The Art of Business Development

The Art of Business Development

Every business understands that a pipeline of prospective new business is critical to a company’s growth and maturity.  In many opinions, the fuller the pipeline, the better. Typically, for the simple reason that some of these will be viable prospects, some will require a lengthier process, such as, nurturing and seasoning, and others simply won’t be viable for you or them.

But once you receive a lead, what is the best way to qualify that new prospect into your pipeline? 

As CEO & Founder of SOS Sales Help, Jason Siefken has the primary responsibility of Business Development for our company. So, of course, we decided to ask him the “the secret to his success” over the years to which he was happy to do.

So even if you only take pieces of his “tried but true” process, you will be the better for it.  So, you may be eager to ask, “what is it?”

The Introduction

Jason feels the introduction is so important to his business development as it allows him to get to know the person, the company, and the product or service, and build rapport and trust.  In this introductory process, he also digs deeper in understanding customer or prospect base, current or past experiences, their financial goals or return on investment and much more.

As he discusses the product and service, he then probes for what type of call center solutions they have and/or presently want to engage in – like Outbound acquisition, Inbound care, Appt setting IB/OB, Lead Qualifying IB/OB, Chat, Email and so forth.

The prospect might have a specific need or more commonly, we have the opportunity to provide them color on what each service is and how it works. From there, we can then explain when and why SOS excels in those areas including case studies and testimonials.

This also allows you to crossover into SOS Capabilities that can be tailored to them such as:

  •                 Hours of operation, Days of week
  •                 Goals & expectations
  •                 Timeframes
  •                 Data, campaigns
  •                 Reporting and analytics
  •                 Deliverables, next steps
  •                 Technology/CRM

This then will let you lead into the agreement process, for instance what they need, what we need, formats, templates, timing, executing.

Follow Up

With deliverables, secure both general and specific next steps that would include Follow up.  During this phase, it is customary that SOS submit a formal proposal that outlines all of the above including Pricing Proposal, usually which is also discussed in your exploratory session with them.

Regardless of where they are at in this stage, always schedule the next follow up and also what you and they need at that time.  If it has progressed to a higher level and even obtained a verbal commitment, then you can schedule your contractual negotiation.

Note to self – Always be willing to compromise in your negotiations but only when it makes sense for you.  Don’t just agree to get the agreement as that doesn’t benefit either party in the long run.

With a fully executed agreement, then it’s time for onboarding and implementation. But then alas – that’s a whole other blog.

We want to thank Jason Siefken for his insight on this so important process to any business.  Cheers to you!

As President of SOS Sales Help since March of 2017, Craig expertly leads the team that manages the development, execution and growth of Account Management, Partner Operations and Strategic Services as well as HR, Quality and Training for the company in this executive teleservices business. Prior to this, he invested the last thirty years at Infinity, APAC and Entertel in successful leadership roles.

Big Company Goals and Small Company Values

Big Company Goals. Small Company Values.

This claim to fame isn’t something new, and it is very likely something that you’ve heard before.  But what does it really mean when a business has small company values & big company goals.  Really any size business, even the smallest, if managed properly can have the values that are rock-solid and goals that are out-of-this-world.

But there are key attributes that are consistent with those companies that do, such as:

Collaborative Partnerships

These are companies that work side-by-side with you on every step of the program. That includes –

  • Onboarding
  • Implementation
  • Training
  • Initial Period
  • Roll-out
  • New projects
  • And more…

These are also relationships that are built on a mutual respect and appreciation for one another, so that you know this partner has your best interest at heart at all times and is acting in your stead in all phases of the program as an extension or ambassador.

Another way to look at this is the word empathy or really understanding another’s perspective behind what they are doing and how they are they doing it. In this case, a good partner possesses empathy.

Flexibility

This is so incredibly important in our so busy, ever changing times.  And yes, smaller more boutique agencies likely are set up more suitably to be flexible, it doesn’t mean larger companies cannot or that as the partner you cannot ask for this.  You should feel that you are truly building and working on something unique together with someone of authority and expertise on whatever makes the most sense for you and your company.

Again because of the needs of the market, you want to deliver innovation to your program, and you want a partner that is able & willing to make the changes quickly and efficiently either with you or on you behalf as the extension of you.

Results driven

At the end of the day, there is no program that ultimately isn’t driving for results.  I mean let’s face it… is there anything more important to any size company than positive sales results?

A valuable partner has your goals in your sights at all times to make sure they are trying to figure out what works or what doesn’t without wasting a bunch of money or time doing it.  They should have a passion for providing solutions that are quicker, more efficient and of course effective.

Quick Summary

As I indicated above, there are many more attributes to what this partner means to you and is personalized to each person and company.  But just know that any company of any size can deliver on this and you don’t have to be a gigantic company to be in the position to deliver on them.  You decide and pick wisely.

As President of SOS Sales Help since March of 2017, Craig expertly leads the team that manages the development, execution and growth of Account Management, Partner Operations and Strategic Services as well as HR, Quality and Training for the company in this executive teleservices business. Prior to this, he invested the last thirty years at Infinity, APAC and Entertel in successful leadership roles.

Right Budget for Your Outbound Calling Campaign

What’s the right budget for my outbound calling campaign?

First of all, there is no right or wrong answer to this question about what is the right budget for your outbound calling campaign.

But I do have a few questions that you can use as a guide to determining the amount of spend that you should invest and then see as a return to your marketing supplement in an outbound campaign.

Here are some thought-provoking questions to ask yourself or those who work with you to make a decision –

  • What is the size of your marketing database?
    • I.e. How many viable customers and/or prospects do you have available with contact information like phone &/or email?
  • What is your revenue goal for that period as in month or quarter or even annual?
  • What type of Return on Investment (ROI) expectations or requirements do you have for yourself or at your company?
  • What kind of budget do you have allocated for marketing?
    • Is this specified for digital marketing or direct mail or telemarketing?
    • If so, do you have discretion to reallocate from one to subsidize the other?
  • How do you need to report and track on the value and success of the campaign?
    • Does it include a cost per acquisition type formula so you can tie in the spend?
  • Do you have a plan?
    • And if you do, are  you ready, willing and able to be flexible and nimble with that plan when/if necessary?

So these are just some of the questions that you should ask yourself as your prepare your outbound campaign, but these above will give you a fair idea of what type of budget you need to achieve your goals for that time period.

But you should plan to be sure that you invest some dollar amount that give you at least a dedicated resource to execute on your campaign. Much less than this doesn’t always provide the economy of scale that you are in need of for success.

And the best part about all of this, is that you can adjust as you go if you find it necessary to do so.  Especially if you are and am sure you will be, crushing you goals, so why not invest more?!

As President of SOS Sales Help since March of 2017, Craig expertly leads the team that manages the development, execution and growth of Account Management, Partner Operations and Strategic Services as well as HR, Quality and Training for the company in this executive teleservices business. Prior to this, he invested the last thirty years at Infinity, APAC and Entertel in successful leadership roles.

Being Positive

What do Positive Energy, Solutions and Results do for your Performance?

Values are an integral part of any businesses core business plan, just as they are an integral part of any individual.  We all have them; we all need them.

What’s really important is when the core values of a business intertwine with the individuals as their employees as then you see how values “up their game” in all aspects of their life – at work and at home.

So first of all, what is a value defined as?  It is defined as:

val·ue

ˈvalyo͞o/

noun

plural noun: values

  1. 1.

the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.

“your support is of great value”

synonyms: worth, usefulness, advantage, benefit, gain, profit, good, help, merit, helpfulness, avail;More

 

  1. 2.

a person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.

“they internalize their parents’ rules and values”

synonyms: principles, ethics, moral code, morals, standards, code of behavior

“society’s values are passed on to us as children”

[As defined by in Google search]

Positive Energy

The first value we will explore is Positive Energy.  Positive Energy is so easy and yet oh so critical.  Just by hearing an individual, using positive statements to themselves and others.  Or just using positive phrases to others and yourself.  Recognize others with positive statements when achievements are made as well as self-talk positive things when you yourself achieve a “win” or personal best.  Don’t complain. Be appreciative of the self improvement.  Look at life as a lesson, not a problem.  It helps you stay optimistic.

Positive Solutions

The next value to look at is Positive Solutions.  How do we create Positive Solutions?  How do we impact them?  Don’t envision failures, don’t think of them as issues, but put this in a position of lessons learned which in the end create positive solutions.  Acknowledge those around you also that  are part of a positive solution and don’t let them go unnoticed for minimize their effort.  Whether that is your manager or co-worker or employee or partner or significant other or child. Or even just an acquaintance.

Positive Results

And last – Positive Results.  As you displaying Positive Energy and creating Positive Solutions, then you are going to be delivering Positive Results. Imagine these results by executing on the plan, just by envisioning success.  This includes visualizing yourself being actively engaged in the process and delivering the type of results that will prove your skill and accountability.

Positive vales creates a positive life for you and those surrounding you and impacts positively your performance.

As President of SOS Sales Help since March of 2017, Craig expertly leads the team that manages the development, execution and growth of Account Management, Partner Operations and Strategic Services as well as HR, Quality and Training for the company in this executive teleservices business. Prior to this, he invested the last thirty years at Infinity, APAC and Entertel in successful leadership roles.

Top 5 Attributes to a Good Hire

Top 5 Key Attributes to a Good Hire

What are the key attributes of a good hire?  Meaning what type of traits about that person attract you and that in your mind equate to a solid hire.

This is a question that can be answered in as many times as it’s asked, so this is just guidelines that have stood out over time to indicate a good addition to your team.

1 | Ability to Learn

First up is ability to learn.  Does their background indicate that they have either been asked to or taken the initiative to learn something new? And been successful at that feat? When asked about such, can they tell you how and what they’ve learned.  Every job position has some type of learning and associated learning curve, so the shorter you can make this, then the better for everyone.

2 | Ability to Adapt

Second is the ability to adapt. Adapt to what you might ask?  Well initially adapt to their new surroundings, their new role, their new co-workers, their new responsibilities, not to mention other potential factors like schedule, platforms, systems, communication styles, etc.  Then you have the everyday life of changes that occur in the workplace like procedures and processes and such.  So basically, you want to be add someone who is able to adapt and “go with the flow”.

3 | Hardworking

Third on the list is a person who is simply hardworking.  You want someone who has demonstrated in the past to be a person who takes seriously important items like – Prompt arrival times, ability to be a self starter, willing to put in the extra effort for exceeding results, reliability, dependability, willingness to take on new & exciting tasks and more.  These people know how to work hard, how to plan and organize their day, pay attention to the big and the small stuff and just know how “go the extra mile” to make it all work out.

4 | Communication Skills

Fourth is communication skills.  This is a wide open subject, like how they communicate with you, how they interact with others, how they respond to situations, verbal, written, facial expressions, body language and the list goes on.  But in almost any job position, their communication skills in one way or another define who they are and how effective (or ineffective) they are in dealing with others and handling situations that arise or come their way.  So just talk to your candidate and get them telling you about who they are, then just listen.

5 | Integrity

Last – Integrity.  If your company is like most others, then you want to be able to trust your employees so honesty is a big deal.  No lying, no cheating, no stealing.  And in addition good judgment, good values, good morals.

So when hiring, these areas have been of a positive influence and can lead you to make a more impactful decision for your organization. Of course, it’s not fail proof as nothing really is. But they are definitely good pointers to use in your decision making process for the right person.

As President of SOS Sales Help since March of 2017, Craig expertly leads the team that manages the development, execution and growth of Account Management, Partner Operations and Strategic Services as well as HR, Quality and Training for the company in this executive teleservices business. Prior to this, he invested the last thirty years at Infinity, APAC and Entertel in successful leadership roles.

Executive Teleservices

What are Executive Teleservices?

In our world, it’s about making live contact with a business owner and/or a high level decision maker.  But that’s not easy especially if you sound like you are just reading from a script.   I mean just to get past gatekeepers and leaving a voice message now requires an exact science in order for some level of interest to register with the recipient.

In today’s marketing, it’s not just about quantity but even more so about quality.

Here’s what I’m saying:  When you are dialing, sure the number of dials that you can make in an hour and in a day is an important metric.  There has to be a metric in order to measure efficiency. But even more so than the dials is what is being said in the live contact.

In the B2B arena, we all know that your specialists that are calling businesses get a lot of front desks and a lot of voice mails. So as we said above, it’s even important how & what you say in those. But even more so, when you do get a live call to the executive decision maker, to someone who can decide if the benefit of the product or service is worth their time, then it’s go-time to make that a meaningful exchange into something positive, something productive for both parties.

In our world, our expert sales professionals concentrate on making the most of every healthy contact, just meaning that when they encounter a live voice then they immediately spring into action. If it is a gatekeeper, then the specialist keeps it light but impactful making sure that they get enhanced record data as well if applicable setting up an appointment for the right person. If it’s a voice message, then it’s all about leaving short by powerful words to prompt them to “out of the ordinary” call-back.  And if you are in line to get just that right person, then make it count.

Ask questions. Listen. Understand needs. State benefits. Tailor to them. Paint the picture. 

You may spend literally hours waiting for just this opportunity, so make sure you are using your product knowledge and sales skills in this encounter.

So that’s why even though quantity is important and a necessary part of managing activity, in these cases it’s about the quality of the interaction even more. So yes, dial dial dial. But make it count!

As President of SOS Sales Help since March of 2017, Craig expertly leads the team that manages the development, execution and growth of Account Management, Partner Operations and Strategic Services as well as HR, Quality and Training for the company in this executive teleservices business. Prior to this, he invested the last thirty years at Infinity, APAC and Entertel in successful leadership roles.

Boutique Shop

What does it mean to be a Boutique Shop?

The phrase boutique shop is now used in a company’s marketing concept as an advantage to the type of service they provide, not necessarily the size of the firm. But why is that?  Yes, it’s true that boutique shops tend to be on the smaller side. This is generally because they offer a unique service in a superior fashion for companies such as yours that requires specialized agents to do so.  For instance, these boutique shops may specialize in high-level lead qualification for appointment setting that use specialists with years of experience in this genre.

But boutique shops are more than just that.  Whereas larger firms will not embrace projects with a defined start and stop date nor will they accept programs on a small scale, a boutique shop relishes these type of opportunities.  This is because they identify with the high level of importance and skill required to effectively coordinate the strategy to provide a positive return on the investment.

Whereas larger firms will not embrace projects with a defined start and stop date nor will they accept programs on a small scale, a boutique shop relishes these type of opportunities. 

With these type of strategies, the value of the product or service that is presented to the executive is on the higher end, so it takes those skills to be able to efficiently and effectively engage with these executives to set up an appointment for the next stage in the sales process.

The specialists don’t usually have a lot of time to make that engagement so in short order need to be able to nail-down that rapport and create interest with the value proposition of the higher dollar item, the benefits it can provide, and the margins it can deliver.  So in these cases, the quality of the appointment is critical in that there is a clear understanding of the process and signals that indicate an initial interest in the product or service.

In addition, many strategists also get the side benefit of enhancing their data along the way whether you speak to the decision maker or not, for example – update the decision maker name, phone and/or title, capture key notes related to the company or decision maker or the like.  This enhanced data can be delivered to you as see fit.

These type of specialists that can deliver this level of quality are not customarily found in the world of commodity of call centers, but alas in a boutique shop.  One that intimately understands the importance of the engagement and why each interaction is so vital to the overall marketing strategy.  The boutique shop.

As President of SOS Sales Help since March of 2017, Craig expertly leads the team that manages the development, execution and growth of Account Management, Partner Operations and Strategic Services as well as HR, Quality and Training for the company in this executive teleservices business. Prior to this, he invested the last thirty years at Infinity, APAC and Entertel in successful leadership roles.