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The Request for Proposal
I think there have been four unsolicited Request for Proposal (RFP) wins in the course of my sales career. Four. That’s an average of one every… never mind. Of course, that may suggest that I suck at RFPs. Or maybe the deal was skewed to the favor of some other vendor. (I’m going with the …
Sales Fundamentals: Your Sales Toolkit
Do you have a sales toolkit? Because a salesperson’s income is directly linked to their sales performance, being more productive pays real dividends. Which means every increase in preparedness and productivity typically translates into increased sales success, which should then result in greater earnings. (Or it should.) A ten percent increase in your productivity should …
Sales Fundamental: Have a Sales Out
Early-stage founders need to be actively selling. It’s a key sales fundamental to understand that having a dual founder/sales role means that the buck stops with you. This means your prospective client knows that you call the shots. They know that you have the authority and can commit. You can say YES. But… there may …
Sales Fundamental: Got Sales Game
I like to think I’ve got sales game, but would have never thought of this. Because I’m not a gamer, so I just don’t have that perspective. Maybe I should. It’s good to be able to think outside the box. Plus, sales golf has never been a big part of my strategy. Too much time …
Sales Fundamental: Reliability
One of the most basic sales fundamentals is reliability, the simple act of doing what you say you’re going to do. You could also argue it’s the most obvious. (It’s also a rule that translates equally well to most other areas of life.) In two words: Be reliable. Deliver on your commitments. Be on time. …
Sales Fundamentals – Have Patience
When selling to big, brand-named B2B accounts, it helps to have patience. One of the more frustrating aspects of sales for early stage start-ups is the decision-making process and the slow pace of progress that’s inherent with enterprise accounts. A juicy, high-profile deal with one can be a game-changer for any small company, but making …
Sales Tip: Have Reasons to Reconnect
To keep the sales process moving forward, you need to keep the conversation going. To do that, you need to be proactive. And one solid way to do that is to create reasons to reconnect with your customer. This isn’t complicated, but it requires some preparation. And execution. To create opportunities to reconnect, consider the …
Sales Fundamentals: Cold Email
Cold emails work, especially if they’re not cold. I got hit up by a start-up founder with a cold email in response to a post I placed on @IndieHackers. It’s worth sharing as it’s a great example of how to start a sales conversation. “Hi Brendan, I found your answers on Indiehackers quite interesting and …