Sat.Apr 29, 2023 - Fri.May 05, 2023

article thumbnail

Account Planning Template – Five Components for Success

Upland

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” -Abraham Lincoln. Honest Abe knew the value of not launching head-first into something without a considered plan of attack. How are sales teams meant to grow revenue in key accounts without a well-thought-out account planning strategy ? Do they need an account planning template in order to properly “attack” the revenue waiting within potential accounts?

article thumbnail

What is Strategic Planning Facilitation? (& How it Will Help You Have a Great Strategy Meeting)

Strategic Planning and Management Insights

Are you preparing for an upcoming strategy meeting? Discover the benefits of strategic planning facilitation in our comprehensive guide. Whether you're organizing a virtual or in-person meeting and whether you prefer a DIY approach or professional assistance, we've got you covered. If you're seeking a facilitator with a proven process, we invite you to explore our services.

article thumbnail

Internal & External Analysis

OnStrategyHQ

What is an Internal and External Analysis? An internal and external analysis is simply looking at your organization’s current performance from an internal and external perspective. The output of completing an internal and external analysis – also known as a strategic analysis – is to have a clear picture of your organization’s current state. How does a strategic analysis fit into strategic planning?

article thumbnail

Liddell Hart’s 8 Maxims of Strategy

Flevy

Sir Basil Henry Liddell-Hart (October 31, 1895 – January 29, 1970) was a British strategist, historian, and one of the world’s foremost military thinkers. B. H. Liddell-Hart was a prolific writer and wrote extensively on military strategy and tactics. Liddell-Hart’s work titled “ Strategy ” is considered one of the most important works on military strategy of the 20th century.

article thumbnail

How to Leverage Intent Data for Better Outcomes

Speaker: Susan Spencer, Principal of Spencer Communications

Intent signal data can go a long way toward shortening sales cycles and closing more deals. The challenge is deciding which is the best type of intent data to help your company meet its sales and marketing goals. In this webinar, Susan Spencer, fractional CMO and principal of Spencer Communications, will unpack the differences between contact-level and company-level intent signals.

article thumbnail

Business Transformation Strategy: Breakthrough Ahead

Kainexus

Business transformation strategy is the comprehensive process of changing an organization's core operations, processes, culture, and capabilities to achieve specific goals or outcomes. The strategy aims to restructure an organization's fundamental approach to its business, often in response to new opportunities or challenges. Business transformation involves more than incremental improvements; it requires fundamental changes to an organization's operations, culture, and technology infrastructure

article thumbnail

Sales Velocity Equation – 4 Levers to Success

Upland

Velocity is the speed of something moving in any given direction. At Upland Altify, we think about velocity a lot. So much so that we created this sales velocity equation to get sales teams moving in the right direction. That direction is revenue. How fast you get there depends on four key levers. Sales velocity vs deal velocity – what’s the difference?

Sales 356

More Trending

article thumbnail

The 7 best CRMs for nonprofits

Nutshell

Table of Contents Do nonprofits use CRM? The 7 best CRMs for nonprofits Nutshell How nonprofits use Nutshell Salesforce Kindful Fundly CRM Salsa CiviCRM Bitrix24 How do I choose a CRM for a nonprofit? What is the average cost of a CRM for a nonprofit? What is the best CRM for small nonprofits? Choose the perfect CRM and supercharge your donor relationships Whether you have only a handful of donors or a database overflowing with them, each and every one is essential to the success of your nonprof

CRM 139
article thumbnail

The Power of Personalization: Strengthening Customer Loyalty

Customer Think

The recent pullback in headcount and spending at technology companies has put a big dent in marketing team budgets. We’re seeing this impact spread beyond the tech sector, squeezing marketing spend across industries. At the same time, consumers are demanding more personalized experiences, which requires investment in better marketing approaches.

Marketing 122
article thumbnail

Forget the Ferrari: “Trusted Advisor” as a Status Symbol

Upland

Sales is all about kicking butt and taking names. The best sellers get in, get out, land the big deal and move on to the next one. It’s all about putting your strategy for an account first, and everything else will fall in place. Right? Wrong! What if we told you that becoming the best seller in the world had nothing to do with antiquated, lone wolf –run-and-gun tactics and everything to do with – drum roll…becoming a trusted advisor to your client?

article thumbnail

Research update on the most in-demand soft skills

Red Star Kim

Following my past research (some of which was published in my 2020 book Essential soft skills for lawyers (kimtasso.com) ) I keep an eye out for the latest information relating to the soft skills (particularly leadership skills) most in demand and how these relate to the professional services sector. So here is a research update on the most in-demand soft and social skills.

article thumbnail

Negotiate Larger Deals More Quickly

What if there was a better method of changing the conversation with your customer from delivering pricing to delivering value solutions? A method that would help keep you in control, manage the uncertainty, and close larger deals more quickly for you and your company? There is.

article thumbnail

Why building a custom CRM is almost always a bad idea

Nutshell

If your company has a unique sales process or sells a variety of products and services, it can be tempting to build a CRM from scratch. Theoretically, a custom CRM would include all the features your organization needs, none that you don’t, and would be tailored to your specific business in everything from the in-product terminology to workflows reflecting how your team sells.

CRM 127
article thumbnail

Going Green: How Mobile Applications are Helping the Environment

Customer Think

Technology is getting more incorporated into our daily lives in today’s environment. With this comes the ability to not only make our lives easier but also to make a beneficial impact on the environment.

115
115
article thumbnail

Sales Win Rate: How to Calculate Yours

Upland

As you are developing your sales strategy for 2023, one of the critical elements in determining your sales velocity is your Win Rate. If you don’t know how many opportunities to need to pursue to make your number, your vision for the future will be cloudy. It is hard to build a sales strategy or know what marketing needs to deliver into the funnel.

Sales 195
article thumbnail

Unlocking The Hidden Pipeline With Dave Irwin

The SAMA Podcast

Strategic accounts represent a market of one — in and of themselves — with a wealth of opportunity far beyond what most account teams realize. But how can strategic sellers unlock this door, and step into a world of co-discovery with their most essential customers? Dave Irwin, Founder & CEO of Polaris I/O joins SAMA President & CEO Denise Freier.

Sales 88
article thumbnail

The B2B Sales Leader's Guide for Any Economic Environment

When economic headwinds pick up, sales leaders are the first to sound the alarm — and chart a new course. Longer sales cycles, larger buying committees, increased price pressure, and smaller teams can quickly combine to reduce your margin for error and increase the urgency to find a solution. To thrive in a challenging environment, sales teams need a rock-solid grasp of the fundamentals and the biggest force-multipliers they can get their hands on.

article thumbnail

How CRM Software Impacts Customer Engagement

Nutshell

It’s easy to assume that once you’ve turned someone into a customer, your work is done. But that’s simply not the case. To keep them a customer, you must continue to engage them. If you don’t, there’s a good chance they’ll eventually leave. For that reason, you’ll want to measure customer engagement continuously. You’ll want to monitor the impact on customer engagement that your customer relationship management (CRM) platform has by: Tracking customer interactions Analyzing customer data Measuri

CRM 115
article thumbnail

How Sales Reps Can Adapt to the Hybrid Selling Environment

RAIN Group

Have you met Morgan? A terrific sales rep. Except recently, Morgan has slipped out of the top tier of the leaderboard and I think I know why: she struggles to adapt to the new selling environment.

Sales 100
article thumbnail

The Secret to Selling SaaS – Value vs. Product

Upland

When it comes to selling SaaS, conversations with customers often begin with this question: “So what is it that you sell, exactly?” If you sell a technology product, or anything that lives in the cloud, the answer to this question can be a little elusive. Nowadays, the most valuable technology companies don’t just sell products, they sell something more.

CRM 195
article thumbnail

Getting Into The Head Of Decision Makers With Business Brainz

The SAMA Podcast

Every SAM dreams of having customized insights that identify, eliminate, and replace flaws in the delivery process with in-depth solutions. Finding the bandwidth to make that a reality — that’s a different story. However, that’s exactly what Prajwal Gadtaula, founder of Business Brainz, promises to deliver — a bespoke market research firm that does all the deep-dive analysis that your sales and marketing team wished they had time for.

Sales 88
article thumbnail

Contact vs. Company Intent Signal Data

Contact and company intent data both have their advantages. Contact-level intent leads can be acted on immediately to reach active buyers, while company-level leads improve outcomes for account-based marketing and other programs. This infographic unpacks the advantages of both contact and company data and gives details about how B2B marketers can benefit from both.

article thumbnail

8 sales qualifying questions you need to know

Nutshell

Tactful qualifying questions can save you the hassle of potentially going through the entire pipeline with a non-starter. It doesn’t matter how good a salesperson you are, you can’t convert every single lead that comes your way—mostly because a handful of your leads won’t be a good fit for the products or services you sell. This is why sales qualifying questions are so important.

Sales 115
article thumbnail

Unlock Investigate: The 2nd Key Fundamental of IMPACT

Brooks Group

This article is part of our Key Fundamentals of IMPACT Selling ® series. Opening the Meeting Is More Important Than You Know Our culture seems to underemphasize the importance of starting off strong. So many “motivation quotes” essentially summarize the message as: it doesn’t matter how you start, as long as you finish strong. While that prevailing mentality sounds nice, it is often far from the truth.

article thumbnail

Reasons to get excited about Relate ‘23—here’s what you need to know

Zendesk

Zendesk Relate is happening in just a few days. I’m attending in person on May 10 in San Francisco, and I’m excited to learn more about where the customer experience is heading. The great news is that you don’t have to be in San Francisco to join me—the opening keynote will be broadcast across five different time zones, so you can register for the one that works best for you.

article thumbnail

The Importance of Asking Quality Questions in B2B Sales

The Center for Sales Strategy

Have you ever experienced having to answer the same questions twice during a doctor's appointment? It’s frustrating, but it can also make us reflect on the questions we ask our prospects. Are we asking the right questions to make us think deeper if it were our own business? Even the most experienced salesperson can overlook the importance of being highly prepared for the initial needs analysis.

B2B 92
article thumbnail

Mastering Intent Data: Understanding its Importance & Best Practices

Speaker: Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union

In this webinar, Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union and business strategist, will take you through the ABCs of intent data. You'll learn how to effectively use it to drive business results, with practical tips on how to leverage both company and contact intent data to maximize your marketing efforts. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this webinar is a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing.

article thumbnail

How Consumer Spending Trends Impact Your Recession Sales Strategy [Data + Insights]

Hubspot Sales

Sales is a tough job under normal circumstances, but throw in a recession and things get even more complicated. As whispers (or shouts) of an economic downturn persist, salespeople need to shift from defense to offense. This means retiring the old playbook and getting creative with your sales strategies. Here, we cover the top consumer spending trends in 2023, along with five key strategies for selling during an economic downturn.

Sales 93
article thumbnail

What ChatGPT and Generative AI Mean for Digital Transformation

Customer Think

An arms race is raging in the AI industry — every organization is frantically investing in or investigating how the large language models (LLMs) that powers Generative AI can be applied to the enterprise. Generative AI will be on every organization’s digital transformation roadmap.

article thumbnail

Selling Skills vs. Sales Methodology: Understanding the Difference

Sales Readiness Group

Sales success requires salespeople to have both selling skills and a sales methodology. Selling skills are crucial for effective sales conversations, while a sales methodology provides a structured approach to the sales process. Sales leaders must balance these two approaches to help their team close deals and increase revenue. Dive in to learn more about the differences between these approaches and how to balance them for revenue growth.

Sales 88
article thumbnail

Balancing Priorities During Q2: Tips for Leaders

The Center for Sales Strategy

As the second quarter continues to move in quickly, sales managers and business leaders may feel pressured to balance their short-term goals with long-term initiatives. The complex demands often result in burnout as leaders attempt to juggle competing priorities while meeting deadlines and preparing for upcoming tasks. To help navigate this challenge, we have compiled a list of effective tips to assist sales managers and business leaders struggling to prioritize during Q2.

article thumbnail

Sales Kickoff Beyond the Meeting: How to Plan & Execute a Successful SKO

Speaker: Gerhard Gschwandtner, CEO, Selling Power | Beverlie Heyman, Director of Sales Enablement, Bigtincan | Jared Hibbs, Sr. Sales Enablement Manager, Bigtincan

Sales kickoff (SKO) meetings are a critical time for sales enablement and management teams to drive learning and motivation that (they hope) will last the whole year. Unfortunately, those same meetings can also become long, tedious, repetitive days that cause reps to tune out and turn off. Over the past few years, sales kickoffs have looked very different.

article thumbnail

Leading Your Sales Team In Uncertain Times – Feat. Graham Hooper

Sales Gravy

Leading In A Changing Sales Landscape On this episode of the Sales Gravy Podcast, Jeb Blount (Sales Gravy CEO and author of Sales EQ) and Graham Hooper (CEO of Ellison Technologies) discuss the keys to leading your sales team in uncertain times. You'll learn how to succeed in volatile economic times by effectively handling decision deferment objections and conducting thorough research during the discovery phase of the sales process.

Sales 81
article thumbnail

Remember Amara’s Law When Thinking About Generative AI

Customer Think

The outpouring of enthusiasm for ChatGPT, and the flurry of recent AI-related product announcements from tech companies indicate that generative artificial intelligence will soon play a much larger role in marketing. But the specific path forward for.

article thumbnail

How to Motivate the Quiet Quitters on Your Sales Team

Sales Readiness Group

The current phenomenon of “quiet quitting” has been gaining attention recently. It refers to the growing trend of employees who leave their jobs without making a formal announcement or creating a scene. Unlike traditional resignations, where an employee might submit a letter of resignation and have an exit interview, a quiet quitting involves simply leaving without any fanfare or explanation.

Sales 90
article thumbnail

The Best Way to Sell Change to Management

The Center for Sales Strategy

In business, change is necessary to adapt and grow to meet the needs of prospects and clients. Many companies and business executives tend to resist change - because change is hard and uncomfortable. As a salesperson, you probably have some good ideas to help your company achieve its goals. Maybe you want to implement inbound marketing or add webinars or videos to your marketing mix.

article thumbnail

The ABM Benchmark Survey

ABM gets better with age — but unfortunately, marketers don't have the luxury of pouring it into an oak barrel for a couple decades to let it mature. In a recent survey with Demand Gen Report, we found 59% of experienced practitioners (those with ABM programs more than a year old) indicated their ABM programs are meeting or greatly exceeding their expectations, while only 45% of novices (those with ABM programs less than one year old) could say the same.