, an accounting interface, analytical reporting and integration with most popular mobile devices. The full set of CRM application modules rivals that of Salesforce CRM at a fraction of the cost. “We simply have a better, easier to use and less costly alternative for the middle market” says Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation. “Those that look at our CRM product offering quickly agree.”

Commence CRM is offered as a cloud CRM solution or an on-premise CRM program and lists Salesforce.com and Microsoft Dynamics CRM as its major competitors. For more information about Commence CRM for the middle market, visit the company’s web site at Commence.com.

How Automated Follow-up Software Works

Let’s say for example that you have a new business lead or sales lead. After calling the sales lead you have learned that they are not ready to buy for at least 3 to 4 months.  Using the automated marketing follow-up software you can schedule email documents to go out to the prospect every few weeks thereby ensuring that your company, product or service is consistently in front of them.  Once set up, you can now use this sales and marketing follow up program for any new business leads that fit these same criteria.

Using CRM software for customer follow-up works exactly the same way.  Staying in touch with your existing customers is critical to retaining your customers, building rapport and relationships, and providing quality service.  The automated customer followup software can be used to send educational materials, tips and techniques about your product, press releases, customer testimonials or regular updates about new products or services.

Companies like Commence Corporation have taken CRM software to the next level adding more value to your business.  To learn more about Commence’s web based CRM software, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

You’ve heard it all before, sales people fighting tooth and nail with overly complex sales management software that provides little if any value to sales representatives and results in poor utilization, inaccurate reporting and eventually shelf ware.  But don’t lose hope. One CRM sales management software provider seems to have gotten it right with an easy to use solution that sales people really like and really use.

Commence CRM Makes Leads & Sales Tracking Easy

“I would give up my left hand before giving up Commence CRM” says Nigel Park of TPS Consulting.  “The product is very easy to use.  My new leads pop up on a home page sales dashboard where I can immediately schedule a follow-up call, appointment or to do with a single click.  Once I open the lead record I can manage the lead, qualify and rate it based on what I have learned, and manage the lead process adding notes, history items, track e-mail correspondence, even documents I may have sent. ”

“Once qualified, I can convert the lead into a sales deal or sales opportunity and simply repeat the process and manage the new qualified opportunity to closure all from one screen.  The other nice thing about Commence CRM is that it allows us to enter and automate our own sales process versus being forced to follow a standard out-of-the-box program that comes with other CRM solutions.”

Commence Corporation has been providing CRM sales management software to medium size businesses and small enterprises for more than twenty years and has a customer base of several thousand users.  One of the key CRM differentiators of Commence, when comparing other sales management software providers, is the company’s expertise in sales management.  Commence has created a set of best practices for sales execution and sales management that ensure Commence customers realize the maximum value from their sales management software. Commence lists Salesforce.com and Microsoft Dynamics CRM as its main CRM competitors.

Learn more about the features and benefits of CRM software from Commence and how it can help your growing business!

Cloud based CRM is simply the next generation of hosting, whereby the CRM provider manages the back end operations of your CRM system. The difference with cloud based computing vs. the standard hosting & management service is that it is more flexible in terms of system and server resources.  Let’s say for example that you need additional storage or have an unusually high volume of activity on your system.  With cloud computing and CRM software, the cloud based servers are able to immediately respond to demand adding capabilities or reducing capabilities based on your real time requirements.  A hosted solution would require you to inform the service provider of the additional requirements or changes ahead of time, so that the system could be updated by the IT services team.

Commence Corporation offers several different deployment models for their top rated  CRM software.  The CRM solution may be deployed on-premise, hosted by Commence Corporation’s professional staff, or operated as cloud CRM solutions.  To learn more about Commence CRM software visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

Previously, businesses depended completely on their personnel to interact with their customers. Companies had to sift through thousands of resumes just to find the best workers around in order to sell their products or just answer clients” queries. However, things have changed now. With the arrival of automated systems, especially customer relationship management (CRM) systems, companies can finally breathe easier.

A Brief Introduction to CRM Systems

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a strategy that helps companies manage interactions with its customers, clients and suppliers. With the help of different software modules, the system can organize, automate and coordinate business processes such as sales activities, customer service and marketing.

In general, companies start using CRM systems in order to automate three phases:

1. Attracting New Businesses: With the help of contact management, sales automation and marketing software, a CRM system can help businesses attract new clients.

2. Enhancing Customer Service: CRM software allows businesses to capture, manage and share vital customer information with the people and departments that require it to efficiently do their jobs. This ensures that your staff is providing high quality customer service and responding quickly to customer inquiries.

3. Retaining Existing Clients: In today’s competitive environment it is important to meet customer expectations before, during and after the sale. CRM software which provides service ticket management, a customer knowledgebase and access to frequently asked questions can help you to deliver the personalized service that drives customer loyalty.

These phases are respectively translated into the following three CRM software applications:

1. Sales and Marketing: These Sales management and email marketing applications help you build brand recognition via automated marketing programs, manage leads, qualify prospects, create proposals and quotes. Automated business processes help manage the sales cycle from introduction to closure and ensure that you sales team remains on track. This, in turn, helps to reduce the costs and time spent on extensive market research, finding leads, developing account relationships, and delivering proposals.

2. Contacts and Account Management: This is the core of most CRM software programs which allows companies to track, manage and share information. Having a complete 360 degree customer profile of company information has proven to significantly improve sales execution and customer service.

3. Customer Support: This customer support application helps with problem resolution, escalation tracking and the management of product and service contracts. A quality CRM system will help turn your call center into a support center that helps secure customer loyalty.

Benefits of Using a CRM System

Companies that have implemented CRM systems have realized the following benefits:

“Guaranteed Customer Satisfaction” Automating different aspects of a business helps reduce the delivery time of products and services. In addition, since business transactions are handled through a computer, chances of errors are significantly reduced. Maintaining a history of customer interactions also serves to ensure that your staff can quickly and efficiently respond to customer inquires.

“Reduced Costs” CRM systems that efficiently manage the marketing , sales and support aspects of growing businesses have proved to significantly reduce operational cost through reduced errors and improved communication with customers, vendors and suppliers.

“Improved Brand Recognition” Whereas a single sales representative may be able to reach out to 40 people a day, a CRM system can publicize companies” products and services to thousands of customers and prospects at a fraction of the cost.

“The Ability to Track and Manage Opportunities” Companies which deal with hundreds of customers will be able to effectively track and manage phone calls, sales leads and follow-up activity. This ensures that they know where they are in each stage of the sales cycle.

“An Edge Over Your Competition” The more you know about your customers, the better you”ll be able to optimize your strategies for customer acquisition, retention and cross selling, giving you a leg up on your competition. Companies that have deployed CRM software have become a more effective sales and service organization.

For organizations looking to choose the best CRM system for their needs, here are some pointers to keep in mind:

” CRM systems are available as web-based programs as well as desktop based software. Choosing between both of these types depends on your specific business criteria and whether you have an IT infrastructure to manage on-premise software or not.

” Companies should choose systems that are simple and easy to use. This helps organizations avoid spending money on hiring professional system operators and saves employees from spending time on excessive training.

” Organizations should look for software that is provided by a reputable company with many years in the business.

” Good CRM software is available at a pocket-friendly price, but make sure the company offers continued support and scalability.

” Companies need to research the solution they become interested in. Online reviews on different forums and communities can also be of much help.

If you make the right selection and are committed to improving how you market, sell and service your customers you will realize extensive value from CRM software. For more information please Visit: www.commence.com

About the Author:

Commence offers top rated Web CRM Software for small business and SME. Offers additional Web CRM solutions as a Contact Management Application for SFA, Online Marketing Management, Lead Management, Quoting, and Outlook.

Articles Source: Make Your Life Easier With Customer Relationship Management Software

TINTON FALLS, N.J. /

Commence has addressed both concerns which should bode well for the company’s continued success in the CRM sector.  Commence has been offering site licensing options to their customers for some time.  Even smaller companies with less than twenty users can purchase a block of licenses that allows them to add up to twenty users at no additional cost and the blocks are discounted from the standard pricing.  This has made Commence CRM an appealing choice for smaller organizations.

In order to better serve the interest of larger organizations, Commence has also announced the ability to deploy their online CRM software on premise.  This new deployment option will also offer site licensing plans to ensure that the customer’s cost does not get out of control if they require additional users.  The deployment of CRM software on premise is also not available from competitors like Salesforce.com.

For the past twenty years Commence Corporation has continued to pay close attention to our customers’ requirements.  The site licensing program coupled with an on premise deployment model for larger organizations is a clear indication that the company is working hard to earn their business. For more information about Commence Corporation’s cloud based online CRM software visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.

About Commence Corporation:

Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM software that integrates people, processes and technology.  Available on premise or online as a hosted service, Commence CRM solutions are utilized by several thousand businesses to streamline sales, marketing, customer service and front office business processes.

Media Contact:

Nicole Reed
marketing@commence.com

“There are thousands of users of the older desktop software programs such as Act, Goldmine, Maximizer and others”, says Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation. “These companies have been using contact management software for many years primarily because they own the license and the software has continued to operate without any additional expense.  The problem is that the software is now outdated and no longer operates on Microsoft’s newer desktop operating systems like Windows Vista and Windows 7 and does not integrate with the latest Microsoft Office 2007 and Microsoft Office 2010 software packages.”

“As a result, these companies are now forced to upgrade their software so it’s a great time to investigate CRM alternatives. While these companies are accustomed to desktop contact management software, they are well aware of the industry’s move toward online CRM programs that do not require any hardware upgrades or software implementation.  The interest in Commence Online CRM is based on their familiarity with Commence Corporation as a provider of CRM software for mid-market and smaller enterprises.  They know the Commence brand”, continued Caretsky, “ so we may be the first stop on their list of CRM alternatives”.

Learn more about the contact managment features in Commence’s Online CRM and see how they can help your business.

Commence CRM has been designed for mid size and smaller enterprises and as such is modular in design, easy to use and affordable.  Commence CRM software is also very customizable and can be deployed and operational within 24 hours.  Perhaps the greatest strength of this online CRM solution is the products home page or CRM dashboard.  The dashboard displays information such as your e-mail, today’s calendar and to-do’s, new leads, sales opportunities to follow-up on, alerts, service tickets, projects, and even a sales funnel that displays where each new sales opportunity is in the sales cycle.  End users find that they can conduct 90% of their daily business without ever leaving the CRM dashboard home page, making the learning curve extremely short and enabling them realize a rapid return on their investment.

Commence online CRM is ranked among the top ten cloud CRM systems in the industry. Learn more about Commence online CRM and how it can help grow your business.

The techniques for marketing and building brand awareness have changed radically in the past decade and the Internet has become one of the most powerful vehicles for introducing new products and services.  The problem with the Internet is that it is becoming more and more like television where people seem to believe that anything they see or read about is true.  Most people are aware of how Internet search engines work:  The companies that are listed in the top three positions have simply paid more than the others, but the consumer does not seem to care. They assume that if you are listed in the top position then you must be the best at what you do.

Customer Relationship Management software is a good example of this. Companies like Microsoft and Salesforce.com are willing to out-bid everyone to hold the top positions, but does this mean they are the best solutions for your business?  What’s interesting about the CRM software sector is that industry experts have indicated that as many as 70% of all CRM systems fail to get implemented or fully utilized.   If this is true, does this mean that the top rated CRM or leading CRM providers have a 70% failure rate?  I can’t say, but it does make one question whether selecting a CRM solution that is top rated on the Google search engine means you have selected the best CRM solution for your business, doesn’t it?

The Formula for CRM Success

The good news for the consumer is that there are a number of very good CRM software programs available from companies that are not listed in the top three search engine positions. One of these companies is Commence Corporation. Commence has been providing CRM software solutions to mid size companies and small enterprises for more than two decades. While the company is not listed in the top three spots, Commence offers perhaps a more compelling statistic: positive customer testimonials and one of the highest success rates for implementation and use of their CRM software.

One of the reasons for this success is that Commence doesn’t just sell CRM software. The company combines the CRM software with a proven implementation plan and a set of CRM “best practices” for sales execution and sales optimization. The implementation plan outlines the company’s responsibilities and those of the customer along with a timeline to ensure the project remains on track.  These CRM best practices have been designed by a team of highly trained sales professionals that help companies create and implement a proven sales methodology resulting in better sales execution while ensuring timely and accurate reporting.

Over the past two decades, Commence Corporation has established a proven track record for helping companies to become a more efficient sales and service organization.  Many of these companies have remained customers for as long as the company has been in business.  This certainly illustrates that the Commence CRM software complemented by its CRM best practices have provided a winning formula for its customers.  Unfortunately, you won’t find this listed on the Google search engine.

Learn more about the Commence CRM product and best practices at www.commence.com or consult with our CRM experts at 1-877- 266-6362.

Commence Corporation is a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management solutions. The company’s products are designed to provide small to mid-size businesses with flexible solutions that leverage the Web to offer an integrated platform for managing sales execution and customer service. Commence supports several thousand customers through a world-wide distribution network, with outlets in North and South America, Europe and Asia/Pacific.

The Commence CRM client roster is impressive and includes ABC television, Alcatel, American Express, Bank One, Bank of America, BP, Brinks, Century 21, EDS, Exactech, Ford, General Electric, Handyman Connection, IBM, Merrill Lynch, PNCBank, Northrop Grumman, NYPD, New York Post, Princess Cruises, Raytheon, Shell, Siemens, Sprint, Steelcase, St. Luke’s Hospital, TDK, Tele Atlas, and Unicef are just some of the marquis clients. The company has embraced the small business CRM market as well.

Mid-market CRM Competition

TR Cutler, a leading business journalist, recently interviewed Larry Caretsky, CEO of Commence Corporation, to learn more about the company is competing with the large players in the CRM space such as Salesforce.com. Cutler asked C