Do your homework and know your numbers before you meet with an executive prospect




















It is easy to communicate processes with new customers or prospects if you have a highly developed implementation planning focus.  That builds trust.

Do what you say you are going to do and never promise mountains when all you have to offer are mole hills.

You need to be realistic on what you're selling from the eyes of a buyer.

They don't buy on blind wishes unless you can craft a proposal that solves ISSUES or problems.






Be knowledgeable about your product, your industry, you prospect, their industry, their customers, how they market themselves and how they seem to show themselves to the world online.

Go to Quora.com or even Linked In and post a question (with a graphic image whenever possible) asking others about an industry or problems that are typical in that world.

Don't lead in with bells and whistles or a dog and pony show of this speed, feed, process rate, production model ... etc. etc. unless you know that is what your audience is interested in.

Know that you are usually meeting with an audience of one.  You can display competence and credibility when you have done your homework.

CRMs are the ideal way to keep track of all of this valuable morsels of information.  You can use Outlook or a Calendar or Notes type APPs without being fancy dancey .... color coded diaries that allow you to sync work appointments with training and driving the kids to soccer, or a doctor's appointment or parent/teacher interviews .... the reality being you work hard and smart, so that real life has time to fit into your schedule and create a balanced approach.









If you put all your eggs in one basket (one major account customer or client) then you may lose them to a price-hungry competitor chopping at the bit to displace you based on price.  That is risky.  During turbulent economic times, everyone shops, compares to complete the assessment that they still have value in the relationship and how much of a hassle it could be to change from your company.

You can't do that unless you are intertwined with intricate processes of the customer, not who fits into your wheel house.  Someone who will pay top dollar for REAL VALUE is who you should be looking for in that case.

Those sales take a lot longer and too few companies get that or align their sales coverage to compensate for the larger fish.

Do your homework before you even hire a sales professional.  Create a value-attractive career environment for them to want to follow.

The best ones are harder to find.  The ones who are pounding the pavement, making the cold calls, setting up appointments shrewdly, balancing time management with real surprises.





Training is more sophisticated than most Companies are willing to commit.  They think it is about touring around, shadowing someone in the front lines or background, are all important with onboarding, but so is training on your company, industry, realistic research on where the company sits.


LOYALTY is king or queen

This was originally posted on meanderingsABOUT and then reposted on www.optioneerjm ~ where I'm reposting the top posts, as shown by the numbers.


I have set up a way to automatically post content from this blog to www.optioneerjm.com.

I talk about family relationships with Millennial children, more often with daughters than with son (who is more low key).

I don't name names to protect other's privacy.

What I write is relevant, as the numbers show.


Friday, October 12, 2018

LOYALTY is king or [QUEEN of Purchasing, Operations, Design, Communications, her own domaine....READ for MORE




Pure transparency is THE most critical criteria that builds TRUST; trust begets LOYALTY; loyalty creates ADVOCACY.  DO YOU understand the value based on demographics and speak to one, at a time ~ AKA [Also Known As] target marketing instead of mass mktg.

Why should you care?

As you do more things and look up more stuff online, you are creating a definable persona that is geared to your own personal data.

Think of it as your online DNA or footprints to your soul.

Not before long the two worlds could collide [ intellectual will challenge privacy and ownership - less likely copyrighted governance or protection] .... Intellectual Law would be fascinating to learn!


Oscar the Pug | #OscarThePug                          @optioneerJM


How much skin is in the game? Know your numbers




People make sales complicated.

“Jeannette, just target the delivery deadline
and then work backwards every time.”
— Roger Grant, President, McAra, Calgary


  1. Oftentimes, more often, they make promises that they are unable to keep.
  2. Other times, they make promises that represents the work and the efforts of the engine behind them:  The Team
  3. Many times, they shoot off or insert numbers or promises that they have no idea if they jive.
  4. So many, don't do their homework, meaning they have no idea who their REAL competitor is.  
  5. Too many, rely on their network, their connections which could be sports affiliations or educational means.  Remember, if it blows up (you don't or can't do what you had promised), the connection will explode, disconnect, and possibly legal hassles.



The right formula for selling is knowing the ins and outs of the craft:

  •  who or what are you selling, services offered?
  •  how are you measured? 
  • what's important to the person in front of you?
If you can't provide a snapshot of who or what that person in front of you can decide whether or not you are paid, have a company, have a product, have a service they may be interested in.

It's like learning to dance:  you start with the walz long before you attempt the Tango.  

p.s.  I figure skated growing up.  I know of which I speak.  On ice.  I only imagine that without skates, the Tango is a challenge to master.  As a dancer.




You need to uncover the most critical elements of your prospect.  Who the buyer is, the influencer, the technical stamp, final decision maker?

What is going on in their world?

Do a search on GOOGLE with the company name or identity or person.  See what results.

Nifty tricks and lousy monitoring techniques
are used to baffle the decision makers, to convince them that this will fix that and enough techno mumbo jumbo to leap beyond the CEO, director, executive!

Understand the numbers.
If you really must race to the finish line.
You know all the basics, have had reasonable success.
You think you could move forward, successfully in career and in life.
Find a mentor.  Someone who will be your gauge.
Your cheerleader, your champion, your guider.
Someone who can test your internal algorithm and toss them out.  Asking the right questions.

Once you understand the numbers, will you be able to excel.  Think leaders, strong on numbers, research your own candidates or supply your own opinions.

Fact checking against posted numbers posted is going to be the real thermometer for influence by pure numbers.  No manipulation of expression, claiming expertise, unsupported, self-realized.  Just the purity of numbers.

If you can grasp numbers, process them quickly and then come to a quick conclusion based on the information (or data) available to you:  in the form of algorithms or applications or whatever!

The IA community is out there testing theories.
Behavioral scientists are studying data.
Extracting predictions based on the data.
Then, they can go data mining:  who would be
a person whom best represents my brand?

I have been writing full-stop on  Wordpress as www.optioneerjm.com





Neglecting this blog, as I have needed to exorcise a lot of stress, let go of a lot of things, a lot of people.  I wrote on there as an outlet, whereas www.blogspot\optioneerjm.ca has been dedicated more towards sales, social media, leadership advice.

I've realized my strength here and wish to rectify the behavior.  As I've been looking for my next career step, factoring my personal influences, I've been reflective.  This blogspot has always allowed me to express a stronger opinion, good sales advice or leadership awareness.

At least, I've watched only SOME OF THE NUMBERS.  I haven't been here for a while.

I recognize that this will remain a rinky dinky sales blog, that has a great tribe, early adopters on social media, mentorship and support.

That is, UNLESS I return some of the ideas of knowledge on sales or social media, I won't be able to be an evangelist on numbers if I don't explain why.




WHY?
Because as the majority of society and brands evolve more intricately online, they will exchange and engage more.

COMMERCE ONLINE
Is evolving to "influence marketing" which will kick the crap outta people's trust.  

How do you know if you can actually trust this brand with your information if you use their product or service?

Influence marketing has been abused and over-used already.  Fake news is past being a phenomena, it is still flourishing.

INFLUENCE WILL BE BACKED BY NUMBERS
Not claims.  That's why I was joking on optioneerjm.com how I need a VA real assistant who can do FACT-CHECKING on my various blogs.



MY NUMBERS are encouraging.

I have to figure out how to package and sell it.

As a person other's will likely CLICK if I float upon their screen.  The algorithms are consistently agreeing, I have some attractive numbers, because of my crew.  The tribe whom I engage with, by their click, an exchange, or I share, like or comment to too!

I have to put together a powerpoint presentation .ppt that I can send to one to three people I have in mind.  A proposal of sorts, on how we can move forward.

A WIN WIN
To leverage my numbers with their GOALS.

I will repost on www.optioneerjm.com (PLEASE subscribe, share, comment ).