We waste so much time in meetings and conference calls, some of which are unnecessary and others that take way too long. Many of the rules below could equally apply to live meetings. Make sure you really need it in the first place. If this is really just an update, perhaps a memo would be… Read More
50+ email marketing hacks to double your response rates
I was fortunate to be asked to present on this topic last week at Hubspot’s Inbound conference. Apparently, hacks and higher response rates are popular among Hubspot customers! Our first session was packed 20 minutes before we started. They literally had to ask a couple police officers to help turn people away else we would… Read More
7 Reasons Why Your BDRs Aren’t Making Quota
The role of sales development is exploding, as companies exponentially grow the number of sales professionals employed and focused on lead development and appointment-setting capacities. Simple job right? Find the right audience, identify those with need, and get them interested in learning more. Of course reality isn’t nearly the simple. Yet companies continue to hire… Read More
A Practical Guide To Product Launch Programs For The SaaS Business
By Brian Hansford, Heinz Marketing This Guide focuses exclusively on the process of preparing for and executing a product launch. The framework described here will help companies prepare for and implement successful launch marketing programs with measurable goals. A product launch is a critical milestone for any software vendor regardless of size. The time leading… Read More
A proven homework assignment for inside sales candidates
This is one of my favorite ways to separate the good from not-as-good inside sales candidates we see on a regular basis. Interviews are great but aren’t anywhere near the typical environment in which those sales professionals are going to help you make money. Past experience and performance is nice but doesn’t always cleanly translate… Read More
A tale of six data providers: Who wants my business?
A week ago today, I needed a small email database appended with title and company information. It was an opt-in email list with just email and first/last name, so I needed a bit more information for first-level sorting. I’m what you would call a highly-motivated, ready-to-buy buyer. If I find the right product for the… Read More
Are you listening for “lean in” moments?
You’re in a conversation with a prospect. A long time, loyal customer. Your boss. Just about anybody. Let’s assume you’re actively listening, taking notes as needed. But there are points in the conversation that mean more than almost anything else said. It’s not necessarily at the end, when you’re trying to summarize the conversation and… Read More
B2B Reads: colors, confessions & what NOT to say
In addition to our Sunday App of the Week feature, we also summarize some of our favorite B2B sales & marketing posts from around the Web each week. We’ll miss a ton of great stuff, so if you found something you think is worth sharing please add it to the comments below. In the meantime, here’s some of what we’re reading: The… Read More
Do you know who you’re writing for?
There are numerous ways to write the same piece of content. Pick a topic and the approach you’ll take will differ widely based on who you want reading it. Take content marketing, for example. If you’re writing for a content marketer, you’re probably going to provide tactics. Best practices. Examples. Success stories. Let’s say you’re… Read More
Everything the light touches is content
Two weeks ago Ann Handley joined us in Seattle for two amazing events, in part to promote her new book Everybody Writes. I still think it’s one of the most important content marketing books I’ve ever read, not only because it encourage everybody (no matter your background or skill set) to become better writers, but it also… Read More
Five common content marketing mistakes (and how to fix them)
Don’t overthink your content marketing strategy. It’s more important to have a bias for action and get rolling. That said, when getting started with content marketing for your organization or brand, there are a few things to make sure you’ve thought through up front. Here are five mistakes I see organizations making most often. 1…. Read More
Five reasons your sales technology investment will fail
TL:DR answer: It’s not the tech’s fault. Get these five things right first or the tech has no chance to help you. A few weeks ago I had the honor of participating in a roundtable discussion hosted by Jonathan Farrington centered on the role, impact and importance of technology in driving successful sales. It was… Read More
Five ways to find more sales leads on Twitter
Twitter will never be confused with a direct response channel, but it’s still a proven & measurable tool for finding, engaging and closing more prospects. That goes for small business and enterprise sales, as well as a broad spectrum of industries. Below are five specific tips to start finding more sales via Twitter. You don’t… Read More
How to do Social Selling When Your Prospects Aren’t Social
Plenty of your prospects aren’t active on social media. The percentage of customers, prospects and partners in your industry may vary depending on comfortability with technology and a variety of other factors. But that doesn’t mean social selling won’t still work. You just won’t be able to go as direct. Here are six ways to drive measurable… Read More
How to train your customers: Six steps to better relationships & outcomes
I’ve addressed in previous columns how buyers should follow certain guidelines and best practices in how they select and manage their vendors, consultants and agencies. But it goes the other way as well. Consultants, vendors and agencies who don’t set clear expectations and “train” their clients & customers up front are more liable to experience friction… Read More
Inbound-only marketing is like waiting for the phone to ring
I’ve built my business on inbound marketing. It works. But it also has its limits. By focusing on inbound marketing alone, you have little control over the growth rate and consistency of that growth over time. You have less control over the quality of inbound requests and prospects. The phone will ring often, but you’re… Read More
Increase blog traffic & engagement: Six commenting best practices
It’s shocking to me how many companies create great blog content, yet ignore the community of people engaging with that content after it’s been published. Driving, facilitating and engaging in the community around your content is a critical component of a great content strategy. I’ve seen reports from other bloggers that getting 3-4 comments on… Read More
Is this the most important content marketing book ever written?
If you type “content marketing” into Amazon.com’s search bar, you’ll get more than 21,000 results. Many of the books listed (especially those at the top of the list) are required reading for content marketers. But the one book that arguably could have the biggest impact on the expansion, impact and depth of content marketing by… Read More
Just suck it up and move on
Someone told me once that the only thing that matters, the only thing you need to worry about, is what you do right now. The past is no longer relevant, and the future does not yet exist. I believe reality is slightly more complicated than that. You want to learn from the past, and plan… Read More
Logical vs Emotional Reasons to Buy
Quick reminder that your prospects don’t always act as you would expect. They’re not robots, after all. Just because this is B2B, and just because they’re buying for professional reasons, doesn’t mean they will always make the appropriate, rational decision on behalf of their organization. We all make decisions for a variety of reasons. Rational and… Read More
Making a Case for Rational Optimism (in business, sales & life)
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about perspective. As a sales professional, as a business owner, as an entrepreneur. It’s one thing to have a plan, set goals, to know what you want to achieve. It’s another thing entirely to have the right mindset to get there. Your approach, your mindset, the way you handle… Read More
Maria’s App of the Week: Tellwise
This week’s app of the week is provided by Maria Geokezas, Director of Client Services at Heinz Marketing. Check out past featured apps here. The Smart Way to Prospect I spent two solid days this past week at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum. Along with the inspirational keynotes and educational sessions, I always appreciate the opportunity… Read More
Marketing Automation Best Practices Guide
Managing those qualified but not-ready-to-buy leads in advance of an active sales process is quickly becoming one of the most important roles for B2B marketing organizations. The justification and math is clear—the more actively you can nurture leads and build long-term relationships based on trust and credibility, well before the prospect is ready to buy,… Read More
Matt’s App of the Week: AboutLocal
This is the latest in a series highlighting a wide variety of applications we think are pretty cool. Most have to do with sales, marketing and productivity. Check out past featured apps here. It’s pretty tough as a small business to keep track of what people might be saying about you online. You can check Yelp… Read More