Introducing "Board Talk" with Jason Wood

Each month we will update the site with new videos. They will all be topical and relate to various subjects within sales and marketing. If you would like for us to cover a specific topic, send us an email and we will accommodate as many requests as possible. While we will upload 4 new videos a month, they are shot at the same time (hence the same shirt and tie!).

While there are many moving parts in the revenue generating extension of a company, the focus should be on sales. Here, we see the results of every effort in this area. Is our marketing effective? Is our position getting traction? Is our PR influencing targets? Are our sales reps having success? Too often, companies try to separate these areas and they are directly correlated. The success of one ties into the success of another. Therefore, monitoring sales more closely can give you the answers you need.

What you call “prospecting” we call targeting. They are not the same thing. Prospecting happens when contact is made and reps try to influence prospects to buy or meet. Targeting is the result of homework already done and contact made because of a need already found and established. Either way, automating this process allows for leads to be qualified all week, every week while sales people do what their skill set dictates they should do; sell!

Here is an ugly word in today’s corporate culture! Without systemic accountability, SALES EFFORTS WILL FAIL! The number one reason that reps struggle is because they are allowed to. That is the direct result of a lack of accountability. Something about every rep in your organization prompted you to hire them. Are you a bad judge of character or are they just good con artists? (Good con artists can at least sell) Either way, the result is unacceptable. Here are a few words you should never tolerate from staff or management, “but the economy is bad”. Translation: “It’s too hard so I give up!” These are people that you should encourage to go to work for your competitors!

 
Good market positioning does not over focus on raw product/service advantages. Instead, companies should be focused on what prompts buying decisions. In other words, what matters to the targets you engage? Everything else is ego and ad agency mumbo jumbo!