The Pipeline

JUNE 4, 2019

Vendors focus on providing material that buyers don’t find very useful or trustworthy. Buyers don’t trust all vendor claims, nor do they expect to. I Wanna Believe. The risk is that buyers will discount your claims; you need only look at feedback buyers are providing. The B2B Buying Disconnect – TrustRadius 2017.

Discount 268

Discount Vendor Quota Buyer 268

The Pipeline

DECEMBER 29, 2016

It is a situation where a buyer has decided that they will give the business to a specific, usually favoured, vendor. Column B – The chosen vendor, the one that will get the deal short of divine intervention (bad news for atheist sellers). So they set things up in a spreadsheet for presentation.

Vendor 211

Vendor Call-back Buyer Energy 211

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

Or whether you can do something they already have a vendor for, but cheaper. Based on what the prospect hears when you answer they will go one of two ways. Wanting to learn and understand more about how you can help them. Using the 360 Degree Deal View, you’ll be able to lead the conversation with outcomes.

Face-to-face 201

Face-to-face Travel Vendor Objections 201

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

They will opt for a vendor managed inventory vs. the current self-managed. Not only are buyers overwhelmed with information, they don’t trust or like what they get from most vendors. Buyers don’t trust all vendor claims, nor do they expect to. Buyers don’t trust all vendor claims, nor do they expect to.

Outsourcing Services 212

Outsourcing Services Lead Rank Vendor Buyer 212

The Pipeline

MARCH 23, 2017

To do that they need to first understand that the many of the struggles buyers face, are often more internal than market related, and certainly not product/vendor related, which is where most sellers focus. Many sellers do not recognize how far down the journey the question of product or vendor are really a factor.

Buyer 185

Buyer Face-to-face Vendor Buying Cycle 185

The Pipeline

AUGUST 29, 2016

The challenge with that is that servicing their immediate purchases without aligning it with Objectives will often leave vendors exposed to the next flash or discounter who comes along. It is the familiar posture in sales, one where you would prefer to be a “trusted advisor” rather than a “supplier” or “vendor”.

Objections 192

Objections Vendor Discount Quota 192

The Pipeline

MAY 21, 2019

I understand that vendors need to realize an ROI, as a result we should expect to be “sold.” Vendors lack a strategy for their trade shows, without that, you fall back to the spray and pray default. What I have to report that it wasn’t a great experience. However, the behaviour of the people in the booths worked counter to that goal.

Trade Show 232

Trade Show Lead Rank Lead Scoring Sales Qualified Lead 232

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

In a recent survey of 1,000 IT decision makers at Fortune ranked, small and medium-sized companies, DiscoverOrg found cold – sales calls and e-mails affect and “more importantly disrupt vendor selection.”. Further, “nearly 600 said an outbound call or e-mail led to an IT vendor being evaluated.”.

Cold Calling 276

Cold Calling Webinar Metrics Conversion How To 276

The Pipeline

AUGUST 31, 2021

Despite what CRM vendors and integrators tell you, salespeople live in their inbox. It is no different for front line teams, certainly meet as a team, re-establish core elements of a winning team. But also individually, AE should sit down with their SDRs, SEs, CX folks, and anybody involved in helping you achieve quota.

Harvest 360

Harvest Referrals Call-back Video 360

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 14, 2013

Pricing continues a key factor in winning or losing sales opportunities, and while few vendors take pride in being the low cost provider, at times it seems they set out to be just that, or they take few steps to avoid it being forced on them. By Tibor Shanto - tibor.shanto@sellbetter.ca. Either way expectations have been set.

Vendor 299

Vendor Margin Smart Company Buyer 299

The Pipeline

OCTOBER 7, 2014

However, 75% of customers who switch from one vendor to another say they were satisfied at the time that they switched. Join us on Thurs., 9th, 2014 at 2:00PM ET / 11:00AM PT for this free webinar. Most salespeople are taught to look for pain and needs. There was no pain, and no needs, so what was the catalyst? Objectives!

Webinar Metrics 275

Webinar Metrics Objections Vendor Account 275

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

While both vendors and the executives of sales organizations can be blamed, I would focus on the executive/leadership. The vendors fail because they only focus on part of the buying group, not the whole. Both vendors and the executive need to sell the front line reps on “what is in it for them”, the oldest rule in sales.

Sales Tools 275

Sales Tools Tools Wireless Vendor 275

The Pipeline

MARCH 16, 2012

One example he gave related to questions submitted by vendors to clarify aspects of the tender document. He did not understand why when one vendor submits a question, it is shared with everyone bidding. He highlighted that in most instances it favoured the mediocre and punished creativity.

Vendor 226

Vendor Trends Benefit Relationals 226

The Pipeline

APRIL 2, 2019

While I agree that there may be no point in revisiting recently lost deals, unless there are contributing factors, like issues with the winning vendor; the No Decision opportunities are very different.

Top of Funnel 271

Top of Funnel Vendor Funnel Pipeline 271

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 20, 2020

The mistake sellers make is they go for bake-offs against the incumbent vendor or process. We’re all set, happy as the proverbial. Think about it man, you know what’s coming, you just have to be ready. . Keep Your Cake. Don’t take the bait, stay focused on helping achieve objectives.

Objections 262

Objections Call-back Face-to-face Margin 262

The Pipeline

OCTOBER 18, 2013

Few send thank you notes anymore, I know that when I am the prospect, if I get a thank you note, it is so rare, I take notice, and mentally give the sender bonus points, points that may take them ahead of the other vendors. A hand written note, will just blow their mind.

Proposal 301

Proposal Vendor Buyer Meeting 301

The Pipeline

MARCH 13, 2017

The main reason is that most vendors and sellers spend time and effort to differentiate themselves from other products, companies, or sales people. What some vendors think is really different, may not be that important to the market, which is likely why the others have avoided it.

Prospecting 242

Prospecting Decision Maker Vendor Objections 242

The Pipeline

DECEMBER 5, 2013

It’s the easiest approach, they need to reduce their spending by 10%, so they proceed to slash all their vendors by 10%.; All vendors are treated as equals, even if they are not of equal value to the company. no one gets insulted, they don’t have to think much, and they get to their goal.

Scale 261

Scale Fashion Vendor Buyer 261

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

It showed how outbound sales calls and e-mails affect and “more importantly disrupt vendor selection.” Further, “nearly 600 said an outbound call or e-mail led to an IT vendor being evaluated.”. Seventy-five per cent of IT executives have set an appointment or attended an event as a direct result of outbound email and call techniques.”

Cold Calling 303

Cold Calling Outbound Referrals Lead Rank 303

The Pipeline

JULY 15, 2013

75% of customers who leave or switch vendors for a competitor, when asked, say they were ‘satisfied or completely satisfied’ with the vendor they left, at the time they switched.” ‘Customer Loyalty Guaranteed’ Bell & Patterson.

Cold Calling 303

Cold Calling Objections Vendor Call-back 303

The Pipeline

APRIL 15, 2013

this may include consulting with outside parties, a great opportunity to introduce your company long before vendor selection process starts. They may then have some of the team leaders scope things out, costs/benefits, challenges, etc.; Once the project gets the go ahead, the implementers take centre stage.

Sales Cycle 288

Sales Cycle Decision Maker Vendor Benefit 288

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

They took the first step, began the exploration on their own, and will look to vendors playing the “be found” game, to play the role of “demo guy”, then play you off your competitor, order taker. The 70% Status quo, by definition is not looking, but that does not mean they are not looking.

Vendor 282

Vendor Objections Buyer Positioning 282

The Pipeline

MARCH 11, 2013

It is clear that those in the Status Quo are more likely : “Buyers who have yet to be presented with, or perceive the right solution required to achieve their objectives or market opportunities.”.

Marketing 282

Marketing Buyer Vendor Objections 282

The Pipeline

OCTOBER 26, 2017

This may be easy for that small part of the market that is actively looking, ready to buy, and are just looking for the right vendor. While tools and tech can help score leads, nurture them, even get them to the point of engagement. But when it comes to that 70% plus part of the market that is in Status Quo, not interacting with the market.

Lead Rank 276

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Lead Nurturing Margin 276

The Pipeline

JULY 25, 2011

in addition to presentations there were a number of vendors. All around the other vendors all were accepting credit cards, bit my man! One had a really neat utensil that caught my interest, I wanted to buy it and asked which plastic cards he accepted, he told me none. I asked if I can order the thing on his site, no.

Pipeline 265

Pipeline Hiring Top of Funnel Vendor 265

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

. • “ A survey by DemandGen Report, reported that 77% of B2B buyers said they did not talk with a salesperson until after they had performed independent research, and 36% of buyers said they didn’t engage with a sales rep until after a short list of preferred vendors was established.”.

Cold Calling 292

Cold Calling Social Media Decision Maker Lead Rank 292

The Pipeline

JUNE 13, 2016

More, better, faster, is all good and nice, but still very vendor centric, and speaks to their view of Benefit, usually versus another competitor, including the current state (Status Quo being you number one competitor). Consistent high performers see that as a spring board to what really matters, the buyer’s objectives.

Benefit 120

Benefit Vendor Face-to-face Objections 120

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 19, 2019

There is an alternative to this passive “Wait Till They Are Ready” approach preached by many pundits and vendors with tools to help you wait. Their plan is to revisit things as the buyer moves from Status Quo to a more “ready to look/buy” mindset. It comes with two, for me worthwhile, conditions.

SME 225

SME Quota Groups Buyer 225

The Pipeline

JUNE 6, 2016

Telling them they didn’t, no matter how right, will just confirm they have the right vendor in column A. Only after this would you introduce your role in the process, doing it earlier will just drive them back to their initial vendor preference. But the wrong here is not the product, but achieving the objective or not.

Lead Rank 120

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Objections Call-back 120

The Pipeline

APRIL 11, 2016

Consider this, according to Chip Bell and John Patterson, in their book ‘Customer Loyalty Guaranteed’, present that “75% of customers who leave or switch vendors for a competitor, when asked, say they were ‘satisfied or completely satisfied’ with the vendor they left, at the time they switched.”

Segment 120

Segment Prospecting Objections Vendor 120

The Pipeline

OCTOBER 6, 2016

Vendors are happy to supply the case studies, ROI calculators, white papers, and all the rationale one needs to at that next app to their stack. These days, they throw technology at it instead. As they add things, they add complexity, complexity as presented Monday, impacts productivity negatively.

Case Study 291

Case Study Fashion Exercises Buyer 291

The Pipeline

JULY 28, 2014

The other benefit is when there is a bake-off at the time the implementers are selecting vendors. As sellers we are looking for ways to create urgency, nothing puts a spring the feet of a decision maker than when they see something that will help the achieve their goals, and again without much though about the how.

Decision Maker 310

Decision Maker Objections Margin Vendor 310

The Pipeline

JUNE 16, 2014

Every question he asked me was prefaced by telling me how great he and his company were, as though I should apply to buy from them, and I’d be more than silly if I didn’t, even when there are a dozen more vendors like him in a stone’s throw, or certainly a click of a mouse.

Buyer 314

Buyer Vendor Meeting Sales Meeting 314

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Once I understand the “why,” I then I continue to explore “how” they chose the vendors to help them. Versus someone who expresses their thought process, talks about the input they got from others, “and then I decided ACME was a better positioned to support our long-term direction.”. OK – Now How?

Decision Maker 266

Decision Maker Buyer Lead Rank Groups 266

The Pipeline

JANUARY 24, 2014

Make sure that outside vendors know how important it is to keep your customers’ info safe – most, if not all companies outsource some of their file storage or data encryption to another company or service. This is the best way to beat the hacker game. They also suggest using a whole-disk encryption method rather than file-level encryption.

Outsourcing Services 267

Outsourcing Services Customer Cancellation Loyalty 267

The Pipeline

APRIL 17, 2017

If the questions I ask, the areas I choose to explore and drill down on, are no different than the three or four or eight other vendors they are speaking with, then the selection and decision will go back to the same old, usually the lowest common denominator, moderated by price (the lowest price).

Buyer 242

Buyer Exercises Vendor Lead Rank 242

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Buyers over the last few years have shown that they are willing to take insight from vendors, but the insights must be on the buyer’s terms. To improve execution, you need a point of view, and that does not come from the stack no matter how high. Buyer Driven. As we have shared before buyers.

Revenue 370

Revenue Top of Funnel Sales Qualified Lead Lead Rank 370