tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:35:04 +0000cash flowBusiness development tacticsSales revenuePricing ModelsEmailrainmakerProfessional services marketingSmall business owners and salesMarketing SpendReferral relationshipsProductizing servicesSelling a B2B serviceGuy KawasakiPart-time salespersonMarketing your service firmreferralsB2B salesNew ServicesSales insourcing to drive revenue for marketing, advertising, technology and services firms in the SMB spacehttp://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)Blogger13125blogspot/gKjrhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-5835418788282418251Sun, 11 Apr 2010 23:16:00 +00002010-04-13T16:43:24.040-05:00Part-time salespersonSmall business owners and salesB2B salesWhen you Google the search term "why salespeople fail" you come up with over a half million results. Many of these results talk about sales process and sales training which all can make a difference in a salesperson's success.What they don't mention (and what has a major impact on small business owners in the business-to-business sector) is that the first thing you can do to avoid sales failure http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2010/04/3-reasons-why-you-dont-need-full-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-8843251085611567664Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:29:00 +00002010-02-23T19:46:49.143-06:00Productizing services<!--StartFragment--> If you are a marketing agency, consulting firm or technology company, you provide your expertise with customized solutions. Have you considered productizing your offerings to make it easier for your customers to buy? When your services are offered in branded packages, the scope and the fee are all pre-defined. Customers know what they are buying and have the power to choosehttp://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2010/02/5-steps-to-productize-your-b2b-services.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-2505755574376988973Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:07:00 +00002010-02-03T15:13:29.602-06:00referrals<!--StartFragment--> You know how to use direct sales and marketing methods to grow sales but how can you superpower referrals if that has proved most successful to your past business growth?Most of our clients in the B2B services world (technology, marketing, advertising firms) find that the majority of their new clients come from referrals. A client asked me today, “How can I drive more new http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2010/02/5-easy-tips-to-drive-referrals-for-your.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-1488978146711661257Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +00002009-12-23T15:19:05.034-06:00Sales revenueWe expect clients to come to us because they want to grow their sales. However, when their sales haven't been where they have wanted them to be for 6-12 months or more, they have a tremendous sense of urgency to create sales revenue now.Here are ways you can speed up the sales process:Right message to the right people at the right time? Making it the right time. You can put all the lead http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-you-need-more-sales-now-speeding.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-4578627629335438511Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:44:00 +00002009-12-23T15:17:41.668-06:00<!--StartFragment--> Why do SMBs have so much trouble driving revenue on a consistent basis? Their expectations of sales results are high but their willingness to participate in the success of this sales growth is inversely proportional. They are happy to hand over the sales duties to someone (one of the execs, a salesperson, an outsourced biz dev firm) but do not put a priority on staying http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/10/top-5-ways-smbs-expect-miracles-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-2249891762969208177Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:24:00 +00002009-04-30T14:57:10.985-05:00EmailBusiness development tacticsWe're often asked about the effectiveness of email blasts. Let's evaluate from an "end user" point of view. At the front end of the biz dev process, you strive to show your prospect that there is potential value, or a reason, they should start a dialogue with you. You are trying to engage them in an exploratory relationship which by definition is a personal thing. So, starting a relationship withhttp://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/04/who-wants-to-be-on-receiving-end-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-5050923173359556612Tue, 31 Mar 2009 22:55:00 +00002009-03-31T18:12:18.188-05:00Professional services marketingrainmakerIf you add business development to your "given" role in a company, even if you're not officially in sales, you are driving growth for your firm and giving yourself a healthy dose of job security.But I find it amazing as we work with consulting and other professional service firms that very talented, well-connected, high level people on their teams don't see business development as something with http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/03/not-in-sales-be-rainmaker-anyway.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-4597735185857872514Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:24:00 +00002009-02-21T14:56:36.786-06:00Guy Kawasakicash flowWhen you start a new business or even as you grow your business, you want everything to be just right: your website, your marketing material, how you'll deliver your services, your business plan, etc. But waiting for perfection on all of these before you go to market means no cash is coming in, right? A recent posting from Guy Kawasaki's blog has advice that resonates for entrepreneurs who, as wehttp://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/02/launch-today-refine-later.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-1147887487361371402Tue, 10 Feb 2009 04:50:00 +00002009-02-09T23:15:09.055-06:00Marketing SpendNew ServicesPricing ModelsIn the February Harvard Business Review article, Seize Advantages in a Downturn, they say that "Inaction is the riskiest response to the uncertainties of an economic crisis." A natural reaction of many business owners right now might be to put the brakes on. However, you need to rally against this tendency in your gut, forge forward and allocate your resources differently this year. They suggest http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/02/inaction-is-riskiest-response-3.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-1470044047749124068Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:51:00 +00002009-01-30T22:46:11.655-06:00Referral relationshipsSmall business owners and sales“I’m not flying. I’m falling with style.” (Buzz Lightyear. Toy Story.) When people network, they do stumble upon “power partners” who would make great referral sources. Instead of falling into these relationships, make a plan to deliberately seek them out and build them. There’s a way to do this so that it works. Here are three easy steps to extend your sales reach this year without hiring a http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/01/no-cost-way-to-expand-your-sales-team.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-1463459095455219234Mon, 12 Jan 2009 04:09:00 +00002009-04-05T18:58:32.233-05:00Part-time salespersonIn our business development work with small business owners, we hear the same story over and over again. They had multiple salespeople sequentially over the past few years who didn’t work out. One stayed for 6 months. One stayed for 18 months. None of them produced revenue.At first, when some let an unsuccessful sales rep go they feel a wave of relief as they have gotten rid of a “problem.” Or http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2009/01/sales-opening-why-part-time-is-better.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-6281200401572766942Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:02:00 +00002009-04-05T21:06:19.769-05:00Small business owners and salesB2B salesWithout knowledge of their actual sales acumen, business owners unwittingly impede their firm’s growth. Here is what we have found in working with B2B small business owners all over the country. Which one describes your firm the best?Biz Owner Sales Profile #1: Principal(s) never held a sales role.Impact: If none of the principals have held a sales role, the company is operating at a distinct http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2008/12/why-small-biz-owners-fail-in-sales-4.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1006508047020790310.post-1418207784855987829Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:15:00 +00002008-12-23T19:38:45.586-06:00Selling a B2B serviceMarketing your service firmHarry Beckwith, author of Selling the Invisible which has a special focus on marketing for service firms, talks about how companies selling expert services (consulting firms, professional services firms) believe their clients are buying expertise.http://www.beckwithpartners.com/sellingtheinvisible.aspxNo matter how many case studies and white papers you provide, can they really assess your level http://bizdev4servicefirms.blogspot.com/2008/11/guess-what-youre-not-selling-expertise.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Kathryn Neal Odell)0