Everyday 24 hours people visit your website: any of them can be potential clients or current clients. They are all looking for something. Hopefully they find an answer on your website.
All web services keep on processing 24/7. For computers it is business as “usual”.

People send emails any time during “our” day from distant places. People expect a response quickly.

At the same time LEADSExplorer tracks all visitors all day long, revealing their company names and what they use as search term.

Even on New Year’s Eve people are looking for business solutions:
“sales tactics for recession”, “website leads research”, “Making employee sales people”, “sales metrics during recession”, “comparison technology costs”, “can one identify visitors of websites”, “CRM complex order entry”, “tracking of funnel”,  …

New York used to be the city that never sleeps. Now the web services never sleep neither as business people keep on surfing the Internet.
Business 24/7. Even on New Year’s Eve.

Let’s hope for a great 2009

Finding relevant content

Losing 50% of potential sales due to inadequate online information is what IDC claims for technology vendors.

The key considerations for technologists and business buyers during the purchase process are:
- Content type: in-depth information to white papers, case studies, articles and vendor collateral
- Content format like: audio, video or a document
- Accessibility to different information

Only 42 percent of the time people find relevant content.
Due to lacking of relevancy the chance to close a sale is reduced by 45 percent.

During the purchase process there is also a change of content types: from documents in the early stages to webcasts during implementation scenarios and shortlists.
And strangely documents rule again during the final decision.
Thus the best your website could are documents.

Different content for different people

Make sure your information is what they require as this would satisfy 56 percent of the respondents.

The problem with providing the required content in B2B sales, which is a complex sales process, is the number of people involved in the process. Thus you need different documents for the different people: evangelist, purchaser, influencer, manager, VITO, recommenders, advocate, naysayer, …

The best sources for information are your sales people, who actually meet most of these people. They should help to define the content for each of the people involved in the buying process.

Next you should know what parts of the website are being visited by people from companies, not the residential surfers. There you need to put your content – apparently documents (pdf) are good enough.

You can download the IDC report “Technology Vendors May Be Losing Close to 50% of Their Potential Sales Due to Inadequate Online Information” here (after simple registration).

What content and documents your company website provides?
Could you indicate or define the different content for the different people involved?

In order to persuade customers to sign up for our online service, a we choose to offer a free trail for 30 days.
Not more or less, as after 30 days people should know if they see or experienced a benefit or not.
15 days is too short.
Longer than 30 days will keep them pondering and will take too long.

Number of free accounts

One: the evangelist
As LEADSExplorer is intended for small, medium and even large companies, if we give only one user the opportunity to use and experience it, it won’t spread internally. Moreover he will have a hard time to sell it internally, even if he would become our evangelist.

Two: the evangelist and a wasted
When granting two users to use it for free, then probably his manager will get the second account. As managers are more interested in results and reports and are not into testing or trying new services, the second account has no value for our sales process.

Too many: too much hassle
Some web service companies give 10 or more free user accounts. We don’t see a value in that many free users:
- The organization of the trial: distribution of accounts
- Explaining the trial to employees
- Getting employees involved in testing and trying
- Organizing the feedback
This seems a lot of hassle and waste of time.
Moreover the more people involved in the decision, the higher likelihood several employees will oppose to decide anything.

Restricting for exclusivity
By restricting the access to the trial makes it more exclusive and important for those who are allowed participating.
The internal communication is easier between the testers.
The feedback to the provider is straightforward.

Four trial accounts for internal sales process

We decided to go for 4 free accounts:
The first account for the initiator.
The second account for the manager.
The third and fourth accounts are for colleagues who will use it.

The main goal is to get the internal sales process going.
Thus the more influential the colleagues the better:
- Influential to other colleagues
- Influential to the boss.
Typically it is not the employee who takes the initiative to sing up for a free trial, that is also the most influential in the company.

Thus the free trial has to score on several matters:
- Bringing a feasible solution to a problem
- Convincing of the use and benefit to several users and the manager(s)
- Acquiring an evangelist
- Proving the usability
- Spreading the concept positively: it has to be remarkable
That seems quite a lot for just a free trial during 30 days.

What are your experiences:
- Using a free trial
- Granting free trials?

Selling versus buying

The goal of selling is to get the customer sign the purchase order.
The only thing the customer is looking for is finding a solution for his problem.

These two different goals should match and find each other in the middle.

Buyers and their problems are key

The buyers aren’t interested in your problems as a salesman like budgets and bonuses.
The buyers need to solve their problems in the best and most efficient way.
You are not important for the decision makers or takers as you are just another salesman.

Consulting instead of selling

In many case people ask the Xerox service man what model they should buy next as he knows those he hasn’t got any problems with.

If you could present yourself as an advisor instead of a salesman, the sales process will change into a consulting process as Ben Bradly in Sales Management 2.0 explains about wanting to stop selling. 

Explain them how your company works, about:
- The vision of future products
- The product development process
- The openness about the available technologies
- The efforts you and your team are doing to find the best solution for him.
This is a kitchen to kitchen approach where both parties involved come together and start thinking together. The kitchen indicates that both he vendor and the buyer open up the conversation and explain in depth and openly about the problems, possibilities, cost of ownership and risks.

This kitchen to kitchen approach will show you have the best intentions by giving him insight in the different risks involved with his decision and how to avoid those risks.

This collaboration builds trust, which leads to a relationship.
While your competitors will insist on closing the sales, you will focus on giving advice in order to build a relationship.

Chances on success

Using the kitchen to kitchen approach chances are you will win the deal.

Still if you can’t sell on this occasion, then there will probably be a next one.
In any case, the buyer will remember you and will invite you and your team on the next occasion.

Effectiveness of consulting approach

The questions are:
- Will this consulting be effective?
- Will you generate more sales in the long run?
- Will be able to keep your consulting image even after having sold several solutions?
- Will you need less time and fewer efforts as a consultant?
- Will you be able to bring enough experience to the table?

Can you imagine yourself as a consultant instead of a salesman?
Can you open up you company for the kitchen to kitchen approach?

Great salesmen selling themselves the best

If a salesman is good in sales, is he equally good in selling himself in order to get a new job in a different company or industry?

Isn’t selling yourself the most difficult type of sales?
Is selling yourself and selling a product or a solution comparable?

If a company is declining in sales or lacking innovation, will it be the best salesmen who will be the first to find a new job appointment?

If you have to select a new salesman, will it be the one that sells the best himself?

If the best salesmen good in selling themselves, aren’t they doing this all of the time even during their normal sales pitches as they sell both themselves and the products or solutions?

What do you think?

Good in selling not in selling themselves

Or is it the contrarian?
Great Salesmen are good in getting people to by products and solutions, but do an average job in selling themselves as it is of a different matter and of a different kind.

If the best salesmen were so good in selling themselves, then wouldn’t they all end up as VP Sales or even CEO?
Apparently not:
- Only a minority has become VP Sales or CEO, as the larger population seems to stay in sales.
- If they were so good in selling themselves, all salesmen would have the best partners (married or living together).

Or maybe they just like selling products and solutions.
Thus maybe not all the best salesmen are so good in selling themselves.

Are you as a great salesman, equally great in selling yourself or just average?

Getting paid

Getting a lead is just the first step.
Closing a sale is a big achievement.
Supplying the goods or delivering the service is obvious.
Getting the invoice paid is the main goal.

For any business in any industry, getting the invoice paid is the main goal.
Especially in during this recession as any delay in payments will cause problems in other divisions of the company.

Isn’t it logic that after spending so much time, effort and money on lead generation?
Then you have gone through the entire sales cycle competing with your competitors for closing the deal which has required even more sources.
It is necessary to pay enough attention to getting the invoice paid.
Even better getting the invoice paid on time.

There for don’t neglect the most important part after investing in all the previous including the delivery of goods or services: getting paid.

Workflow vs relationship

In most companies the workflow of a customer is from marketing to sales to accounting.
First there is much effort from marketing, then sales until the invoice gets printed. Then the settlement becomes the responsibility of administration.

Why aren’t the Sales reps more involved into the payment process? As they have:
- The relationship
- The most knowledge about their customers
- The need to keep contact in order to retain the customer for selling again

In this recession do make sure to follow-up on getting the invoices paid whether you are in administration or Sales. It is for the benefit of your company and yourself.

Who takes care for following up in order to get the invoices paid in your company?

In these times of recession with Xmas and New Year coming, in order to bring some recomfort to the lonely bloggers, we altered the famous “Music was my first love” by John Miles (fan site) into “Blogging was my first love”.

In order to strengthen yourself and get moral support, click on the video and sing along:

Blogging was my first love
and it will be my last.
Blogging of the future
and blogging of the past.

To live without my blogging
would be impossible to do.
In this world of troubles,
my blogging pulls me through.

[Instrumental - You: dah dah da dadah dadah da]

Blogging was my first love
and it will be last.
Blogging of the future
and blogging of the past
and blogging of the past
and blogging of the past.

[Instrumental - You: dah dah da dadah dadah da]

Blogging was my first love
and it will be my last.
Blogging of the future
and blogging of the past.

To live without my blogging
would be impossible to do.
In this world of troubles,
my blogging pulls me through.

If you need a laugh then read here about the original lyrics.

B2B website study

In the UK Business websites have emerged as highly valued and indispensable source of information for decision makers in business, finds the study done by AOP (Association of Online Publishers in the UK) conducted in association with IPSOS Mori earlier this year (April 2008)

For decision makers business to business websites are in 51% the preferred source of business information, which is about two and a half times more than TV, radio, magazines and newspapers.

Business to business websites are:
- Ubiquitous for 97% of the decision makers.
- Essential source of information for 60%
- Providing information that couldn’t be found elsewhere for 60%

Business websites are used in:
- 56% of time when researching or informing for business decisions
- 55% of time when researching or informing for purchase decisions
- 54% of time when gathering sector news

In case of advertising on B2B websites:
- 43% said more likely to respond
- 53% to have more confidence
- 74% to trust more if from an established source
          (A business publication or industry body)

82% of the respondents uses at leas tone B2B digital delivery source:
- Most popular are email alerts
- Peer reviews, blogs and forums
- Other technologies: RSS, online seminars, podcast, vodcast, video streaming
It is likely these digital delivery sources will increase in use in the future.

Reasons for using Business to Business websites:
- Instant access: 70%
- Save time: 77%
- Innovative to access information: 74%
- Interacting with peers: 69%

The survey was conducted with over 750 decision makers in the UK.

Conclusion:
- The Internet has become the first source for most, still traditional media like print and events play an important role.
- Make sure your company gets listed on B2B websites.
- If you advertise then do it on Business to Business websites.

Are B2B websites sufficient for earning trust?

This study was done by an organization that needs to help and promote their members: Online Publishers.

Getting found on B2B websites
If you use B2B websites for your promotion, then you need to get a good positioning on these websites:
- Both people and search engines need to find your company, products or solutions.
- Your appearance or findability is only as good as the findability of the B2B website.
- You cannot influence the SEO and the SERP of the business to business website
- Advertising on B2B websites cost money.

All of these factors you have under control if you have your company website and promote it on the Internet using SEO, SEM in order have a high SERP and a good findability.

Guidelines for 3 cases:
a) If you have an insignificant website without valuable content, then using B2B websites is your best opportunity.
b) If you have a website that is being visited and having good and interesting content, then using B2B websites is good as a support for bringing trust and recognition.
c) If your website is somewhere in between, then getting more and better content will be probably the easiest to achieve, while at the same time you try to obtain visibility on business to business websites.

Trust is key in getting sales
The main point that AOP promotes is the trust that the business publication or established body brings.

If your company website has little value, the trust that you have build with B2B websites will evaporate immediately once your potential customers visit your website.

Your company website, a blog can build trust too. However it will take longer, but you will be completely in control.

Other opportunities for building trust
There are many more opportunities to reach out to potential buyers on the Internet like:
- Company or product website
- Blogging
- Commenting on blogs
- Forums
- Article writing
- Webinars
- Podcasts, Vodcasts
That B2B websites are to be considered as one of the better options, but not the sole or main option.

What do you use for branding, evangelizing and reaching out to potential customers?
How did you achieve to earn trust from your leads?
How did your company become trustworthy enough for your customers to buy from you?

On the telephone while cold calling, in a lead generation email, on a trade show or a conference meeting people, you need to get the attention of potential customers with a sales pitch.
The goal is to inform and to convince with information about your product or solution.
In all cases you don’t have much time or can use plenty of phrases in order to make sure they remember you and your product or solution.

If you tell too much people will only get confused or misinterpret your information or even get it completely wrong.

Duration of the sales pitch

How long or how many sentences does it take to explain the purpose of the solution you are selling?
If it takes longer than 20 seconds, the person addresses might already have lost his intention and probably hasn’t understood the purpose?

How long does it take to then explain the differentiators or competitive advantages?
If it takes longer than 60 seconds stating several benefits, they will not remember much and get confused.

People remember maximal 4 things

According to a study of Edward Awh and Edward Vogel people will only remember 4 things at one time (The bouncer in the brain. Nature Neuroscience 11(1), 5-6).

Thus people can remember 4 things:
- The name of your product or solution
- The purpose of your product or solution
- Max 2 to 3 items or features about your product or solution.

If you sum up more features and benefits, with a bit of bad luck they will only remember the less important ones and even forget about the exact purpose.

Improving pitch by shortening and reducing

Thus if you require more time to explain or have too many differentiators you need to revisit and rethink.

Shorten what you say or write about the purpose of your product or solution.
Cut down on the number of features that you pitch.

Once they are interested and ask for more information, then you can increase slowly the amount of information.
As always repeat some of the already explained or presented features. There is nothing wrong with repeating as it increases the chances of remembering.

Our pitch:
- LEADSExplorer
- Lead generation and CRM
- Revealing company names of your website visitors for more efficient cold calling.
- Seamless integration of website visit data into CRM for improving your lead generation, lead capturing, nurtuing leads and customers, sell more.
Of course there is more, but then you just might forget the important parts.

What is your sales pitch?

Prudent product management

Most companies try to offer a first product and if they achieve a first success, then they add on a second one with a few features or functions more at a slightly higher price in order to cover more of the market.

This is the very prudent product management that can lead to less sales:
If you only offer 2 products it will make your customers hesitate to choose, especially in case if they are very similar with minor differences in price, quality and features or functions. Your leads won’t know what to decide: too difficult.
Thus your sales people will loose time and effort while explaining and trying to sell.
In the end your leads might just turn to a competitor: your company is missing sales and profit.

The 3 products method

Since the early days of trading, vendors have always offered 3 choices:
- The cheap: just plain cheap
- The best: the best offer
- The expensive: just reasonably more expensive
Or
- The cheapest: lowest price for quality
- The best price for quality
- The expensive overpriced for the price / quality
Or
- The lowest price/features
- The best price/features
- The expensive overpriced for the price/features

Hardly anybody will buy the cheap as people will be afraid of the quality, missing features and functions. It is perceived as the wrong choice in the long run.
The high end product will be bought by those (posh) people or companies that want to pay more in order to have the best or what they presume will be the best in the long run.
It is a part of their life style (snob, bragging) or their business rule.

However most decision takers will go for the best offer as it balances price and quality or price and functions or features.

Daring product management

If you have only two very similar products on offer, then:
- Add on a third one that is cheaper having:
    + fewer features or functions
    + less quality.
- Increase the price significantly of your better product
        in order to segregate it from your other product.

At first this seems it will increase costs and decrease sales, thus profits too as adding the low end will increase costs of operation and the high end will sells less than before.

Leads can take their decision easier and better
Now your customers have the possibility to choose from 3 products.
Most will probably go for the best.

Increase sales
The first benefit is that your customers will be more comfortable in selecting their product, thus increasing the sales of this product and also your total revenue.

Improve marketing
Thanks to the clear differentiation; marketing and their advertising can do a better job in positioning the 3 products, whereas before they had problems to do this.

Better margins
Thanks to the increased quantities sold you will be able to have a lower cost of goods sold on this popular product, thus a higher margin.

As you will sell the overpriced high end product too, it will also deliver a high margin as the sales price is way too high.

Decrease operation expenses
As most people or companies buy the same product, your administrative costs will decrease too.
This best product will streamline your operations and company.
The only additional burdens are the additional development costs, industrialization and support for the low end product. As the low end product should be derived form you other products, all should be very similar to your R&D, production and support for your current products.

Results
The little margin, profit or even small loss you will be making on the cheap or low end product is largely covered by the more sales of the popular best product and the higher margins by the two others.

Thus on the whole your sales revenue will increase as people will buy more and your profits will increase.

Would you dare adding a cheap or lesser product and over increase the price of the high end product?