Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 7, 2014

I spend a lot of time with startups and thus hear many companies talk about their approach to sales and their interactions with customers. From these meetings you can really tell the leaders that care deeply about their customers and those the look down on them. You’d be very wrong. You can’t.

Customer 341

Customer Custom Venture Capital Software Review 341

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2013

In my first enterprise software company we developed a methodology for sales that we called PUCCKA. Having a methodology instead of just going on random sales visits helped force a bit of rigor and honesty amongst team members about how well or not we thought we were doing. The best sales meetings are discussions.

Sales 367

Sales Slides Startup Customer 367

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2021

As I talk to many of you in my role as business advisor, I still often hear the concern for maximum return to the business and stakeholders, more than a passion for sustainably enriching the lives of your customers and team. This applies to your own team, as well as customers. Make every customer experience memorable.

Customer 114

Customer Custom Satisfaction Metrics 114

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 23, 2013

Every sales organization with more than a handful of reps or that is across multiple offices or time zones would benefit from having a sales methodology. Simply, this is identifying a customer need that has economic value to them if they can solve it. This solves the customer question, “Why Buy Anything?”.

Sales 328

Sales Customer Custom Examples 328

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2020

They forget that adapting their company and themselves as their customers evolve is the key to long-term survival. Think of Blockbuster and Toys ‘R’ Us , both of whom missed customer changes and the move to online. Create an overt strategy to react to emerging customer trends. Expand into key new sales and delivery channels.

Customer 143

Customer Custom Examples IBM 143

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Our interview today is with Amos Schwartzfarb , the author of Sell More Faster: The Ultimate Sales Playbook for Start-Ups , which comes out tomorrow, Wednesday. We caught up with Amos to learn about his new book, and to gain some tips for startup entrepreneurs on how to figure out when you're actually ready to scale your sales team.

Sales 113

Sales Startup Custom Development Framework 113

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 5, 2011

Specifically what is often not in the DNA of founders are sales skills. The result is a lack of knowledge of the process and of sales people themselves. I had never had any sales training so everything we did for the first couple of years was instinctual. I boil it down to this: sales people are sales people.

Sales 316

Sales Startup Pricing Customer 316

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

I’d like to talk about Crocodile Salesmen in 3 scenarios: 1) when YOU are selling (or someone on your team), 2) when you are trying to recruit a sales person. But how to apply “listening&# in a sales meeting? Let’s assume you run a Customer Support software company. I still do this sometimes, too.

Sales 314

Sales Startup Venture Capital Customer 314

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2013

Startups are usually so focused on selling more of their branded product or service to their own customer base (organic growth) that they don’t consider the more indirect methods (non-organic growth) of increasing revenue and market share. An example of a startup which used non-organic growth early and effectively was Microsoft.

Organization 97

Organization Competition Startup Acquisition 97

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 1, 2020

Attracting the right customers is the key to success in business, whether you have a new startup or a mature enterprise. For example, Xerox tried to broaden the use of "xerox" as the standard term for "photocopying" to extend their existing customer segment into office automation and all kinds of computing.

Customer 123

Customer Custom Technical Review Examples 123

socalTECH

MAY 13, 2013

is the brainchild of David Padula, Derek Padula, and Dave Delaney, who have created a platform to help developers monetize their games through merchandise sales. According to the two, current and future members of the IGDA will receive a discount on the initial store setup fee for Fans.lu. READ MORE>>.

Organization 191

Organization Develop Development Electronic Arts 191

socalTECH

MARCH 1, 2018

As part of the lead in to the conference, and as a part of our sponsor relationship with the conference, we're running a series of interviews with speakers from the conference about their experience in the area of recurring revenues, customer service, and similar topics. We respond very quickly to all of our customers. Kevin Anderson.

Customer 113

Customer Custom Services Conference 113

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

It’s the lifeblood of any organization and yet most startups don’t have any sales DNA on their teams. It’s important enough that I dedicate a tab on my blog to startup sales & marketing. But the ground we covered was awesome for anybody wanting to know more about sales. What is your sales process?

Software Review 300

Software Review Sales Tips Help 300

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 16, 2019

Most businesses spend big money testing their brand logo, catchy marketing phrases, and demographics, but spend little time training and validating that their employees can and do deliver exceptional experiences to their customers. Keep your team happy to create engaged customers. Build relationships and stop surveying customers.

Customer 84

Customer Custom Training Satisfaction 84

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 30, 2013

This is part of a series that describes a sales methodology for technology companies or frankly many other types of companies, too. The “P” stands for Pain or the reason your customer needs to implement a new product. In order for somebody with IA to be your champion he has to be actively helping you through the sales process.

Sales 322

Sales Help Organization Product 322

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2019

Too many business owners still think of “ customer support ” as an after-sale process to rectify customer problems with completed transactions. With the advent of instant communication and social media, customer service starts at the first hint of interest by you, and never ends for repeat customers.

Customer 84

Customer Custom Company Companies 84

socalTECH

JANUARY 8, 2015

2015 will be the year that transforms the daily activity of the sales rep. The coming of age of support technologies, built on big data analytics and social networks will profoundly affect the day-to-day focus of sales organizations. Read the rest of Nick''s article on The 3 Technologies Driving The New Sales Force.

Sales 100

Sales Technology Social Network Los Angeles 100

Xconomy

OCTOBER 5, 2016

Dominating business-to-consumer sales, Amazon seems ready to take over the world of business-to-business too. In its first year, Amazon Business generated $1 billion in sales. Companies must learn to become ecosystem drivers – even if only for a subset of their customers – in order to survive.

Organization 91

Organization Customer Custom Study 91

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 3, 2014

When someone asks me for the best way to fund a startup, I always say bootstrap it, meaning fund it yourself and grow organically. Use voicemail, a world-class website, and personal customer service, with small expenses, to beat your big competitors. bootstrapping business entrepreneur investor organic growth' Do it yourself.

Organization 111

Organization Startup Summary Entrepreneur 111

Berkonomics

JUNE 25, 2020

But businesses that expose their story to tens of millions of potential customers through the Internet need additional tools. CHURN (% customer cancelling each month). This is calculated by dividing the number of cancellations by the total number of customers before cancellations and multiplying by 100. The lower, the better.

Acquisition 156

Acquisition Statistics Sales Customer 156

SoCal Tech Calendar

AUGUST 10, 2011

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 -- Real Value of Customer Excellence. The customer is always rightwell, most times! Our August panel dives deeply into the new age of customer service. Our panelists will discuss their organizations best practices when serving high value customers. See [link] (more)

Customer 113

Customer Custom .Net Organization 113

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

Consider a sales relationship where your product will be in the bag of salespeople from the partner company. In spite of the best efforts of senior management in creating such a partnership, the success always lies in the hands of those closest to the end customer.

Press 156

Press Sales Training Resource 156

Berkonomics

JANUARY 5, 2023

Accounting and HR operations are combined as quickly as possible, as are customer service call centers, retaining specific product skills on the front line from the acquired company. Facilities may become redundant or oversized after these efforts, allowing for consolidation of facilities as well. The post Looking to be acquired?

.Net 156

.Net Acquisition Sales Email 156

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 26, 2010

Social proof is defined as “looking for others to guide our decisions&# and is also one of the most important techniques in acquiring customers in your company. We would take every day users from our customer base and make them heroes. Marketing heroes is brilliant and you should find ways to implement in your organization.

Marketing 294

Marketing Customer Custom Technical Review 294

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 19, 2013

The era of VCs investing in successful consumer Internet startups such as eBay led to a belief system that seemed to permeate many enterprise software startups that hiring sales or implementation people was a bad thing. But the “no sales people” mantra isn’t what I’m here to take on. I believe it’s flawed.

Startup 403

Startup Sales Software Review Technical Review 403

socalTECH

JANUARY 6, 2020

According to PayPal, the deal will "transform the shopping experience for PayPal's consumers while increasing sales and customer engagement for its merchants." Honey--which was based in Pasadena--is one of the largest exits out of Southern California in recent years.

Acquisition 145

Acquisition Southern California Pasadena Sales 145

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 21, 2014

It’s when the noise stops and you can actually get customer attention, press articles and VC meetings. ” Case studies get done with ebullient CEO’s espousing the benefits of said software even though their organization was barely using the product. And as I always assert, “Great companies are built in downturns.

Marketing 354

Marketing Case Study Metrics Sales 354

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

Switch your attention from product development to sales. Second-stage growth usually requires a formal sales model, an experienced and disciplined sales team, and a well-defined process to meet your new goals and demands. These only come with the proper training, investment in tools, and focus on customer relationships.

Sales 147

Sales Metrics Guide Startup 147

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2020

Taoglas said it will use Arrows sales and services organization to expand their customer base, grow ecosystem partnerships, and improve supply chain services. According to Taoglas, the partnership includes a new global distribution agreement focused on AI and IoT products and services. READ MORE>>.

San Diego 113

San Diego Organization Sales Services 113

InfoChachkie

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

However, savvy startups can leverage LinkedIn to create a customer acquisition and a churn reduction tool. When SimpleLegal follows its users into a new organization, there are generally no alternative solutions being used. However, in some cases, especially with its larger customers, the company displaces a competitor.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Software Review Technical Review 100

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 22, 2016

He started by stating, “We track customer success.” My initial reaction was, “Great, but I am not sure that qualifies as non-obvious” but then he quickly knocked it out of the park, adding, “We define ‘customer success’ as enabling our customers to generate more prospects and close more sales. Share and Enjoy.

Customer 100

Customer Custom Cornerstone OnDemand Metrics 100

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2014

Most businesses spend big money testing their brand logo, catchy marketing phrases, and demographics, but spend little time training and validating that their employees can and do deliver memorable experiences to their customers. Keep your team happy to create engaged customers. An unhappy team member can’t create an engaged customer.

Customer 106

Customer Custom Training Satisfaction 106

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2017

Most businesses spend big money testing their brand logo, catchy marketing phrases, and demographics, but spend little time training and validating that their employees can and do deliver memorable experiences to their customers. Keep your team happy to create engaged customers. An unhappy team member can’t create an engaged customer.

Customer 69

Customer Custom Training Satisfaction 69

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

But if you level up , raise capital and grow customers, revenue and staff – life changes. Eventually you need a VP of Product to handle your product roadmap, a CTO for engineering leadership and VPs of sales, marketing & biz dev. The “doers” in your organization. You set direction. You hire great people.

Entrepreneur 385

Entrepreneur CTO Hire Startup Sales 385

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 23, 2022

In addition, today’s customers judge a company by perceived people relationships through social media, phone conversations, and sales experiences. That’s why I was pleased to see the balance on people versus process in a classic book on how to fix your organization, “ The Diamond Process ,” by Mike Diamond and Christopher Harding.

Coach 128

Coach Organization Mentor Startup 128

Berkonomics

MAY 17, 2018

It is a story about focus upon the customer, first. Each new plateau in revenue growth, each time a month’s orders hit a record, each large order from the sales department, all of these and more give rise to opportunities to celebrate publicly. An event of extraordinary customer service. Customer first, always!

Customer 226

Customer Custom Sales Course 226

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 31, 2023

While his insights have come from large organizations, I give many of the same recommendations to every startup: Channel engagement performance. Selecting the right sales channels is one of the first strategic decisions that every startup faces. Understanding culture is paramount, but measuring results is even better.

Metrics 102

Metrics Demand Paramount Content 102