Guest Blog by Greg Knapp, Principal of AspenTech Consulting Group An important lesson my sales coach drilled into me is that the problem the prospect brings you is rarely the real problem. What happens when a prospect calls with a problem or need? When that call comes in, all too often the typical salesperson accepts the self-diagnosis and agrees enthusiastically. Are you as prepared as you need to be? Imagine going into the [...]
I swear on my sales coach’s retirement fund I am not making this up: Earlier this week I spoke with a marketing expert who is on-boarding a new client (or, trying to). The company’s revenue goals for 2012: go from 18 million to 50 million in sales this year. Yowsa, now that’s ambitious! To develop a marketing strategy, she needs to discuss their current sales plan. Imagine this conversation: [...]
Update! The good guys won. SOPA and PIPA are DEAD. Are you worried that on-line free speech rights may be decided by rich, middle-aged (mostly) white guys who have the level of tech savvy demonstrated by the late Ted Stevens (famously, “The Internet is a series of pipes”). Of course, the other worry is that they do “get it” but are beholden to lobbyists who want these regulations enacted (we can be sure [...]
Judging from all the talk about social media and online marketing, you might assume that email marketing is on the decline. Nothing could be further from the truth. Each of these methods are essential, complementary marketing tactics for 2012. But, email could well be the most effective for SMB. Although email marketing has existed since the early 1990’s, it continues to be one of the most prevalent, cost-effective, and successful [...]
